Ty Watches Day One of the Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament
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I spent the majority of my day watching the men's NCAA basketball tournament opening round, and it was glorious. I do not have some kind of list, or a group of losers and winners, or who upped their draft value for you all today. Quite the opposite in fact. I want to talk about the pure joy and agony and fun I had watching games, and seeing the return of fans to March Madness.
The day started at 11:15am for me, as that was when Michigan tipped off. They struggled in the first half, turned it on in the second half and pulled away for a 12 point win to advance. I was stoked. I was also surprised to continuously hear how the tourney started off with an upset. All the stuff I read favored Michigan, and most pundits picked Michigan. But where the seeding landed, it was, technically, an upset. Michigan was an 11 and Colorado State was a 6. This is one of the things I love most about March Madness, the upsets, and there were plenty yesterday.
After the Michigan game I went on a run and recorded a podcast, but all the while I was checking scores. I kept looking in on Boise State and Memphis. I like Memphis and Penny Hardaway, so I was pulling for them, and they won. Baylor had no problem with the 16 seed they played. I was big on South Dakota State, but Providence proved why they were the Big East regular season champs, and locked the Jackrabbits up. Michigan's next opponent, Tennessee, cruised to a win in round one. I suggest people go look up the highlight reel play by their point guard as well.
During the Tennessee game we had our first big time upset of the day. Richmond beat Iowa. Iowa came in red hot, winning the Big 10 tourney, but Richmond scrapped and clawed, and with a little help from the officials, they pulled off the win. Being a fan of a Big 10 team I was bummed for the conference. But, I despise Iowa, so it wasn't all bad. And that video of the Richmond head coach's son in awe, that was incredible. That is what makes March Madness so wonderful and fun and agonizing.
In other games, Gonzaga struggled for a half, but woke up and won with ease. UNC demolished Marquette. It was dope to see a blue blood like UNC win that big in the tourney.
The night games were the best of the day. I had a track club meeting, but as soon as I got home I turned on the TV and watched games until I went to bed. Saint Mary's-Indiana was the only blowout too, making the games even better. New Mexico State beat UCONN. Their two guard scored 37 and was letting UCONN know it. This was a classic 12 over 5 upset we get every year in the tourney. Creighton made a big comeback and won in OT. They had a big run to tie it in the first half, and a big run to close it out in OT. Vermont and Arkansas went back and forth. That was a fun, up and down the floor game. Murray State and San Francisco was a joy to behold. This was, probably, the best offensive game of the day. Both teams were hitting tough shot after tough shot. It was dope. KU did what they were supposed to do. Akron gave UCLA all they could handle. UCLA did not look loose like they did last year, and Akron struck, they just could not hold on in the end.
The game of the night, and the whole day for that matter, was St Peter's and Kentucky. This was back and forth. There were a tremendous amount of lead changes. I do not think any team held a double digit lead. The stars for each team showed out. But in the end, due to Kentucky's lack of making free throws, St Peter's pulled the upset. A 15 seed beat a 2. It barely happens, but it did last night. And while it crushed my bracket, I do not care one bit. This is what I love about March Madness. These teams going out there and giving it their all. Both teams left it all on the floor. And seeing the fans reaction, that was priceless. The camera would cut to Kentucky fans and they were crying. Then they'd cut to St Peter's fans and they were euphoric. This is what makes this tournament the absolute best.
College sports has its problems, but they got this one right. March Madness is a perfect sporting event. It has everything a sports fan could ever want. It is the purest form of competition and it is a total blast to watch. I will jump up and down and yell at the TV, and the teams playing, I have zero allegiance to whatsoever. That is why I love the tourney so much. And after two years of no fans, it is kind of cool to see people cheering their teams on in person. It adds so much. I hope the rest of the tourney lives up to day one. It will be tough to do, but if any sporting competition can do it, this is the one. I love March Madness. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.