The chances of getting hit by lightning are 1 in 15,300; the chances of getting bit by a shark are 1 in 3.7 million; and the chances of winning the lottery are 1 in 300 million. The only thing harder than all of this is getting a perfect bracket in March Madness: your chances are 1 in 9.2 quintillion.
March madness is a bracket-style tournament, consisting of six rounds. The tournament will start with 64 teams, but there will only be one winner. Every year, around 60 to 100 million brackets are filled out worldwide.
The men’s tournament is divided into four regions: South, East, West, and Midwest. Each division will consist of 16 teams which are ranked within their region. The number one seeds for the men’s brackets are Auburn, Florida, Houston, and Duke; the number one seeds for the women’s bracket are University of South California, University of California Los Angeles, University of South Carolina and University of Texas.
The men’s madness began on Thursday, March 20 with Creighton upsetting Louisville 85-79. Another shocking upset came when McNeese defeated Clemson in the first round, 69-67, shaking up countless brackets.
“The best part about March Madness is the first four days,” said Mr. Scott Kallens. The first four days are filled with the most excitement as 64 teams play simultaneously creating a competitive and engaging atmosphere filled with upsets and buzzer beaters.
Another one of the most exciting parts about March Madness are the “Cinderella” teams, or the unexpected contenders that make a deep run in the tournament. This year one of the most mad parts of both the mens and womens tournament is the absence of Cinderella teams. In fact, in the men’s tournament only number one seeds made it to the final four, which has not happened since 2008.
When it comes to making picks for their bracket, there are many unique strategies people use. Some rely on the stats to choose their picks. “I always look at defense and metrics like what the team’s three point shooting is, what their defensive numbers look like: how many points per game they average on defense,” said Mr. Kallens.
Others rely on footage and style. “I look at the skill of the team and what their season was overall,” says Sophia Latif Estefan (‘26). One of the most interesting strategies is choosing based on your favorite mascots or school colors.
As we move further into the tournament,all eyes move to the favorites. “I’m putting my money on Duke,” said Estefan. Duke remains the most popular pick for the men’s bracket, with 30.97% choosing them to win the title, while Florida follows as the second favorite with 17.51% of brackets selecting them as champions. For the women’s bracket, The University of Connecticut front runner, with fan favorite Paige Bueckers leading the team.
As the tournament unfolds the only guarantee is more chaos, surprises and unforgettable basketball. The only question left: who will take the trophy home this year?
