NCAA Tournament Simulation: The Fan Fiction Blog About What Happens During Sunday's Round of 32 Games
So we don't have the NCAA Tournament. Well, at least not on our TV. But we have it here on Barstool. Thanks to WhatIfSports we have a website that will simulate these games for us. Every day that we're supposed to have games we'll have simulations for that round. Today we start with half of the second round, tomorrow we'll finish it up, etc. For the sake of simplicity I'm using Lunardi's bracket.
Sunday March 22 - Round of 32 Games
Before we get started, let's set the scene. It's Sunday. You wake up to the smell of stale buffalo wings and nachos. Whether you left your house or not, you've been eating nothing but those two things and drinking beers. It's a marathon and we're almost home. At the same time, the scaries hit a bit different considering we no longer have daytime basketball after today. If your team advanced, you're giddy. A full day of sitting back, betting on hoops as you really have no worries. If you're getting ready to watch your team today you're nervous as shit. Hit the music
No. 4 Maryland vs No. 12 Richmond
We have mayhem early! And a lot of points because apparently Turg forgot to stress defense. Richmond, a team from the First Four, just takes Maryland to the woodshed. They drop 48 in the first half. And the trend of Maryland not making the Sweet 16 continues, this time unable to beat a double digit seed. In another world, Terps fans are losing their shit screaming about Mark Turgeon. The fact is this team just didn't have a consistent third guy and it shows today. Richmond, a team that wanted to fire Chris Mooney a year ago, is now in the Sweet 16.
Winner: Richmond 87-70
No. 1 Dayton vs No. 8 Colorado
We got a bloodbath early! We got an absolute bloodbath early! The third No. 1 team loses during the first weekend in a rematch from an early regular season game. Unlike that game though, Colorado doesn't need OT to beat Dayton. Somehow they are able to keep Obi Toppin to just 11 points in this game. The real story here though is Dayton just having a shitty shooting night. That's what makes the NCAA Tournament great and the worst all wrapped in one. One bad night and your season is done and people judge you strictly off of one game. People are losing their mind today betting and screaming about their brackets. Just mayhem
Winner: Colorado 85-74
No. 1 Kansas vs No. 9 Marquette
Well, this is about right. Markus Howard gets 20 and Marquette loses to a better team in the NCAA Tournament. Marquette is one of the weirdest programs in the country right now. They always seem to get off to a hot start and then something falls apart, they limp into the NCAA Tournament and they don't get out of the first weekend. But we finally have a one seed advance and make it to the Sweet 16. No surprise it's Kansas, who is the favorite to win the whole damn thing.
Winner: Kansas 84-60
No. 5 Auburn vs No. 13 North Texas
Finally our first close game of the day. It's up and down, which isn't a surprise with how Auburn wants to play. They start applying pressure to North Texas, coming off of that glorious win over Wisconsin. The camera still just shows Madison in the crowd. I'm not complaining.
Bruce Pearl is just incredibly sweaty on the bench as he 100% gets a technical in this game. It doesn't matter though considering Auburn hits 11 threes.
Winner: Auburn 88-83
No. 3 Michigan State vs No. 11 Cincinnati
No surprise here. Michigan State is all of a sudden a popular pick to win this thing. They end up tied with Cincinnati at half, but it's one of those games where it just feels like Cincinnati will fall off at some point. They do as Michigan State keeps getting help from Rocket Watts and Aaron Henry. That's really what it was going to come down to for Michigan State in an alternate universe where we are watching this. They needed a consistent third guy and really needed to figure out what to do at the four spot.
Winner: Michigan State 89-74
No. 16 Winthrop vs No. 9 Rutgers
Your family, your religion and Rutgers basketball. What a goddamn year for Rutgers. Sure, you can make fun of them for only beating a No. 16 seed by 4, but guess who is in the Sweet 16? Steve Pikiell is going to keep getting paid so damn much. He's also going to be tied to any blueblood job that opens up. The dude is so fucking good.
Winner: Rutgers 73-69
No. 3 Duke vs No. 6 Iowa
Down goes Duke! Down goes Duke! Luka Garza with a buzzer beater post move. Coach K screams at him for celebrating too much because he's 'too good of a player to show emotion against Duke. It's an honor to beat Duke.' Everyone makes fun of Coach K for failing yet again. Mush lets his bird fly into a wall as he cries. America celebrates as Luka Garza just kicks Duke's ass. We also get an all-time coach scream off between Fran and K.
Winner: Iowa 91-89
No. 2 San Diego State vs No. 7 Arizona
And the day of complete mayhem continues. Just upsets all over the place as Arizona kicks San Diego State's ass. This game isn't close as Arizona was up 50-25 at half. Just over for the dream season for San Diego State. But this is why computers loved Arizona all year. Even though Arizona lost pretty much every big game it played in, they were a top-20 team on NET and KenPom. They put it all together as Sean Miller sweats through a shirt.
Winner: Arizona 102-73
Updated bracket