Madness explained: first week digest

By Kenny Knudsen
Staff Reporter

With the first weekend of March Madness in the books, the madness has more than exceeded expectations. With a few surprises along the way so, The NCAA men’s basketball tournament has caused many heartbreaks and quite a few Cinderella stories.

The Atlantic Coast Conference is sitting high and mighty, sending University of North Carolina, Duke, Notre Dame, and North Carolina State University on to the Sweet 16.

Duke, as the first seed, has handled business with ease thus far with an 85-56 win against 16th-seeded Robert Morris University in the round of 64 and a 68-49 win over eighth-seeded San Diego State University. Duke continues to make many believe that they are a formidable opponent to take on first-seeded and undefeated University of Kentucky.

Fourth-seeded University of North Carolina sits on the other side of the bracket and feels lucky to be still alive in the tournament. Having barely escaped 13th-seeded Harvard University in a 67-65 edger, the Tar Heels looked stronger in their 87-78 win over University of Arkansas to wheel them into the Sweet 16.

North Carolina will take on first-seeded University of Wisconsin Thurs., March 26, looking for a chance to continue their run under their coach, Roy Williams.

It is an early exit for many Big 12 teams as second-seeded University of Kansas, third-seeded Iowa State University and Baylor University, and 11th-seeded University of Texas are all gone. University of Oklahoma and West Virginia

Hunter releases buzzer-beater / Photo courtesy Slate.com
Hunter releases buzzer-beater / Photo courtesy Slate.com

University are the only remaining teams from what was arguably the best basketball conference of the season, according to many experts.

Baylor’s season was ended on a buzzer-beater from Georgia State University’s R.J. Hunter in the round of 64.

Surprisingly enough, that last-second shot has been the tournament’s shining moment.

 Kentucky remains undefeated this year with two dominating wins over 16-seeded Hampton University at 79-56, and eighth-seeded University of Cincinnati at 64-51. Kentucky is seeking to be the first team in 39 years to run the perfect route. The last team to go undefeated was Bob Knight’s Hoosiers from Indiana University in 1976.

The Sweet 16 rounds begin tonight. Other notables that remain alive are fifth-seeded University of Utah, 11th-seeded UCLA, second-seeded Gonzaga University, fourth-seeded University of Louisville, seventh-seeded Michigan State University, sixth-seeded Xavier University, second-seeded University of Arizona, and seventh-seeded Wichita State University.