March: the cold weather has passed and spring is upon us. Children and adults alike rejoice as flowers bloom and trees regain their color.
For college basketball fans, however, March holds a completely different meaning. Us hoops aficionados know that March brings an element of surprise with its natural beauty.
I’m talking, of course, about March Madness.
The college basketball regular season has come to a conclusion. While certain big name schools are a lock for the NCAA tournament, others will have to put on impressive performances in their conference tournaments in order to participate in the Big Dance.
Every fan knows that statistics are insignificant come March. Winners and losers cannot be based off of reason, and that’s what makes this specific event so special.
March Madness begins with 68 teams, all of which have a chance to hoist the National Championship trophy on the final Monday of the tournament. Teams who either receive an at-large big from the Selection Committee or win their conference tournaments are selected, culminating in a total of 68.
After four play-in games are conducted, 64 teams evenly divided between four regions remain in the field. This is where the madness begins.
At least one team seeded 12 or lower has won its first game in the tournament dating back to 2008. Schools including Lehigh and Florida Gulf Coast have knocked off college basketball powerhouses Duke and Georgetown, respectively.
These types of upsets are what makes college basketball the most entertaining sport to watch, but the fun doesn’t end there.
Once the Round of 64 games is finished, the Round of 32 commences. The Round of 32 usually features the fall of even more prestigious programs and the ascension of lesser-known ones.
The chaos that results from March Madness is unpredictable. Even the best teams have bad days, even in March.
As a North Carolina fan, I am no stranger to the bedlam that accompanies March. Year in and year out, the Tar Heels are seeded highly in the tournament, making them vulnerable to underdog miracles and subsequent media embarrassment.
UNC, fortunately, hasn’t found itself on the wrong end of an upset in recent years but, like I said before, anything can happen at any given moment. It's March.
I could talk all day about how exciting the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament is and I still wouldn’t be able to accurately portray its magnitude. If you want to really know what I’m talking about, watch for yourself.
I guarantee you won’t regret it.
This year, spring break coincides with March Madness. While ordinary people will spend their free time laying on a beach soaking up the sun, basketball nerds like myself will find themselves fixated on a couch watching their team compete for the grand prize.
The best has yet to come. Sit back and enjoy the rollercoaster that is March Madness.
And always remember: Go Heels.