Long before the end of the first round, all keys to the CBS Sports Bracket Challenge were eliminated. After only one key in the Chaves Challenge survived the first day, the only resistance was no longer perfect after Colorado’s 96-73 victory in 5th place over Georgetown, No. 12, in the Eastern Region. How NCAA Basketball Tournament back for the first time since 2019 – after being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak in the United States last spring – March certainly brought with it the usual madness.
The first big domino to fall came at Regional South, where 15th place, Oral Roberts, defeated Ohio State’s 2nd place 75-72 in an absolute shock on Friday. How big is a shock? Of the users of the CBS Sports Bracket Challenge, 97% of them had the Buckeyes advancing through the Golden Eagles in the first round, and with good reason – it is only the ninth time, as the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, that a Seed No. 15 eliminated seed # 2. To make matters worse for some of the OSU supporters, 4% of all Bracket Challenge players had the Buckeyes winning the whole thing.
After that, the number of perfect square brackets was quite low and that number continued to sculpt for the rest of the day with more inconvenience. Oregon’s No. 12 seed won Tennessee’s No. 5 seed, Syracuse’s No. 11 seed handled San Diego’s No. 6 seed in the Midwest Regional, and No. 13 North Texas seed eliminated No. 4 Purdue seed in the South Regional .
March Madness has really returned, the surprises and surprises are sure to continue in this year’s NCAA tournament.