Detroit-Area Team Snags First NCAA Tourney Berth Since 2011

Sure, we're used to seeing Michigan State University and, at times, Michigan in the NCAA Tourney, but this year, there's one more Michigan team representing. It's a team that you could call very underrated, but they're finally getting some of the respect and attention they deserve.

Oakland basketball is hot this year, and they're bringing a lot of national attention to Michigan. The team appeared in the Horizon League championship game on Tuesday (March 12) for only the second time since becoming part of the conference in the 2013-14 season. They made it to the game after beating No. 7 seeded Vikings, 74-71, at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. Following that win, the No. 1 seeded Golden Grizzlies went up against No. 4 seeded Milwaukee on Tuesday. It was a close game right up until the end, often times tied. But, the Grizzlies pulled it off, 83-76. I watched the game on ESPN, and it was really exciting to see the Grizzlies explode as the time ran out on the clock. I'm happy for these guys.

The Oakland Golden Grizzlies represent Oakland University in Auburn Hills. They play their home games at the Athletics Center O'rena, and they're coached by Greg Kampe. Kampe is something of a legend there, too, much like Tom Izzo is at Michigan State. He's the longest-tenured Division I head coach who is still out there coaching.

This year will mark the Golden Grizzlies' first appearance in the NCAA tourney since 2011. It's so inspiring to see this team beat the odds to get into the tournament. I'll have to root for my Michigan State Spartans over the Grizzlies, but it would be quite a Cinderella story to see the Grizzlies go far in March Madness. I love this time of year. It's a welcomed dose of sports following the end of the football season. Welcome to March Madness.

We're into March, and it's official championship time in the 2024 men's college basketball season. Right now, games are being played that will help determine which teams will make it into the much-coveted NCAA tournament and March Madness. So, which teams should top your bracket?

The No. 1 seeds are no surprise, for the most part. There's no way any other teams will be able to top Purdue, Houston and Connecticut. But, the rest is up for grabs.

Before we get into the rankings, let's learn some fun facts about the NCAA Tournament. The very first March Madness started on March 17, 1939, according to BleacherNation.com. They also note that the first tournament in college basketball history had only eight teams. Oregon won the NCAA Division I Championship that year, with a 46-33 win over Ohio State. As for huge upsets, and I remember this one, during the 2018 NCAA Tournament, UMBC beat No. 1 seed Virginia 74-54. That marked the first time in NCAA history a No. 16 seed beat a number 1.

What are the odds of you getting a perfect bracket? Not good. Not good at all. According to the NCAA, you have a 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (9 quintillion) chance to make a perfect bracket. If you really know nothing about college basketball knowledge, your odds become 1 in 120.2 billion. So, don't bet the house or first born on your bracket. That's so crazy. For years, I was really good at doing brackets and even won in some bracket pools with coworkers and friends. But, then I stopped doing brackets for a few years, because I wanted to enjoy the game. Now, I'm back and ready to do a bracket again this year. My team, the Michigan State Spartans, have not been doing well lately. But, there's time, and hopefully they can turn things around. Fingers crossed.

Let's get into our March Madness 2024 power rankings.

Marquette has performed consistently well all season, and they have been falling around the No. 10 mark when ranked against the other NCAA teams. When their defense is weak, their offense is strong, and you can flip that, too. Now, if they can get both going at once, we'll have something extra special.

I remember the Coach K era of the Duke Blue Devils, so it's definitely not the same watching Duke without him in action. But, they're still a solid team with legacy. They're especially strong this year.

The Creighton Bluejays have some star players in Trey Alexander, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Baylor Scheierman. What's even better is that these players seem to be getting better as the season progresses. That's especially true of the latter.

The Iowa State Cyclones have been strong all season, and they're not letting up now. They also have a star player in Demarion Watson, who kind of broke out of nowhere later in the season.

While the North Carolina Tar Heels aren't quite at the level of Purdue, UConn and Houston, meaning they aren't a No. 1 seed, they're close. They have great stats and when they shine, they really shine. They could surprise everyone in the tourney.

The Tennessee Volunteers are having a great season, and star player Jonas Aidoo is largely to thank. But, Aidoo has fallen a bit short lately. Hopefully he's just resting up for a big tourney season.

The Arizona Wildcats are one of the big teams to beat in 2024. They've been dominating both in offense and defense. There's no question that the Cats should be contenders for the Final Four.

The Houston Cougars will be a No. 1 seed, and they've earned it. They have an incredible record and are very difficult to trip up. Will they go all the way? Time will tell. But, their most recent wins were all close, so there's that.

The UConn Huskies have a solid coach in Dan Hurley, and he's really helped shape this team into champions. The Huskies have a legacy, and he's carrying that forward. They could absolutely go all the way this year.

Okay, so Purdue has some weaknesses. But, I follow the Big Ten closely (since Michigan State is in there), and they just always seem to pull off a win. The Boilermakers could really make this their year. Fletcher Loyer and Zach Edey are some of their stars.