The Harry Potter Bracket: A Harry Potter and March Madness Collaboration – The Sweet 16
If you played it safe and (like Professor Binns) never deviated far from the Chalk board, you’re probably doing pretty well in the tourney. The top twelve teams (all the 1, 2, and 3 seeds) remain. The other four teams are made up of two 4-seeds, a 5-seed, and the one wildcard 12-seed. If you want a refresher of all 68 teams that made The Big Dance and how they were matched up with their characters, you can check out last week’s article. Despite a first and second round as predictable as Hermione’s raised hand, no one could claim it wasn’t eventful. Three of the top four teams had some scary moments and a few games came down to the buzzer. With the top contenders remaining, one can only anticipate the magic that awaits. I’ve revisited our top 16 teams and have reviewed the match-ups. I hope you’re not an Auburn fan…
1. Duke: Harry Potter “The Boy Who Lived” “The Chosen One” (18,956 mentions) – The team who lived indeed! Talk about a close shave, not that Harry needs it. UCF was so very close to snatching one away from Duke, that I’m not all too certain some Barty Crouch Jr. Mad-Eye-esque tinkering wasn’t going on down the stretch. Regardless, Harry knows as well as any, it doesn’t matter how much you win by, all that matters is pulling out a victory. Close calls and a little luck go hand-in-hand with being the chosen one. They’ll face off against an all too familiar foe (?) in Virginia Tech next. An inhouse/in-conference battle.
2. Virginia: Ron Weasley (6,464) – What Virginia desires most is to be standing alone, National Championship in hand, not lost in the mess of so many other good ACC teams. They have the potential and the talent, but what get’s the best of them is NERVES. Once they relax and play their game, they’re a tough team to beat, but getting over those nerves is not an easy task (as we saw in the first half against Gardner-Webb). They match up against a talented Oregon team that’s been pretty lights-out in the last month, but if Virginia plays their game and maybe feels a little lucky, they’ll probably be just fine.
3. North Carolina: Hermione Granger (5,486) – North Carolina got off to a bit of a bumpy start, but once they settled down and accepted they are vulnerable to some things (like a twelve-foot mountain troll) they cruised past their first opponents. Their next game will not be so easy as they line-up against an oppressive and inflexible Auburn team. Being the brightest in the class will not impress Auburn, in fact, it’ll likely infuriate them. North Carolina may have to switch up their strategy.
4. Gonzaga: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (2,421) – Probably the most impressive one seed so far this tournament. Not much has threatened this team’s progress. They have too much talent, confidence, and leadership to worry much over their less than stellar opponents. They are a wizened old team that’s been here before. However, next they’ll meet a younger and talented Florida State team that wants to prove they won’t sleep on the job (except for that one time involving the Department of Mysteries and a giant snake). And yet, Gonzaga knows, “Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old teams are guilty if they forget what it was to be young”. I do not believe they will overlook this Florida State team.
5. Tennessee: Rubeus Hagrid (2,024) – Tennessee has looked, well, clumsy. They’ve had a tough time with both of their opponents so far, but despite best efforts, they’ve pulled out a couple wins. They may have been strong enough to stumble through their first teams, but Purdue will force them to concentrate and really think out a strategy. This Tennessee team is vulnerable to deception, and Purdue has that flowing through their veins.
6. Michigan State: Severus Snape (1,956) – It’s no surprise that Michigan State had a tough time with Bradley (Buckbeak). But once they slipped through to the second round, they made short work of a Minnesota team that had run out of luck. Next up is a very dangerous LSU team. Michigan State may be the only team with the unique skill set to tame this LSU team… if they put together all the right ingredients (I’m talking wolfsbane potion).
7. Kentucky: Lord Voldemort AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle AKA The Dark Lord (1,797) – So far Kentucky is looking rather formidable. They’ve held teams to a tournament low 50 ppg, it’s almost as if their opponents freeze up when Kentucky enters the arena. And no surprise, one of their victims was fan favorite (smart, handsome, humble) Wofford. But Kentucky will tell you, they’re not all bad and the many unsavory things you hear about them are simply not true… “Greatness inspires envy, envy engenders spite, spite spawns lies.”
8. Michigan: Sirius Black AKA Padfoot (1,471) – After a less than stellar ending to their regular season and Big 10 tournament, Michigan has reemerged as a strong and talented team. However, they haven’t had too much of a challenge yet. Texas Tech is next on the docket, and this may be their first big test. But if you’re a Michigan fan, fear not. They thrive off of danger, the risk is what makes it fun for them.
9. Houston: Draco Malfoy (1,198) – Houston has looked very confident in their first two games, and this was to be expected. In teams they perceive inferior, they have very little issue walking all over them. Their next game against Kentucky will be quite different. Kentucky is a sort of role model for this Houston team. They’re everything Houston aspires to be, but it is yet to be known whether Houston has the ruthlessness to get there. This Sweet-16 match up may be the first step for them.
10. Texas Tech: Fred Weasley (920) – Texas Tech has been a highly amusing team to watch over the last few days. They’ve provided a lot of spark and fire to this tournament with two big wins. Can they keep up this electrifying play against a team with very similar qualities but a more experienced post-season resume? Not sure, but I’m eager to find out. Texas Tech vs. Michigan will likely be the highlight of this next round.
11. LSU: Remus Lupin AKA Moony (864) – Many did not predict this team to last so long without their head coach. It seemed very likely that Louisiana State would self-destruct, but talent has a nasty tendency of keeping a team alive. Unfortunately, talent has caught up to LSU in the form of Michigan State. Will the Tigers be able to find the leadership to exceed expectations?
12. Purdue: George Weasley (821) – Purdue has faced two very different teams (ministers) with very different leadership qualities. Yet, neither opponent could corral Purdue’s manic energy. Tennessee will look to slow them down with strength, but it’s probably best to have a few weapons in the arsenal when trying to deal with a team like Purdue. They thrive on chaos and will not be an easy team to tame especially when given center stage at the big dance.
14. Florida State: Arthur Weasley (780) – This team is a bit all over the place at the moment. They had a close call with a pesky Vermont team and then put the beat down on a dangerous Murray State team. Florida State has shown they have talent, but they’ve also shown an inclination to getting distracted and maybe a little flustered too. They thrive most when in their element but can get a little too experimental outside of their comfort zone. Beating Gonzaga will be a huge challenge for them, but not one that is insurmountable.
16. Virginia Tech: Minerva McGonagall (770) – This Virginia Tech team will not be bullied or cowed. They’ve been around long enough to know how to pick apart teams that might frighten others. Virginia Tech’s strong leadership behind coach Buzz Williams will have to find ways to breakdown a younger and more talented Duke team… maybe they could just watch the UCF tape.
18. Auburn: Dolores Umbridge (637) – Auburn had their hands full with an equally aggressive and dangerous New Mexico State team. After just barely scraping out a win, they went up against an opponent who, in hindsight, never had a chance. Kansas, with its lack of confidence and structure, fell quickly to a power-hungry Auburn team cloaked in sweetness. But will Auburn be able to maintain their disguise against a team as brilliant as North Carolina, or will they try to progress into a more sustainable and effective strategy? Don’t count on it being the latter… “progress for progress’s sake must be discouraged”.
48. Oregon: James Potter AKA Prongs (190) – The wildcard of the Sweet-16 but not an undeserving appearance. Oregon has grown up in the last few weeks. They’re less concerned with impressing others, and more concerned with getting the job done, whether it’s conducted in an aesthetically pleasing way or it’s done ugly. Multiple strategies to win will have to come into play against their next opponent, Virginia. The Ducks may not have much left in this tournament, but their legacy will encourage future generations.
