The two biggest takeaways from yesterday’s Round of 16 action was Oregon’s advancement in a nail-biter over Michigan and Arizona’s demise to #11 Xavier in a similarly close contest. Kansas still looks like the most dominant team in the tournament, which bodes ill for Oregon, its Elite Eight opponent. My bracket is still on track to predict up to three of the final four teams correctly.
On a side note, I encountered someone who went to the first two rounds in Sacramento. He had just as hard a time as I did to keep his eye on the court rather than on the massive scoreboard—a confirmation of sorts. He also mentioned that the venue was alcohol-free for the tournament by NCAA rules, spoiling his experience of the Sierra Nevada Brew House. Evidently, the students from large universities in attendance had never touched a drink in their lives, and the NCAA meant to keep it that way. The drinking establishments surrounding the arena, according to my acquaintance, were also unprepared for the crush of fans who streamed out between games for refreshment, with not nearly enough bartenders on hand to handle the crowds that were four to five people deep at the bars. This being downtown Sacramento’s first March Madness, one would hope that they will be better prepared to provide essential services next time.
