2015 NCAA Tournament: Mascot Madness Bracket!
By Jacob Rude
Mar 17, 2015; Dayton, OH, USA; Hampton Pirates guard
Reginald Johnson(34) and forward
Emmanuel Okoroba(5) react after the game against the Manhattan Jaspers in the first round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at UD Arena. Hampton defeated Manhattan 74-64. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Midwest Region
First Round
1. Kentucky Wildcats vs. 16. Manhattan Jaspers/Hampton Pirates – Honestly, there was more intrigue in the play-in game than the first-round match-up. Jaspers and Pirates are two quality, unique names, but Jaspers wins here, barely holding off a second-half surge. They then trounce Kentucky worse than the Wildcats did to Kansas.
8. Cincinnati Bearcats vs. 9. Purdue Boilermakers – 8/9 match-ups are always tough, and we again have two great names. As an Indiana University alum, it pains me to push the Boilermakers into the next round, but they’ll edge out Cincy.
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5. West Virginia Moutaineers vs. Buffalo Bulls – Uniqueness can only get you so far. These two both have original nicknames for college, but the Moutaineers are a better one considering there is no one else with that name. Blame the Chicago Bulls, Buffalo fans.
4. Maryland Terrapins vs. 13. Valparaiso Crusaders – In a battle between a turtle and a medieval fighter, the latter takes the cake.
6. Butler Bulldogs vs. 11. Texas Longhorns – Your “Butler Way” won’t get you very far in this bracket, Bulldogs. Rick Barnes is thanking his lucky stars for keeping his job this time around.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. 14. Northeastern Huskies – As I write this on St. Patrick’s Day, do you really think I’m going to pick against the Irish?
7. Wichita State Shockers vs. 10. Indiana Hoosiers – I’m going to be honest and say that I’m not entirely sure what a Hoosier is. My best guess is that it’s a resident of Indiana, but then we’d essentially be the Indiana Indiana-ers. Shockers in a blowout.
2. Kansas Jayhawks vs. 15. New Mexico State Aggies – Neither team is particularly attractive, but Aggiest is just a bit more unique than Jayhawks. New Mexico State wins a boring with a crazy buzzer-beater.
Round of 32
16. Manhattan Jaspers vs. 9. Purdue Boilermakers – You’re crazy if you think I’m going to move on the Boilermakers anymore than absolutely necessary. Plus, Jaspers is a top-10 nickname.
5. West Virginia Moutaineers vs. 13. Valparaiso Crusaders – Fueled by the power of the Renaissance (don’t fact check me on if this makes sense), Valpo shocks the world with a Sweet 16 berth.
11. Texas Longhorns vs. 3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish – “Top of the morning to ya!” (That’s Irish, right?)
7. Wichita State Shockers vs. New Mexico State Aggies – This is an easy win for Wichita State, who looks like an unbeatable force two games in.
Sweet 16
16. Manhattan Jaspers vs. 13. Valparaiso Crusaders – No one would have expected it, but this is a great match-up. Putting home-state bias aside, I’m going to have to go with the Jaspers, a word I still don’t know the definition to.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. 7. Wichita State Shockers – The luck of the Irish has run out as the Shockers is just too damn good a nickname.
Elite Eight
16. Manhattan Jaspers vs. 7. Wichita State Shockers – Continuing their improbable run, the Jaspers prove they should have been in the tournament with a surprisingly dominant win in the Elite Eight.
Next: East Region