As soon as March came this year, so did talk about the NCAA basketball tournament.

Printers were frantically printing bracket sheets as students prepared their personal picks for the unpredictable games to follow. Shouts can be heard across campus as teams like Florida Gulf Coast University upset larger school opponents.

Students are known to pile together around television sets during games and turn into rambunctious youngsters all screaming to speak over others in the room.

Senior Chris Richardson participates in March Madness for the bragging rights.

“I like making predictions and knowing that I’m betting against multiple people. This is my favorite time of year,” he said.

Richardson watches all games intensely with his suitemates and loves to rub it in when they lose.

Junior Tyler Hartley also takes his picks seriously, even more seriously than Richardson.

“I spend time on my bracket. I want it to be as accurate as possible”, said Hartley

as he debated on who to include in his final four. “I know people who spend hours on

one bracket, I’m not that into it but I do care.”

Since the prize for winning is a glorious $35, choices are being made very cautiously.

As you walk into the suite where Richardson and Hartley reside, you will notice a wall filled with brackets from many members of the suite. Sophomore Lily Gaechter also has a bracket up on the wall, the only girl in the group.

“Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I can’t play too,” she said in a voice louder than normal. “I may not win or be right at all, but it’s always fun to play just in case you do win.”

Gaechter laughed as the guys from the suite booed as she spoke, all in good fun of course.

Sophomore Sean Collins enjoys it for its unpredictability.

“You never know what could happen. It’s totally unknown,” Collins said while

checking his brackets. “I always like seeing the upsets on TV when everyone gets mad.”

Collins also created a bracket that he filled out by flipping a quarter.

“I just picked a team for each side and whichever team’s side is up wins. I like doing it but it never does very well.”

Junior Cody Hodgson, said the excitement of March Madness is hard to match.

“Since anything can happen, it’s always interesting,” he said without moving his eyes from the television as Indiana played Syracuse in the background.

The suite during the madness is filled with junk food, beer, brackets — and men.

As fewer teams remain in the tournament, the games are getting more intense and so are the people who watch it. Yelling is getting increasingly louder as each

game is a chance to reach the final four.

“It’s always interesting to see how it really turns out,” Sophomore Codi Scribner

said about the events. “Usually I don’t win, but I’ve come close before. I just enjoy

watching the games with all my suitemates and friends. It’s really fun to gather all

together and watch the games while arguing too.”

Well, of course.