March Madness Heats Up
By Kyle Sandell, 12th Grade

In a sports fan‘s mind, the month of March is as good as it gets. Incredible buzzer-beaters, unpredictable upsets, and earth-shaking slam dunks are seen all throughout March. However, you do not have to be a basketball fan or even a sports fan in order to enjoy one of the most celebrated events in sports.

What I’m talking about is, of course, March Madness. Every year the top 64 basketball teams in the NCAA battle it out in a month-long tournament, finally culminating with the national championship game. This year’s tournament provides us with some of the most riveting games and plot lines that we’ve ever seen. Now that the field has been narrowed to the Final Four, here is a guide to the final elite teams that are left.

UCLA is arguably the most storied program in college basketball history. With a record eleven national championships in basketball, the Bruins are no stranger to success in the NCAA tournament. Winners of their Pac-10 conference tournament championship, the Bruins are now a #2 seed in the big tournament and hope to continue their winning trends of the past. The Bruins started with a first-round rout of Belmont, a small Nashville school that never stood a chance. UCLA then defeated Alabama and Gonzaga, two strong teams that fought the Bruins tough until the end. This set the stage for a huge game against the #1 seeded , the Memphis Tigers, which would decide who would make it to the Final Four. UCLA prevailed in the end, 50-45, and secured a spot in the Final Four against LSU.

Louisiana State University, has had a miraculous run to get into the Final Four. LSU earned an at-large berth into the tournament and was considered a somewhat weak #4 seed early on. This assumption turned out to be false, as LSU defeated its first opponent, Iona, quite handily. The second round brought some classic March dramatics for LSU. A long 3-pointer with just 3.9 seconds remaining capped a wild finish and gave the LSU Tigers a 58-57 victory over #12 seed Texas A&M. Now the Tigers had to face a team that many considered the best in the country, the Duke Blue Devils. Miraculously, LSU came out victorious against Duke, 62-54. LSU then marched through a strong Texas team, capturing its first Final Four berth since 1986.

For the University of Florida, the March tournament was a lofty goal. The Gators were expecting a mediocre year after several key seniors graduated. An extremely young and inexperienced team with a starting lineup of four sophomores and one junior is not usually expected to be very successful. However, after winning their first 17 games of the season, the Gators gave their fans something to cheer about. Led by the sensational sophomore Joakim Noah, Florida entered the March tournament as a surprising #3 seed. The Gators demolished their first two competitors in the tournament, beating both South Alabama and Wisconsin-Milwaukee by double digits. Next up was a tough win over Georgetown, and the Gators’ Final Four spot was sealed with an upset victory over the #1 seeded Villanova Wildcats.

It seems as though every season a “Cinderella team” emerges out of nowhere to advance deep into the tournament. This season is no different, as a small school, called George Mason, seems to have come straight out of a fairy tale. The suburban commuter school from Fairfax, Virginia, was not even expected to be chosen to participate in the tournament, but the team has thrilled fans and disproved experts, all while having a fun. A lowly #11 seed, the George Mason Patriots have beat the odds and defeated the last two NCAA national champions on their way to the Final Four. Using a lightning quick transition offense and a stifling, hands-on defense, the Patriots have made their improbable run look easy. While critics were still grumbling about George Mason being in the tournament, the Patriots let their game speak for them by defeating #6 seed Michigan State in the opening round. Next in line was the defending champion North Carolina Tarheels, who went down hard, 65-60. George Mason then knocked out fellow Cinderella team Wichita State and moved on to face one of the best teams in the nation, Connecticut. The Patriots came out on top, 86-84, in a thrilling overtime game that truly had it all.

March Madness continues to live up to the annual hype it creates, something that cannot be said for many other sporting events. The drama, excitement, and raw passion of sports are defined by the NCAA tournament. Although this year’s tournament is over, I highly recommend next year’s tournament, which will no doubt feature many captivating stories and teams. Whether or not you are a sports fan, March Madness is a great way to add a little spice to an otherwise bland month.

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