Ahh March, it seems we meet again.
To some people, the month of March means the beginning of the spring season. To others, it’s time to party hard for Saint Paddy’s Day. But for college hoops fans, March means only one thing: March Madness.
The bracket has been set and the road to the Final Four looms before 68 teams, each of which have dreams to become this year’s NCAA Tournament Champions. Whether you call it March Madness or the “Big Dance”, the 2015 NCAA Tournament is a time of absolute excitement and allure. We see students on their computers during class, scanning their screens to watch their favorite teams drive the ball down the court and into the net.
With so much going on in this year’s tournament, I created a beginner’s guide, titled “The ABC’s of March Madness,” for all you collegiates that might not know much about the hoops hype surrounding this year’s NCAA Tournament.
All-Stars
Frank Kaminsky (aka Frank the Tank) – Wisconsin
Kaminsky pumps up the crowd during Wisconsin’s OT win over Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship.
Let me be clear: Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy finalist Frank Kaminsky is NOT to be messed with. Averaging 18.2 points per game, Frank the Tank can score inside the arc, but also proves himself just as capable of playing on the perimeter (tallying a .395 shooting percentage from beyond the arc). He leads the Badgers in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals – the only major conference player to do so. Expect Kaminsky to be vengeful this post-season, hungry for his team’s chance to punch a ticket into the Finals.
Jerian Grant – Notre Dame
Look no further than our very own Jerian Grant to catalyze Notre Dame’s offense. With a 58% shooting field goal percentage from within the arc and averaging 16.8 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds a game, Grant not only dominates the field, but sets the pace for these ACC Champions. With one of the most efficient offenses in the nation, don’t discount the Irish as a legitimate title-contender in your bracket.
Willie Cauley-Stein – Kentucky
Cauley-Stein is without a doubt Kentucky’s MVP and a key player if the Wildcats are to celebrate in Indianapolis with an undefeated record. As a seven footer leading the ‘Cats in steals, Cauley-Stein might be the most skilled player in the NCAA Tournament. Watch for him to explode on his opponents in the Midwest Region to give the Wildcats their shot at a trip to the Finals in Indy.
Brackets
The NCAA Tournament is not only a thrill for the players, but also for college basketball fans across the nation. For the teams who are invited to play, it’s their chance to prove they’re the best in the country and deserving of the NCAA title. But for fans, it’s a whole different story. While some people want to see their favorite team win the title, others just want to see their bracket win. For some, basketball doesn’t even factor into the equation, treating their bracket as a big puzzle or brainteaser.
There is indeed a science to making the perfect bracket, however. Just ask the experts. According to mathematicians and scientists, there are more than 9.2 quintillion (yes quintillion) ways to fill out the NCAA Tournament bracket. Jeffrey Bergen, a DePaul University mathematics professor, has calculated that with some knowledge of team rankings, player statistics and other basketball matters, the odds of hitting the perfect bracket are one in 128 billion (1). You think your bracket has what it takes?
Cinderellas
As NCAA tournaments pile up in our memories, the teams we often remember clearest are the Cinderellas, or the lower-seeded teams that advance further than anyone could have expected. The NCAA tournament’s Cinderellas has given us players like Steph Curry, teams like FGCU’s “Dunk City”, and the rise of ex-Butler head coach Brad Stevens.
But whose wearing this year’s glass slipper? Look for teams such as 14-seed Georgia State and 15-seed New Mexico State to shake up brackets across the nation.
Now what, you ask? Just sit back, relax, and enjoy what is sure to be an very mad March!
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