The tournament is here. The NCAA brackets are set. March Madness has officially begun. The First Four closed out the final spots in the field. Teams earned their way into the bracket through tight games and strong finishes. That stage is now complete. The full field is now ready.
First Four Recap: Survive and Advance
Tuesday and Wednesday gave us what the First Four is built for. Tight finishes. Momentum swings. Teams refusing to go home.
Howard 86 UMBC 83
The game stayed within reach the entire night. Howard executed late and made the plays that decided the game.
Texas 68 NC State 66
The game was physical. The margin stayed thin. Texas stayed composed late and moved on.
Prairie View A&M 67 Lehigh 55
Prairie View took control early. Their defense set the tone. Lehigh never found a consistent flow on offense.
Miami-Ohio 89 SMU 79
Miami O scored at a high level. SMU could not slow the pace down.
THE BRACKET 🤩
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The Field Is Set
The tournament now shifts to the first round. Every game now is win or go home.
Top seeds will try to take control early. Lower seeds will try to stay close and apply pressure late. Matchups will shape each game more than anything else. Guard play will matter. Late game execution will matter. Teams that stay composed will move on. The First Four teams enter with experience already in hand. They have already played under tournament pressure. That can matter once the first round begins.
The bracket is complete. The path is clear. The tournament begins now.
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