4 minute read
It’s March, it’s madness
Ayden Gutierrez News Editor
It’s the most wonderful time of year! The NCAA March Madness Tournament began yesterday as 64 teams battle it out for the NCAA Division I National Championships.
Every year, the tournament produces some of the sport’s biggest upsets, as mid-major universities get paired with perennial powerhouse schools.
Millions of fans across the country fill out their own brackets, attempting to be the first person ever to do it perfectly. To put it in perspective, the odds are one in 120.2 billion, according to CBS Sports. There are 9.2 quintillion possible outcomes. You are more likely to get killed by a falling coconut or get struck by lightning than you are to pick the perfect bracket. But hey, it’s March.
In the spirit of the tournament, let’s try to pick some upsets and highlight some under-the-radar teams to make a run. I have five teams that I believe can make a run, and they are currently not being talked about.
The first team is my Penn State Nittany Lions. After spending the back half of February as a bubble team, the Nittany Lions went on to win eight of their last 10 ballgames to clinch their first tournament berth since 2011 and their second since
Softball
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continued from 12 volleyball at Grove City with Leo’s experience will allow both programs to compete at
Sports at a Glance News
Junior pitcher Nick Guidas pitched a perfect game across nine innings against Illinois College over the Wolverines’ eight-game spring training trip in Florida. Guidas kept the 11 from the opposing team from hitting across 27 at bats.
Guidas earned recognition as the Presidents’ Athletic Conference pitcher of the week, as well as national recognition from two wellrespected institutions in college baseball. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named Guidas the Division III Pitcher of the Week. D3baseball.com acknowledged Guidas as a member of its Team of the Week.
Results
Men’s Lacrosse (2-4):
W, Southern Virginia (17-6)
L, John Carroll (12-15)
Women’s Lacrosse (1-4):
W, Medaille (12-11)
L, Drew (5-22)
L, Simmons (9-14)
2001.
One of those losses came to Rutgers in which they held a 19-point lead at halftime on Feb. 26. The other was a two-point loss in the Big Ten Championship to Purdue – the Big Ten Regular Season champs and one of four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament.
This team can score at will and has a lineup with tons of experience, as the team has eight seniors. If they were able to beat Texas A&M last night, I have them beating No. 2 seed Texas tomorrow and advancing all the way to the Elite 8.
Oral Roberts is a team that is capable of busting brackets, and they have plenty of experience in doing so. Two years ago, they entered as a 15th seed and knocked off second-seed Ohio State en route to a shocking Sweet 16 berth. This year, they landed a 12th seed and have the tough task of facing a team many folks have near the center of their brackets: the Duke Blue Devils. Duke recently won the ACC tournament and is arguably one of the hottest teams in the nation. However, it’s called March Madness for a reason: Give me a senior-heavy Oral Roberts team to make another sweet 16 appearance.
The Indiana Hoosiers had a remarkable season yet only landed a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament. After falling to Penn State in ball,” said Cramer.
Dawson spoke similarly, explaining the versatility of the team’s motto.
“We want to focus on giving our all-in practice and games, and not just saying we want to succeed. However, we don’t want to limit our a high level.” The Presidents’ Athletic Conference will begin sponsoring men’s volleyball in 2025, coinciding with the launch of Grove City’s pro- the Big Ten Semifinals, the Hoosiers enter the tournament hungry to make a run. Trayce Jackson-Davis is a national player of the year candidate and can take over on any given night. The Hoosiers drew a tough firstround game with Kent State. This game will be extremely close, but I have the Hoosiers eventually beating No. 1 seed Houston and getting revenge on Penn State to advance to the Final Four. striving to only softball, but ‘Get at It’ with our schoolwork, relationships and commitment to the Lord.” gram.
Two favorites that I would avoid picking to make a championship run would be UCLA and Kansas. UCLA earned a No. 2 seed after falling in the PAC-12 championship to second-seeded Arizona (who I also advise against picking).
The Bruins lost starting guard Jaylen Clark recently. Losing a key piece to the lineup this late in the season can be a struggle to bounce back from. I have them losing to seventh-seeded Northwestern in the Round of 32.
Kansas comes in as the reigning national champs and earned another No. 1 seed after winning the Big 12 regular season title. However, with the absence of Head Coach Bill Self, they looked awful in the conference championship against Texas. Although Self is back, I see the hopes of the Jayhawks’ repeat dwindling away in the Sweet 16 to the University of Connecticut.
The Wolverines play their first home game today, March 17 against the La Roche Redhawks, weather permitting.
Men’s volleyball will be the 24th varsity sport at Grove City College.
Water Polo (0-8):
L, Cal Tech (9-10)
Baseball (10-3):
W, Illinois College (6-0)
W, Mount Union (3-2)
W, Saint Joseph’s (7-3)
Softball (4-6):
L, Swarthmore (2-8)
L, John Carroll (1-6)
W, Alverno (6-4)
Upcoming
Men’s Lacrosse:
March 18, 3:00 p.m. vs. Messiah
March 22, 7:00 p.m. at No. 20 Denison
Women’s Lacrosse:
March 18, 3:00 p.m. vs. Messiah
March 22, 7:00 p.m. at No. 20 Denison
Baseball:
March 18, 1:00 p.m. at La Roche (DH)
Softball:
March 17, 3:00 p.m. vs. La Roche (DH)
March 22, 4:00 p.m. at Houghton (DH)
March 23, 3:00 p.m. vs. Mount Aloysius (DH)
