It’s that time of year when teams from across the nation either put up or shut up in the “Big Dance” that is known as the NCAA March Madness. Beginning Thursday, 64 teams from Division I schools will face off in the famous tournament with hopes of being crowned the best in the land for the 2012-2013 season.
And let’s not forget, the NIT and CollegeInsider tournaments, which allow other schools who couldn’t win their conferences or be offered an at-large bid a postseason berth and a chance to make a mark.
Two of the four first round games have already been finished in the “Big Dance,” as North Carolina A&T defeated Liverty 73-72 Tuesday night while St. Mary’s defeated Mid Tennessee, 67-54. The final two games will be played tonight when Boise State takes on La Salle and LIU Brooklyn faces James Madison. This will set the stage for the rest of the tournament.
The most interesting matchup in round two of the tournament may be No. 13 South Dakota State will face the power that is No. 4 Michigan. This game will pit two of the top players in the country against eachother as their teams will duke it out for a chance to advance. South Dakota State is the Summit League champion, the same league that my alma mater Oakland University plays in. The Jackrabbits are led by guard Nate Wolters, who averages 22.7 points per game and about six rebounds and assists. Likewise, Michigan is lead by Trey Burke. The guard averages 19.2 points per game and 6.7 assists.
An added advantage for Michigan is that the second and third round games for the South and Midwest regions of the tournament are being played at The Palace of Auburn Hills, effectively creating a homecourt advantage for the Wolverines. Interesting enough about this fact, Michigan State fans are buying up SDST gear to wear to the game to root against their in-state rivals. The Spartans will face Valparaiso Thursday afternoon at The Palace in the Midwest region.
One last additional fact about this matchup is that these tournament games are being hosted at The Palace of Auburn Hills by SDST Summit League foe, Oakland University. Golden Grizzlies fans may join Spartan fans in cheering against the Wolverines in favor of the Jackrabbits, especially due to Michigan’s refusal to play Oakland for the foreseeable future.
This year’s tournament seems like a toss up and a game of Guess Who when it comes to filling in brackets. Indiana has been a powerhouse all season, but Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State have as well as far as the Big Ten goes. Florida has dominated the SEC and has a reasonable but unlikely probability of making the Final Four. Miami (FL) is a team that is also on fire, while Syracuse, Duke and Butler are all teams vying for a championship.
The top seeded teams in the four regions are Indiana, Gonzaga, Louisville and Kansas.
The Pit has created a bracket that has teams representing the Big East, SEC and Big Ten in the Final Four this season with Louisville, Florida, Ohio State and Indiana. We have Ohio State and Florida in the championship game with the Gators coming out on top, a flashback to the 2007 tournament when Florida defeated the Buckeyes then as well.
CollegeInsider Tournament: Youngstown State 99, Oakland 87
Oakland played in the first round of games for the CollegeInsider Tournament Tuesday night against Youngstown State. The Golden Grizzlies were defeated 99-87, ending their season below .500 with a record of 16-17. For the first time since the 2006-2007 season, Oakland has had a losing season.
Travis Bader led the Golden Grizzlies with 30 points, going 5-of-11 from beyond the arc and completing 9-of-9 free throws and recording five rebounds. Corey Petros also added 23 points, shooting 10-for-15 on the night. Duke Mondy had 13 points off the bench.
Oakland Head Coach Greg Kampe told the press earlier in the week that he would accept a CIT bid even if it meant earning the first losing season in years for his team if it meant keeping the Grizzlies playing in the postseason.
Last year, Oakland made it to the semifinals of the CIT an recorded 20 wins before being knocked out on their home court. Oakland hasn’t appeared in the NCAA Tournament since the 2010-2011 season.
March Madness brackets
Who do you have winning the tournament? What do your brackets look like? Let us know in the comments below!
