The annual rite of spring that captivates millions of American sports fans is rapidly approaching: students around USM are not immune to the frenzy that is March Madness in college basketball.
From casual fans to die-hard Dukies and those who bleed Tar Heel blue, the annual college basketball tournaments draw a boatload of attention and even more speculation.
But what is it that draws so many people to spend their spring breaks watching multiple games simultaneously and fall asleep clutching their coveted brackets? Well, apparently for a number of USM students, March Madness means one thing: upsets.
Junior Corey Smith, a former standout basketball player at Old Orchard Beach High School, says that he likes the tournaments because they’re unlike any other sporting event.
“Every year some team comes out of the woodwork and manages to make a run. And even though you know that they’re not going to make it all the way, it’s fun to watch them while their run lasts,” he said.
And Smith is right. Every year teams like George Mason, Butler and Vermont find a way to sneak into the tournament and upset a juggernaut.
Senior Husky basketball standout Drew Coppenrath knows a little something about upsets and it’s got nothing to do with his tenure in a Southern Maine uniform.
Coppenrath’s older brother Taylor – one of the all-time greats in the America East Conference – was on a Vermont team that, as a number 14 seed managed to upset third-ranked national powerhouse Syracuse and their legendary coach Jim Boeheim in one of the great upsets in March Madness history.
Earlier this year, Coppenrath told The Free Press that it was watching his brother playing in those conditions that inspired him to make a return to the hardwood following a hiatus after high school.
Junior Matty Reid experienced a little March Madness of his own as an assistant coach for Cape Elizabeth High School, who played in this year’s Class B state championship game. He agrees with Smith about the upsets and isn’t sure who he’d pick to win at this point.
“I’d probably have to say North Carolina,” he says, “but I think Duke could make a good run. They have a lot of good athletes and shooters. It really depends on who is healthy and who is playing well,” said Reid.
At USM, a school that doesn’t boast a Division I program and the typical March Madness experience, Reid doesn’t find himself living vicariously through his fellow basketball fans in places like Knoxville, Tenn., or Gainesville, Fla.
“I’ve got a buddy who goes to school at Clemson and he loves the sports programs. I’ve always thought about going to a big school like that, but really I just like it here and I don’t miss that experience much,” he said.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan who loves March Madness for the “love of the game” like Reid, have a vested interest like Coppenrath, or if you’re just a casual fan who loves the idea of Drake being crowned national champions, March has something for you.
Get out there, fill out your brackets (and don’t forget the upsets) because there’s plenty of basketball just around the corner.