March Madness started on Thursday, and it did not disappoint fans. In the first two rounds, we saw many crazy things happen, and although it was difficult, we at DGS Blueprint narrowed it down to five.
1: Amir “Aura” Khan is on top of the world, well at least for a day (McNeese lost to Purdue)
Already in the first round, there was a big upset of the McNeese Cowboys beating the number five-ranked Clemson Tigers, eliminating more than 60% of perfect brackets. However, that wasn’t even the highlight of the game, which occurred off the court and with a Boombox. Who was the man holding the boombox, you may ask? It was McNeese’s manager, Amir Khan.
Khan is the only manager in the NCAA to get an NIL deal. He and his so-called “Aura” were taking the storm all over social media, that was until they lost the very next day to the Purdue Boilermakers. The Cinderella run for McNeese was over and Khan so-called “Gambled his Aura and lost it all”. Purdue advanced and is set to face Houston.
2: Two rings baldie but not three, (Florida beat UCONN)
Many fans have speculated on this year’s UConn Huskies team as many of the players from the previous years had either transferred or graduated. However, this did not raise any concerns for Head Coach Dan Hurley. Before the season even started he was offered a 70 Million dollar position to Coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and declined as he wanted to get another championship for the Huskies.
The Huskies played an amazing game in the first round against the Oklahoma Sooners but fell short to the Florida Gators in the second round by a measly two points.
3: Calipari still owns Pitino, (Arkansas beat St. Johns)
If you told any fans that Arkansas Head Coach John Calipari and St. John’s Head Coach Rick Pitino would face off again, you might have sounded crazy. However, the College basketball world got to see yet another matchup of the bitter rivals go head to head. This is a rivalry that has been going on since 1991.
Their rivalry is one that definitely does not disappoint and will most definitely go down in the history books.
4: Cooper Flagg’s ankle is fine (Duke advanced to the Third Round)
This year’s Duke Blue Devils time may have been one of the best in program history. More than 25% of brackets have them winning the entire tournament. One of the Blue Devils star players is Cooper Flagg.
Many college basketball fans had speculations regarding Flagg’s left ankle which he had injured in the ACC quarter-final game against Georgia Tech. However, as we saw both against Mt. Saint Marys and his most recent performance against Baylor his ankle was healed and we will be sure to see more of him in the time to come.
5: John Tonje’s 37 points still not enough in loss, (BYU upsets Wisconsin)
In a much-welcomed and rare March Madness nailbiter, Tonje finished with 37 points to become the first player to crack 30 this year in the tournament. This also included eight points during a desperate comeback down the stretch. But trailing by two, he shot a fadeaway airball just before the buzzer that allowed the Cougars to escape.
The Badgers struggled throughout the game, shooting poorly from the free-throw line and allowing BYU to dominate the offensive glass. The Badgers’ season ends with a familiar feeling of disappointment, as they were unable to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
That kicks off the first two rounds. Be sure to stay on high alert for the next rounds and if your bracket is still somewhat alive, make sure to stay on high alert for updates as injuries are uncommon they can play a crucial role in a team’s confidence.
