Three prominent US college basketball programmes — the University of Missouri men's team, Queens University of Charlotte men's team, and the Georgia Lady Bulldogs women's team — have all punched their tickets to the prestigious NCAA Tournament, widely known as the 'Big Dance'. Three teams with very different stories are heading to March Madness—one making history in their first year, another trying to prove last season wasn't a fluke, and a third with decades of tournament experience.

Mizzou's Return to the Fray

Mizzou's men's basketball squad secured a number 10 seed in the West Region, marking their second consecutive appearance in the tournament. The Tigers are set to face number 7 seed Miami (Fla.) on Friday, March 20, in St. Louis. Head coach Dennis Gates expressed his team's excitement about representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC) on this grand stage. He noted the strong calibre of teams converging in St. Louis, including Purdue, Iowa State, and fellow SEC contender Kentucky.

Despite their enthusiasm, Mizzou enters the tournament on a three-game losing streak. Their season concluded with a 20-12 overall record, alongside a 10-8 run in SEC play. A recent loss to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament's second round meant a less comfortable wait on Selection Sunday. But the team's rigorous schedule has prepared them for such high-stakes moments, Gates suggested.

There's real history here: Mizzou beat Miami 93-80 in the first round back in 2002 and went to the Elite Eight that year. The last time these two programmes met in the "Big Dance" was in 2002, when Mizzou famously upset Miami with a 93-80 victory in the first round, eventually progressing to the Elite Eight. What's interesting is that C.Y.

Young, who used to work with Gates at Mizzou as an associate head coach, is now doing the same job for Miami.

The SEC sent ten teams to the tournament—more than any other conference. It's Gates' third tournament at Mizzou. His best run so far came in 2022-23 when they made the second round before losing to Princeton. Last season, Mizzou entered as a number 6 seed with high expectations, but their campaign ended abruptly in the first round after a shock defeat to the Drake Bulldogs. Gates wants to get past the first week for the first time since 2009. Their opening game against Miami is scheduled for 9:10 p.m. Local time at the Enterprise Centre in downtown St. Louis and will be broadcast on TNT.

Mastheads

Queens Makes History

Queens' spring break just got a lot busier—they're heading to March Madness. They're only the third program in NCAA history to make the tournament in their first year at Division I. The jump from Division II to Division I hasn't been smooth—Leonard calls them 'road bumps'—but it's made the team tougher.

On March 8, Queens beat Central Arkansas 98-93 in overtime—that's what got them here. Nasir Mann, a sports communication major, still can't believe it: 'It was unreal. It honestly still doesn't feel real.' Coach Leonard, now in his fourth year, expressed immense pride in his team's fortitude and highlighted the significance of the win not just for the players, but for the entire university and the Charlotte community.

Not just about basketball. Cherie Swarthout, the university's director of athletics, noted that Queens' profile has already been "raised exponentially" across the country. Schools that make the tournament usually see more applications and better recruiting. University President Jesse Cureton echoed this sentiment, hailing the championship as a "historic milestone" for both Queens University and the city of Charlotte, proudly declaring the Royals as "Charlotte's team" on college basketball's biggest stage.

Queens threw a party on March 15 to celebrate Selection Sunday. They had free food, music, and Buddy the mascot showed up on the Levine lawn. Swarthout stressed how rare this is—making the tournament in year one—and what it means for the whole Charlotte community.

Lady Bulldogs' Consistent Presence

Georgia's women's team got a 7 seed in Iowa City. They'll play the winner of Virginia vs. Arizona State on Saturday. Game times and television details were expected later that evening.

It's Georgia's 37th tournament—tied for third all-time. They've won 59 tournament games (7th all-time) and played 96 total (5th all-time). Coach ABE is taking Georgia to the tournament for the second time.

This is her 13th tournament as a head coach. She's one of only four women's coaches ever to take four different programs to the tournament. Her leadership has clearly galvanised the Georgia squad this season.

The Lady Bulldogs enter the tournament with a strong 22-9 overall record, demonstrating a big nine-win improvement compared to last season. This turnaround represents the best in school history and the most substantial improvement within the SEC this year. Their success has been underpinned by four players consistently scoring in double figures. Sophomore guard Dani Carnegie, an All-SEC First Team member, leads the charge, averaging 18.1 points per game — the highest single-season average for a Georgia player since Tasha Humphrey in 2006. The team has also notched three impressive victories against top 20 opponents, defeating number 16 Ole Miss, number 11 Kentucky, and number 5 Vanderbilt. This marks their highest number of top 20 wins in a single season since the 2010-11 campaign.

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With teams like Mizzou, Queens, and Georgia poised for action, the NCAA Tournament promises another year of compelling basketball narratives and unpredictable outcomes across the United States.

This article was created with AI assistance.