March Madness is the highlight of the college basketball year, as this is when the men’s NCAA tournament is played.
As usual, these high-profile games will take place all over the country, but when will we be able to see March Madness in Philadelphia?
The Full Dates
Selection Sunday gets things started on March 13, and after that First Four games will be played on March 15 and 16 in the UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. After that, a series of First and Second Round games are scheduled for different parts of the country between March 17 and 20.
During this round, the PPG Paints Arena in Pennsylvania will host games on March 18 and 20. Some of the other cities set to stage these rounds include Fort Worth in Texas, Portland in Oregon, and San Diego in California.
Next come the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds, which is where the action really gets exciting for fans of college basketball as we get closer to knowing who will win the championship. These games are set to be played between March 24 and 27. This is also when Philadelphia will see its first taste of March Madness this year.
The Wells Fargo Center in the city will host crucial games on March 25 and 27. Other venues at this stage include Caesars Superdome in New Orleans and the United Center in Chicago. We then move onto the Final Four part of the tournament, which will take place in venues such as New Orleans, Houston, and San Antonio, before the final game is played at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
What Teams Will Play in Philadelphia?
The East Region is typically one of the most hotly-contested parts of the NCAA tournament, but we won’t know until closer to the date which teams will take part in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds to be held in Philadelphia. Who are the possible teams that could make it through to play here?
The latest bracketology updates suggest that the Kansas Jayhawks will be the number one seed in the East region this year, possibly putting them up against the Georgia State Panthers followed by the Illinois Fighting Illini team.
Other teams expected to be in the running at this stage of March Madness are the Seton Hall Pirates, the Houston Cougars, the Murray State Racers, and the Wyoming Cowboys, none of which are among the current favorites in the Bovada odds to win NCAA tournament.
There’s still some way to go before we’ll know for sure who plays here, which means that fans may end up buying tickets for the games before the teams are listed.
Who Will Win March Madness?
Will one of them who plays in the East region games in Philadelphia go on to win the overall NCAA championship in 2022? A look at the latest odds suggests that the Kansas Jayhawks have the best chance of doing this. They have won the tournament three times and have a record 31 consecutive appearances to their name.
Among their famous players from the past, we can find huge names like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Bridges, and Danny Manning. To win it this year, they need big performances from current stars such as senior guard Ochai Agbaji, who recently won the award of The Associated Press Big 12 player of the year.
While Kansas is currently at odds of 1400+, the next team on the list from this section of the bracketology is the Illinois Fighting Illini at 3300+. This team has got to the Final Four stage on five occasions but is still looking for their first NCAA win. Their main threat right now is the giant Kofi Cockburn, who seems likely to join the NBA in the 2022 draft after being in dominant form this season.
The Houston Cougars are also at 3300+ to win the championship this year. Representing Houston University, this team has appeared in the Final Four stage on six occasions. Kyler Edwards is their leading points scorer this season, with Josh Carlton leading the way on rebounds.
What About Teams from Other Regions?
If we look at the teams from other regions who could win March Madness, the overall favorite right now is the Gonzaga Bulldogs team. They’ve made it to every NCAA tournament since 1999 and are at odds of 400+ to win it this year. Their top players include Chet Holmgren, who has been posting incredible scoring records that could make him the top pick in the NBA draft.
Second of the list of the favorites, the Kentucky Wildcats are at odds of +600. With a total of 59 NCAA tournaments and many famous ex-players who went pro, it’s one of the most respected college basketball programs. Giant center Oscar Tshiebwe is one of the keys for them, as he has been scoring record-breaking amounts of rebounds in recent times.
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