Annually, the month of March attracts male and female spectators who create brackets and bet against odds for the NCAA’s Men’s Division 1 Basketball Tournament. March Madness features 68 teams who compete against each other until there is a champion. Last year, Villanova beat Michigan to become the 2018 National Champions. This year, each team has a chance to come out on top and show scouts and the NCAA how much talent they have.
Duke University, the number one seed, is the overall team predicted to win because of the star-studded line up consisting of Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish. They are powered by their freshman nucleus. Williamson has continued to show out and catch the eyes of many fans and coaches alike. Also, the University of North Carolina is another favorite because they have tenacious defense and a dynamic fast paced offense led by their all-American point-guard Koby White.
Although the tournament is still in progress, there are some highlights and key moments in March Madness that caught the eyes of many fans, coaches and scouts. Fletcher McGee, a shooting guard for Wofford broke the record for most three-point field goals during March Madness. Ja Morant, point guard for Murray state stood out because he carried his team who were underdogs going into it, and beat Marquette in the first round. Although they lost soon after to Florida State, that left a lasting impression on NBA scouts.
Many of the brackets have been busted because of the big upsets of the underdog team who were not expected to win. Senior Ryan Gomes said, “I am pretty broke, so the only way I earn money is by joining my dad’s bracket group and I haven’t won in all the years I have been in it.”
The single elimination tournament provides a competitive environment where not only the players and coaches are engaged, but also the media and the followers of the game. Junior Niles Boyd said, “I never do a bracket. It is kind of futile to do a bracket because it never goes your way and you don’t want to lose money. But I am still very excited for March Madness and it seems like it is going to turn into one of the best tournaments we have ever had.”
As the future of the champion awaits, the popularity of the madness continues to reign because of the interaction fans can have because of brackets and the vivid atmosphere of a nonprofessional tournament featuring a younger audience.
