Every March, America loses its mind for one of the biggest sporting events of the year. March Madness – that magical time of year when college basketball takes center stage, serving the sorrow of lost bets, newborn legends, and new legacies cemented. 

  The tournament started with early upsets as the games got off to a fiery start. Marquette was sent home in the first round by New Mexico (66-75), and arguably the most shocking loss came from the number 5 seeded Clemson, who lost in the first round to McNeese (67-69). UNC was also an early upset, being the only blue blood in the first four, but once admitted into the tournament they were swiftly sent packing by 6th seeded Ole Miss (71-64). The top five seeded teams in each bracket stormed through the first round all collecting a blowout win, save Clemson. 

  The second round was then underway with the field of 32 set. All of the number one seeds easily collected their wins in their usual fashion, while 4) Texas A&M, 3) Iowa State, 2) St. John’s,  and 3) Wisconsin were all upset in the second round, having an earlier exit than they had anticipated. 

  After the second round had concluded, the more exciting and stake holding games were about to begin: the Sweet Sixteen. All of the number one seeds continued to forge their paths, with easy wins yet again. The games were closer number wise as not every team that won had an easy path of doing so. 4) Arizona, 6) BYU, 5) Michigan, 6) Ole Miss, 10) Arkansas, 4) Maryland, 3) Kentucky, and 4) Purdue were all shown the door out of the tournament after their Sweet Sixteen losses to various schools advancing to the Elite 8.

  The teams that had advanced to the Elite 8 were the following:

• 2) Michigan State
• 1) Auburn 
• 3) Texas Tech
• 1) Florida
• 2) Alabama
• 1) Duke
• 2) Tennessee 

  The games that had taken place in the Elite Eight lived up to their expectations, being the most electric games up to this point. Though these were the best teams in the country, the games hadn’t been as close as many thought. Making history, all of the number one seeds made it out of the Elite Eight, which hasn’t happened since 2008, when Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina, and UCLA had done it. 

  With all of the number one seeds in the final four, it was anyone’s game with the top players in the country, including Cooper Flagg the AP Player of the Year, and the runner up for the prestigious award, Johnnie Broome. The first game of the two featured the powerhouses Florida and Auburn, with Florida coming out on top 79-73. Walter Clayton Jr., a senior for Florida scored 34 points and recorded four rebounds and two assists. Auburn’s Chad Baker-Mazara and Johnni Broome combined for 33 points, eight rebounds, and four assists despite the upsetting loss.

  The second Final Four game was an outstanding game featuring Houston and Duke, two of the top teams that have been consistently amazing throughout the year. Though Duke held the lead for most of the game, in the end when it got close, Houston was the one to take the opportunity, winning 70-67. The ending was a wild one, with fouls being called and late chances being taken. LJ Cryer scored 26 points for Houston in the close win, and recorded five rebounds and an assist to go along with it. The Duke guard Cooper Flagg put up 27 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in the upsetting loss for the Blue devils.

  It all led up to the big game, the championship in San Antonio Monday night. The game started out close between the Gators and the Cougars, and from then they swapped leads often, with Houston starting to slip away with a lead with around 15 minutes left in the second half. The lead came to a peak when Florida stormed back, led by Will Reichard who scored 18 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. They closed the lead to just one with a bit over two minutes left in the game, and they sealed the win with 19 seconds left in the game, making the Florida Gators the national champion for the first time since 2007. This is their third national championship. The game included valiant efforts from LJ Cryer and J’wan Roberts, who posted a combined 27 points, 14 rebounds, and two assists in the crushing last minute loss. 

Overall this season of college basketball has been a good one, and March Madness didn’t fail to yet again deliver thrilling moments, unexpected upsets and unforgettable performances. Until next year, the legacy of March Madness 2025 will live forever and inspire future players to come.