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 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
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
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
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
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
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