Though just one Indiana team is in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, there’s plenty of Hoosier influence in March Madness.
More than a dozen IHSAA high schools — multiple players from Cathedral, Pike, Jeffersonville and Gary West — three Mr. Basketball winners, and transfers from Indiana, Purdue, Butler, Notre Dame, Indiana State, Ball State, Valparaiso and Evansville are playing.
Here’s who you should look out for in the coming weeks.
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What Indiana high school players are in the 2026 NCAA Tournament? Indiana high school players in 2026 March Madness
Braylon Mullins, the 2025 Indiana Mr. Basketball from Greenfield-Central, averages 12.0 points and hits 36.4% of his 3-pointers for Connecticut.
Ryan Conwell of Pike High School, who previously played one season at Indiana State, leads Louisville with an 18.7-point scoring average, hitting 35.4% of his 3-pointers.
Purdue has four scholarship players from Indiana high schools: Braden Smith, the 2022 Mr. Basketball from Westfield, 14.9 points and 8.7 assists, and is chasing the NCAA Division I career assists record; Fletcher Loyer of Homestead averages 13.6 points on 41.9% 3-point shooting. He is Purdue’s career 3-point leader; Trey Kaufman-Renn of Silver Creek averages 13.4 points and 8.7 rebounds; Jack Benter of Brownstown Central is a redshirt freshman averaging 4.9 points.
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Flory Bidunga, Kokomo, 2024 Indiana Mr. Basketball, averages 13.8 points and a team-leading 9.0 rebounds for Kansas.
Malik Reneau, formerly of Indiana, leads Miami (Florida) with 19.0 points, and also 6.6 rebounds.
Robbie Avila, formerly of Indiana State, leads Saint Louis with 12.6 points and 4.1 assists, and he makes 42.3% of his 3-pointers, with 4.5 rebounds.
Kanon Catchings of Brownsburg averages 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds for Georgia, making 38.6% of his 3-pointers.
Where is the Final Four 2026?
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
Who will win March Madness in 2026?
The nation’s highest-ranked teams heading toward the NCAA Tournament include Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Iowa State, Connecticut, Florida, and Houston.
When is March Madness 2026? NCAA Tournament schedule 2026
Where will NCAA Tournament games be played in 2026? Who is hosting March Madness 2026 games?
How much are NCAA Tournament tickets? How to get March Madness tickets
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Who won the 2025 national championship? Who won March Madness in 2025?
Florida.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 2026 March Madness: Indiana high school basketball players in NCAA Tournament
Reporting by Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
