It's that time of the year again.
The underdog nails a shot at the buzzer to send one of the favorites home for the season and proves the little guy can win.
While brackets are busted, most everyone, excluding the favorite's fans, pulls for the 13 seed to beat the 4 or the 15 to stun the 2. We become fans of the obscure school that happens to get hot at the right time and makes a run.
It's what makes March Madness so compelling. We love seeing those upsets, especially in the first couple of rounds. Cinderella stories play out before our eyes and one school will have "One Shining Moment" in just a few short weeks.
Millions of Americans will fill out brackets between now and Thursday, hoping to predict the big upsets and the correct Final Four teams.
Experts and novices alike seemingly have the same odds of correctly picking the winners early on because the NCAA Tournament is so unpredictable. Whether one picks a team because of their colors and/or mascot or one studies tape for hours and can pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, the chances of correctly penciling in the upsets seem the same.
Good luck filling out those brackets.
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Once again, the Courier News is participating in the national contest, BracketBucks.
CN readers have an opportunity to win $25,000, if they come closest to the perfect bracket. The local winner is guaranteed $100. The contest costs nothing to enter, but entries must be postmarked by Wednesday or turned into the CN office no later than 11 a.m. Thursday.
Last year, a local man came pretty close to capturing the top prize. Layne Rayder of Blytheville came within a mere 8 points of winning, correctly picking all four Final Four teams -- Kentucky, Florida, Wisconsin and eventual champion, Connecticut.
I'm certainly rooting for all our participants. It would be great to see someone from Blytheville, Arkansas, claim the big prize.
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Every year, it seems one or more 12 seeds knock off a 5 seed in the first round.
Maybe fifth-seeded Arkansas can avoid that trend against 12th-seeded Wofford on Thursday.
I've got the Razorbacks advancing to the Sweet 16, which probably means they would beat North Carolina in the second round.
We shall see.
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Only once have four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four, but that's the scenario in my bracket.
I've got Kentucky playing Wisconsin in one semifinal and Duke facing Villanova in the other.
I nearly picked Arizona over Wisconsin in the Elite Eight, but I think the Badgers will find a way to win a close game.
As much as I root against John Calipari, I can't see anyone beating Kentucky -- the odds-on favorite to win it all. I would love to be wrong, but when you can split up the team and potentially have two No. 1 seeds, as one commentator assessed, that's hard to overcome. Odds are in Kentucky's favor to become the first undefeated team since 1976 Indiana Hoosiers.
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There haven't been many complaints about the bracket, which is probably as rare as a team going undefeated.
It looks like the committee did a pretty good job this year.
Enjoy the games.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com