Hello, Tigers! I’m Danny Dohoney, a reporter for The Tiger, and today I will be talking about what some say is the best sports event of all time: the college basketball playoffs, AKA MARCH MADNESS!
What is March Madness?
Originating in 1939 from our very own home state of Illinois with the name derived from Henry V. Porter, March Madness is a three week long tournament in March where 68 teams compete for the chance to keep their season alive. With the games being played all over the country, it is a great way to see the U.S.
How it works
March Madness is a basic, seven round tournament with a single loss elimination that is broken down to the Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final 4, and The National Championship. This can result in huge upsets; for example, last year’s upset where 14th seed Okland won over 3rd seed Kentucky with a score 80-76.
Facts and superstitions
The odds of filling out a perfect bracket is 1 in 9.2 quintillion. You would have a better chance at winning the Powerball two times in the same year over than filling out a perfect bracket. A double-digit seeded team has made the Sweet 16 a total of 16 times consecutively. So make sure when you’re making those brackets, folks, you’re not just picking the favorites. The 5 seed is CURSED. No 5 seed team has ever won it all.
Teams to lookout for
The team with the most hype on them right now is Duke. They have one of the best players in the country, Cooper Flag, AKA The Main Event (because he’s from Maine).
Auburn University is having a surprise season. Being ranked number one on their side of the bracket is something nobody really expected the Tigers to do, but they came to fight. University of Florida, the Gators, have also been coming out strong. They’re a good fundamental team and really exciting to watch.
Overall
This time of year can be a blast, especially if your team is staying alive. The tournament is full of ups and downs. I had so much fun writing this article and I would love to know what you think about it or if you have any questions. Until next time, GO TIGERS!
