March Madness is a basketball tournament played every year starting in March and ending the first week of April. The top 64 collegiate basketball programs are selected to participate in this competition. The 64 teams are separated into four regions: East, South, West and Midwest. In the region, teams are ranked from 1 to 16. The first round consists of 32 games and each round, half of the teams are eliminated. After the second round, only 16 teams remain to compete in the “Sweet Sixteen,” then a few days later, the remaining teams compete in the “Elite Eight.” A week later, the Final Four and National Championship games are held to determine the tournament’s winner. As of March 26, Florida got knocked out of the Elite Eight, and the Final Four was decided. So far, 2017 has seen a lot of unexpected results in their matchups.
The tournament is now drawing toward a close with the National Championship game approaching. During a crunch time like this, even if you are a sports fan, if you haven’t been following along, it can be hard to understand what all the hype is about. Her Campus UFL is here to help with a complete guide to help you survive not only the end but hopefully, the entirety of March Madness in years to come.
Brackets Brackets Brackets
The key to the entire game is the bracket. When the tournament begins, everyone creates their ideal bracket or breakdown of the whole tournament in their mind. One team’s loss can throw off all the rest of your decisions, so watch and choose carefully.
Keys to the Game
Obviously, it’s the 21st century, and we’re hoping that more women are not as inept to sports these days, so it’s in no way meant to criticize; there are just some who know nothing at all in the way of sports. Here’s some basic lingo to put you in the crowd with the rest.
Brick – when the ball hits the back of the hoop and bounces straight off.
Airball – a shot was taken at the hoop that comes nowhere near it.
Foul – improper conduct or a mistake made by one player to another player.
Free throw – two free shots at the basket made by the team that was done wrong or fouled.
Three-point-shot – a shot that is worth three points rather than 2 from behind the three-point line.
Shot clock – the 30 seconds that a team with possession of the ball has to throw up a shot at the hoop before it is automatically turned over to the other team.
Watch Party
Every game with your team playing is an event. Like the old saying goes, “expect the unexpected.” Just like scoring in the final 0.6 seconds to win a game, anything can happen. You need to stay updated on every action and flip between the other games as well. If you’re going to a watch party, make sure you bring the essential phone charger, as you’ll be checking for updates on all games the entire time, and if you’re throwing a watch party, be sure to have the appropriate snacks for the time of day because nothing makes a game tenser than hunger (hungry = angry).
Social Media, The Key
If you don’t have Twitter or Facebook, then you’ll need it for this series. Social media updates from official accounts as well as friends keep you in the loop with all the action and the jokes. It’s just not fun for anyone if you don’t understand the new meme everyone is laughing at.
The National Championship game is approaching, so make sure to tune in.Remember to have fun and cheer on your teams ‘till the very end.
Image Credit: BET.com