March Madness satisfies and surprises fans

This year’s NCAA March Madness has offered everything a college basketball fan could possibly want. So far, there have been 12 major upsets in the tournament, multiple overtime games and several game-winning shots.

March Madness has always been known to live up to the “madness” in its name, and this year was no different. According ESPN.com, after the round of 64 ,only one person still had a chance at winning the perfect bracket challenge. But ultimately that was ended when Ohio State lost to Arizona. March will forever be the stage for all division 1 college basketball players to showcase their talents to the world. And I don’t just mean your powerhouse schools like Duke, UCLA, Kentucky, etc.

“I love everything about March Madness,” Skyline College student Danny Akee said. “The upsets and game winning shots are just amazing. My bracket was done after the first round.”

In the round of 64, a pair of 14 seeds shocked two highly touted programs from the big 12. Iowa State. which many thought would make a deep run in the tournament (and I was one of them), was upset by UAB Blazers. The Baylor Bears went down to Georgia State after a momentum changing 13-0 run in the last four minutes to pull off the upset. This game was ultimately decided by an R.J. Hunter game-winning three-pointer with 2.6 seconds left.

But, outside of all the madness and upsets during the opening rounds of the tournament, this year’s tournament ended up being a battle of legendary coaches. The Final Four consisted of four of the best coaches college basketball had to offer.

Three of the four final four teams were number one seeds: Duke, Wisconsin and the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats. And Michigan State rounded it out with the lowest seed of all the Final Four teams at a seventh seed. It’s no surprise Michigan State made it this far. Head coach Tom Izzo is known for always having his boys ready around this time.

Duke and Michigan State tipped off the first game of Final Four weekend. The Michigan State Spartans came out hot to start, but the size and skill of Duke’s Jahlil Okafor and Justice Winslow appeared to be overwhelming for Tom Izzo and his Spartans. Duke advanced with an easy 81-61 win.

Next, the match-up everyone wanted to see happen was set to start. The undefeated Kentucky Wildcats and Wisconsin Badgers produced one of the best college basketball games in most recent years. Kentucky’s perfect season came to a close as Wisconsin avenged its loss in last season’s national semifinal, with a 71-64 win over the previously unbeaten Wildcats. National Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky led the way for the Badgers with 20 points, also grabbing 11 rebounds and playing arguably his best game of the season, defensively.

“I was heartbroken,” Skyline student Eric Hale said. “I really thought we would see history this year with Kentucky, and I bet my friends $20 on the game.”

Therefore, the stage has been set for unforeseen results of the National Championship, with the classic match-up of Duke Vs. Wisconsin. The question remains, who will be cutting down the nets?