Canadian Content
Every year, there are more and more Canadians not merely playing NCAA Basketball, but playing more significant roles.
This season, there are 29 players on the rosters of the 68 teams in the tournament and ten of those players averaged double figures in scoring for the 2012-2013 season.
New Mexico State leads the way with four Canadians, three starters plus one rotation regular. The Aggies have won 18 of their last 20 games though, admittedly, not against the highest-calibre opposition that the NCAA has to offer.
The top seed in the West, Gonzaga, has a pair of starters with sophomore point guard Kevin Pangos and junior centre Kelly Olynyk.
Olynyk, who was redshirted last season, has suddenly emerged as the best player on a team that finished the season on top of the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches' Poll. As a result, his NBA draft stock has skyrocketed, to the point that he is now a potential lottery selection.
The top-ranked Canadian draft prospect, however, is Anthony Bennett, a physically-imposing freshman who is considered a top-five pick with a chance to move up. Maybe a strong tournament could help put Bennett over the top.
Other Canadians in significant roles on high profile teams include Bennett's teammate, shot-blocker Khem Birch at UNLV, and sharpshooter Nik Stauskas at Michigan.
Canadians in the Tournament
| Player |
School |
Pos. |
Class |
HT |
WT |
Hometown |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
BPG |
SPG |
| Anthony Bennett |
UNLV |
PF |
Fr. |
6-8 |
240 |
Brampton, ON |
16.1 |
8.1 |
0.9 |
1.3 |
0.6 |
| Sim Bhullar |
New Mexico State |
C |
Fr. |
7-5 |
355 |
Toronto, ON |
10.2 |
6.5 |
0.8 |
2.4 |
0.1 |
| Khem Birch |
UNLV |
C |
So. |
6-9 |
220 |
Montreal, QC |
7.2 |
5.7 |
0.6 |
2.6 |
0.7 |
| Junior Cadougan |
Marquette |
PG |
Sr. |
6-1 |
205 |
Toronto, ON |
8.7 |
2.9 |
4.1 |
0.1 |
1.1 |
| Nik Cochran |
Davidson |
PG |
Sr. |
6-3 |
188 |
Vancouver, BC |
9.8 |
2.3 |
3.4 |
0.0 |
0.8 |
| Joe De Ciman |
Colorado State |
SG |
Fr. |
6-4 |
185 |
Regina, SK |
1.0 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
| Renaldo Dixon |
New Mexico State |
PF |
Jr. |
6-9 |
210 |
Toronto, ON |
5.7 |
3.9 |
0.6 |
1.3 |
0.2 |
| Melvin Ejim |
Iowa State |
PF |
Jr. |
6-6 |
230 |
Toronto, ON |
11.2 |
9.3 |
1.3 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
| Dylan Ennis |
Villanova |
SG |
Fr. |
6-2 |
182 |
Brampton, ON |
* |
* |
* |
* |
* |
| Grandy Glaze |
Saint Louis |
PF |
So. |
6-6 |
235 |
Toronto, ON |
3.2 |
2.7 |
0.5 |
0.1 |
0.5 |
| Stefan Jankovic |
Missouri |
PF |
Fr. |
6-11 |
230 |
Mississauga, ON |
3.2 |
1.5 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
| Bryson Johnson |
Bucknell |
PG |
Sr. |
6-2 |
198 |
Pictou, NS |
11.1 |
2.7 |
2.4 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
| Noel Jones |
Syracuse |
SF |
Jr. |
6-6 |
230 |
Halifax, NS |
0.3 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
| Troy Joseph |
LIU Brooklyn |
SF |
So. |
6-6 |
200 |
Toronto, ON |
3.3 |
2.0 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
| Chadrack Lufile |
Wichita State |
C |
Jr. |
6-9 |
251 |
Burlington, ON |
1.8 |
2.0 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
| Naz Long |
Iowa State |
PG |
Sr. |
6-4 |
210 |
Mississauga, ON |
1.5 |
0.8 |
1.1 |
0.0 |
0.4 |
| Jahenns Manigat |
Creighton |
PG |
Jr. |
6-1 |
175 |
Ottawa, ON |
6.1 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
0.1 |
0.8 |
| Daniel Mullings |
New Mexico State |
PG |
Fr. |
6-2 |
172 |
Toronto, ON |
14.0 |
5.2 |
2.6 |
0.5 |
2.2 |
| Agunwa Okolie |
Harvard |
SF |
Fr. |
6-8 |
205 |
Ajax, ON |
1.7 |
1.1 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
| Kelly Olynyk |
Gonzaga |
C |
Jr. |
7-0 |
238 |
Kamloops, BC |
17.5 |
7.2 |
1.7 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
| Kevin Pangos |
Gonzaga |
PG |
So. |
6-2 |
182 |
Newmarket, ON |
11.5 |
2.7 |
3.2 |
0.0 |
1.4 |
| Taevaunn Prince |
South Dakota State |
SG |
So. |
6-3 |
215 |
Toronto, ON |
4.4 |
2.1 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
0.3 |
| Laurent Rivard |
Harvard |
SG |
Jr. |
6-5 |
215 |
Saint-Bruno, QC |
10.4 |
3.7 |
0.8 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
| Nik Stauskas |
Michigan |
SG |
Fr. |
6-6 |
190 |
Mississauga, ON |
11.5 |
3.2 |
1.2 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
| Patrick Steeves |
Harvard |
SF |
Fr. |
6-7 |
220 |
Montreal, QC |
* |
* |
* |
* |
* |
| Tyrone Watson |
New Mexico State |
SF |
Sr. |
6-5 |
212 |
Hamilton, ON |
10.8 |
5.1 |
3.0 |
0.3 |
1.0 |
| Maurice Walker |
Minnesota |
C |
So. |
6-10 |
289 |
Scarborough, ON |
2.3 |
2.0 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
| Negus Webster-Chan |
Missouri |
SF |
Fr. |
6-7 |
200 |
Scarborough, ON |
2.5 |
2.0 |
0.8 |
0.0 |
0.4 |
| Nick Wiggins |
Wichita State |
SG |
Fr. |
6-6 |
187 |
Toronto, ON |
5.2 |
1.8 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
* - This list attempts to identify all Canadian players participating in the 2013 NCAA Basketball Tournament. If there are any ommissions, please contact Scott Cullen at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen.
Photo: The Canadian Press
