The Madness is over and we have to wait a long time to see the best schools in the US compete again in this thrilling tournament that we all love so much. It’s been a hell of a ride. Buzzer beaters, incredible comebacks, vicious dunks and a lot of fascinating side stories made this year’s Big Dance so special. We have seen top seeds dropping out of the tournament early and cinderella stories of underdog teams making it to the Final Four. The fans secured an electric atmosphere that pushed all athletes to their very best. We have seen amazing team spirit and once again some players showcased their potential to become a future NBA star. In the following we would like to cover some of the highlights of this year’s tournament.
First Round
Michigan State, a number 2 seed, was eliminated in the first round by number 15 Middle Tennessee. That was the first really big upset in the tournament and the dream of a perfect bracket ended so early for most of us. A lot of experts considered Michigan State a title candidate. That is why the loss was so surprising and unfortunate especially for the four seniors on the team. Here is a recap of the game and an emotional post game press conference.
And who thought Yale would proceed to the second round against Baylor? Well, our HR manager did. This was her shining moment in our internal KICKZ bracket challenge. Baylor’s forward Taurean Prince had his moment not on court but after the game when he had to answer the journalists’ unpleasant questions.
Second Round
The Second Round saw another buzzer beater that killed Xavier. Bronson Koenig took the game winning shot for the Wisconsin Badgers. Hollywood star and Xavier alumni Bill Murray could not believe it and made a sad face.
Indiana vs Kentucky was a big match up in the Second Round. The rivalry between the two schools dates back to 1893 when they met in a football game and has never lost its thrill. If you want to learn more about the biggest rivalries in college basketball go to our blog post.
And don’t forget the insane comeback of Texas A&M in the final minute against Northern Iowa when they forced the overtime after a 12 point deficit.
Sweet 16
Syracuse vs Gonzaga was definitely the story of the Sweet 16 as nobody expected these two underdogs to survive the first two rounds of the tournament.
Syracuse went on winning the Elite 8 against number 1 seed Virginia and made it to the Final Four for the first time since 2013. During the game they came back from a 15-point deficit and finally sealed the deal in the final minutes.
Championship Game
UNC and Villanova, both dominating their Final Four opponents earned their spot in the Championship Game. And they didn’t disappoint. In a game that will be remembered for its competitiveness and athletic excellence the Wildcats beat the Tar Heels with a 3-pointer buzzer beater to take home their first championship since 1985.
Here are the highlights of the game. Enjoy! This March Madness was insane and we hope we could spark your interest in college basketball with our coverage of the tournament and our KICKZ Bracket Challenge. Now, the focus goes back to the pros and the NBA Playoffs right around the corner.