Canadians could put their stamp on March Madness

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It's March, which means one of the best sports weekends of the year is upon us. The 64-team men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments begin on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Savour these moments while your bracket is still perfect. A record 50 Canadians litter rosters across both March Madness fields, including five on No. 1 seeds. Here's a few who stand out:Zach Edey, centre, No. 3 Purdue At seven-foot-four and 295 pounds, Edey certainly stands out. And yet, the Toronto native only picked up basketball in high school after focusing more on baseball (as a pitcher with a blistering fastball) and hockey (unsurprisingly, as a crease-clearing defenceman) when he was younger. Now a sophomore at Purdue, Edey took over as starting centre and averaged nearly 15 points and eight rebounds per game — almost double his output as a freshman. Edey's lack of mobility makes his defence a question mark, but the combination of size and quick improvement should propel him into the NBA — possibly as soon as next season. He was the final cut from Canada's Olympic qualifying team last June, but expect to see him on plenty of future national teams as his game perfectly suits the international style of play.Laeticia Amihere, forward, No. 1 South Carolina Credited as the first Canadian woman to dunk in a game when she was just 15, Amihere is a key piece off the bench for the best team in the NCAA. The 20-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., impressed in Canada's short-lived Tokyo Olympic tournament and used that success to boost her points and assists averages in her third season with South