It is an annual event that occurs every spring, an event that is sure to have its dramatics and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. It has been dubbed as the Big Dance and it is the goal of every division I men’s basketball team to get their ticket punched to attend the Big Dance. March Madness is a time when the best teams in the nation showcase their talents, as well as a time for those Cinderella story teams to make history.

The Madness has been around since 1939, and consists of 68 college basketball teams. Tournament teams consist of 31 champions from major conferences such as the ACC, Big East and SEC. The other 37 teams are awarded “at-large” berths that are chosen by the NCAA selection committee. This ten-member basketball committee is made up of athletic directors and conference commissioners throughout division I basketball that serve 5-year terms to ensure that both major and mid-major conferences are represented in the National Championship Tournament.

This year’s college basketball season has certainly been a special one. So much so that it has been hailed as the “most exciting college basketball season I have ever seen” according to ESPN’s college basketball analyst Dick Vitale, who has been broadcasting games since the 79-80 basketball season.

One of the reasons why this season has been more interesting and exhilarating is because of the lack of one true dominant team. According to the Associated Press (AP) College Poll, this season’s fight for the number one ranking in the country has been won and lost seven different times with numerous upsets and blowouts. In the past three seasons the number one ranking has been dominated by three teams: Kentucky, Duke and Kansas. There have been five teams this season alone that have held the number one ranking.

A fundamental component of March Madness is bracketology, which is the process of predicting the field of the NCAA tournament. It is a phenomenon that sweeps the nation every spring and it is an event that is hard to escape. Bracketology gives people the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and a chance to even make some extra money. For sport betting enthusiasts March Madness has turned out to be the biggest event of the year and nearly every office or business in America creates their own March Madness pool.

While I myself will not be placing bets I still have fun creating my own bracket and displaying, what is in my opinion, incredible basketball knowledge. But let’s be real, it isn’t called March Madness for nothing, anything can happen! So here is a brief overview of my predictions and teams to watch out for.

There are three mid-major teams that stand above the rest that could be a dark horse in the tournament: the Creighton Blue Jays with its son-coach duo of Doug and Greg McDermott, the Butler Bulldogs who have repeatedly proven themselves the past couple of tournaments, and the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who currently hold the number one ranking. As for major national championship contenders, there are a handful of teams that can take home the ‘ship. Amongst them are Florida, Miami, Duke, Indiana, Michigan, Kansas, Ohio State and Louisville.

Here is my tournament prediction: For the elite eight I have Indiana vs. Louisville, Gonzaga vs. Michigan, Gerogetown vs. Florida, and Kansas vs. Duke.

Final Four – Midwest Region: Indiana. With the dynamic duo of big man Cody Zeller and wingman Victor Oladipo, the Hoosiers will prove to be too much on the inside for Coach Rick Pitino’s Louisville Cardinals. If Zeller plays to his potential then the Hoosiers will be a nightmare for the Cardinals with their inside-out game.

West Region: Michigan. With its mini-NBA lineup, the Wolverine’s guard play will overtake the Gonzaga Bulldogs. However, watch out for the battle inside with Gonzaga’s big men Kelly Olynyk and Elias Harris. The Wolverines are clearly outmatched inside, but the fast pace guard play from Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Glenn Robinson III will push the Wolverines past the Bulldogs and into the final four.

South Region: Florida. The Florida Gators are a veteran team led by senior guard Kenny Boynton. With a strong inside presence and shooters running the floor, the Gators will run away with the game. Although Georgetown’s Otter Porter Jr. has carried his team much of late in the season, the Gators will run the Hoyas out the gym.

East Region: Duke. I personally like Duke to win not just the East region, but the national championship. Since the return of injured senior leader Ryan Kelly, the Blue Devils are an instant favorite for the national championship. The combination of sharpshooters such as Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins, and big men Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly are a tough matchup to deal with. Factor in great team defense and a hall of fame coach in Mike Krzyzewski, and a championship formula has been created. Who knows what could happen, things could play out just like the statistics show but rarely do things work out as planned. Just be prepared for one of the greatest NCAA tournaments, and in the words of Muse, some kind of Madness.