As I’m sure you have heard, we are right in the middle of March Madness, the NCAA Basketball Tournament. This year, more than ever, the tournament has lived up to its nickname. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just trying to keep up with what your friends are talking about, I’m here to give you the mid-tournament updates.
Fast Facts: The first round included the first ever defeat of a 1-seed by a 16-seed when UMBC upset UVA 74-54. After the round of 32, half of the teams seeded a 1 or a 2 have been eliminated. Out of the 16 teams left standing, six are a seventh seed or lower.
Bracketology: Because of the numerous upsets in the early rounds, the majority of brackets have been “busted.” Three prominent ESPN commentators chose Michigan State to win it all, however MSU was defeated by 11th seeded Syracuse (who your Demon Deacons beat at home earlier this year). Fifty-three percent of brackets entered in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge had UVA as their national champions; but their hopes were crushed in the first days of the tournament. ESPN has even released a new challenge, called the “Second Chance,” because of the overwhelming amount of surprises in the first two rounds.
However surprising this madness may seem, many sports experts predicted this would be a tournament of upsets. Throughout the season there was not a team that towered above the rest, nor were there obvious shoo-ins for the Final Four. The Sweet Sixteen games begin Thursday at 7:00 p.m., so make sure to tune in to see the madness continue.
Picture Source:
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2018/03/17/umbc-beats-virginia-uva-biggest-ncaa-tournament-upset/