NCAA Tournament 2024: 5 Canadians to watch in March Madness

As the First Round of the men’s NCAA Tournament approaches, the next generation of Northern stars will suit up with a chance to add their name to the growing list of Canadian basketball icons. Let’s take a closer look at five tournament-bound Canucks that could make a difference in the Big Dance.

By Kyle Craib | Mar 21, 2024

Oklahoma v TCU / Jay Biggerstaff/GettyImages

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Tyrese Samuel - Florida Gators

Move over Big East - SEC basketball is here to stay.

After spending four years in the Northeast with Seton Hall, Tyrese Samuel made the move to join Todd Golden’s squad in Florida for his final year of college eligibility. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, Samuel never quite found solid ground during his time with the Pirates. The forward never exceeded 11 PPG and was often buried behind a crowded frontcourt in his first few seasons. However, everything changed when he became a Gator.

He wasted no time making his presence in the SEC known, coming out of the gates with a double-double in only his second career game in the blue and orange. The forward continued that form all season averaging 14 PPG on 59.4% shooting from inside the arc, paired with the conference’s fourth-best rebounding numbers at 7.5 per game. After the regular season was said and done, Samuel was named to the AP All-SEC Second Team for his efforts.

With Gators centre Micah Handlogten sidelined with a fractured leg, look for Samuel to step up in the middle and use all of his 6’10” frame to his advantage. In his previous four seasons with Seton Hall, the Montreal, Quebec native has failed to secure a win on college basketball’s biggest stage. Now staring down a matchup with First Four winners Colorado, look for the Canadian to make his mark in potentially his final college performance.

When to watch? #7 Florida squares off with #10 Colorado in the First Round on Friday, March 22 at 4:30 p.m. ET.

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