G-Rex's 2015 March Madness Guide

It's that time of year again! The time for bracket pools, shocking upsets, and buzzer-beaters.  This may be my favorite time of year (either this or summertime) not only because of the NCAA basketball tournament but also because spring is almost here, baseball season is around the corner, and there are just three more months until I graduate. I've done some research this year, trying to make my bracket better than last year, when I had Creighton winning it all (let's not talk about it).
Here are some trends I found:

• #1 Seeds NEVER Lose in the Round of 64

 No number one seed has lost a Round of 64 game in the NCAA Tournament. They are 120-0 against the sixteen seeds.

• At Least One 12 Will Beat a 5, at Least One 11 Will Beat a 6, and There Will Probably be a 13 That Beats a 4

4, 5, and 6 seeds are only a combined 250-110 all-time in the Round of 64. In fact, the last time there weren't at least two 11, 12, or 13 seed upsets in the Round of 64 was 2000 (when there was only one). 12 seeds are probably the best bets, as three made it to the first weekend each of the past two years.

• There Will Be One Upset Nobody Saw Coming

Last year it was three seed Duke losing to 14 seed Mercer. The year before it was 15 seed Florida Gulf Coast making it to the Sweet 16 (and 14 seed Harvard making it to the Round of 32). And the year before that it was 2 seeds Duke and Missouri getting upset by 15 seeds. Whether it's a 14 vs. a 3 or a 15 vs. a 2, there will most likely be at least one upset almost nobody saw coming.

• Strong Defense and Stellar Guard Play Win Championships

When picking a national champion, look for a good defensive team with a playmaking guard. Let's look at the last five champs: In 2010, champion Duke ranked 28th in scoring defense (and 2nd in three-point defense) and had junior guard Nolan Smith, who averaged 17.4 points per game. In 2011, champion UConn was only 80th in scoring defense but was 11th in opponent field goal percentage, and they had playmaking guard Kemba Walker, who was 5th in the nation in points per game (23.5) and was the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. In 2012, champion Kentucky ranked 25th in scoring defense (and 1st in opponent field goal percentage) and had two guards who each averaged over ten points per game (Doron Lamb with 13.7 and Marquis Teague with 10.3). In 2013, champion Louisville was 21st in scoring defense and had junior guard Russ Smith (18.7 points per game) and senior guard Peyton Siva (10). And last year, champion UConn ranked 31st in scoring defense and had electric guard Shabazz Napier (18 points per game). The old adage is true: Defense (and a playmaking guard or two) wins championships.

• Teams Who Enter the Tourney Hot Usually Stay Hot

Always go with the hot hand. That's a good tip about many things, including filling out NCAA Tournament brackets. Last year, UConn wasn't necessarily hot going into the Big Dance, but they did make a run in the Big East Tournament, falling to Louisville in the finals. Going into the 2013 NCAA Tournament, Louisville was on a 10-game winning streak (winning each game by at least five), Kentucky had won 24 in a row in 2012 before losing to Vanderbilt in the SEC Championship, and 2011 UConn was especially hot, making a surprise run in the Big East Tournament and winning it after struggling at the end of the regular season.

• 3's Are Your Best Friend... And Your Worst Enemy

Relying heavily on the three-point shot is a dangerous proposition. On one hand, you can beat just about anybody on any given night if the threes are falling. On the other hand, if they aren't falling, you can lose to just about anybody. So it's probably smart to pick a three-point heavy team to pull an upset in the first couple of rounds, but not to win it all. I learned this the hard way last year, when I picked Doug McDermott and three-happy Creighton (I wasn't thinking clearly; I was hypnotized by the greatness that was McDermott). Think about it this way: Attractiveness can get you through a one night stand, but looks alone won't make a relationship last. The same idea applies to threes. You can survive one night against anyone if you knock down the three, but you'll need a lot more than the three to win a championship.

Midwest Region
Players To Watch:

• Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky - You could choose any number of Kentucky players to watch, but the 7'0" junior is a leader on this team and the defensive anchor, averaging 1.6 blocks per game (and 6.4 rebounds per game) on one of the top defensive teams in the nation.
• Jerian Grant, Notre Dame - The senior guard, who was suspended for part of last season due to an academic scandal, has led the electrifying Fighting Irish offense this year. He averaged 16.8 points per game and was seventh in the nation in assists per game (6.6).
• Melo Trimble, Maryland - The sensational freshman guard is part of a trio of talented perimeter players for the Terps that consists of him, senior guard Dez Wells (15.4 ppg), and junior forward Jake Layman (12.8 ppg). Trimble averaged 16.3 points per game during the regular season. 
• Fred Van Vleet, Wichita State - The junior guard is part of a backcourt that, like Maryland's, is talented, and features him, Ron Baker (15 ppg), and Tekele Cotton (9.6 ppg). Van Vleet averaged 12.7 points per game and was among the best in the country when it came to assists (5.8 per game).
• A.J. Hammons, Purdue - The 7'0" junior helped the Boilermakers rebound from a rough start and is a weapon on both ends of the court, averaging 11.8 points per game and 2.9 blocks per game (as well as 6.5 rebounds per game).

Teams To Watch:

• #3 Notre Dame - The offensively efficient (51% from the field) Fighting Irish are hot, knocking off Duke and North Carolina to win the ACC Tournament last weekend. 
• #5 West Virginia - The Mountaineers' full court press has led to them having a strong defense that led the country in steals per game (10.9). Offensively, they still offensive rebound well and have a star in senior guard Juwan Staten (14.5 ppg) when he is healthy (he has missed the last four games).
• #11 Texas - Texas has struggled this season, and Rick Barnes' team has blown multiple games, but they have the talent to beat anyone in the region, Kentucky included. They have a star point guard in Isaiah Taylor (13 ppg, 4.6 apg) and a potential lottery pick up front in Myles Turner (10.4 ppg), and they lead the nation in blocks.

Upsets To Watch:

• #13 Valparaiso vs. #4 Maryland - Maryland is overrated, and the stats show that. They have won many very close games that could have gone either way. They are good, with three playmakers who could take over a game at any time, but they have not looked very impressive. On the other side, Valpo is a tough, balanced team, and has a star of its own in 6'9" Alec Peters (16.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg), who can score from anywhere.
• #12 Buffalo vs. #5 West Virginia - This is a trendy upset pick among analysts, and for good reason. Although this is Buffalo's first NCAA Tournament appearance, they are led by former Duke star Bobby Hurley, they led Kentucky earlier this year at half time (they ultimately lost by 19) and lost by 12 to Wisconsin, and they have power forward Justin Moss, who averages 17.7 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game.

Prediction: The only lower seed I have advancing to the Round of 32 is Purdue. I had Valpo upsetting Maryland (because I think Maryland is overrated), but then I realized I had every 13 seed winning, which is highly unlikely. I have Notre Dame and Kentucky in the Elite Eight, but Kentucky will easily win this region.

West Region

Players To Watch:

• Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin - The odds-on favorite to win the Wooden Award, the 7'0" Kaminsky can defend, rebound (8 per game), and score from anywhere (18.2 ppg). He is the leader on a disciplined and dangerous Badger team.
• Stanley Johnson, Arizona - The freshman forward is a big reason the Wildcats are one of the most feared teams in the country, as he is big, strong, and talented (14.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg).
• Joseph Young, Oregon - The Pac-12 Player of the Year is a dangerous scorer, and has played especially well of late, including a three in the final seconds to beat Utah in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinal. Young averaged 20.2 points per game.
• D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State - Russell a potential top-five pick in the NBA Draft, is one of the most skilled players in college basketball. He has a sweet shooting stroke (19.3 ppg), excellent court vision (5.1 apg), and can rebound too (5.6 rpg). He is the main reason Ohio State could possibly make a tournament run.
• R.J. Hunter, Georgia State - The coach's son, R.J. is a lethal three-point shooter (19.8 ppg), and the combination of him, former Kentucky player Ryan Harrow (18.7 ppg), and former Louisville player Kevin Ware (18 points in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship) are why the Panthers could be a threat to upset.

Teams To Watch:

• #3 Baylor - The physical Bears have the best rebounder in the country (Rico Gathers, 11.6 rpg) and can hit the three (39%) with guys such as Taurean Prince (13.8 ppg) and Kenny Chery (11.4 ppg). 
• #4 North Carolina - UNC played very well in the ACC Tournament, beating Virginia in the semifinal before falling to Notre Dame in the championship. The Heels, led by Marcus Paige (13.9 ppg, 4.6 apg), have the talent to make a run. 
• #10 Ohio State - Much of Ohio State's hopes hang on D'Angelo Russell, but they also need the supporting pieces to step up. If Russell catches fire, seniors Shannon Scott and Sam Thompson play to their potential, and Marc Loving rediscovers his scoring touch, the Buckeyes could make a run.  

Upsets To Watch:

• #13 Harvard vs. #4 North Carolina - On the surface, this looks like an easy win for North Carolina. They beat a team in the ACC semifinal (Virginia) that Harvard lost to by 49 points. However, Harvard has been here before (They beat Cincinnati as a 12 seed last year and New Mexico as a 14 seed the year before) and was ranked at the beginning of the season. 
• #12 Wofford vs. #5 Arkansas - Arkansas may have SEC Player of the Year and future pro Bobby Portis (17.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg), but they haven't beaten anybody amazing (although they lost to Kentucky twice), and Wofford, led by senior Karl Cochran (14.6 ppg), has played some tough games, including a one-point win at N.C. State.

Prediction: I have double-digit seeds Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Wofford advancing to the Round of 32. I did have Harvard in the Sweet 16 until I was talked out of it, and I could see Georgia State giving Baylor a scare. I also had Ohio State upsetting Arizona, but then I woke up. I do have Wofford upsetting UNC. I have Wisconsin and Arizona in the Elite Eight, with the Badgers advancing to the Final Four.

East Region
Players To Watch:

• Buddy Hield, Oklahoma - Buddy has captained a Sooner team that is a Final Four threat, and has led them to many big wins thanks to his offensive prowess (17.5 ppg).
• Montrezl Harrrell, Louisville - Harrell is a beast, using his size and physicality to bully peopl down low, both on the offensive end (15.7 ppg) and defensive end (9.5 rpg). 
• Seth Tuttle, Northern Iowa - Northern Iowa's breakout this year is largely thanks to the breakout of this "Poor Man's Frank Kaminsky" (15.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg), who led them to the Missouri Valley Conference title over Wichita State.
• Kris Dunn, Providence - The exciting Dunn (15.8 ppg, 7.6 apg) and backcourt mate LaDontae Henton (19.7 ppg) form one of the best tandems in college basketball, and lead a dangerous team that beat Notre Dame earlier this season.
• Mamadou Ndiaye, UC Irvine - Pronounced Mom-uh-do N-die, he is in here mostly because he is 7'6". But he is also productive (10.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg) when healthy (he missed a chunk of this season), anchoring one of the best defenses in the country and literally towering over opponents. 

Teams To Watch:

• #3 Oklahoma - Oklahoma is one of the best teams in the country, an all-around team that has beaten Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, and West Virginia, and has the likes of Buddy Hield, TaShawn Thomas, and Ryan Spangler.
• #7 Michigan State - Tom Izzo's Michigan State teams always seem to play well in the postseason, no matter how mediocre they are during the regular season, and this year looks no different. Sparty played very well in the Big Ten Tournament, taking Wisconsin to overtime in the final, and they have veteran experience.
• #8 N.C. State - The Wolfpack are a dangerous eight seed. They've beaten North Carolina, Duke, and Louisville, and their led by guards "Cat" Barber (12.1 ppg), Trevor Lacey (15.8 ppg), and Ralston Turner (13.2 ppg). If they play to the level they are capable of, they can make a run.

Upsets To Watch:

• #13 UC Irvine vs. #4 Louisville - This is a good matchup for the Anteaters. Louisville is a poor three-point shooting team, and UC Irvine's zone defense, featuring a 7'6" center, that is very difficult to drive against. Montrezl Harrell might have some trouble with Mamadou Ndiaye, senior Will Davis II (12.9 ppg, 7 rpg) can be a playmaker, and the Anteaters can shoot the three too. 
• #12 Wyoming vs. #5 Northern Iowa - Northern Iowa is a talented team, but critics will argue that they played a relatively weak schedule, and Wyoming, a bid-stealer out of the Mountain West, has talent, including Josh Adams (13.1 ppg) and Larry Nance Jr. (16.1 ppg).

Prediction: I believe this could be a crazy region. I have UC Irvine upsetting Louisville in the "first round" (technically the second round), and I really thought about Dayton over Providence. The Round of 32 is when the real craziness begins. i have Michigan State over Virginia and N.C. State over Villanova. Ultimately, I have UNI and Oklahoma in the Elite Eight and Oklahoma in the Final Four.

South Region
Players To Watch:

• Jahlil Okafor, Duke - The fabulous freshman is even better than Duke's fab freshman last year (Jabari Parker) and is projected to go #1 in the NBA Draft. He is a force down low (17.7 ppg).
• Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga - The former Kentucky player from Portland is a major reason why (along with the play of teammate Kevin Pangos and others) the Zags are a two seed and a Final Four threat. He averaged 16.7 ppg (and 6 rpg).
• Delon Wright, Utah - Delon, who's older brother Dorell plays in the NBA, is a do-it-all senior point guard for the surprising Utes. He is among the best all-around players in the country (14.9 ppg, 5.3 apg, 4.9 rpg).
• D'Angelo Harrison, St. John's - Another great freshman named D'Angelo, Harrison (17.5 ppg) has been an essential part of bringing St. John's to prominence. 
• Tyler Harvey, Eastern Washington - Harvey, who got zero Division 1 offers out of high school, is the nation's leading scorer (22.9 ppg) and a key part of a dangerous offensive team.
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Teams To Watch:

• #3 Iowa State - The Cyclones are a very impressive team that won a very competitive Big 12 Tournament. They are propelled by talented point guard Monte Morris (11.8 ppg) and talented forward Georges Niang (15.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.5 apg).
• #5 Utah - Utah is a very balanced team, and one of the best defensive teams in the country. Those are two key ingredients to a Final Four team, along with a playmaking guard (Delon Wright). 
• #10 Davidson - Davidson has made a Cinderella run before (with some kid named Steph Curry), and they have the firepower to do it again (terrific three-point shooting team). They also potentially have a somewhat easy path, with an overseeded Iowa team and a beatable Gonzaga team.

Upsets To Watch:

• #13 Eastern Washington vs. #4 Georgetown - Tyler Harvey leads an excellent three-point shooting team that beat Indiana earlier this season, and Georgetown does not have a good recent track record in the NCAA Tournament.
• #12 Stephen F. Austin vs. #5 Utah - This is a popular upset pick after the Lumberjacks upset VCU last year. They are a great offensive team and have tested themselves. Plus, they have more tournament experience than five seed Utah.

Prediction: I'm infatuated with Utah (for some reason), which is why I have them winning this region. I have EWU upsetting Georgetown first round, and I have Utah and Iowa State in the Elite Eight.

"Most Likely" Upset Picks (These are big upsets that probably won't happen, but if I had to choose a 16, 15, and 14 seed to pull an upset, these are the ones I'd choose)
Most Likely 16 vs. 1 Upset:

• Lafayette vs. Villanova - Villanova seems like the most vulnerable of the one seeds, since they don't play the level of competition the other one seeds play. This isn't to say Nova is not a great team, but they are probably the worst of the one seeds (regardless of the sterling 32-2 record). The Leopards of Lafayette went on an absolute tear of three-pointers to win the Patriot League, and a team that shoots threes like that always has at least a sliver of a chance.

Most Likely 15 vs. 2 Upset:

• Belmont vs. Virginia - Staying in the East Region, this is an upset that isn't nearly as unfathomable as Lafayette over Villanova (remember, two 15 seeds pulled off upsets in 2012 and another 15 seed won two games in 2013). Virginia star Justin Anderson came back from an appendectomy in the ACC Tournament but played poorly, not scoring at all. One could argue for Texas Southern over Arizona (they beat Michigan State and Kansas State during the regular season) or North Dakota State over Gonzaga (they won a tournament game last year, and Gonzaga is the weakest two seed), Belmont can shoot the three as well as just about any team in the country, which could give the country's best defense a challenge.

Most Likely 14 vs. 3 Upset: 

•  Georgia State vs. Baylor - This is the most likely of these three upsets to happen, since a 14 beat a three just last year (Mercer over Duke). Georgia State is led by two players who have played on national powerhouses (Kentucky transfer Ryan Harrow and Louisville transfer Kevin Ware) and the coach's son (R.J. Hunter), and they are one of the best shooting teams in the country.

"Coin Flip" Teams (These are teams that could easily go to Indianapolis or go home early)

• Maryland - The Terps have a trio of very talented players, and have looked like one of the best teams in the country at times. But they have also barely won some games, and are a bit overrated. Still, if one or two of there playmakers catch fire, they could make a run.
• Notre Dame - Notre Dame is an offensive powerhouse led by one of the best players in the country, and they beat Duke and North Carolina on the way to an ACC Tournament title. But they are a below-average defensive team and don't have a history of deep NCAA Tournament runs.
• Texas - The Longhorns barely made the tournament, but they are better than the numbers suggest. They are very talented, and have beaten Baylor and West Virginia, but inconsistency and late game blunders have riddled this team.
• North Carolina - The Tar Heels are kind of like Texas, except without the blown games. They are talented but somewhat inconsistent. They beat Virginia and Louisville, but lost to Iowa and N.C. State. They have some really good players (Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson), but no superstar.
• Providence - The Friars have one of the most talented backcourts in the country and have beaten Notre Dame, but they don't shoot threes particularly well and were ousted early in last year's tournament. They have a potentially dangerous 6-11 matchup in Columbus against Dayton (if they beat Boise State).
• Virginia - Virginia, with their suffocating defense, is one of the best teams in America. However, there are questions about Justin Anderson's health, and if he isn't productive, they'll have to lean on Malcolm Brogdon (13.9 ppg) offensively, which could lead to an early exit.
• Utah - The Utes are very talented, and rank high both offensively and defensively. But they have lost four of their last seven, don't have NCAA Tournament experience, and face a dangerous upset-minded team in Stephen F. Austin.
• Gonzaga - The Zags have more talent than they have had in a while, which is why this team might be different from the ones who were called overrated and didn't do much to silence the haters. There are still the usual questions surrounding this team (strength of schedule and reputation), but nobody can deny that this is a very good team.

My Final Four Picks:

I picked Wisconsin over Kentucky and Utah over Oklahoma (I went back and forth on that one). I have Wisconsin as my National Champion. They are disciplined, experienced, efficient, and talented. They rarely turn the ball over and have the best player in the country. Here is my bracket.

Note: I am not a psychic, or even that good at picking NCAA Tournament games (I picked Creighton last year, after all). I went back and forth on more than a few matchups, and my bracket is still subject to change.

Grading Buzzer-Beaters

As we enter conference tournament play and get ever closer to the NCAA Tournament, I am creating some posts to get people ready for the Big Dance, including my 2015 March Madness Guide.

Buzzer-beaters are possibly the most exciting part of basketball, especially college basketball and March Madness. But not all buzzer-beaters are created equal. First, it has to actually beat the buzzer (if there is still time left on the clock, it is not a buzzer-beater!). After that, there are a number of things one must take into account when judging the greatness of a buzzer-beater. So I have attempted to create a sort of grading rubric for buzzer-beaters.

Degree Of Difficulty
The first thing to consider when determining the amazement of a buzzer-beater is how difficult it was. How bleak did the team's chances look in the final minutes/seconds? An epic comeback culminating in a buzzer-beater is better than losing the lead and winning on a buzzer-beater. How much of an underdog was the winning team (or how highly ranked was the losing team)? The shock factor is an important part of grading a buzzer-beater. Winning on the road also gets extra points, although they might lose points in the "Celebration" category (more on that later). The team also gets bonus points if they are playing shorthanded. Last, but not least, is the difficulty of the actual buzzer-beating shot. Full-court or half-court shots are obviously more amazing than layups. Buzzer-beating dunks and tip-ins may not be as difficult, but are still exciting and impressive (extra credit if a team can somehow win on a tip-in by the opponent). Likewise, having to take the ball the length of the court, especially without taking a timeout, is more impressive than setting up a play to win it. And obviously, game-winning buzzer-beaters beat game-tying buzzer-beaters.

Celebration
No buzzer-beater is complete without a jubilant celebration. There are various ways to go about this. Some common ones are the "jump around" celebration, the "dogpile" celebration, the "run away" celebration, and the "cold as ice" celebration (I didn't put much thought into these names, so feel free to come up with different names for them). The crowd celebration and commentator celebration are factors as well. The crazier the commentators' celebration, the better. And a court storming is always a plus.

Stakes
Last, but certainly not least, on my buzzer-beater grading rubric, is the measure of how high the stakes are. A buzzer-beater in the NCAA Tournament has a bit higher stakes than, say, one in the Maui Invitational. One in a conference championship game or the National Championship Game is even better.

Example:

Degree of Difficulty: 8/10

Things looked bleak when Butler traveled, giving Gonzaga the ball with 3.5 seconds remaining. It was pretty amazing when Roosevelt Jones stole the ball, brought it down the court, and lofted up a one-handed shot at the buzzer. A couple points are taken off because it wasn't a huge upset, they had home-court advantage, and the shot was close to the basket.

Celebration: 10/10

Jones and Butler did a combination of the "run away" celebration and the "dogpile" celebration, Dickie V went crazy, and the court storming was exemplary.

Stakes: 5/10

It was just a regular season game, although it was one around the halfway point of the season and it was a game between ranked teams.

Overall Shock Factor: 7.7/10

The "Overall Shock Factor" is just the overall grade for the buzzer-beater. I just average the scores for the other three areas to get it. Overall, this was a pretty amazing buzzer-beater, and it's hard to disagree.

This is a completely subjective grading scale, so it's okay if you disagree with my grades and factors. After all, this is my buzzer-beater grading scale, and even I am not 100% about my own grades. This is just a fun little way to judge the amazement of a buzzer-beater. But really, any buzzer-beater is pretty amazing. 

The Art of Court Storming

As we enter conference tournament play and get ever closer to the NCAA Tournament, I am creating some posts to get people ready for the Big Dance, including my 2015 March Madness Guide.

Court storming (for those somehow unfamiliar with the term, it's when fans rush the court after a win) has long been a staple in college basketball and an integral part of the excitement that is March Madness. It exhibits the euphoria of March Madness and upsets. However, the act of court storming has recently come under fire after Kansas State stormed the court following an upset over rival Kansas. Kansas was unable to get off of the court due to the sea of fans, and forward Jamari Traylor was elbowed by a fan. In reaction to the event, many people, including college basketball analysts and writers, denounced the act of storming the court and thought it should be banned (although others have defended court storming, like myself). It makes sense why people would say that. Court storming is chaotic and can be dangerous. Hundreds of crazy fans run out onto the court with the players and go wild, and the opposing team can sometimes have trouble making it to their locker room. However, this is mostly an isolated incident, and rarely does anything seriously bad happen during a court storming. As long as people don't act stupidly (which can sometimes be hard to ask for) and security is present, court stormings shouldn't be a serious problem. Plus, court storming is an essential part of the excitement and entertainment of college basketball and March Madness. Even for those watching at home, just seeing a court storming adds elation. My brother always wonders whether a team will storm the court after an win, even if they are the favored team, and he loves it when they do. Court storming is as much a part of March Madness as upsets and buzzer-beaters (and those three events go hand-in-hand). Long live court storming.

March Madness

As we enter conference tournament play and get ever closer to the NCAA Tournament, I am creating some posts to get people ready for the Big Dance, including my 2015 March Madness Guide.


March. The time of year when the thermometer starts rising, the snow starts melting, and college basketball starts exciting. Not that the rest of the college basketball season isn't enticing  and sometimes chaotic. There is just something about March. Maybe it’s the single-elimination tournaments (both conference tournaments and the NCAA Tournament), and the understanding that anything can happen on any given day. Maybe it’s the introduction of Cinderellas, teams that many people don’t know of until they cause chaos in the postseason. Maybe it’s the coming out party of many a tournament hero. Maybe it’s the amazing game-winning shots and unbelievable buzzer-beaters, made all the more iconic by the high stakes. Maybe it’s simply the sport of filling out brackets, a favorite pastime of millions of people. Maybe it’s the joy of watching a loathed juggernaut get upset or the agony of watching a favorite team falter in the final seconds. Maybe (and most likely) it’s the combination of all of these reasons. Whatever it may be that causes so much euphoria this time of year, it is unlike anything else. College football (at least the highest division) only has a four team playoff. Not many people fill out brackets for college baseball or lacrosse. Hardly anyone will remember who won the NCAA Division I college volleyball national championship last year (was it Penn State?), but many remember the magical run the Connecticut Huskies went on in last year’s NCAA Division I college basketball tournament. No other sporting event (except maybe the Super Bowl or the Olympics) can have such an effect on so many. Not many sporting events are so monumental that there is a profession made just for projecting the tournament field (bracketology). Not many events cause Warren Buffet to offer $1,000,000,000 for a perfect bracket. This is the time when ordinary collegiate student-athletes can become legends, even if they never go on to success in professional basketball. This is the time when people meet (and fall in love with) the Jimmers, Kembas, and Shabazzes. This is the time when people jump on bandwagons, and cheer for the underdogs. This is March Madness.