March Madness is the NCAA’s end of year Division 1 men’s basketball tournament. The tournament features 64 teams from all across the country competing for the national title.
The tournament started on Tuesday, March 14th and will end on Monday, April 3rd. There are many colleges competing in the tournament, but only one team can win. Last year, Kansas University won the tournament, defending a tough North Carolina team. Students at Marriotts Ridge shared their thoughts about who they think will do well in this year’s tournament.
“Kansas is not winning again, they don’t have the same talent,” junior Jackson Barry said.
Kansas lacks the same chemistry they had last year, but has the potential to make a run. They lost a couple of skilled players and now have a whole new lineup.
“Kansas is not bad at all, but they won’t make it back to the championship. They will make the elite eight,” sophomore Restia Whitaker predicted.
Although Kansas played successfully last year, students think their chance to repeat is low due to the tough competition they face. Last year’s winner is not the only impressive team playing, there are several other talented teams in the tournament this year.
“I think Maryland will win it all. They play with passion, and I think they have a chance,” sophomore Lucas Trellis said.
Many skilled individual players are also in this tournament.
“Freshman Brandon Miller from Alabama will have a great tournament. He is a freshman that can flat out ball and can get you big buckets in big moments,” junior Jack Bonner said.
Brandon Miller averages 19.6 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game and 1.8 assists as a freshman. He is a very skillful player that can play both sides, and people expect him to succeed in this tournament.
Every year in March Madness, there is one team that wins major upsets. Last tournament, that team was the Saint Peter’s Peacocks, a team from a small school in New Jersey. The Peacocks knocked out Kentucky, Murray State and Purdue. The Peacocks went from a university hardly anybody knew the name of to a national sensation and now serve as a prime example of the unlikely underdogs making it big.
“I think Arkansas will be the underdogs in this tournament because they all have freshmen on their roster that can play,” Whitaker hoped.
This year, Alabama is (+190) favored to win the tournament.
“If Alabama locks in, I honestly think they win. They are good all around and play as one unit,” Whitaker shared.
In the history of the tournament, millions of fans have tried to predict the outcome. People have successfully predicted the winner, but no one has ever made a perfect bracket. Students at Marriotts Ridge who follow the tournament are looking forward to seeing the amazing games and how the tournament will unfold.