Thoughts on Tramon Mark, Dailyn Swain, and Quadir Copeland in the First Four of the 2026 NCAA Tournament

March 18th, 2026

By Alan Lu

Yesterday, I took the time to watch the second First Four game that took place last night between Texas and NC State.  While it was a low scoring affair, it was an entertaining game in which numerous prospects hit big shots and both teams traded leans before Tramon Mark made a game-winning basket from just inside the three-point line to help Texas win 68-66.  Here are my thoughts on how he and other various prospects fared in this game.

Tramon Mark played very well, and his big-time shotmaking and clutch performance helped Texas get the win.  His ability to score quickly off the dribble, from the mid-range, and from deep really helped his team on offense.  Mark was able to score on a powerful dunk on a strong drive to showcase his athleticism, and he showed a knack for making smooth step-back jumpers both from the mid-range and three-point line.

He also is a crafty player that managed to throw a pass off of an opponent’s back to get the ball himself and get fouled on the way up to get to the free throw line.  Plus, Mark also rebounded and defended very well, as he did a great job of blocking shots to get stops, and he also poked a ball away to get a steal.  Overall, Mark had a superb showing for Texas, as he came up big to help them get the victory, and he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Dailyn Swain played well in his team’s win over NC State.  He played well on both ends of the floor, as he overcame turnover trouble and asserted himself aggressively to make an impact, although his late game ball-handling turnover almost was costly in this game.

Swain did a good job of driving to the hoop to draw free throws and score.  He also was able to make an open corner three to help spread the floor.  He did miss on some tough shots, but Swain was able to put pressure on the defenses as a scorer.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills.  He did a solid job of making passes off the dribble, as he made good passes and showed the court vision to consistently find them on the move.  However, he had some trouble handling ball pressure, which led to a handful of turnovers.

Swain also rebounded and defended very well.  He showed a knack for jumping passing lanes and finding loose balls to get steals, and using his length, athleticism, and timing to block shots.  Overall, Swain didn’t have a perfect game, but he made solid plays on both ends of the floor to help his team get the win, and he could be a solid pick for an NBA team, especially if he’s available for them to select in the second round of the 2026 draft.

Quadir Copeland had a solid showing in his team’s loss to Texas.  He is a big point guard that showed some very specific strengths as a playmaker and defender, and he also was able to make some sterling plays as a scorer on offense.  He didn’t look to take outside shots, and he had trouble taking on contact when driving to the hoop.

Still, he excelled with his unselfish play, good rebounding, and pesky defense, as he would jump passing lanes to get steals.  He also scored on a nice alley-oop dunk on the break to showcase his athleticism.  Overall, Copeland had a good game in his team’s tough loss to Texas, and he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Darrion Williams also had a solid showing in his team’s tough loss to Texas.  He played really well early on, as he took advantage of mismatches by showing the touch and strength to score out of the post, excelled as a three-point shooter, and he flashed a nice spin move to score off the dribble.  On the downside, he struggled to consistently score out of the post later on, and his tendency to rush would lead to misses.  Still, he showed a nice pull-up game, as he would smoothly knock down threes to keep his team in it.

Overall, Williams did a good job of scoring the basketball, and he is a skilled, versatile forward that can significantly help a team on offense.  He is a smooth scorer that can pass the basketball, and he could be a solid pick for an NBA team in the second round of the 2026 draft.

Matas Vokietaitis played fairly well in his team’s close win over NC State.  He was a little inconsistent as a scorer, but he showed good footwork and the assertiveness to score out of the post, and he would frequently draw fouls to get to the free throw line.  He was effective as the roll man, and his ability to get fouled on post plays made him a reliable scoring option.  He also showed that he can score off of a quick spin move from the block.

He also rebounded the ball well, and he also blocked a dunk after successfully defending an opponent off the dribble.  On the downside, sometimes he would play too aggressively and commit fouls, which led him to foul out.

Overall, Vokietaitis is an emerging talent that has played well at Texas this year.  He has excelled as an interior player this year, and he could be a solid pick for an NBA team, especially if he’s available for them to select in the second round of the 2026 draft.

Chendall Weaver played really well off the bench to help Texas get the win in this game.  He has a terrific motor, and he did a tremendous job of rebounding the basketball.  He would score and draw free throws on hustle plays and on drives, and he also managed to score on a mid-range floater.  He also made pinpoint passes and his presence defensively helped force turnovers.  Overall, he is an athletic, energetic guard that helped his team get the victory, and while he didn’t take a three-point shot, his ability to make team winning plays could enable him to be an effective role player in the NBA.

Paul McNeil had his ups and downs, but he was able to make some truly impressive plays in the second half to keep NC State in the game.  He is a smooth shooting wing that showed a knack for making spot-up threes, especially from the corners, and he also ran quickly off a ball screen to make a corner three while getting fouled late in the game. 

While he struggled to score off the dribble, he was able to score on a leaner off the dribble once.  Plus, he was active defensively, and his ability to contest shots and apply pressure helped his team get stops.  On the downside, there was one play where he didn’t move his feet that well and committed a reach-in foul while allowing a score on a drive.

Overall, McNeil didn’t have his best game, but his talents shone through, as he is an athletic, smooth shooting guard that can space the floor.  He will likely need to stay in school to continue to hone and develop his overall game, but his shooting, athleticism, and versatility could enable him to carve out a solid career in the NBA someday.

Tre Holloman quietly played well in his team’s loss to Texas.  He passed and defended well, and he would score and draw free throws on strong drives to the hoop.  He did sometimes commit reach-in fouls and didn’t make a three-pointer, but Holloman’s ability to make key plays down the stretch on both ends of the floor helped NC State in this game.  He’ll need to continue to improve as an overall player, but he is an agile, skilled playmaker that may have what it takes to make it to the NBA someday.

Musa Sagnia had a curious impact on the game, even if ultimately it may have turned out to be minimal. He is a long athletic big man that made two impressive blocks to help NC State fortify their defense, but he was basically non-existent on offense, and he was foul prone, as he ended up fouling out with about nine and a half minutes left in the game. Defensively, his skills are very promising on that end, especially as he fits the bill of an athletic rim protector, but offensively, he may have a long way to go. Sagnia is an intriguing long-term project player that could be a possible rotation-caliber player for the NBA if he can ever develop a reliable offensive game.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Mark and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.