Get ready basketball fans, March is finally here! This is the month that every basketball fan looks forward to. If you’re not a basketball fan then you might be thinking to yourself, what’s so special about March? Why March Madness of course!
I am a huge basketball fan, but if you aren’t one, you might be wondering what March Madness is all about. Lucky for you, I’ve created a guide that’ll make you look like a basketball pro!
What is March Madness?
A single elimination basketball tournament featuring 68 of the best collegiate basketball teams from around the country. Basically, this tournament decides the national champs of college basketball.
How does it work?
Each team starts out in the first round also known as “The Big Dance,” and the winning teams move onto the next rounds, while the losing teams are eliminated. Each round has a nickname like “The Sweet Sixteen”, “The Elite Eight”, “The Final Four” and finally, the championship game.
How are teams chosen?
The Sunday before the tournament begins is called Selection Sunday. Thirty-two teams gain automatic entry by winning their conference tournaments, and then the remaining teams are selected by a committee based on who is deemed most deserving. Selection Sunday is also when the brackets are released to the public.
Bracketology Decoded
Filling out a bracket is the fun part of March Madness. The more serious basketball fans do tons of research prior to filling it out, while others base it off their opinions or make educated guesses. What makes these brackets even more interesting is when there are upsets. An upset is when a high ranked team is beat by a lower ranked team. It’s something very unexpected, but it happens every year. One upset has the potential to ruin many brackets!
When does it take place?
The first round begins March 15-16 in Dayton, Ohio and the championship game is April 4 in Houston, Texas.
In the past, big names such as Magic Johnson and Larry Bird have been brought to light before they got their start in the NBA. Celebrity-like coaches such as John Wooden, Mike Krzyzewski, and Rick Pitino make games even more fun to watch. And of course, UCLA, Duke, and North Carolina are perennial favorites in March Madness every year. March Madness is easily the high point of every college basketball season.
March Madness is truly edge of your seat excitement. It’s fun, fast paced and the stakes are high. So go fill out your brackets and good luck!
Duke, last year’s champions!