March Madness reached new heights this year as an annual tournament that broadcasted something that viewers would remember for a long time. The talent this year, specifically, was unmatched to any year prior. With such skilled teams, each game was exhilarating to watch. Players and fans from each of the 64 teams who participated in this year’s tournament had something to be proud of, as each school played with full dedication, heart and passion. Now, let’s discuss the most important moments of March Madness, starting with the final four: Michigan State, Wisconsin, Duke and Kentucky.
The first game, Michigan State faced off the Blue Devils – two very highly prized teams this year. However, Duke’s defence was a force to be reckoned with. Because Duke had such height on the backcourt with players such as Jahlil Okafor, Michigan State’s shooting was shutdown. Ultimately, Duke took home the win, advancing to the national championship. Next: Wisconsin vs. Kentucky. This game had a lot of media coverage around it as Wisconsin was going to battle an extremely talented, undefeated team. The strive for perfection was cut short by Wisconsin, as they defeated the Wildcats 71-64. The game remained relatively close throughout both halves. Frank Kaminsky performed tremendously in the second half, eventually leading Wisconsin to a well deserved win.
Now for the finals: The Duke Blue Devils vs. The Wisconsin Badgers. These two teams were clearly the most deserving to be playing that night, and the competition was going to be tough for both teams. As the game started, the score stayed close. Duke’s team was led by their two star freshman players, Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor. The game was neck and neck for the most part. The Badgers took the lead with 9 points in the beginning of the second half. With just 13 minutes left in the game, the Blue Devils outscored Wisconsin, which carried on until the final seconds. Duke crushed Wisconsin’s hopes of taking home their first National Championship since 1941. As a future University of Wisconsin student, I was extremely disappointed with the outcome. The Badgers played one of their greatest seasons known to date. Each player has something to be extremely proud of. Duke also showed a lot of hustle, which earned them the title. I’m extremely excited to see what’s in store for next year.