With the NCAA tournament right around the corner, there are some obvious teams that we need to keep an eye on throughout the tournament. There are also some huge teams that have been good in the past but are doing horrible this season, or maybe are not as good as they hoped. 

To start things off, it is important to look at the Oregon teams and how they are doing. The Oregon Ducks are currently 23-7, being ranked as the #1 seed in the PAC-12. The Oregon State Beavers are currently 17-13, not making the tournament. 

The tournament consists of 68 teams that are placed into seeds by a committee for the NCAA. To start, there are four teams that need to play one game before the actual tournament, to make sure they qualify for it. Then comes the round of 64 when the official tourney starts. After the round of 64 happens, 32 teams are eliminated. After that, 32 teams remain, and then Sweet 16 begins. Then come the Elite 8, the final four, and lastly, the championship.

A huge shocker this year is North Carolina. They have been a top 5 team for the past decade, this being the first year they haven’t made the tournament since a decade ago. Last time they missed the tournament, they went 20-17. T his year, they have a crazy horrible record of 13-18. 

The #1seed in the nation is currently Kansas. They are predicted by many sports analysts to win the tournament this year.  A few years ago, we were surprised by a small college that goes by the name of Loyola Chicago. They managed to upset a number of teams in the tournament in 2018. Unfortunately, they lost in the Final Four. We haven’t heard much from them since. 

Gonzaga has been unreal this year, per usual. They have put up another amazing season this year, going 30-2. They are expected to make the Final Four for another year. They had one of the records, even playing some pretty good teams, barely beating Oregon in overtime earlier in the year. If all goes right, we can look forward to the rematch of these two teams playing in the tournament. 

The #2 seed in the Big-12 is a team that no one is sleeping on right now. The Baylor Bears are tearing it up with a 26-4 record, dominating teams and other powerhouses. On Mar. 7, the Bears were upset by West Virginia ranked 10th, by 12 points, sending shocks throughout the Bracketology world.

Belmont University #15,  is a favorite for the Cinderella Story. They have some pretty good matchups for the tournament, also being on a huge role towards the end of the season. They play Creighton (2) first round, which is a good team for them to play first, since they are on a great run right now and hopefully continues it throughout the tournament.

So, now that the teams have been recognized and placed into their brackets, this year looks to be a great year. Once again, plan on looking for Kansas, Oregon, Gonzaga, Baylor and Belmont. Have fun watching the tourney!