Canada’s Clarke, Carleton put on shows at NCAA Basketball Tournament

Canadians contributed in big ways for their teams in both men’s and women’s games at the NCAA Basketball Tournament on Saturday.

Vancouver’s Brandon Clarke had 36 points — including five monster dunks — to help top-seeded Gonzaga advance to the Sweet 16 with an 83-71 win over Baylor, while Bridget Carleton scored 23 points to lead third-seeded Iowa State to a 97-61 win over New Mexico State in the first round of the women’s tournament.

Clarke’s 36 points matched a career high while lifting Gonzaga into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight time, the longest current streak in the country.

The junior transfer from San Jose State started the fireworks in the second-round showdown with a windmill jam on a breakaway that gave Gonzaga an early 16-7 lead.

Clarke also had eight rebounds and two steals and lifted his season blocks total to 110 — now good for best in the nation.

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Carleton’s 23-point night, meanwhile, propelled third-seeded Iowa State to its first NCAA Tournament win since 2013.

The Big 12 player of the year from Chatham, Ont., hit a long three-pointer late in the third quarter to give the Cyclones their first 30-point lead at 73-42.

On Monday, the Cyclones face 11th-seeded Missouri State — which stunned DePaul 89-78 earlier Saturday — in search of the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance in nine years.

In other women’s tournament play, Shay Colley of Brampton, Ont., poured in 13 points as Michigan State edged Central Michigan 88-87. Colley also had seven rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes of action.

Louise Forythe of Langley, B.C., had eight points to help Gonzaga past Little Rock 68-51 and Aislinn Konig of Surrey, B.C., had four points, three assists and three rebounds in North Carolina State’s 63-51 win over Maine.

Toronto’s Alyssa Jerome had five points and four rebounds in Stanford’s 79-54 win over UC Davis. Sage Stobbart of North Vancouver, B.C., contributed nine points for UC Davis.

On the men’s side, Mfiondu Kabengele of Burlington, Ont., scored 22 points to help Florida State beat Murray State 90-62 to advance to the West regional semifinal.

Ignas Brazdeikis of Oakville, Ont., contributed five points in Michigan’s 64-49 second-round win over Florida 64-49. Andrew Nembhard of Aurora, Ont., had seven points for the Gators.

The Canadian Press