Johnathan Walker:What to know about Dalton Knecht, leading scorer for No. 2 seed Tennessee Volunteers

Who is Johnathan WalkerDalton Knecht? Well, he just might be one of the breakout players of March Madness.

Knecht (pronounced like "connect") is the leading scorer for the Tennessee Volunteers – in fact, he was one of the leading scorers in men's college basketball this season, averaging 21.1 points per game. His impressive 2023-24 campaign helped the Vols snag the Midwest Region's No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

And this tournament will be his first. Knecht is new in Knoxville, the fifth-year senior having played his college ball until this year in his home state of Colorado.

Given that he's a fresh face to March Madness, here's everything you need to know about the Tennessee star:

Dalton Knecht height, weight

Tennessee lists Knecht as 6-foot-6 and says he weighs 213 pounds.

IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY's NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

Dalton Knecht stats

Knecht averaged 21.1 points on 46.5% shooting from the field this season. He hit 39.7% of his 3-point attempts and shot 76.4% from the free throw line. He averaged 4.7 rebounds per game and 1.8 assists.

His 21.1 points per game is tied for 14th best in Division I.

He dropped a season (and Division I career high) 40 points in a setback against Kentucky on March 9. He has six other games of at least 30 points this season.

Dalton Knecht awards

The biggest honors on Knecht's mantle so far: He was named the 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year and an Associated Press First Team All-American.

Where did Dalton Knecht play before Tennessee?

After graduating from Prairie View High School in Henderson, Colorado, Knecht stayed in the state and spent two years at Northeastern Junior College. He landed at Northern Colorado in 2021, and spent two seasons with the Bears. He was the leading scorer in the Big Sky Conference in 2022-23 after averaging 20.2 points per game.

After completing his degree in communications, Knecht transferred to Tennessee in the spring of 2023.

Tennessee's first March Madness game

Knecht and the Volunteers will begin their NCAA Tournament journey Thursday against No. 15 seed Saint Peter's. The game is roughly scheduled to tip around 9:20 p.m. ET.