March 12 and 14 sparked the beginning of the highly-anticipated time for basketball fans: March Madness! These yearly NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments consist of 68 college teams that fight to claim the championship title. Each year, new teams make their spot on the podium while some keep their recognition as the previous winner or top contender in the tournaments. 

Last year’s winner for the men’s tournament was the Kansas Jayhawks, who beat the North Carolina Tar Heels by just three points (72-69). This year, still keeping their rank steady, the Jayhawks are third, right behind the UCLA Bruins and the Houston Cougars. The Cougars are surprisingly first in the American Athletic Conference with a win/loss record of 29-2. This came as a surprise, since they lost to the Villanova Wildcats in the Elite Eight quarterfinals last year.

On the other hand, the South Carolina Gamecocks are doing extremely well, standing alone with the second-largest streak atop the Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball ranking. Remaining the number 1 seed in college basketball for the 37th week, the Gamecocks head into the tournament undefeated with their amazing win streak of 32 (32-0). It is no wonder that they are doing great, considering they were the champions of last year’s tournament, beating the Connecticut Huskies by 15 points (64-49) in the final. 

So who will cut down the nets at the conclusion of these tournaments? Tualatin High student AJ Noland shared his thoughts and predictions in an interview with The Wolf. 

“I think the Houston Cougars are going to win the tournament because they have a lot of past experience and talent across the board,” Noland said. “They are very hard to guard 1-5 and they move the ball well.”

This year’s basketball games are going to be yet another fun and enjoyable moment to watch with friends and family. Also, don’t forget to make your predictions for the 2023 March Madness tournaments! Who knows, you may even be the first one to get a perfect bracket.