It’s no question that with the snow melting and spring on the horizon, March Madness is the center of attention in the sports world for the remaining days of March and the opening days of April.
Sure, the NHL and NBA are in full swing, but there’s something special about the annual NCAA Tournament that separates it from everything else in the sports world.
Perhaps the unique component of “The Big Dance” is the impeccable presence of magic. From the Cinderella stories to the undefeated teams chasing perfection, there seems to be a storyline every time the final whistle blows in each game.
Every year there are moments that leave even the casual fan either awestruck or in tears. 2010 featured Ali Farokhmanesh leading the unheard-of Northern Iowa Panthers over the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks and advancing to the Sweet 16.
Twelfth seeded George Mason made an improbable run all the way to the Final Four before losing to the eventual champion Florida Gators in 2006.
And who could forget Butler going to the national championship game two years in a row?
Then there was Kemba Walker leading UConn through the Big East Tournament and to the title in unheard of fashion in 2011. His protégé Shabazz Napier did the same thing last year for the Huskies, bringing the
national championship back to Storrs as the first seven seed to ever win the
championship.
These are stories to last a lifetime, and so much can be discussed with one common thesis: in March, anything can happen.
And this year is no exception. The field of 68 teams is set, and
perhaps the most intriguing storyline of the tournament is whether or not Kentucky can go undefeated for the first time since Indiana did it back in 1976.
Picking Kentucky is a safe bet almost every year, especially when its starting lineup looks like it does this season. Coming off a runner-up finish in last year’s tournament, the Wildcats are hungry for redemption.
One could justfiy their selection of Kentucky by looking at the paint presence of junior Willie Cauley-Stein, the guard play of freshmen Tyler Ulis and Devin Booker, or even the playmaking ability of sophomore twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison.
Regardless of what future NBA starter has the ball, Kentucky will burn you. Their nine-man rotation has eight players playing over 20 minutes per game.
No one averages more than 12 points per contest. There are no standouts on paper, but once they hit the court, everyone is a superstar. Seven of their current players are projected to be drafted next year, with four of them being almost first round locks.
It goes without saying that the 34-0 Wildcats are the number one overall seed, followed by Villanova, Duke, and Wisconsin. Kentucky aside, only three or four other teams have a foreseeable shot at the title.
Duke, Wisconsin, and Arizona are widely considered the next top teams, with Villanova and Virginia right behind them. The former two feature big men who may also be the two best players in college basketball.
Jahlil Okafor is a near-7-foot beast in the post for the Blue Devils. The true freshman and Whitney Young graduate averages nearly 18 points per game along with 9 rebounds.
If teammates Quinn Cook and Justise Winslow can score enough and point guard Tyus Jones can keep the offense moving, don’t be surprised if the Dukies blow through their seemingly manageable side of the bracket to make a deep run into early April.
Frank Kaminsky is the center of attention for the finely tuned Wisconsin Badgers. The Big Ten champions boast a 31-3 record with perhaps the most impressive resume in the nation outside of Kentucky. With two of the three losses coming to top 15 teams, the Badgers have proven they can play with anyone.
While the Badgers aren’t as deep as some as their competition, the presence of Kaminsky is enough to put them in a great position to win any game they play.
Kaminsky will need help from co-star Sam Dekker, along with versatile sophomore Nigel Hayes, the shooting of senior Josh Gasser, and the terrific play from freshman guard Bronson Koenig, for the Badgers to make a run.
The potential return of veteran point guard Traevon Jackson will play a factor in Wisconsin’s tournament run. The Badgers have fared well without their senior, and although he has been cleared to play, they have kept him out of the rotation. How they continue to handle his situation will be something to watch throughout the tournament.
As far as Cinderellas go, this year’s team is as big a mystery as ever. Certainly Harvard has been a fan favorite in the past. In fact, the Crimson have won their first game of the tournament in upset fashion the past two seasons.
Lawrence Alexander and the Bison of North Dakota State are back for more, too. The Bison handled #5 Oklahoma in overtime last year and look to repeat history. The one problem for them, is they face the 2 seed Gonzaga. 15 seeds seldom defeat 2 seeds.
That is, until Norfolk State and Lehigh did so in 2012, and Florida Gulf Coast in 2013. If you are the type of person who dreams big and hopes to see an upset of epic proportions, look no further than NDSU. Number 15 seeds won last year, and very recent history suggests the sport is in store for one this time around.
Whether David or another Goliath is more appealing, whether Kentucky truly cannot be beaten or whether you believe this is the year of upsets, a successful bracket is made by going with your heart.There will be no perfect bracket in all likelihood–the unofficial odds are 1 in 9 quintillion according to USA Today.
Maybe this is the year we see a 16 seed finally beat a 1 seed, or maybe this is the year history will be rewritten and Kentucky is the first undefeated team in almost 40 years. There is no way of knowing until it’s all over.
The excitement of filling out a bracket before it begins, the final buzzer on championship night and everything in between is what makes March filled with madness.