{"id":334636,"date":"2025-03-18T16:21:31","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T20:21:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/?p=334636"},"modified":"2025-03-18T16:21:32","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T20:21:32","slug":"canadian-march-madness-players-bettors-need-to-know-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/canadian-march-madness-players-bettors-need-to-know-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Canadians bettors need to know for 2025 March Madness tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Canadian universities don&#8217;t participate in March Madness. But some of Canada&#8217;s best collegiate hoopers do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re filling out a bracket, you probably already have a rooting interest in the NCAA tournament. But why not add to that by cheering on some local talent?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the four Canadian March Madness players that bettors need to know about before the NCAA tournament begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Canadian March Madness players<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.northstarbets.ca%2Fsportsbook%2Fsports-hub%2Fbasketball%2Fncaab&amp;data=05%7C02%7CJordan.Horrobin%40northstargaming.ca%7Cbeebaea6edef4ee6bff508dd6559142b%7Ca474078ecda74c118881901a044d2bef%7C0%7C0%7C638778155464096400%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=YpNgDkdfZ%2BeP5BoA6jmv5cSlxJl53smxrlbwYUmGXW0%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Full March Madness Markets<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.northstarbets.ca%2Fsportsbook%2Fnews%2Fmarch&amp;data=05%7C02%7CJordan.Horrobin%40northstargaming.ca%7Cbeebaea6edef4ee6bff508dd6559142b%7Ca474078ecda74c118881901a044d2bef%7C0%7C0%7C638778155464120503%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ev7AbXrklRhS5b%2BeAH3I4J12SpqfJ3N3WktmiUo9iMA%3D&amp;reserved=0\">PLAY NOW: Un-Bustable Bracket Challenge<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ryan Nembhard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Team<\/strong>: Gonzaga Bulldogs<br><strong>Hometown<\/strong>: Aurora, Ontario<br><strong>PPG:<\/strong> 10.8 | <strong>RPG:<\/strong> 3.1 | <strong>APG:<\/strong> 9.8<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last year, in his first season with Gonzaga, Nembhard paced the West Coast Conference in assists per game (6.9). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He&#8217;s outdone himself this year, leading all of NCAA Division I in that category (9.8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/ZagMBB\/status\/1887684498701361552\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Nembhard is a familiar face for March Madness fans, as he played into the second weekend of the tournament in both previous seasons (first with Creighton, then with Gonzaga).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite nabbing another WCC tournament title this year \u2014 their 11th in the past 13 seasons \u2014 the Zags enter the tournament as an 8-seed. That&#8217;s their worst seeding since the 2015-16 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If Nembhard and Gonzaga survive an all-Bulldog battle in the first round against Georgia, a daunting test against the No. 1 Houston Cougars awaits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will Riley<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Team<\/strong>: Illinois Fighting Illini<br><strong>Hometown<\/strong>: Kitchener, Ontario<br><strong>PPG:<\/strong> 12.5 | <strong>RPG:<\/strong> 4.1 | <strong>2PT%:<\/strong> 50.2<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The true freshman earned Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year honours in 2024-25, following in the footsteps of players like Aaron Wiggins, Duncan Robinson and, once upon a time, Draymond Green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After stellar production off the bench, Riley earned a starting gig in late February and hasn&#8217;t given it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In his past five games, the 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting a clean 50.0% from the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No. 6 Illinois is on the opposite end of the Midwest Region from No. 8 Gonzaga, so an Elite Eight showdown between two of Canada&#8217;s best is possible (albeit unlikely).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Josh Omojafo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Team<\/strong>: Robert Morris Colonials<br><strong>Hometown<\/strong>: Hamilton, Ontario<br><strong>PPG:<\/strong> 11.4 | <strong>RPG:<\/strong> 3.8 | <strong>FT%<\/strong> 81.4<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike Nembhard and Riley, who were four and five-star high school recruits, respectively, Omojafo took an unheralded route to the March Madness spotlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 6-foot-5 guard spent his first two collegiate seasons with D-II Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gannon went 3-23 in Omojafo&#8217;s first season before a remarkable turnaround in Year 2 \u2014 a 32-3 record and a D-II Elite Eight appearance, with Omojafo leading the way at 20.0 PPG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He transferred to Robert Morris for the 2024-25 season and became an instant asset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Omojafo had a game-high 24 points in RMU&#8217;s Horizon League conference title game, which secured the March Madness berth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the 15th-seeded Colonials are going to shock the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide, expect Omojafo to be at the centre of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Canadian March Madness players to watch: Michael Nwoko<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Team<\/strong>: Mississippi State Bulldogs<br><strong>Hometown<\/strong>: Toronto, Ontario<br><strong>PPG:<\/strong> 6.3 | <strong>RPG:<\/strong> 4.6 | <strong>BPG:<\/strong> 0.8<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nwoko doesn&#8217;t often light up the box score, but he&#8217;s a starting big who knows how to throw down a powerhouse slam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">MY GOODNESS MIKE!<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/HailState?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#HailState<\/a>\ud83d\udc36 || \ud83d\udcfa: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Np1YfA0Q8Y\">https:\/\/t.co\/Np1YfA0Q8Y<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7gCYtMywaY\">pic.twitter.com\/7gCYtMywaY<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Mississippi State Men&#39;s Basketball (@HailStateMBK) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HailStateMBK\/status\/1864510146631860597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 5, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Miami (FL) transfer had 10 points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks earlier this season against Kentucky, so he&#8217;s capable of showing out in a marquee matchup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No. 8 Mississippi State faces the No. 9 Baylor Bears in the first round. If the Bulldogs get through that, the Cooper Flagg-led Duke Blue Devils are on deck.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Canadian universities don&#8217;t participate in March Madness. But some of Canada&#8217;s best collegiate hoopers do. If you&#8217;re filling out a bracket, you probably already have a rooting interest in the NCAA tournament. But why not add to that by cheering on some local talent? Here are the four Canadian March Madness players that bettors need [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":334674,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sidebar_plugin_meta_block_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[21],"class_list":["post-334636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college-basketball","tag-college-basketball-betting"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Canadian March Madness players to know for 2025 tourney | NSB<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Check out these four Canadian March Madness players that bettors need to know for the 2025 NCAA college basketball tournament.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/canadian-march-madness-players-bettors-need-to-know-2025\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Canadian March Madness players to know for 2025 tourney | NSB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Check out these four Canadian March Madness players that bettors need to know for the 2025 NCAA college basketball tournament.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/canadian-march-madness-players-bettors-need-to-know-2025\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Boost\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-18T20:21:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-18T20:21:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nsb-news.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com\/imgs\/2025\/03\/NBAprops-17.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jordan Horrobin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@JordanHorrobin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jordan Horrobin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/canadian-march-madness-players-bettors-need-to-know-2025\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/canadian-march-madness-players-bettors-need-to-know-2025\/\",\"name\":\"Canadian March Madness players to know for 2025 tourney | NSB\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-18T20:21:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-18T20:21:32+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/#\/schema\/person\/8e0d7302b14f65be7f61f221a134fc9f\"},\"description\":\"Check out these four Canadian March Madness players that bettors need to know for the 2025 NCAA college basketball tournament.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/canadian-march-madness-players-bettors-need-to-know-2025\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/\",\"name\":\"The Boost\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/#\/schema\/person\/8e0d7302b14f65be7f61f221a134fc9f\",\"name\":\"Jordan Horrobin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nsb-news.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com\/imgs\/2024\/11\/IMG_7764.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nsb-news.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com\/imgs\/2024\/11\/IMG_7764.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Jordan Horrobin\"},\"description\":\"Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles \u2014 especially for MLB markets or NFL\/NBA props. 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