March Madness Analytics.. These will HELP you make your BRACKET!

>> VIDEO: March Madness Analytics.. These will HELP you make your BRACKET!

March Madness is back, and it’s so much fun! Everyone likes to guess which teams will win the games. People make a thing called a March Madness bracket — it’s a chart where you write who you think will win each game until one team is the best. It’s exciting to try and guess right. We don’t have to just guess, though. We can use numbers and facts to pick good teams. Let’s find out how!

What We’ll Talk About

Every year, lots of people make March Madness brackets. They want to guess the winners. It’s tricky because lots of games happen, and funny things can happen too! Sometimes a team you don’t think is good beats a strong one, or a game ends with a big surprise. That’s why it’s hard to know who will win. But we can use numbers to help us pick better.

Numbers are like a little friend that helps us. We can look at how many points teams score or how well they stop other teams. We can see if teams play fast or slow, or if they have great players. These hints show us who might win. We won’t guess every game right — March Madness is too wild for that! But we can use these ideas to make better picks and have fun with our brackets.

In this post, we’ll learn some easy ways to use facts. First, we’ll check how good teams are — like how many points they get and if they’re good at stopping others. Then, we’ll think about upsets — when a lower team beats a higher one. We’ll also look at how fast teams play and if they’re good at far shots or getting the ball back. And we’ll see which players are awesome — like who scores a lot or stops others. By the end, you’ll know some fun tricks to make your bracket better. So get a pencil, grab your bracket, and let’s learn how to pick the best teams together!

>> VIDEO: March Madness Analytics.. These will HELP you make your BRACKET!

How Good Are the Teams?

When picking teams for your March Madness bracket, you need to know how good they are. Some teams play harder games than others. Just looking at how many games they won isn’t enough. It’s like guessing about a toy without playing with it. A team might win a lot because they played easy teams, while another team with more losses faced really tough ones. To figure out who’s best, we’ll look at how many points they score, how well they stop other teams, and how good they are overall.

How Many Points They Score

One easy way to see if a team is good is by checking how many points they get in a game. Teams that score a lot — like 80 or 90 points — usually have great players. Maybe they have someone who’s awesome at shooting or a fast team that makes scoring simple. Lots of points show they know how to play well and make smart moves.

But we can’t just look at the numbers. Are they scoring big against weak teams or strong ones? Scoring 75 points against a tough team is better than 100 against a bad one. Also, teams that score a lot without missing too many shots are super smart. When you pick teams for your bracket, choose ones that score a bunch all the time, especially against good teams.

How Well They Stop Other Teams

Scoring is fun, but stopping the other team is just as important. A team that keeps other teams from getting points — like holding them to 60 or less — is strong. They might block shots, steal the ball, or make it hard for the other team to score. This helps them stay in the game, even if they miss some shots themselves.

Look at how they play. Teams that stop fast teams from scoring are awesome. In March Madness, games can get crazy, and a good defense can save the day. It’s like having a superhero who stops the bad guys. When picking teams, find ones that don’t let others score a lot — they’re tough to beat.

How Good They Are Overall

The best teams do both — they score a lot and stop the other team too. A team that gets 80 points and only lets the other team get 60 is super strong. They’re good at everything, so they can win any kind of game, whether it’s fast or slow.

You can check how much better they are than other teams by looking at the difference in points. If they win by 15 or 20 points a lot, they’re really good. Also, see if they beat strong teams or win close games. Teams that do well against tough teams and stay calm are the ones to pick. They’re ready for the wild games in March Madness.

Picking Teams for Your Bracket

When you make your bracket, don’t just guess or pick the popular teams. Look for teams that score a lot and stop others from scoring too. Great scoring helps in early games, but stopping the other team wins the big ones. The best teams are good at both — they don’t have big weaknesses.

Check their numbers. Find teams that get lots of points and keep other teams low. Look at who they played — did they beat easy teams or tough ones? If you can, watch them play — are they fun and strong? The more you know about how good they are, the better your picks will be. Choose teams that are awesome at scoring and stopping others, and you might win your bracket game!

>> VIDEO: March Madness Analytics.. These will HELP you make your BRACKET!

How Often Do Lower Teams Win?

In March Madness, sometimes teams that aren’t supposed to win surprise everyone and beat better teams. This is called an upset. It’s fun when it happens! Lower teams — the ones with big numbers like 12 or 15 — can win against teams with small numbers like 5 or 1. Knowing when this might happen helps you pick teams for your bracket. Let’s talk about some upsets, like 12 vs. 5 games, other surprises, and how to choose them without picking too many.

12 vs. 5: A Fun Upset to Watch

One upset that happens a lot is when a number 12 team beats a number 5 team. Almost every year, this happens in the first round! There are four 12 vs. 5 games, and usually one or two number 12 teams win. Sometimes more! The number 5 teams are good, but not the best. The number 12 teams can be tricky and strong. They might be from a small school, but they play hard.

When you make your bracket, look at these games. See if the number 12 team has been winning a lot lately. Maybe they have a super player who scores a bunch or a team that stops the other side. Then check the number 5 team. Are they losing games they should win? If the 12 looks good and the 5 looks weak, pick the upset. It’s a fun guess that can make you happy!

Other Upsets: More Fun Wins

It’s not just 12 vs. 5. Other lower teams can win too! A number 13 might beat a number 4, or a 14 might beat a 3. These don’t happen as much, but they’re exciting. Sometimes, a really low team — like a 15 or 16 — beats a high team like a 2 or 1. A 16 beating a 1 is super rare, but it’s happened, and it’s a big deal!

To find these upsets, look at the teams. A lower team might be winning a lot right now. Maybe they have a fast player or a smart coach. The higher team might be tired or not playing well. If a number 13 has beaten good teams this year, they could surprise a number 4 that’s not doing great. Watch for these — they’re hard to pick, but so cool!

Don’t Pick Too Many Upsets

Upsets are fun to pick, and it’s great when you’re right. But don’t pick too many! If you choose every lower team, your bracket won’t work. Most of the time, high teams — like 1s, 2s, and 3s — win their first games. They’re strong! Picking all upsets is fun but not smart. Pick just a few that look good.

It’s like picking snacks — you want a couple yummy ones, not all the wild ones. Maybe pick one or two 12 vs. 5 upsets, and one more, like a 13 over a 4. See how the teams are playing. If a lower team is doing awesome and the higher team looks bad, pick that upset. If you’re not sure, go with the strong team. Some upsets are good, but not too many.

Using Upsets for Your Bracket

Knowing when lower teams win helps you make a fun bracket. Start with 12 vs. 5 games — they’re the best for upsets. Look at how the teams are doing, who’s on the team, and if they’re tough. Then add one or two other upsets if a lower team looks ready to win big. Don’t pick too much — keep most of your teams the high ones.

You can even look at old games. See how often 12s beat 5s or 13s beat 4s. It’s about one or two out of every five 12 vs. 5 games, and less for others. Upsets happen, but not always. Use that to help you. Pick a few good upsets, and your bracket will be fun and maybe even win!

>> VIDEO: March Madness Analytics.. These will HELP you make your BRACKET!

How Fast Do They Play?

When you pick teams for your March Madness bracket, think about how fast they play. Some teams go fast and score a lot. Some teams go slow and take their time. How fast or slow they play helps them win games. Let’s look at fast or slow, far shots, stopping the other team, and getting the ball back. This helps you pick good teams!

Fast or Slow: Running or Waiting

Some teams play fast. They run a lot and try to score quick. These teams are fun to watch! They shoot fast or pass the ball to get points. A fast team might get 80 or 90 points because they don’t stop — they go, go, go! They can beat slow teams who can’t run as fast.

Other teams play slow. They hold the ball and wait for a good shot. They might only get 60 or 70 points, but they don’t rush. Slow teams can win by keeping the game small and stopping fast teams. When you pick, think if fast or slow is better for that game. A fast team might win big, or a slow team might win by being smart.

Far Shots: Scoring Fast

Some teams are good at far shots. These shots are from way out and give three points, not two. Teams that make lots of far shots score quick! If they get five or ten far shots, that’s 15 or 30 points fast. It’s an easy way to get ahead or catch up. These teams are exciting because the ball goes in from far away!

See how many far shots a team makes. If they’re good — like making more than half — they’re strong. They can score even if the other team is tough. But if they miss, they might lose. Pick teams that are great at far shots. They can win against teams that don’t stop those big shots.

Stopping the Other Team: Being Tough

Some teams are really good at stopping the other team. They don’t let them score a lot. They might block the ball, take it away, or make shooting hard. A team that’s good at this might keep the other team to 50 or 60 points. This is big in March Madness because one bad game means you’re out. Stopping the other team can save a game even if you don’t score much.

Look at how a team stops others. Do they let teams score easy, or do they make it hard? A fast team that’s bad at stopping might lose to a slow team that stops everything. A slow team that’s great at this can beat a fast team by keeping points low. Pick teams that stop others well — they’re tough to beat!

Getting the Ball Back: Extra Chances

Some teams are good at getting the ball back after a miss. This is called a rebound. If a team gets lots of rebounds, they get more tries to score. It’s like getting another turn! A team that misses but grabs the ball can shoot again. This helps them get more points, even if they miss sometimes.

Check rebounds on both sides. Getting their own misses gives them more shots. Getting the other team’s misses stops them from trying again. Teams that are big and strong get lots of rebounds. Pick teams that do this — they keep the ball and score more.

Picking Teams with Speed

When you make your bracket, think about how fast teams play and how they get points. A fast team that runs and makes far shots can win big if the other team can’t stop them. A slow team that stops others and gets the ball back can win by keeping the game small. Look at what each team does best. Do they score fast with far shots? Do they stop the other team? Do they get the ball a lot?

Mix your picks. A fast team might win early against a slow one. But a slow team that stops others and gets rebounds might win later. Look at how they played all year. If a fast team scores a lot, pick them against a weak team. If a slow team stops everyone and gets the ball, pick them too. Thinking about fast, slow, shots, stopping, and rebounds makes your bracket fun and smart!

>> VIDEO: March Madness Analytics.. These will HELP you make your BRACKET!

How Good Are the Players?

When you pick teams for your March Madness bracket, look at the players. Good players help teams win! We can see how good they are by checking their points, how long they play, who they play against, how they stop others, and if they’ve played a lot before. Knowing about players helps you pick great teams!

How Good a Player Is: Getting Points

One way to know if a player is good is by how many points they get. A player who gets lots of points — like 20 or 30 — is really strong! They might shoot the ball good or run fast to score. If a team has a player like this, they can win big. Some players get points every game, and that’s awesome!

Look at the best players on each team. Do they get lots of points? A player who scores a bunch can win a game fast. Pick teams with players who get lots of points — they’re tough to stop!

How Much They Play: Helping a Lot

Some players play almost all the time. They stay on the court a lot because their team needs them. These players are super big helpers! If they play a long time — like 30 minutes — they do a lot. They might score, pass, or stop the other team. Teams need them to win.

Check how long players play. A player who’s out there a lot is a big star. If they’re gone, the team might lose. Pick teams with players who play a lot — they help all game!

Who Plays Who: Better or Not

Think about who the players will play against. Some players are better than others they meet. If a team has a tall player and the other team has short ones, the tall player might score easy. Or if a fast player meets a slow one, they can run past. It’s like seeing who’s stronger!

Look at the games. Does one team have a player who’s better than the other team’s players? If a star can beat who they play, their team might win. Pick teams where players are better than the ones they meet — they’ll do good!

Stopping Others: Being Strong

Some players are good at stopping the other team. They don’t just score — they block the ball, take it away, or make scoring hard. A player who’s good at this keeps the game close. If they stop the other team’s best player, their team can win even if they don’t score much.

See which players are strong at stopping. Do they stop big scorers? A player who blocks or takes the ball is a big help. Pick teams with players who stop others — they can win by keeping points low!

Experience: Old Players Win More

Teams with older players — like ones who’ve played a few years — do better. These players have been in big games. They know what to do when it’s tough. Young players might be fast, but older ones are smart. In March Madness, old players help teams win hard games.

Look at how old the players are. Does a team have players who’ve played a long time? Teams with older players don’t get scared. Pick teams with old players — they’re ready for big games!

Picking Teams with Good Players

When you make your bracket, think about the players. A player who gets lots of points can win a game. A player who plays a lot is a big helper. Check who they play — better players can win. Players who stop others keep the game safe. And older players know how to win.

Look at each team. Does one player get tons of points? Does another play all the time? Is a player better than who they meet? Can someone stop the other team? Are they old and smart? Use these ideas in your picks. A team with a big scorer might win early. A team with strong stoppers and old players might go far. Thinking about players makes your bracket fun and smart! Pick teams with good players, and you might win your bracket!