WRITTEN BY JACOB A LOPEZ
March Madness is rolling around the corner as the bracket for Selection Sunday was unveiled on March 12. March Madness is a NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball tournament which is one of the most anticipated events in all of sports. March Madness is a single-elimination tournament (if you lose once you’re out) with 68 different college men’s basketball teams that play seven rounds for the U.S. national championship. Before March Madness begins, teams are selected and bracketed at an event named Selection Sunday. The 32 Division 1 conferences are automatic qualifiers regardless of their performance during the season as long as they won their conference post-season tournament. The other 36 teams that are selected are not automatic qualifiers and have to be invited to the tournament. On Selection Sunday, the teams are ranked by seeds 1 - 68, which is based on the team’s performance in the regular season and conference tournament. After Selection Sunday, the “First Four” or the opening round of March Madness is played, where four teams are eliminated, hence the name. The 64 teams left are split into four regions of 16, which are ranked by 1 - 16 seeds. To reward the better and higher ranked teams, first round match ups pitt the top team vs the bottom team and continue to the next highest vs. the next lowest. This makes sure the championship game is balanced. After the First Four and first and second round games, the next important rounds are the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Sweet 16 is the nickname for the regional semifinal round of March Madness. Teams that have made Sweet 16 previously won the round of 32 or the second round. Winners who triumph in the Sweet 16 sweep move on to the Elite 8. Elite 8 is the regional final round and winners of this matchup reach the Final Four. The Final Four is one of the most important rounds of March Madness as the final four teams compete to see who advances to the final round to decide the winner of the National Championship. March Madness is a season of upsets, triumphs, and excitement. The teams who partake in this tournament experience joy and pain with some who have triumphant wins or devastating losses. March Madness will inspire this joy and pain as the tournament progresses for players and spectators. We can’t wait to see which teams earn their titles and which teams surprise everyone with an upset. |
AuthorDana Barbee Archives
May 2023
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