The week leading up to the popular NCAA basketball tournament is filled with promise as people across the country pencil in their picks for their brackets. Filling out a bracket and choosing winners of the 63 games to be played creates a buzz every year from even the non-sports fans due to its history of being unpredictable. Despite having not happened in all the years that the tournament has been run, participants are always confident that their bracket will be perfect. That confidence is almost always squashed after the first few games, and this year was no different. On Friday, the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) made history when they became the first 16 seeded team ever to knock out a one seed, a title belonging to the team from the University of Virginia (UVA). Due to its proximity to Arlington, many were pulling hard for UVA and were devastated by the unfortunate conclusion to an impressive season, but even non Virginia fans were disappointed, as they were among one of the favorites to win the tournament. Virginia was not the only team to fall to a lower seeded team over the weekend as they were joined by fellow one seed, Xavier, and defending national champions, North Carolina, on a long list of teams that were unexpectedly sent packing by overachieving teams. The highly anticipated weekend left many forced to throw away their brackets out of disgust and hope for a better fate in next year’s tournament. Basketball fans were asked to summarize their bracket in just five words, and the responses show why madness has emerged as the only way to describe the unique event.
“I don’t even know anymore.” – junior Neil Carroll
“Auburn’s not going to win.” – sophomore Joe Sport
“I didn’t make a bracket.” – sophomore Hayden Romness
“O bracket esta completamente acabado.” (The bracket is completely over) – junior Tomas Dias
“Lots and lots of red.” – sophomore Bennett Curtis
“Loyola Chicago all the way.” – sophomore Jeremy Marino
“Seedings do not mean anything.” – freshman Jack Burris
“I really hope Duke wins.” – sophomore Claire Collins
“Upset, upset, upset, upset, upset.” – sophomore Chloe Westhoff
“The worst made bracket ever.” – junior Matt Herlein
“Methodical, articulate, well-rounded, languid, mercurial.” – junior Cj O’Neil
“I deleted my bracket app.” – junior Collin Meek
“Wish that UVA didn’t choke.” – junior Lacey McCormack
“Depressing, waste of time, terminated.” – junior Elie Noring
“Trash,horrible, Virginia, tears, failure.” – sophomore Michael Detling
“Michigan will win, just wait.” – sophomore Brendan Rindfusz
