March Madness: Top Canadians playing in 2023 NCAA tournament

March Madness tips off this week, as the best in American college basketball will be going head to head in a win or go home style knockout tournament for a shot at a national championship.

Canadians continue to thrive in both collegiate and professional basketball, and if you don’t know who to cheer for as you make your bracket this week, try backing a team being led by a Canadian player.

[Free bracket contests for both tourneys | Printable Men's | Women's]

On the men’s side, there are 25 Canadians playing for 19 different schools in the tournament this year. As for the women, there are 26 Canadians whose teams made the bracket. With there being more parity than ever in American collegiate basketball, any of our national heroes could be the last ones left dancing this March.

Here’s a breakdown of the top Canadian players competing for a National title this month.

Zach Edey (Junior), Purdue, Toronto, ON

On the men’s side of the tournament, the Purdue University Boilermakers snagged the No.1 seed in the East Division of the bracket. Edey is a 7-foot-4 centre currently averaging 22.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists this season.

The Boilermakers have a 29-5 record going into the tournament, and with their No.1 seed position, have an ideal path to the Final Four. Men’s college players don’t have the same requirements to declare for the NBA Draft that women’s players do, so Edey is expected to move to the pros after this season. Women’s players, on the other hand, must graduate their program and be at least 22 years old in that year to declare for the WNBA.

As a top player in the NCAA, he is currently projected to be drafted in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft – but his performance in March Madness has the potential to boost the Canadian's prospects.

Aaliyah Edwards (Junior), Connecticut, Kingston, ON

Aaliyah Edwards of Kingston, Ont., has been on the NCAA radar since she was a freshman in the legendary women’s basketball program at the University of Connecticut. The UConn Huskies have won 11 national titles and made 34 straight March Madness appearances, but this was a particularly trying year for the program.

With several players in and out the lineup all season with injury, the Huskies barely had the required number of available players needed to compete in several games. A lot of the load was put onto Edwards, and she stepped up to the challenge. The 6-foot-3 forward averaged 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and has a field goal percentage of 57.3 on the season.