March Madness is Upon Us!
We all know every group of friends has that one March Madness expert. The one who knows all the brackets by heart, knows which teams to keep an eye on, etc. You know what we mean. Here’s your chance to be that person this year! (And oh will it feel good)! As a self-described March Madness expert, I live for this time of year and want nothing more than for you all to share in my enjoyment! Here are some basics to get you started…
Here is where and when you can watch every conference tourney:
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Schedule via SBnation[/caption]
Teams to keep an eye on:
Oklahoma- OU has been on the cusp of elite status this entire season but has been unable to grab the proverbial brass ring. Two close losses to Kansas and a pair of upsets by bottom half Big 12 teams have the Sooners on a bit of a slide. However, with the best scorer in the nation in Buddy Hield (25.3 PPG) the Sooners will be a dangerous team in the tournament. Keep an eye on their Big 12 tournament games and a likely rematch with Kansas in the final with a 1 seed on the line.
Iowa- The Hawkeyes season has been a tail of two teams. They started the season with a phenomenal 16–3 record including a sweep of now #2 Michigan State and wins over 5 ranked teams. However, in the last 10 games the Hawks are 4–6 and have slid from the #3 spot all the way to #15. Which team will we see come tournament time? The dominant team from the first half of the season? Or the sluggish, less impressive group from this last half of the season?
Indiana- IU has been one of the hottest teams in the country as of late and are a solid sleeper team in your bracket. It may sound odd to consider the B1G champion as a “sleeper” but they have managed to fly under the radar as Michigan State and Maryland have gotten the majority of the media love over the course of the season. The Hoosiers got off to a rocky start going 5–3 with the wins coming against cupcakes and a 20 point shellacking by Duke. After that beat down, the team responded by winning its next 12 games in a row and going 19–3 in their next 22 games. As the #1 overall seed in the B1G tournament, the Hoosiers receive a double bye and are in great shape to jump up to a 2 seed.
Kentucky- Blue blood programs like Kentucky start every season with enormous hype and this season was no different. A pre-season #1, this young Kentucky team hasn’t lived up to the lofty pre-season expectations. But this is the time of year John Calipari teams play their best ball and this year is no exception. After another ho-hum SEC regular season championship, Kentucky will be a heavy favorite to win the SEC tournament and will likely end up as a 4–5 seed. This team plays to their competition as evidenced by the close loss at #1 Kansas and the close losses to TAMU and Tennessee. If the ball bounces the right way, this Kentucky team could go on a run similar to the 2014 team.
Tips for picking your bracket:
1. Pay attention to the backcourts: Teams that tend to go on runs typically have strong guard play and veteran backcourts.
2. Don’t go upset crazy: We all have that dream of seeing Lower Eastern Utah State go on a run to the Final Four but try to be a little more realistic.
3. Go with your gut: Your first instinct is always your best. Don’t over-tinker and make 74 different brackets. (Hopefully you have something more important to do).
4. Don’t ignore the mid-majors: If you’re going to have an underdog go on a run, your best bet is usually a mid-major team like a Gonzaga or Wichita State rather than the Lower Eastern Utah State. There isn’t nearly the talent discrepancy in comparison to Power 5 opponents and the dominant mid-majors come into the tournament with fresher legs than most teams.
5. Injuries, injuries, injuries: Before committing to a team (or teams) going deep in your bracket, check to see what their injury situation is like. Minor details like this can make a huge difference in picking the right upset.
