Olivier-Maxence Prosper will be the sole representative of La Belle Province at the NCAA’s high mass, the March Madness.
Last year, the Montreal native, a member of the Marquette Golden Eagles, was one of six Quebecers in action at this event popular with sports betting enthusiasts.
Nathan Cayo (Richmond), Eze Dike (Yale), Georges Lefebvre (Vermont), Tyrese Samuel (Seton Hall) and a certain Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona) were the others. The latter has become one of the most promising players in the NBA, while Cayo made himself known to Montreal fans by wearing the colors of the Alliance.
Prosper and the Golden Eagles have had a most successful 2022-23 season so far. With a 28-6 record and the Big East Conference regular season title, they inherited the second seed, the highest rank in their history.
The Wisconsin team will begin its tournament on Friday at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, against the Vermont Catamounts (15th). Even if the latter dominated their conference, American East, the Golden Eagles are largely favored by the bookmakers for this duel.
If all goes according to plan and Marquette progresses to the next round, Prosper and his teammates could clash with powerhouses such as Purdue, Kansas State and Duke before reaching the semi-finals.
An important cog
Olivier Maxence-Prosper began his university career with the Clemson Tigers in 2020-2021. The 6’8”, 230 lb athlete certainly didn’t regret his decision to move to Wisconsin, as he has become a vital part of the Golden Eagles’ success.
This season, the winger is averaging 12.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 34 games and is head coach Shaka Smart’s fourth most employed player.
The depth of the Golden Eagles could also be one of their most formidable weapons. In addition to Prosper, they have three other players who average more than 11 points per game. Among the squad, point guard Tyler Kolek will definitely be one to watch, as he was named to the Big East Conference’s First Team All-Star.
