The three-week sprint to March Madness’s finish line has officially begun, with many members of the Doane community participating.
Freshman Soiyer Pfeiffer is doing brackets with three groups this year and is predicting Duke will take home the Men’s National Championship. Before their match, Pfeiffer believed there would be an upset in the Akron v. Texas Tech match based on shooting stats. “And that’s a twelve seed against a five seed. I really hope Akron wins,” Pfeiffer said, “and they should based on the stats and percentages of efficiencies.” Unfortunately for her, Texas Tech won 91-71 against Akron.
The men’s first round began on Thursday, March 19, with 16 games spanning across the day. Nebraska won its first game 76-47, the Huskers’ first NCAA tournament win. They have since advanced to the sweet sixteen.
Pfeiffer didn’t believe Nebraska would go far, but did pick the team out of “some sense of loyalty.” Some noticeable upsets have already taken place, such as losses for North Carolina, Brigham Young University (BYU) and Wisconsin.
Many students have filled out brackets, whether for money or fun. Some organizations on campus are hosting brackets as well, like Frees Hall. The cafeteria has also been showing the games during lunch.
On Friday, March 20, students watching games in the cafeteria had the opportunity to participate in a game of their own. Executive Director of the Nebraska Council on Problem Gambling (NECPG), Mike Sciandra, had a miniature hoop set up where students could win prizes. He was there to raise awareness that March is also Problem Gambling Awareness month.
Sciandra explained that NECPG receives most of its calls during March. “You’re coming off of the Super Bowl and the holidays,” Sciandra said, “then March Madness rolls around.”
NECPG operates two free confidential helpline numbers, which are operated by trained professionals. These are 1-800-GAMBLER and 1-833-238-6837. They also provide free and confidential treatment from certified gambling counselors.
More back-to-back games took place throughout the weekend. The women’s tournament began on Saturday, March 21. South Carolina and the University of Connecticut (UConn) both played strong opening games, teams that many have favored to win this year.
The Women’s National Championship game will take place on Sunday, April 5. The Men’s National Championship game will take place on April 6, a day on which students have off for Easter break.
