Artwork by:
Dennis Murpy
March
Madness is in our midst
By Shawn Davis, Corner Post staff
A five over a 12, an eight
over a one, it’s not calculus or algebra,
it’s March Madness. Every year, 65 of the best teams in college
basketball compete in the NCAA Tournament. It has quickly grown into
one of the most watched sports events in the world.
“I watch it every year,” said sophomore Jake Levy. “It’s
the most competitive sport, and I love the level of competition in the tournament.”
Although excitement for the tournament is always incredible, with the Final
Four in St. Louis this week, the anticipation is even greater. The games draw
a lot of the attention as the most unlikely teams are matched up against each
other.
Final Four Schedule: Illinois vs Louisville North Carolina vs
Michigan State Championship on Monday, April 4 |
“I like the fact that teams that would never play each other in the regular season get a chance to play each other,” said sophomore Jason Huddleston. “Not to
mention that there is always a chance of an upset, no matter who is playing.”
March Madness is known for the Cinderella stories: From North Carolina
State in 1983 winning it on a buzzer beater and against all odds,
to Missouri going
to the elite eight in 2002 as a 12 seed.
March Madness is also known for the buzzer beaters; Who could forget Christian
Leatner hitting the game winner against Kentucky in 2.1 seconds, or Tyus
Edney running the length of the floor in 4.8 seconds against Mizzou.
“There are so many intense games put in to one time period,” said
sophomore Trent Russell. “It is also the season of underdogs.”
The level of competition during March Madness is a step above the regular season.
Teams play with more passion and more heart, knowing a national championship
is on the line, and that they are one of the 65 teams who could win it all.
“It comes down to the
fact that it could be a team or a player’s
last game,” Levy said. “That makes them play with a lot more emotion,
and they bring it all.”
For many, the thrill of all the games is enough entertainment, but for those
who need added excitement, there are always brackets to fill out. The challenge
of predicting the outcome is what draws people into March Madness, even more
than the games themselves.
“When I fill out my bracket, I look at team’s records, abilities
and how they close out the regular season,” Huddleston said. “Mostly
I just pick teams that I know a lot about.’
For others, the difficulty of filling out a bracket brings even more variables
to look at.
“Usually I look at what conference the team plays in, their strength of
schedule, key wins and losses, and I even look at stats,” Levy said. “I
spend a lot of time when I fill out my bracket.”
The thrill of March Madness and bracketology doesn’t just belong to the
people who fill out brackets. The conductors of the pools enjoy their job of
collecting money and finding out who picked the most accurate bracket.
“It gives me a reason to pay real close attention to all the games, and
adds some extra excitement,” Russell said. “I like knowing who everyone
picked and knowing where everyone stands throughout the tournament.”
Whether or not your team
is in the tournament, for many college basketball fans it is hard to
argue that March Madness is the most wonderful time of the
year. The tournament ends April 4. There are sure to be many surprises.
Other Links:
ESPN
NCAA Sports
© 2005
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