This year I filled out my first March Madness bracket for our competition at work. I know little to nothing about basketball, but I wanted to participate in the fun. I did some research on Sports Illustrated and talked to my basketball fanatic friend, Kristin Stallones.

She helped me plan out my bracket and told me which upsets to look for. Even though I didn’t know much, I became invested in winning. I would get excited when my team was in the lead, especially since I knew nothing about either team.

Then over the weekend things turned. My bracket was destroyed. I was dumbfounded. How could a number 16 team beat a number one team? Sports Illustrated didn’t tell me this and neither did my friend. That’s when I learned they didn’t tell me because it doesn’t happen. I think I read it’s been 33 years since a bracket buster like this. Needless to say, my South side of the bracket is over and ruined. We always have the West.

Moving onto the West, I had Xavier vs. UNC for the Elite Eight. That hope is gone. Florida State, of all teams, beat Xavier and then the Aggies beat UNC. I was online the other day and I looked at past-president’s George W. Bush’s bracket.

He had the Aggies to win the whole thing. I laughed at first, but now I think George W. may be onto something. Again, my West side of the bracket is ruined. We always have the Midwest.

We get to the Midwest and I get two right out of the sweet sixteen: Duke and Kansas. I never intended for Syracuse to beat MSU, because I had them going to the final four, so that was a bust. My only hope is that Kansas can get me a few points in the Elite Eight.

Finally we get to the East; my best bet and my last chance at getting a win. I got three out of their four on the sweet sixteen. I desperately need Purdue and Villanova to make it to the Elite Eight and I need Villanova to win it all.

I won’t be mad if they lose, because I’ve really liked keeping up with it all. It’s almost like a gamble or a game of cards.

I just need to beat the odds in the last division.

Keep your fingers crossed for this girl, competing with the guy’s at the office to win the bracket.

It’d be the underdog winning, which has basically been the theme of this whole March Madness in general, why not here too?