The NCAA Tournament: Let the Madness Begin

Photo Credit: NCAA

by Martin Minschwaner
03/19/2008

Cinderellas, bracket busters, buzzer beaters, upsets and an SEC Championship for the Georgia Bulldogs. Let the madness begin.

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament begins Thursday in full force. Mount St. Mary’s won Tuesday’s “play-in” game against Coppin State, narrowing the field to 64.

As is the case every year, the tournament contains an array of intriguing teams, match-ups, and stories.

After a disappointing season and a last place finish in the SEC East, Georgia closed the season out on a high note, possibly saving Coach Dennis Felton’s job in the process. The team pulled off the impossible by winning four games in four days to capture the SEC tournament title and an automatic bid to the tournament. The Bulldogs, a No. 14 seed, face No. 3 seed Xavier Thursday at 12:20 p.m. But the Bulldogs are just one of many stories in the tournament.

As fans fill out their brackets this year, many wonder who will be this year’s Cinderella. Each year at least one team comes from seemingly out of nowhere and makes a magical run, knocking off the traditional heavyweights on the way. Two years ago No. 11 seed George Mason shocked the world by advancing to the Final Four.

Like Coach Felton told reporters after winning the SEC Championship, “When it’s March Madness, anybody can win.”

Look out for No. 10 seed Davidson. Led by sharpshooter Stephen Curry’s 25 points a game, Davidson blew through the Southern Conference, winning every conference game and then the conference tournament. The Wildcats played Duke, UNC and UCLA this season, losing by a slim margin to each. The experience from these games could prove valuable for Davidson as they try to make a run; UNC and UCLA are No. 1 seeds while Duke is a No. 2 seed. Davidson faces Gonzaga in the first round.

George Mason could again be busting those brackets. The CAA champs are a No. 12 seed and play Notre Dame in the first round.

Amongst the more traditional powerhouses, ACC Champion UNC is the favorite entering the tournament. The overall No. 1 seed, UNC will not have to leave the state of North Carolina until the Final Four in San Antonio. If they advance, the Tar Heels’ first two games will be in Raleigh, followed by two more in Charlotte before the Final Four.

While the team’s players are pleased with the setup, Coach Roy Williams has tried to downplay its importance. “I don’t look down the line,” Williams said at his news conference. “I’ve never been concerned about where we play.”

Many have called this year the year of the freshman. Whether on not these freshmen can overcome their inexperience and lead their teams to a title is yet to be seen. Kansas State’s Michael Beasley (Big XII player of the year), UCLA’s Kevin Love (Pac-10 Player of the Year), USC’s O.J. Mayo, and Memphis’ Derrick Rose (Conference USA Rookie of the Year) are high-profile freshmen looking to take their team to San Antonio. Kansas State and USC will meet in the first round.

Will the Bulldogs' magical run continue? Will it be the favorites or Cinderellas making it to San Antonio? How will the rookie superstars hold up? Maybe a better question is who really knows? Either way, enjoy the madness while it lasts.

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