The best time of the year is back again. Postseason basketball is unmatched and is something I look forward to every year. Time to watch countless hours of college basketball, create the ultimate bracket, and root for teams that you have never heard of. This is March Madness.
If you have been living under a rock and don’t know what I’m talking about, March Madness is an American tradition that everyone and their mother watches. 68 of the top Division 1 Men and Women’s teams compete for epic bragging rights and the ultimate crown of NCAA champions. A few weeks before the tournament, each conference will hold a series of games, where the winner receives an automatic bid in. Flash forward to the anticipated days right before, the collegiate committee holds “Selection Sunday” where teams get their last shot in being picked for the tournament and qualifying for “the big dance.” Once the schools are set, they are divided into South, East, West, and Midwest regions, and patiently await their matchups. In each corner of the bracket, for the first round, the 1 seed plays the 16 seed, the 2 plays the 15, and so on. Rankings are determined by overall season performance.
The next few days are chaotic as everyone attempts to have a perfect bracket that will win them $1 billion from Warren Buffet. Now, this may sound insane because it is ONE BILLION DOLLARS. And that’s exactly it. Having a perfect bracket is impossible and the odds are about 1 in 9.2 quintillion. Within the first round of the tournament, 0 perfect brackets remained. And a lot of that was due to this year’s Cinderella story: St. Peter’s Peacocks. A small school from New Jersey City, this 15 seed dominated the tournament and had major wins against 2 seed Kentucky, 7 seed Murray State, and 3 seed Purdue. Led by Doug Edert, it was the first time that any 15 seed has made it to the Elite 8 (and on National Peacock Day too!). They stole the hearts of many Americans and had us all rooting for them in the end.
Winning your March Madness pool with friends may seem like the most crucial thing throughout the tournament, but it is also high stakes for the athletes. Every moment, every pass, and every shot is so important. Lose one game, and you’re out. Win the tournament, and you receive invaluable respect. Scouts representing the NBA and WNBA watch each player’s moves, observing how they perform under pressure, take on a role as leaders, and demonstrate teamwork. March Madness is where legends are made.
Going to a school that has been coined “the basketball capital of the world,” the anticipation around March Madness has been high. As a huge sports fan, I was so excited when both the UConn Men and Women’s teams made it into the tourney. Five seed UConn men faced 12 seed New Mexico State in the first round in Buffalo, New York. It was a rough game for the Huskies, losing 70-63, and will be the last time we get to see RJ Cole in a UConn jersey. Shifting to the women’s tournament, the UConn women’s team dominated their first two games at Gampel Pavilion, which was an unforgettable experience as a student getting to see a March Madness game right on campus. With their major win against NC State on Monday night in Bridgeport, the ladies have made it to the Final Four, which will be played in Paige Bueckers’ home state of Minnesota. Hopefully, they can get the win and move onto the championship in hopes of becoming 12-time national champions.
As we approach the last week of the tournament, the Men’s Final Four is set. Villanova will be facing up against Kansas this Saturday, and Duke will be battling UNC for a historical matchup that can potentially be Coach K’s last game of his career. The games will take place in the Big Easy of New Orleans and a champion will be crowned on Monday. The Women’s Final Four comprises South Carolina, Louisville, Stanford, and our very own UConn Huskies. It will be an exciting and historical weekend that I cannot wait to watch.