As the NCAA Basketball season winds down, the predictions, hopes, and dreams all begin to heat up. People everywhere will be participating in bracket pools, competing against their friends as they try to predict the outcome of the annual NCAA Tournament known as March Madness. The tournament begins on March 15th and lasts until the championship game on April 4th.
Every year, there is uncertainty in the tournament. Underdogs arise and beat teams that the statisticians could not have predicted. Overall, the tournament captivates and puzzles many. Statistics have shown that the first two days of games are the most unproductive workdays of the year, as many Americans are huddled around their televisions checking their brackets. Let’s shed a little light on this year’s tourney.
The Perennial Favorites: It seems as if teams such as Duke, Kansas, and UConn are always lingering at the top of the bracket. This year is no different, as Kansas is led by the Morris brothers, Duke is coming off winning the NCAA Championship last season, and UConn is led by player of the year candidate Kemba Walker. Each of these teams has a great and experienced head coach who is able to lead them deep into the tournament.
The Nobodies: A variety of teams have risen to prominence this season with little or no recognition. San Diego State, led by former Michigan coach Steve Fisher, has five senior starters and has only lost twice all year. Wisconsin is a school that is more known for its football program; however, the basketball team is sitting in the top half of the bracket and has shown its ability to win tough games. Finally, St. Johns has surprised many, and have rebounded to the level of their program from the early ‘00s; they are now battling for a top spot in the Big East, which is the toughest conference in all of college basketball.
The Letdowns: With every tournament, there are teams that are ranked highly in the brackets and fail to perform. Villanova has been one of those teams for the past five years and looks poised to collapse again. It also appears that a young Kentucky team will not be able to live up to its ranking, as well as Purdue, which has been decimated by the pre-season injury of forward Robbie Hummel.
The Underdogs: Last year, Butler came out of nowhere to make it to the championship game, and they could be ready to make another run. Projections place them at the bottom of the brackets, where no one is expected to win. However, underachieving teams such as Michigan State and Syracuse may be able to make a run come tournament time. Also, a surprising BYU team has many doubters, even though they may be a one seed. Being an underdog for a top seed can be a dangerous thing; they will look to show the world that they are deserving of recognition and their high ranking.
Stars of the Tournament: Star players arise during tournament time. It is how everyone became familiar with former Davidson guard Stephen Curry as he lit up the scoreboard three years ago. Other players, such as Duke guard Nolan Smith, former Butler forward Gordon Hayward, and former UNC forward Tyler Hansbrough, have followed in the same footsteps. This season, the names will surprise you. BYU guard Jimmer Fredette has led the nation in scoring with 27.4 points per game. He has carried the team all season and will look to make a deep run into April. Little known guard Norris Cole of Cleveland State is averaging 21.6 points per game and may be able to surprise a higher ranked team and steal a few games. Finally, Ohio State’s freshmen All-American candidate, Jared Sullinger has been a dominant force all season and will really be in the spotlight during the tournament.
This year’s tournament is shaping up to be the best in many years. There is a lot of diversity amongst the teams, and talent is spread out all over the country. This will make for quite a few entertaining games with storylines that will captivate audiences. Not to mention, this tournament will show why it is truly called March Madness.
The Tiger Times 
Posted on March 3, 2011 by thetigertimes
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