While most sports fans get caught up in March Madness, I have never really followed men’s college basketball. My alma mater, DePaul, hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2004 and hasn’t been a real threat since 1987, my graduation year. Despite my general ambivalence, I attended two games Friday.
The third- and fourth-round games of the Midwest Regionals were held in Chicago’s United Center. On Friday, Kansas beat Providence, and Miami beat Iowa State. I didn’t know much about any of the teams, but I knew the winners were favored in the games.
It was interesting seeing these playoff games at a neutral site. While there were fan contingents of each team, most there were just college basketball fans. As someone there only for the experience, I was in the minority. I did start rooting for the underdogs, only to make it more interesting.
The electricity in the crowd for college games, especially playoff games, is different than pro sports. Mostly surrounded by Kansas supporters, I learned more about their team than the other three, but all the fans were generous in sharing their knowledge and predictions. I appreciated their efforts, even though I did not share in that enthusiasm for whichever team.
Tonight, Kansas battles Miami for the right to advance to the Final Four. As the top-rated team in the Midwest Region, Kansas is expected to win tomorrow, but Miami upset the No. 2 team in the first round. The semifinals and championship games will be played next weekend.
— John Wroblewski, online writer
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