64 teams. One goal. The national championship in mens’ college basketball. It’s March Madness, and the Final Four is now official: Florida Atlantic, UConn, San Diego State, Miami.

One of the biggest and most watched sporting events in the world, the stakes are high for the teams competing in the tournament. The tournament starts with 64 teams, then 32, sweet 16, elite eight, final four, and finally the championship game, held in Houston, Texas on April 3rd. Millions of people, whether they’re avid basketball fans or not, tune in to watch March Madness in hopes of making the perfect bracket. 

Ah yes, the perfect march madness bracket. The odds of making a perfect bracket are absolutely absurd. In order to do that, one has to correctly pick the winning team of all 67 games throughout the tournament.

The odds are not in your favor to successfully do this, a 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 if you flip a coin and a 1 in 120.2 billion chance if you pay attention to college basketball.

The low odds definitely don’t stop people from filling out their brackets. In fact, approximately 60 to 100 million people fill out brackets each season.

This includes NASH students and teachers, who are sure they have the right champion picked.

Before the tournament began, Jim Downs, NASH science teacher, said, “Listen I haven’t watched one college game outside of Pitt. But I know if I pick Duke every year it’s a good pick, so I’m gonna go with Duke.”

While Mr. Downs picked a mainstay with Duke, some prefer a more up-and-coming team.

NASH senior Charlotte Schreiber went with a different team for her bracket.

“I’m gonna say Tennessee, if they’re in the tournament,” Schreiber said.

Others go with the safe choice by picking a one or two seed.

NASH social studies teacher Mr, Kodenkandeth made his choice clear. “Oh, Texas.”

But who were the experts picking?

According to CBS Sports, Houston was the tournament favorite this year, with 6-1 odds. The Cougars finished the regular season with a 31-3 record and r, and indication of their vulnerability.

The other clear frontrunner to win the tournament was Alabama, with 7-1 odds. Alabama showed their dominance throughout the SEC Tournament, crushing Texas A&M, 82-63, to win the SEC title. Bama finished ranked first in the AP poll, securing the top seed in the tournament.

To many fans’ surprise, the hometown Pitt Panthers went to the dance this year, too, the first time since 2016. Sporting their ACC Coach of the year, Jeff Capel, Pitt beat Mississippi State in a nail-biting 60-59 victory to qualify. 

Though Pitt did not advance to the Sweet Sixteen and no top-seeded team made it the Final Four, which takes place next weekend, it’s been a great dance so far, and it’s sure to last another week.