The annual March Madness tournament concluded on April 8, 2024 when the UConn Huskies beat the Purdue Boilermakers to finish out the men’s bracket. The previous day, Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes fell to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the championship game in the women’s bracket. Both the men’s and women’s tournaments had plenty of upsets, fan-favorite players, and standout performances that kept basketball fans entertained throughout March and the beginning of April.
The NC State basketball teams were a major story during the tournament. Their men’s team went on a surprising run as an 11 seed, making it all the way to the Final Four before losing to Purdue. DJ Burns Jr, the 6’9” 275 lbs forward, was one of the breakout players of the tournament, drawing widespread media attention with his 16.2 points per game and was reportedly receiving interest from NFL teams with his impressive size and agility. NC State’s women’s basketball team also made it to the Final Four, before losing to the eventual winner of the tournament, South Carolina, who capped off an undefeated season with their championship game win over the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The Hawkeyes made it back to the finals after losing to LSU last year with strong performances from standout Caitlin Clark. Iowa progressed through the tournament with a close win over UConn and a revenge matchup against LSU, but they ultimately fell short against the Gamecocks in the finals.
UConn’s men’s team accomplished an impressive feat with their championship win this year, becoming the eighth ever men’s team to win back to back March Madness tournaments. They won last year against San Diego State, and finished this year with a 15 point win over Purdue.
Like many seasons before, several upsets captured the hearts and minds of basketball fans. The Oakland Golden Grizzlies, a 14 seed from Michigan, defeated the 3 seed Kentucky Wildcats before falling to 11 seed NC State in the next round. 12 seed Grand Canyon and 13 seed Yale also managed to win their first round matchups, but both also lost in the second round.
With another exceptional tournament in the books, it is clear that for many more years, the madness of March will continue its reign.
