Come springtime, the NCAA tournament comes with a craze for basketball and brackets. March Madness sweeps the nation, and anything is possible — underdogs come out on top, the elite come up short, and a shot at the buzzer ends in ultimate glory. Nothing is guaranteed except excitement. Get in on the fun by filling out a bracket. If you’re not a basketball buff, don’t worry. Try one of these strategies:
Pulling Rank
Each team in the tournament is ranked based on regular season performance, and this ranking is reflected on the bracket. You could select the regions’ number one teams for your Final Four and probably score some major points doing so, but many of these top teams have often lost in the second or third round of play.
Fast and Furious
Print out a bracket (here’s a printable bracket via Fox Sports), grab a pen, set the timer for one minute, and GO! Don’t think, just write. Your gut instinct might be just the ticket for a winning prediction.
Mascot Mayhem
Consider the match up for a game to be between team mascots and determine the winner based on the stronger of the two. For example: If Cincy’s Bearcat was up against UConn’s Huskey, which animal would win the fight? Though there’s no science involved, this kind of creative guessing will at least give you a method to the Madness.
Finally, once the bracket is done, invite friends over to cheer on your choices. Display everyone’s picks on the wall throughout the tourney and dress in school colors to show your spirit. Need some ideas? Watch the next Duke home game for the ultimate in fan fashion.
