Beginning on March 19, 64 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball teams will face off in a bracket-style tournament called March Madness. Games will be played across the country until two teams remain, with a champion crowned on April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium on CBS.
Source: Neil Redmond, AP Photo
According to ESPN, in 2025, 24.4 million brackets were filled out, setting a record for the third consecutive year. Sophomore Tim Via described the importance of filling out his bracket and how it adds to the excitement of the games in March.
“I usually compete against my friends and family,” said Via. “It’s fun to watch and root for different teams, even ones that probably shouldn’t be in.”
Sophomore Sean Irving emphasized the lower-seeded teams and their big impact on the tournament.
“I like to pick teams who aren’t properly rated and are from a smaller conference,” said Irving. “My sleeper pick this year is the Long Island University Sharks. I think they’re going to cause some noise this year.”
Through eight appearances, the Sharks have yet to win an NCAA tournament game, as they return this year since their last presence in 2018.
“Honestly, I think that St. John’s will go pretty far,” said sophomore Alex De La Teja. “I also think North Carolina will surprise people.”
North Carolina is looking to bounce back after losing its star, Caleb Wilson, for the rest of the season with a broken right thumb.
“I’m really just looking for the upsets,” said Via. “I enjoyed watching Saint Peter’s and Doug Edert upset everyone’s brackets back in 2022.”
Irving and De La Teja agreed, adding that the upsets shake up the intensity and bring more life to the tournament.
“Furman versus Virginia in 2023, I was in Spanish class,” said Irving. “My friends and I watched the game winner from Furman with two seconds left and went nuts. Watching with a big group, it’s exciting and gets me into the game.”
De La Teja agreed with Irving, adding that he usually watches the game in his dorm surrounded by a big chunk of his peers.
“I prefer watching the games on my computer and phone in the dining hall or while I’m doing work,” said Via. “I’ll sometimes sit down and watch with my friends, but not with an overly obnoxious group.”
As for who they thought would win, Irving picked top-seeded Duke, while De La Teja picked Houston, both teams in the top 10 of the AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll.
“I think Kansas is going to win it all,” said Via. “They always make runs in March, and with the roster they have now, I would be shocked if they weren’t in at least the Final Four.”
“The tournament is easy to watch, and anyone can win,” said Irving. “You know what they say, ‘anything can happen in March,’ and I’m looking forward to seeing what this March has in store.”
