NCAA Tournament will include more than 20 former Kentucky high school basketball players

It's a down year for college basketball in Kentucky as far as March Madness representation goes.

Just two men's teams from the commonwealth, No. 6-seeded UK and No. 16-seed Northern Kentucky, the Horizon League tournament champions, cracked the 68-team NCAA Tournament field when the bracket was released Sunday evening.

On the women's side, No. 5-seeded Louisville was the only in-state program to make the cut as coach Jeff Walz and the Cardinals vie for back-to-back Final Four appearances after reaching the ACC Tournament championship game.

There are, however, at least 24 players who before making the jump to the Division I ranks suited up for boys and girls basketball teams at high schools across the Bluegrass State. Make it 25 if you count Missouri's Sean East II, a Louisville native who began his prep career across the Ohio River at New Albany before transferring to Combine Academy in North Carolina.

If your school was left out of the Big Dance — or gets bounced early — why not direct your support toward these Kentuckians who will be taking the court during March Madness?

Kentucky vs. Providence:What to know about first-round NCAA Tournament game

Did we miss anyone? Please email: bholton@gannett.com with additional players from the commonwealth to follow.

Former Kentucky boys basketball players in NCAA Tournament

Louisville vs. Drake: What to know about 1st-round NCAA women's basketball tournament game

Former Kentucky girls basketball players in NCAA Tournament

Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @brooksHolton.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: March Madness 2023: Former KHSAA basketball players in NCAA Tournament