March on the Miramonte campus is a special time. With warmer weather and spring sports kicking off, there is a lot to look forward to. Additionally, with the highly anticipated March Madness NCAA basketball tournament right around the corner, teams are making final pushes to secure top seeds and Matador students are watching closely to lock in their favorites to win it all. Here is a breakdown of three top teams this year that you may want to consider landing atop your bracket.
Houston
The number one seed and favorite right now is the Houston Cougars. Houston is led by the two-headed monster backcourt duo of seniors L.J. Cryer and Jamal Shead. Cryer transferred this past season from Baylor and Shead has been at Houston for the past four seasons. The Cougars boast the best adjusted defensive efficiency, points allowed per 100 possessions, in the country with a rating of 87.0 according to KenPom. “If I had to pick a team to win it all right now, I would pick Houston. They have looked strong all year and haven’t really had any bad losses. They have also looked very good on the road this year,”senior Grant Kurtz said.
UConn
After winning last year’s national championship, the UConn Huskies are back in the mix and hungry for more. Losing a total of seven players either to the NBA Draft or the transfer portal from last year’s team, UConn has rebuilt fast. They boast a balanced attack with five players scoring in double digits. Two of those players are senior guards Tristen Newton and Rutgers transfer Cam Spencer. Another player to watch out for is Freshman guard Stephon Castle, who is averaging just under 11 points per game and will most likely be a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. “I think UConn is the best team. Now, the best team doesn’t always win the tournament. It’s an odd way to crown a champion, frankly, but they’ve got the best chance that I see from my seat,” college basketball expert Jay Bilas said on ESPN’s College Gameday.
Purdue
Despite getting upset last year as the number one overall seed, the Purdue Boilermakers are back and ready to make some noise. In back-to-back tournaments, Purdue has been upset by 15-seed Saint Peters and 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson. However, Purdue arguably got better than last year after retaining most of their team. Reigning national player of the year Zach Edey leads the Boilermakers and is currently the favorite to bring home the award again. Purdue’s Sophomore backcourt duo of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer provide support for Edey and have been improving all year long. “Purdue is my favorite team and it has been hard watching them disappoint in March every year. It is hard to pick them, but they have looked too good this year to not. Edey is unstoppable,” senior Chase Miller said.
In addition to the excitement of crafting the perfect bracket and watching the chaos unfold in class, students at Miramonte have taken inspiration from the tournament and are planning to continue the 3-on-3 “Mats Madness” basketball tournament this March. Teams of three from all grade and skill levels will battle it out in a bracket similar to the format of the NCAA tournament. “As a senior, every opportunity to play sports and compete against fellow students is a privilege and special opportunity. That’s why I love student-organized events like this one. It will be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to playing with my friends one last time, even after the conclusion of our basketball season,” senior Matthew Bakonyvari said.
