GraphicCo: Dominic Dakovich

  The NCAA tournament, also known as March Madness, is like a girl friend. You think you got it down, you got that perfect bracket, then she goes and breaks your heart with a half court buzzer beater, a 15 seed over a 2 seed, and a 14 over a 3 seed. March Madness is the best sporting event because not even ESPN knows who will win.

  There were no perfect brackets after the round of 64. With the Northern Iowa half court shot, the Yale win over Baylor, and SF Austin win over West Virginia, many brackets were already destroyed. When Middle Tennessee beat Michigan State, the favorite to win it all, all brackets were busted according to the ESPN tournament challenge.  

  You never know when an upset will happen. Whether it was a ten seeded Syracuse making it to the final four or Villanova beating Kansas, March Madness does make for a crazy time. Holten Sparling, junior, said, “You gotta love it. March Madness is nuts and that is why I love college basketball so much.” Whether you are a ESPN analyst or making a bracket for fun, you will never know who will win.

  The most games chosen correctly in a row was 34 according to NCAA.com. Only fourteen people had the Sweet 16 right. As Tyson Gilbert said, “I was in first place in a pool of brackets, but now I’m in last after Kansas, Michigan State, and Virginia lost. That is part of the reason why I love college basketball and part of the reason I hate it.”

  The final four teams are Syracuse, a ten seed (first ten seed ever to make it to the final four) Villanova a two seed, North Carolina a one seed, and Oklahoma a two seed. .3% of people had the Syracuse North Carolina game according to ESPN. After 1.1 billion brackets were made on the ESPN Tournament challenge, .009% of people got the final four correct.

  Villanova won the National Championship over North Carolina with a buzzer beater three. Sparling said, “that was the craziest shot I have ever seen.” Villanova is the 2016 National Champions. 2.4% of brackets chose Villanova to win it all in the ESPN tournament Challenge

  After a Bronson Koenig buzzer beater over Xavier, a half court shot by Paul Jesperson over Texas, or the 16 point comeback by Syracuse to make it to the final four every fan of basketball is either the happiest crowd in sports or still crying in their room. March Madness is like a girlfriend you will never figure out, never get it perfect, but you sure love it.

Dominic Dakovich, Publicity Chair