It’s been two years since college basketball fans have had their fix of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, but the tournament is finally back. Last year, COVID-19 meant the cancellation of March Madness, but, with precautions and regulations, the tournament is able to be held this season. Many students are excited about the tournament and have high hopes for their favorite teams. Several senior St. Louis students were asked about their thoughts before March Madness officially begins Thursday, March 18.

Ethan Wilson

Is your favorite team in the tournament, and if they are, how far do you think they’ll go?

“Gonzaga is my favorite team, and I think they are going all the way this year.”

Who do you think will win March Madness?

“Gonzaga is going to win because they deserve the recognition. Every year they get bashed for being in a conference with nobody’s but still end up making it pretty far in the tournament. With all the years of watching them, this is definitely the best ‘Zag team I’ve seen.”

How many brackets are you going to fill out this year, and do you have any competitions going with friends or family?

“I’m probably going to fill out a couple of brackets, but I’m not really sure who I want winning.”

Do you think a 16 seed will win this year? Why or why not?

“I feel like there is a good chance that a 16-seed beat a number-one seed. With COVID and everything that has gone on at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened.”

Are there any teams in the tournament you’ve never heard of?

“Teams I was surprised to see in the tournament were Drexel, Oral Robert’s, and Hartford. I haven’t really heard of these teams, so I will be interested in how they do in the tournament.”

Camron Troyer

Is your favorite team in the tournament, and if they are, how far do you think they’ll go?

“Yes, my favorite team is in the tournament, and I believe they [Michigan] have a good chance of winning it all.”

Who do you think will win March Madness?

“I think that either Illinois or Michigan will win it all, depending on if Michigan players are healthy.”

How many brackets are you going to fill out this year, and do you have any competitions going with friends or family?

“I’m going to fill out a ton of brackets. I have already filled out eight. I have one main competition going on with some friends in the school.”

Do you think a 16-seed will win this year? Why or why not?

“I do not think a 16-seed will win this year because all of the one-seeds are very solid this year.”

Are there any teams in the tournament you’ve never heard of?

“There are a couple of teams I’ve never heard of, but those are just some very low seeds that play for small conferences.”

Hunter Burr

Is your favorite team in the tournament, and if they are, how far do you think they’ll go?

“Michigan [is my favorite], and I think they will get to the Final Four.”

Who do you think will win March Madness?

“Michigan or Baylor [will win] depending on how healthy Michigan is.

How many brackets are you going to fill out this year, and do you have any competitions going with friends or family?

“I’ll probably fill out like five to 10 brackets.”

Do you think a 16 seed will win this year? Why or why not?

“I don’t think a 16-seed will win because all of the one-seeds are very good, so I think all of the one-seeds will win their games.”

Are there any teams in the tournament you’ve never heard of?

“[I’ve never heard of] UNC Greensboro.”

Cade Pestrue

Is your favorite team in the tournament, and if they are, how far do you think they’ll go?

“I think [Michigan] State is, but they are going to lose first round.”

Who do you think will win March Madness?

“I have Iowa winning it.”

How many brackets are you going to fill out this year, and do you have any competitions going with friends or family?

“[I’ll fill out] probably a couple and just between our friend group.”

Do you think a 16 seed will win this year? Why or why not?

“I don’t think it’ll happen because of how history has gone, but anything can happen.”

Are there any teams in the tournament you’ve never heard of?

“I haven’t even looked that closely since [Michigan] State sucked this year. I haven’t been paying attention that close.”