“March Madness–Why Does This Happen”

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Some shockwaves this past weekend in college basketball.

Top seeds Kansas-Purdue got taken out early.
Now the second seeds are getting run off too, goodbye Arizona-Marquette.

As we marvel at what San Diego State has done, the ‘choke hold defense’ is mugging both Furman and Charleston, we know they are about to play one of the surviving big boys, and we know it won’t be easy against the Tide.

The landscape of March Madness has changed.

Why, alot of reasons and you need to think about this.

Everyone has 3-point shooters now, and the bomb beyond the arc can keep a team in games, even if they don’t have the bigs incise to survive.

The transfer portal has changed the game too, because everyone now wants to play, and they are willing to go anywhere to get the chance to playt  That’s why people like Princeton or Colgate or Charleston get to play in the tourney.

Add in the Covid rules that are in effect, granting an extra year of eligibility to all players.  Teams are now more experienced than ever, with 5th and even 6-years players dotting rosters.  We don’t have the 1-and-done teams right now, you know the 18-year old herey then  gone immediately after the season is over.

No one talks about where the players come from and I think that carries huge clout too.  In the last five years, the massive recruiting of both Europe and Africa, notably for big men, has added huge bulk and strength to alot of rosters.

The Euros come ready made to play college ball.  The use of prep schools has helped a huge selection of African big men acclimate themselves to living in America and deal with the academic world they are entering.  They seem so developed for basketball, and stay multiple years at schools too.

On to yhe Sweet 16 next weekend aftef a wild weekend of 3-point shots, buzzer beater shots, and toppling of top seeds too.

Fun time in a different looking college game.

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