Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield (24) looks to pass as TCU guard Brandon Parrish (11) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas.
March is Back
There truly is no other time of the year like March Madness. There’s nothing like having 68 of the best college basketball programs in the country battling it out for the chance of being named a college basketball champion.
This season in the college basketball world has been an exciting one as well. There has been plenty of competitive basketball during the season, along with a record number of upsets. We’ve seen the meteoric rises of players across the NCAA with dreams of being picked in this year’s NBA Draft.
We’re sure to see many more exciting things happen because of the tournament. Here’s what we should all be expecting this year:
1. Upsets, upsets, upsets…
Seton Hall upset #3 Villanova a few days ago in the Big East Championship game.
This is the most obvious thing to expect this year.
There have been plenty of upsets this year, and there’s no reason to believe that’s going to change come tournament time.
Kentucky, North Carolina, Villanova, Michigan State, and Oklahoma have all held the #1 national ranking at some point this year, and have been dethroned due to an upset. In total, there have been 74 upsets in the top 10, the most ever in college basketball history. It’s safe to say that this year, no team is a safe bet to win it all.
2. Buddy Hield, Brandon Ingram, Jaylen Brown…
There have been plenty of good players who have emerged into the national spotlight this season, and who are sure to shine for their teams this March.
Be on the lookout for Buddy Hield and Brandon Ingram. These guys are arguably the best college players in the country (other than LSU’s Ben Simmons).
California’s Jaylen Brown and Providence’s Kris Dunn are sure to be top lottery picks in next year’s NBA Draft, so definitely pay attention to these guys.
Kentucky has a potential NBA superstar in Jamal Murray, and will certainly excite people during the tournament.
Also be on the lookout for Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine. He may not be the most highly sought-after player in college basketball, but he has the potential to win Player of the Year, and he could carry Michigan State deep into the tournament, much like Frank Kaminsky last year with Wisconsin.
Buddy Hield, Brandon Ingram, and Jaylen Brown are just a few talents to look for this year.
3. #16 seed upsetting a #1 seed?
It’s never happened in college basketball history, but this year could be the year we see it.
With 57 top-10 upsets so far this season, it’s not out of question that we could see history being made in the round of 64.
4. Can Duke repeat?
Duke is not nearly as good as they were last year, but with talented guys like Grayson Allen and Brandon Ingram, a repeat could be in the cards for the Blue Devils this year.
Make sure to tune into the action yourself on TBS, CBS, TNT, and TruTV, starting March 15th.