From title favourites to tournament disruptors, the Australian and Centre of Excellence (CoE) pipeline continues to deliver with our talent primed for the NCAA’s biggest stage.
Coe graduates participating in March Madness include: Bonnie Deas, Isla Juffermans, Jessica Petrie, Harry Wessels, Joshua Dent, Rory Hawke, Alex Condon and Emmett Adair to name a few.
MARCH MADNESS | MEN
On the men’s side, the contenders are headlined with familiarity at the pointy end.
Alex Condon returns for a third stint with Florida, as the Western Australian is enjoying his most productive season yet. Following a slow start, the Gators have surged into SEC prominence with the growing opportunity to claim back-to-back March Madness championships.
Arizona’s rise to the top seed has been clinical, dropping just one game thus far. Victorian guard Anthony Dell’Orso has carved out an important bench role, providing scoring punch and poise in one of the tournament’s most balanced rotations, which could be primed to make a deep run in March.
At Purdue, Sunshine Coast product Oscar Cluff provides a different dimension. The 211cm big man anchors the Boilermakers’ interior as they eye a return to national relevance.
Then there’s an underdog story brewing in the WCC.
Joel Foxwell has turned heads at Portland. A 27-point explosion to upset then sixth ranked Gonzaga lit the fuse, and the accolades have followed. Six WCC Freshman of the Week awards, alongside a Player of the Week nod, with 15.35 points per game and the tenth-best assist average in the NCAA at 6.88. Foxwell is driving Portland into March.
Saint Mary’s remains an Australia stronghold. Joshua Dent, Harry Wessels and Rory Hawke have the Gaels sitting 21-4 and firmly in the WCC mix. Dent in particular has been a standout as the Gaels position themselves as the team that nobody would be comfortable with in their bracket.
Scattered through the field are more Australian names, with LSU’s Max Mackinnon leading the charge for the Tigers, whilst Jayden Stone (Missouri), Tuburu Naivalurua (Oakland) and plenty more talent wait for their March Madness moment to arrive.
MARCH MADNESS | WOMEN
On the women’s side the story is just as compelling.
Sophie Burrows may have the clearest path to cutting down the nets on the final game day in March. Syracuse sits fifth in the ACC at 19-5, and the third-year guard is part of a battle tested group with championship aspirations.
Mia Jacobs has landed in the perfect spot in Oregon. In her first season as a Duck, she finds herself on one of the most competitive rosters amongst the Australian contingent. Oregon is shaping as a quiet achiever in the Big Ten, with plenty of upside heading into March.
One of the NCAA’s most prolific scorers resides at UC Riverside, where Melbourne’s Hannah Wickstrom is piling on the points at an elite rate. While team success in the Big West has proven hard to come by, Wickstrom’s season has demanded attention as one of the most exciting Australians in the field.
The competitive Davidson Wildcats have been driven by Charlise Dunn in her final season. The senior Queenslander is having a career best year, most notably showcased by her 33-point, 11 rebound overtime performance against the 7th seeded Baylor. Dunn has proved her game stacks up against the top programs as Davidson eyes a March Madness shakeup.
At California, Lulu Twidale’s leap has been comprehensive in her junior season. Now one of the Golden Bears’ primary sharpshooters, Twidale has elevated both her output and influence as Cali eyes a run beyond expectations.
Also worth keeping an eye on Antoniette Emma-Nnopu (Weber State), Rubi Gray (Sacramento State) and Erin Condron (UC San Diego) having all been consistent contributors in their programs.
While Jessica Petrie is finding her feet in the Big Ten with Nebraska. Bonnie Deas is adding valuable minutes for Arkansas in the SEC, and despite Portland State’s tough record, Hannah Chicken’s development has been a bright spark for the team.
The Australian pipeline is thriving in March, with top seeds and dark horses across the league and a distinct green & gold influence set to shape up the NCAA’s biggest tournament on the collegiate fixture.
