National left-handers day

National Left Handers Day is upon us, so here are some of the top lefties in college football and basketball:

Malik Zaire, quarterback, Notre Dame:  The heir apparent to quarterback Everett Golson, Zaire will become the first left-handed quarterback to start for the Fighting Irish, and only the second to play on the team since Art Parisien was a backup for Knute Rockne in 1926, according to Michael Bertsch, Notre Dame's director of football media relations. In his sophomore season, Zaire played seven games and registered 266 yards passing on 21 completions with one touchdown in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in a 31-28 win over LSU.

Marcus Paige, point guard, North Carolina: One of the best point guards in the country, the left-handed Paige used his speed and quick stroke to mirror other slashing lefties and help the Tar Heels reach the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. Paige averaged 14 points per game and lead UNC in scoring for the second straight year. With his 6-foot-1-inch, 175-pound frame, Paige has been compared to other left-handed guards such as former Tar Heel Kendall Marshall and San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, but he didn't really show his true might at the guard position until his junior year last season when he hit 39.5 percent of his three-point attempts and scored 46 points during three tournament games in March. Paige's stats have progressed positively since his freshman year, and the senior figures to play a crucial role in the Tar Heels' quest to re-take control of the Atlantic Coast Conference from defending national champion Duke.

Shane Morris, quarterback, Michigan: Morris came in as a five-star recruit in 2013, but he didn’t see much action in his first two years. Morris was the backup for Devin Gardner during his freshman year and made his 2013 debut in the season opener against Central Michigan, where he threw for 59 yards on 4-of-5 attempts. Morris started for Garner later that year in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl against Kansas State, where he threw for 196 yards on 24-of-38 attempts. Morris took over for Gardner early in the 2014 season after Michigan dropped to 2-2, but Morris lost 30-14 against Minnesota before suffering a concussion. Morris has yet to throw a touchdown for the Wolverines, but he might have a better chance this year as the projected starter with former Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh taking over the reigns. With the Wolverines looking for a return to prominence in the Big Ten with Harbaugh at the helm, much of that resurgence will rely on Morris’ left arm.

Domantas Sabonis, forward, Gonzaga: The Lithuanian lefty was the youngest player to debut in Spain’s top pro league, Liga ACB, as a 17-year-old playing for Unicaja Malaga's junior and senior teams. He then joined the Bulldogs as a freshman last year and helped lead Gonzaga to the Elite Eight. Sabonis, born in Portland, Oregon, is the son of former NBA player Arvydas Sabonis. As a freshman, the 6-foot-10-inch, 231-pound Sabonis was known for his defensive prowess, but he also averaged close to a double-double with 9.7 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game and was an integral part of a dominant Gonzaga frontcourt thanks to his strength, mobility along the glass and toughness in hauling in rebounds. During the Bulldogs' run through the NCAA Tournament, Sabonis played well in the second and third rounds before having to help stop Duke's Jahlil Okafor in the Elite Eight. Sabonis averaged 11.5 points per game and eight rebounds per game during Gonzaga's four tournament games.

Przemek Karnowski, center, Gonzaga: Karnowski is another left-handed big man for the ‘Zags, and his game is heavily focused on the paint due to his 7-foot-1-inch, 294-pound frame. Karnowski converted 71 percent of his shots around the basket and averaged 11 points per game last season. A freshman from Poland, Karnowski had an up-and-down first year before posting back-to-back double doubles in the NCAA Tournament during Gonzaga’s trip to the Elite Eight.