March Madness has begun on the UC Davis campus but many people do not understand the significance of the tournament. Division 1 basketball is the cornerstone of college basketball and the source of pride for many schools. So where does UC Davis fit in??? WE MADE IT FAM! UC Davis won the Big West Conference, which for the first time fast forwarded UC Davis into the NCAA tournament that people call March Madness or The Big Dance.
Just to break it down for people who don’t follow basketball or just want to know some logistics. There are sixty-eight teams that make up the infamous bracket. The first thirty-two spots are automatically given to winners of postseason conference titles much like UC Davis won the Big West conference, whoop whoop!
Then thirty-six are chosen by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)’s Men’s basketball committee. These teams are usually high ranking, well developed basketball programs. The next step is ranking the teams and splitting them into four different regions and the completed bracket is released on “Selection Sunday.”
After winning the Big West, UC Davis was placed in the First Four, meaning they would be in one of the first four games played in the tournament. This is the first time the men’s team has made it to this stage and it is a remarkable feat. The Aggies ended up winning! This means that they were placed in the full March Madness bracket. The rounds that follow are Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final 2 and then the Championship. The intense excitement around March Madness is centered around the idea that anything can and will happen. Every year a “Cinderella” team that seemingly has no chance in the beginning of the tournament makes it so far into it that no can believe it. The pure excitement when an underdog overcomes the difficulties in playing a well established basketball program and wins is the reason why million of individuals watch March Madness. Now UC Davis just has to gear up and dance their way into the NCAA and make Aggie history. They play in their first game against Kansas on Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17th, so look out for their scores!
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