March Madness: Invitations to the Big Dance
March Madness has returned! Arguably the most exciting postseason tournament of any sport at any level, the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament this year is shaping up to be the craziest, most unpredictable championship in recent history.
But before you can join in the madness, you have to first be invited to the Big Dance. Conference championships begin this week, with the winner of each receiving a coveted automatic bid to the tournament. Obviously, the teams at the bottom of the standings will be fighting for these bids and their seasons.
There is much more at stake in these championships than just automatic bids, however. Many teams who have already earned at least at large bids look to improve their seeding.
With three top seeds essentially locked in (Kansas, Kentucky and Syracuse), the conference tournaments will be even more crucial this season in deciding the fourth and final number one seed. With Kansas State's unexpected loss to Iowa State over the weekend, there are now three teams in the hunt for that last top spot: Duke, Ohio State and Purdue.
 After dominating the disappointing defending champion North Carolina Tar Heels in their final regular season game, Duke appears to be in the driver's seat to earn the last number one seed. Winning the ACC Tournament will undoubtedly cement the Blue Devils in that spot, but they could fall from it with an early exit. Duke's road to the ACC crown will most likely run through two teams that could cause them trouble.
Virginia Tech, under the leadership of guard Malcolm Delaney, has been on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament, and with a potential big win against Duke in the ACC Semifinals, the Hokies can cement their place in the Dance. Stopping Delaney has been a difficult task for every opponent of Virginia Tech this season, as he currently averages over 20 points and 4 assists per game. With a big game from him, the Hokies could hand Duke the early loss they need to avoid.
Assuming the tournament plays out as expected, Duke would then meet Maryland in the finals. One of the hottest teams in the country, Maryland, led by guard Greivis Vasquez, defeated Duke last Wednesday, avenging their loss to the Blue Devils earlier in the season. However, even if Maryland was to pull off the upset, Duke would most likely still secure the top seed by advancing to the ACC final.
But before you can join in the madness, you have to first be invited to the Big Dance. Conference championships begin this week, with the winner of each receiving a coveted automatic bid to the tournament. Obviously, the teams at the bottom of the standings will be fighting for these bids and their seasons.
There is much more at stake in these championships than just automatic bids, however. Many teams who have already earned at least at large bids look to improve their seeding.
With three top seeds essentially locked in (Kansas, Kentucky and Syracuse), the conference tournaments will be even more crucial this season in deciding the fourth and final number one seed. With Kansas State's unexpected loss to Iowa State over the weekend, there are now three teams in the hunt for that last top spot: Duke, Ohio State and Purdue.
 After dominating the disappointing defending champion North Carolina Tar Heels in their final regular season game, Duke appears to be in the driver's seat to earn the last number one seed. Winning the ACC Tournament will undoubtedly cement the Blue Devils in that spot, but they could fall from it with an early exit. Duke's road to the ACC crown will most likely run through two teams that could cause them trouble.
Virginia Tech, under the leadership of guard Malcolm Delaney, has been on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament, and with a potential big win against Duke in the ACC Semifinals, the Hokies can cement their place in the Dance. Stopping Delaney has been a difficult task for every opponent of Virginia Tech this season, as he currently averages over 20 points and 4 assists per game. With a big game from him, the Hokies could hand Duke the early loss they need to avoid.
Assuming the tournament plays out as expected, Duke would then meet Maryland in the finals. One of the hottest teams in the country, Maryland, led by guard Greivis Vasquez, defeated Duke last Wednesday, avenging their loss to the Blue Devils earlier in the season. However, even if Maryland was to pull off the upset, Duke would most likely still secure the top seed by advancing to the ACC final.
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