March Madness 2016

Basketball_through_hoop

March Madness captures the attention of Kean Students via  WikiMedia Commons

By Gail Fredricks | Published March 31

The third week of March means more than just the anxious return from spring break for the students of Kean. It seems fitting for students to return to school and begin their research for which brackets they will choose for the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s 2016 March Madness, which determines the national championship of college basketball.

With 64 teams in the college basketball tournament, students have many options to
choose from and earn some extra cash by betting on a certain bracket and predicting which team they think will take the championship. Whether they are hardcore basketball fans, or just find joy in gambling, March Madness brings about an entertaining and possibly profitable event for students all around.

Students play in pools with other students, coworkers, and family and friends. All pools
are different, with different buy-ins, and are not limited to choosing only one team. Like any bet, the more money put in, the bigger the possibility of winning.

Tareq Khan, senior at Kean University, joined a pool with his co-workers which required a
$25 bet to enter. A popular prediction to win the championship, he set his hopes on second-seeded Michigan State. Needless to say he was slightly disappointed when they lost to the 15-seed, Middle Tennessee State.

“I picked Michigan cause they’re second seed, they were most likely to get far,” Khan said. “But they lost the first game to the 15th seed which is an upset.”

For some, it is more about getting involved in something they usually don’t do. Andre Fleming,another student at Kean, joined in on the action for the fun of it.

“I don’t really watch college ball, but I do like to gamble,” said Fleming. “Like, I’ll go to the bar and watch it with my friends but I won’t go out of my way to watch a game.”

So whether students have a passion for college basketball, or want the opportunity to
indulge in something other than homework, March Madness can be the perfect diversion for something other than their studies.

Follow The Tower on Twitter @KeanTower. Find The Tower on Facebook.


Comments - review our comment policy

Leave a Reply