In line with expectations, the madness of March produced plenty of buzzer beating wins, impressive upsets, and spectacular performances. 

   Throughout the tournament, there were multiple examples of incredible wins, exceptional displays of talent from freshmen to seniors, and unbelievable plays that immediately set the tone for one of the most highly anticipated tournaments in recent history.

   The initial rounds demonstrated how little seeds matter once March comes around. There were several instances where lower-seeded teams defeated highly seeded rivals, which turned many brackets upside down. These surprise victories not only added to the unpredictability of the tournament, but also highlighted the level of competitiveness in college basketball.

   One of the biggest early upsets came when 12 seed High Point stunned 5 seed Wisconsin in a remarkable 83–82 victory. The game ended in the final minutes, during which Chase Johnson, a consistent 3-point shooter for High Point, scored his first two pointer of the season to seal the win for the Panthers. The win instantly made High Point one of the tournament’s biggest storylines and a clear Cinderella team.

   As the tournament continued, teams began to separate themselves through consistency and resilience. Programs like Illinois, Michigan, UConn, Arizona and Duke advanced with strong performances that combined strong offense with disciplined defense. Their ability to control games under pressure made them serious contenders for the remainder of the tournament.

   A game that just can’t be overlooked is Duke vs UConn which made history in the opposite way that the Blue Devils hoped for. Duke became the first ever N0. 1 seed in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament when leading by 15 or more points at halftime to lose. Duke was up 44-29 at halftime and UConn chipped away at the deficit to end up winning with a remarkable 3-pointer from freshman Braylon Mullins in the final seconds after a turnover by Cayden Boozer to finish the game with a UConn win, 73-72.

   Admission to the championship game was earned by  The Michigan Wolverines and The UConn Huskies after Michigan dominated against Arizona and UConn defeated Illinois in the final four. There were multiple lead changes and impressive plays but the Wolverines came out on top with a final score of 69-63.