March Madness tips

It is finally March, and for college basketball fans, that means it is time for March Madness. Everybody is filling out their brackets, some doing research, and some going with their gut. There are 68 teams, all with the same goal.  However, only one team will be happy in the end.

This year, Duke appears as the heavy favorite. The overall number one seed has all the momentum they need, coming off an ACC championship along with the return of Zion Williamson, arguably the best player in the country.  They also have three more elite freshmen in R.J. Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Tre Jones that form a strong starting lineup.

Although Duke appears unbeatable at this point, you shouldn’t rule out the other top teams like North Carolina, Gonzaga, Virginia, Tennessee, Michigan State, and others.  They’re all tough and talented teams that can compete with anyone and have a good chance of making a deep run in the tournament. On the other hand, you should watch out for some dark horse teams that have a potential to pull some upsets in the tournament, such as Murray State, who has one of the top players in the country in Ja Morant.

As for choosing your results on the bracket, just know that there are always going to be upsets that no one really sees coming.  They’re inevitable. Watch out specifically for the underdogs in 5-12 games and the 6-11 games, as they have occurred the most in recent years.  Ultimately, this is March Madness and it is called that for a reason, because nobody knows what is going to happen. Especially after last year’s first ever 1 vs. 16 upset with Virginia going down to UMBC, this year’s tournament could go in any direction.  In the end, we know we’re definitely going to get an entertaining tournament that won’t disappoint.