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I spent all of two minutes filling out my bracket the night before they were due. Without Coastal Carolina University or the University of Tennessee in the round of 68, I didn’t have a favorite. Somehow, ESPN says I’m in the 91% percent of most correct brackets (as of Sunday).
My mom’s bracket is doing really well and no one is more pissed than my dad. The only basketball my mom has watched all season has been the occasional Old Dominion Monarchs (my parents proud alumni) and when the local news only shows highlights (if that’s what you want to call them) from Virginia Tech games. My dad was so cute in trying to help coach her by making a “cheat sheet” for the first round. She was so confused that she asked my twin and I to help explain what “Lunardi’s “ cheat sheet means. Dad kept his bracket a secret. I did mine so fast I didn’t care who knew my picks and Byron was arm deep in a bag a Doritos; I was worried he would forget to fill out his bracket on time.
Lucky, mom let me proofread her bracket and she had UNC Wilmington going pretty far. Howevers, she thought UNCW was UNC Tarheels. Isn’t my mom adorable? My dad just shook his head. But Mom’s bracket is making the rest of us look pretty bad. She considers beating my dad by just one spot a successful tournament. I’m rooting for her! Please, another St.Clair besides me to win Bush’s bracket tournament!
I picked Michigan State (a #2 seed) to win it all and they lost in the first round to Middle Tennessee State (a 15th seed) by nine points! This loss could be the biggest upset in NCAA bracket history. MSU was favored by 16.5 points with a 95% chance of winning against MTS. Coach Tom Izzo’s post season record is one of the best in the NCAA history. Teams that have this much pedigree and lose in the first round only happens to Duke. This also makes reason number 1,000,000,000 on why I hate the BigTen!
Michigan State was the first team to spend time at number one in the AP poll and lose to a 15th seed. Vegas was dancing all night! More money was bet on MSU than any other team to win the whole dance. All those “Go Green” signs were quickly changed to “Going Home”.
Michigan State wasn’t the only team to shit their pants and bust brackets. On Friday, for the first time in NCAA tournament history where a #2 (MSU) #3 (West Virginia) and a #4 (Cal) seed all lost in the first round on the same day. Naturally, for the first time, seeds #13 (Hawaii), #14 (SF Austin) and #15 (MTS) all won on the same day.
Almost every year a #12 seed beats a #5 seed. These picks are where I spent the most of two minutes on my bracket. I even consulted with dad Lunardi and we agreed that we didn’t like any of #12 seeds. I still picked Indiana (#5 seed) to go down to #12 Chattanooga. Of course two #12 seeds would win and I was on the losing side. Baylor (#5 seed) was beat by (#12 seed) Yale and Purdue (#5 seed) was beat by (#12 seed) AR-Little Rock. My mom got that pick right. Ten double-digit seeds won in the first round creating eight teams seeded #11 or worse that will play in the field of 34 for the first time in NCAA tournament history.
If it’s one thing I have learned over the years with filling out your bracket it is that you should think like the selection committee and not spend a lot time on it to make the best selections.
Welcome to March Madness.