It’s March…

The time is here once again where the top college basketball teams across the country compete for their one shining moment in a tournament that can only be described with one word: Madness. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has annually delivered some of the craziest, strangest, and most inspiring stories that any sport has to offer. The single-elimination format allows for unthinkable upsets and inspiring cinderella runs from teams nobody saw coming.

One of the best parts about March Madness is the annual bracket competition. Once the official bracket comes out, millions of people across the country make their picks as to who they think will win each game of the tournament. Many claiming that this is the year that their bracket will achieve the elusive mark of perfection. While many have tried, the task of creating a flawless bracket is all but impossible. The official odds of picking the correct winner of every March Madness game is around one in 9.2 quintillion. 

Ready to attempt a bracket of your own but have no idea what you’re doing? Here are a few tips that will help you earn bragging rights over your friends in this years tournament. 

Looking for an upset pick but don’t know which team has the goods to pull it off? Look to the 5 vs 12 seed matchups for starters. A 12 seed has upset a 5 seed every year over the past five years in the tournament. In 2019, three of the four 12 seeds were victorious over the 5 seeds in the first round. Look for a twelve seed that has strong shooting and lockdown defense when making your upset picks. 

Thinking the overall number one seed is the easy choice to win it all? Think again. Since 2004, only three number one overall seeds ended up cutting down the nets at the end of the tournament. While it might still be the right pick for you, think about some teams outside the box before picking your championship winner.

Now that you’re better prepared to make your picks, the last rule of making your bracket is to have fun with it! No bracket has ever been perfect and there more than likely will never be a flawless bracket, so have fun with your selections. Pick that team with the funny name, or the team that your dad always talks about. Part of March Madness is celebrating the wackiness of college basketball, so sit back, get your favorite snacks (and multiple TV’s) and let the Madness unfold.