Canadians to watch in NCAA March Madness

The future of Canadian basketball will be on display in the 2022 NCAA Tournament as 27 men and 20 women will be participating in this year’s March Madness.
 
Five Canadians will be playing on a top-4 seed in the men’s tournament, while eight Canadian women play on a team ranked No. 1 - 4. 
 
The list of Canadian men includes London, Ont. native Shaedon Sharpe, who is a projected 2022 NBA Draft lottery pick despite not playing a game with the Wildcats this season.
 
This year’s Final Four will take place at the Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans, beginning on April 1 for the women’s tournament and April 2 for the men’s tournament.
 
Toronto’s Alyssa Jerome won an NCAA Championship with Stanford in 2021, while a Canadian man has not won an NCAA title since Kyle Wiltjer with Kentucky in 2012. 

 
Men’s Tournament

The NCAA Men’s Tournament begins tonight with the First Four. Viewers can watch Texas A&M-Corpus Christi take on Texas Southern LIVE on TSN.ca and the TSN App at 6:30 p.m. ET/9:30 p.m. PT
 
GONZAGA (1) – Andrew Nembhard (Aurora, Ont.) 31.4 MIN, 11.7 PPG, 5.7 APG
 
The senior point guard will attempt to lead the Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-3) back to the NCAA Championship game after a disappointing 86-70 loss to Baylor last year. 
 
The 22-year-old is averaging career highs in points, assists, rebounds, and steals as he and projected No. 1 overall pick Chet Holmgren attempt to lead the top overall seed to its first NCAA title win in school history.
 
ARIZONA (1) – Bennedict Mathurin (Montreal, Que.) 32.1 MIN, 17.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG
 
Mathurin was projected as a second-round pick in last year’s NBA Draft but decided to remain at Arizona for his sophomore season to further boost his draft stock and help the Wildcats win an NCAA title. So far, so good for the Montreal native as he was named The Associated Press Pac-12 Player of the Year and a unanimous selection for the All-Pac-12 team. 
 
The 19-year-old was also named one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year award. 
 
"He’s special," Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said of Mathurin. "He’s a joy to coach and I’m happy that he’s having this success that he is."
 
Arizona heads into the tournament as the No.1 seed in the West region and a favourite to reach the Final Four. 
 
KENTUCKY (2) – Shaedon Sharpe (London, Ont.) Not Playing This Year but possible top NBA Draft Pick)
 
PURDUE (3) – Zach Edey (Toronto) 19.2 MIN, 14.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG
 
Edey was a per-minute monster for the Boilermakers this season, averaging 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds in just over 19 minutes per game.
 
The 7-foot-4 sophomore was one of the toughest players in the nation to guard as his 65.5 field goal percentage was the second in the NCAA. The Toronto native was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten as he helped Purdue to the No. 1 seed for the first time in the program’s history.
 
Alongside projected top-five NBA Draft pick Jayden Ivey, Edey looks to lead Purdue to its first NCAA title in school history. 
 
WISCONSIN (3) – Jahcobi Neath (Toronto) 9.4 MIN, 1.7 PPG, 1.4 RPG
 
PROVIDENCE (4) – Matteus Case (Pickering, Ont.) 3 GP, 2 MIN, 1.3 PPG
 
ALABAMA (6) – Charles Bediako (Brampton, Ont.) 17.8 MIN, 6.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG and Keon Ambrose-Hylton (Toronto) 7 GP, 7.1 MIN, 1.3 PPG
 
TEXAS (6) – Marcus Carr (Toronto) 30.6 MIN, 10.9 PPG, 3.2 APG
 
BOISE STATE (8)– Abu Kigab (St. Catharines, Ont.) 31.4 MIN, 14.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG
 
SETON HALL (8)– Tyrese Samuel (Montreal) 18.8 MIN, 7.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG
 
TCU (9)– Emanuel Miller (Scarborough, Ont.) 27.8 MIN, 10.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG
 
CREIGHTON (9) – Ryan Nembhard (Aurora, Ont.) 34.8 MIN, 11.3 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.1 RPG **Injured Will not Play*
 
LOYOLA CHICAGO (10) – Aher Uguak (Edmonton) 28.9 MIN, 9.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG
 
MICHIGAN (11) – Caleb Houstan (Mississauga, Ont.) 32 MIN, 10.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG

NEW MEXICO STATE (12) – Clayton Henry (Calgary) 22.9 MIN, 5 PPG, 3.3 RPG and Marsei Caston (Windsor, Ont.)  2 GP, 9 MIN, 2.5 PPF, 1 REB
 
RICHMOND (12) – Nathan Cayo (Montreal) 26.1 MIN, 8.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG and Matt Grace (Hamilton) 15.2 PPG, 4.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG
 
VERMONT (13) – Eric Beckett (Ajax, ON) 5 GP, 6.8 MIN, 3.8 PPG and Sam Alamutu (Ajax, Ont.) DNP
 
MONTANA STATE (14) – Abdul Mohamed (Ottawa) 26.4 MIN, 7.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG
 
COLGATE (14) – Sam Thomson (Kitchener, Ont.) 9.9 MIN, 2.7 PPG, 2 RPG and Malcolm Bailey (Stratford, Ont.) 2 GP, 3.5 PPG, 1.5 RPG
 
BRYANT (16) – Adham Eleeda (Toronto) 32 MIN, 10.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG
 
TEXAS A&M-CC (16) – Jasman Sangha (Brampton, Ont.) - DNP

Women’s Tournament

The NCAA Women’s Tournament begins Wednesday with the First Four. Viewers can watch Incarnate Ward take on Howard LIVE on TSN.ca and the TSN App at 7 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT
 
SOUTH CAROLINA (1)  – Laeticia Amihere (Mississauga, Ont.) 18.4 MIN, 7.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG
 
Amihere is one of the leaders of the top-overall seeded South Carolina. The 20-year-old junior averaged career highs in points, assists, and field-goal percentage as she looks to propel the Gamecocks back to the Final Four.
 
Her 7.1 points per game were second on the team, despite playing just over 18 minutes per game. 
 
STANFORD (1)  – Alyssa Jerome (Toronto) 3.8 MIN, 0.3 PPG, 0.5 RPG
 
LOUISVILLE (1) – Merissah Russell (Ottawa) 7 MIN, 1.4 PPG, 1.1 RPG
 
TEXAS (2) – Latasha Lattimore (Toronto) 10.8 MIN, 3.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG
 
UCONN (2) – Aaliyah Edwards (Kingston, Ont.) 24.2 MIN, 7.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG
 
Edwards and the famed UConn women’s team will begin their tournament on Saturday against 15th seeded Mercer as they look to reach a 14th consecutive Final Four and win their first NCAA title since 2016.
 
The sophomore was one of the Huskies’ leading rebounders, averaging 4.9 per game.
 
 
IOWA STATE (3) – Izzi Zingaro (Bolton, Ont.) 5.8 MIN, 2.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG
 
INDIANA (3) – Kiandra Browne (Montreal) 13.8 MIN, 3.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG
 
ARIZONA (4) – Shaina Pellington (Pickering, Ont.) 23.6 MIN, 10.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.3 APG
 
The Senior looks to lead Arizona to its second straight NCAA title game to fellow Canadian Jerome and Stanford.
 
Peloton’s 10.9 points are second on the team as she and leading scorer Cate Reese look to lead the Wildcats to their first NCAA title in school history. 
 
OREGON (5) – Phillipina Kyei (Calgary) 9.1 MIN, 4.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG (6’8”)
 
GEORGIA (6) – Tineya Hylton (Toronto) 7 GP, 6.3 MIN, 2.3 PPG
 
UTAH (7) – Andrea Torres (Terrebonne, Que.) 17.2 MIN, 5 PPG, 2.1 RPG
 
MIAMI (8) – Lashae Dwyer (Toronto) 11.4 MIN, 3.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG
 
KANSAS (8) – Julie Brosseau (Repentigny, Que.) 16.2 MIN, 5.6 PPG, 1.4 RPG
 
WASHINGTON ST (8) – Tara Wallack (South Surrey, B.C.) 21.9 MIN, 5.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG and Jessica Clark (North Vancouver, B.C.) 6.5 MIN, 2.0 PPG, 1.7 RPG
 
SOUTH FLORIDA (9) – Aerial Wilson (Dundas, Ont.) 6.6 MIN, 0.8 PPG, 0.6 APG
 
GONZAGA (9) – Yvonne Ejim (Calgary) 20.7 MIN, 10.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.4 STL
 
FLORIDA (10) – Faith Dut (Vancouver) 13.8 MIN, 3.4 PPG, 1.5 RPG
 
DELAWARE (13) – Jadaia Reid (Brampton, Ont.) 4.9 MIN, 1.3 PPG
 
BUFFALO (13) – Adebola Adeyeye (Brampton, Ont.) 20.7 MIN, 6.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG