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Eight NCAA teams Canadians should cheer for during March Madness

Eh Game

The NCAA tournament revealed its bracket on Sunday night and while the event is big for its gambling potential, most Canadians don't know much about the 68 teams or the players.

This year, more than 20 Canadian players will be participating in the tournament. Assuming Canadian sports fans love two things — underdogs and other Canadians — here are eight teams you should cheer for.

8. Long Island-Brooklyn Blackbirds

First-round opponent: Michigan State

Let's start with the longest of long shots. The Blackbirds face the No. 1-seeded Spartans and a No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed in tournament history.

The Blackbirds, the Northeast Conference champs, are in the tournament for the second year in a row and feature London, Ont.'s Arnold Mayorga and Quebec City's Robinson Odoch Opong.

7. Baylor Bears

First-round opponent: South Dakota State

Not exactly an underdog given their No. 3 seed, the Bears start sharp-shooting guard Brady Heslip of Burlington, Ont.

The guard averaged 9.6 points this season and shoots over 43 percent from the beyond the arc. He even got a shout-out in Pat Forde's NCAA tournament primer.

6. Texas Longhorns

First-round opponent: Cincinnati

The school that turned Canadians Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph into first-round NBA draft picks has another star in Toronto's Myck Kabongo.

Kabongo averaged 9.8 points per game and 5.3 assists as a Freshman. He was named to the Big 12's All-Freshman team.

He helped Texas go on a run in the Big 12 tournament to solidify their NCAA tournament berth — their 14th in a row — and is a projected lottery pick in the 2013 NBA draft.

5. Marquette Golden Eagles

First-round opponent: BYU/Iona

Another high seed, at No. 3, but the Eagles have inspiring junior Junior Cadougan as their starting point guard.

Cadougan is the team's playmaker, averaging 5.5 assists and 6.5 points, but it's the hardships he's overcome that makes him worth cheering for. Cadougan was 15-years-old in 2005 when his 4-year-old brother was caught in gunshot crossfire outside their Toronto home.

Weeks later, Junior left Toronto to play high school basketball in Texas, eventually leading him to Marquette.

4. Harvard Crimson

First-round opponent: Vanderbilt

The school that launched Linsanity is in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1946. The Ivy League champions boast guard Laurent Rivard, of Saint-Bruno, Que.

The sophomore averages 9.7 points, third on the team, in just 25 minutes per game all while studying computer science.

3. New Mexico State Aggies

First-round opponent: Indiana

Just call New Mexico State "Canada South." The Aggies won their second Western Athletic Conference title in three years thanks to contributions from four Canadians — three of them in the starting lineup.

Senior guard Hernst Laroche, of Montreal, is the team's

second leading scorer, averaging 12 points per game. Even more impressive — he has started all 135 games in his collegiate career.

Junior forward Tyrone Watson, of Hamilton, averages 7 points and 4.1 rebounds.

Guard Daniel Mullings, of Toronto, started 25 games as a Freshman, averaging 9.3 points and 4.1 rebounds.

Forward Renaldo Dixon, of Toronto, is the fourth Canadian member. He comes off the bench to average 2.2 points in just 7 minutes per game.

The Aggies will get more CanCon next season when 7-foot-5 behemoth Sim Bhullar becomes eligible after redshirting this year.

2. Gonzaga Bulldogs

First-round opponent: West Virginia,

The perennial Cinderella team — though they've now been in the tournament 13 consecutive years — the 7th seeded Bulldogs have two Canadians in their starting lineup.

Robert Sacre of North Vancouver, B.C., is a senior centre who averages 11.7 points per game and 6.3 rebounds and has started all but one game over the last three seasons.

Freshman phenom Kevin Pangos, of Newmarket, Ont., is the team's leading scorer, averaging 13.8 points per game. Pangos came off the bench in the second game of the season and scored 33 points — on 9-of-13 three-point shooting — and has started every game since.

1. St. Bonaventure Bonnies

First-round opponent: Florida State

Remember the name Andrew Nicholson. The senior from Mississauga went into beast mode during the Atlantic 10 tournament, helping the Bonnies reach the tournament for the first time since 2000 with a win over Xavier. Nicholson had a mere 26 points, 14 rebounds and 8 blocks in the win.

The Bonnies also have guard Matthew Wright of Toronto. The sophomore comes off the bench to average 7.0 points per game.

The Bonnies have a tough opponent, but a strong showing could help Nicholson solidify himself as a potential NBA draft pick.

Others to watch:

These teams don't fit the "underdog" bill, but if you're the type of fan who likes cheering for the New York Yankees or Manchester United, you might like:

Syracuse: They're the No. 1 seed in the East region and No. 2 overall seed. Their leading scorer is Montreal's Kris Joseph. The senior forward averaged 13.8 points and is another near-lock to be selected in the NBA draft this spring.

Kentucky: The No. 1 overall seed and top seed in the South region boasts an impressive lineup of NBA-ready talent. Coming off the bench for the Wildcats is Freshman Kyle Wiltjer. The Portland-born forward holds dual citizenship but plays internationally for Canada. He is the son of former Canadian national team member Greg Wiltjer.

Follow Ian Denomme on Twitter and play Yahoo's NCAA tournament fantasy game Pick'Em.