March Madness: A Month of Underdogs and Upsets

When it comes to heart attacks and dreams coming true, nothing matches the two like the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Starting every year in March, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, also known as “The Dance”, floods television screens and packs stadiums all throughout the country. For these few weeks in March, conference champions and high ranked teams prove why they are the best division 1 basketball teams and battle it out in the tournament of 64 for the chance of being crowned National Champions and putting their team and school in the record books forever. Every year new teams enter The Dance and every year there are amazing upsets. Teams that were thought of to have absolutely no shot in winning against higher ranked teams in David and Goliath type battles ending up on top. When it comes to upsets and Cinderella teams in march madness nothing fits more than the Saint Peter’s Peacocks from this year’s tournament. Despite being a fifteen seed, the Peacocks defeated the Kentucky Wildcats in the first round who were a two seed and potential final four contenders. This supring upset sent shock waves throughout the basketball world surprising many fans, but they didn’t stop there. The Peacocks also defeated a loaded Purdue squad with future NBA players and punched their ticket into the Sweet Sixteen. Although they lost to a red hot North Carolina Tar Heels team their success as a team this year will forever be remembered as another great underdog story. With Coach K of the Duke Blue Devils in his last season many were anxious to see how his team would perform in the tournament. His players knew how important this would be not only in this tournament but the history of college basketball. With a mix of veterans and young NBA prospects the Blue Devils after losing in the ACC championship to Virginia Tech, went on a tear in the tournament knocking off tough teams such as Texas Tech and Arkansas. With another trip to the final four in Coach K’s last year; the Blue Devils fell short to their rivals UNC in one of the most anticipated college basketball games in recent years. A sad end to Coach K’s season but a legendary career nonetheless. Damian McGhie, a Junior here at Bishop Ireton expressed his feelings about this year’s NCAA tournament. “I liked watching this year’s tournament a lot more than other years, with it being Coach K’s last year and all. Saint Peters really surprised me. I had no clue they were going to beat Purdue or even make it that far. I thought that was pretty sweet. I had Villinova winning it all in my bracket but as the tournament went on I could see Kansas probably taking it.” With a great tournament concluded: the number 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks took home the National Championship after an amazing comeback to beat the confident North Carolina Tarheels. This is the Jayhawks fourth National title win in school history, along with head coach Bill Self’s third title appearance with Kansas. With another great tournament filled with upsets, entertainment and Cinderella

By Jamie Kaiser

Photo Credit: bleacherreport.com/

stories college basketball remains to dominate the sporting world in the month of March.

Who were you rooting for this March Madness?

Damian McGhie

Junior

“I was rooting for Duke because it was Coach K’s last year but I was also very impressed by Saint Peters. I had no clue they were going to beat Purdue or even make it that far. In my bracket, I had Villanova winning it all but Kanas beat them in the final four.”