The NCAA Men’s 2016 Basketball Tournament began yesterday with a bang, and the bang was my bracket predictions exploding. When they call it March Madness they’re not kidding.
The most exciting part of the tournament (other than rooting for your favorite team) is filling out a bracket. Well after Day 1 almost everyone’s bracket is busted. Of all the brackets submitted only about 1% remain perfect and the madness has only just begun. Of the 16 games played yesterday 7 games were upsets. The number one bracket buster was Little Rock Arkansas’s thrilling double overtime victory against Purdue. With less than 10 seconds left in the game Josh Hagins shot a three from about 35ft and made it to tie it up at 70. At this point everything is alright because Purdue can still win in overtime. However Hagins prevailed again taking the last shot of overtime, banking it in and tying it at 75. For me watching, at this point I’m livid about ready to throw the remote at the TV. Double overtime? Come on, Purdue, my bracket depends on this! It did not go my way, however, and Little Rock won 85-83 F/2OT. Well good for Hagins being a hero, but, Purdue, what were you thinking?
Even before this occurred I watched Baylor vs. Yale. Yale was up with less than 20 seconds Baylor had possession of the ball and drove up the court, the player tripped and turned the ball over. I literally lost it. Yale had never won a NCAA tournament game and now they get to win on a turnover, busting my bracket.
As of March 18 the only shot I had at winning anything was picking the winner. I picked Michigan St. Coach Izzo usually gets his team at least to the final four and they are 7-0 as a 1 or a 2 seed. NOT ANYMORE thanks Middle Tennessee. Middle Tennessee pulled off the major upset beating Michigan St 90-81. The hero Reggie Upshaw scored 21pts.
The other upsets were a handful of ninth seeds over eighth seeds: Providence over USC, Butler over Texas Tech, and Connecticut over Colorado. Two eleven seeds beat six seeds: Gonzaga over Seton Hall and Wichita St over Arizona. I should have known better, because since 2012 twelve seeds are 10-9 vs five seeds. For future reference, just pick the 12 seed over the 5 seed. What we’ve learned Upshaw and Hagins have caused many a headache and we should all just route for the underdogs Middle Tennessee and Little Rock.
Photo Credit: Leah Emerson
The Pine Needle 