Sports Corner
March Madness is Here!

March Madness Trivia & Fun Facts
The phrase “March Madness” was coined by Henry V. Porter in 1939 to describe an Illinois high school basketball tourney. Brent Musburger first used it during NCAA coverage in 1982 causing a legal battle almost as insane as the playoffs. But everyone finally worked things out and the madness was official. There isn't a good record of who first called the playoffs "The Big Dance", but it does describe the action.

The 6 schools who have the winningest history in NCAA Division I Men's basketball are:

* UCLA with 11 championships;
* Kentucky who won the March Madness games 7 times;
* Indiana with 5 Big Dance victories;
* North Carolina outlasted all the other teams 4 times, including their championship win in 2005, and
* Duke and Kansas with 3 titles each.
* There are 8 teams that won twice and others who are trying to reach that goal this year...

Although past history is no guarantee in this Cinderella laced NCAA tournament, number one seeds have won every time in the first round for the past 16 years and number two seeds have only lost three first round games... a 95% win average. What makes the brackets exciting are the number 13 and 14 seeds who came out winners in the first round 20 times since 1992... a sweet 16% that leads to dreams of glory. Watch for them in your brackets. Look for teams from smaller conferences or those who had a bad start to the season, but got their game on during the last weeks to pull off an invitation. A power player on a slump or injury roster who recovers can mean a lower seed for a solid team.

SYRACUSE REGION



1. Kentucky
16. E. Tennessee St.

9. Wake Forest
8. Texas
5. Temple
12. Cornell

13. Wofford
4. Wisconsin
3. New Mexico
14. Montana

11. Washington
6. Marquette
7. Clemson
10. Missouri
15. Morgan St.
2. West Virginia

HOUSTON REGION



1. Duke
16. Arkansas Pine-Bluff/Winthrop

9. Louisville
8.California
5. Texas A&M
12. Utah State

13. Siena
4. Purdue
3. Baylor
14.Sam Houston St.

11. Old Dominion
6. Notre Dame

7. Richmond
10. Saint Mary's

15. Robert Morris
2. Villanova

ST. LOUIS REGION



1. Kansas
16. Lehigh

9. N. Iowa
8. UNLV
5. Michigan St.
12. New Mexico St.
13. Houston
4. Maryland

3. Georgetown
14. Ohio

11. San Diego St.
6.Tennessee
7. Oklahoma St.
10. Georgia Tech

15. UC Santa Barbara
2. Ohio State

SALT LAKE CITY REGION



1. Syracuse
16. Vermont
9. Florida St.
8. Gonzaga
5. Butler
12. UTEP
13. Murray St.
4. Vanderbilt

3. Pittsburgh
14. Oakland
11. Minnesota
6. Xavier
7. BYU
10. Florida
15. N. Texas
2. Kansas St.

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