Canadians could have a big impact on men's March Madness

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The annual American college basketball extravaganza that is March Madness tips off tonight with the first two play-in games for the men's tournament, followed by the start of the 64-team bracket on Thursday. Here's a look at the Canadians playing prominent roles for some of the top contenders to reach the men's Final Four in Houston:

Zach Edey, centre, Purdue (No. 1 seed in East region): The 7-foot-4, 305-pound giant from Toronto is one of the very best players in college basketball. While his old-school post-up game might look basic to modern NBA fans, most college foes have no chance of stopping Edey when he gets the ball in the paint. The junior ranked sixth in all of NCAA Division I men's basketball this season with 22.3 points per game and third in rebounding with 12.8 for a surprising Purdue team that was ranked No. 1 in the country for a time. The Boilermakers landed the top seed in a tough quadrant of the bracket where traditional powers Duke and Kentucky lurk as the No. 5 and 6 seeds.

Charles Bediako, centre, Alabama (No. 1 seed in South): Another seven-footer from the Toronto area, Bediako is averaging about six points and six rebounds a game as a sophomore starter for the top-ranked team in the tournament. The Crimson Tide have also drawn the most negative attention in college basketball since forward Darius Miles was charged with capital murder for allegedly providing the gun fired by another man in the January shooting death of a young woman. Alabama freshman star Brandon Miller, a projected lottery pick in this year's NBA draft, was at the scene at the time