It’s March. You know what that means.
The basketball world will be turning their attention to college hoops for the NCAA National Championship Tournament and Australians will be at the forefront of both men’s and women’s tournaments.
A cast of Aussies will be vying for the opportunity to bring a national title to their college program with a strong representation of players from the Centre of Excellence pathway.
CoE graduates Alex Condon, Tyrese Proctor, Reyne Smith, Harry Wessels, Agnes Emma-Nnpou, Chyra Evans and Last-Tear Poa have become household names and get their chance to shine in the greatest month of college basketball.
MARCH MADNESS (DIV 1 – MBB) – Click here for bracket
West Australian Alex Condon will be playing for the championship favourites’ Florida Gators. After winning the SEC Championship, Condon enters the March as a projected first-round NBA draft pick after a stellar sophomore season, earning himself All-SEC Third team honours.
Not far behind him is junior Tyrese Proctor and the powerhouse Duke Blue Devils. Coming off an All-ACC Third Team season, Proctor will be the starting point guard for a Duke team surrounded with elite level scorers. In the ACC Championship game versus Louisville, Proctor led the game in scoring with 19 points on 6-12 from the three-point line.
Not playing on that Louisville team due to an ankle injury was Tasmanian sharpshooter Reyne Smith, who enters the tournament as an eight-seed. Smith earlier this season broke Louisville’s single game three-point record with 10 triples.
As always Saint Mary’s continues to feature a strong Australian connection on their roster. Harry Wessels, Josh Dent and Rory Hawke will be looking to take the Gaels to a deep tournament run.
Riley Parker and the 16th-seeded St Francis fell short to the Alabama St Hornets in the First Four after an All-NEC First Team season.
MARCH MADNESS – (DIV 1 – WBB) – Click here for bracket
In the women’s tournament, you can’t go past Georgia Amoore. Transferring to Kentucky this season after four stints at Virginia Tech, she was named to the All-SEC First Team in the regular season. The Ballarat native averaged career highs of 19.1 points and 6.9 assists this season and will be looking to bring Kentucky their first National Championship.
There are plenty of Aussies playing for high seeds. Agnes Emma-Nnpou (TCU) and Lizzy Williamson (NC State) will be entering the tournament as two seeds, while Last-Tear Poa at LSU will be seeded third. Agnes has the rare opportunity to win a second consecutive title after running the gauntlet with Stanford last year.
2022 U18 Asian Cup MVP Isla Juffermans will be competing for seventh-seed Louisville in her freshman season, while eighth-seeded Utah boasts talented duo Grace Foster and Chyra Evans.
Columbia features the Henderson sisters, with senior Kitty named to the All-Ivy League First Team and Defensive Player of the Year honours after averaging 13.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists.
South Australian Kelsey Rees representing Oregon State will have the odds stacked against her entering as a 14 seed. Rees had an impressive senior season, being named to the All-WCC First Team.
March Madness tips off March 19, with the women’s final scheduled for April 7 and the men’s final set for April 8.
