This time around, teams and fans dream of their team cutting down the nets as conference champions and a chance to dance to the NCAA national tournament. For some teams this dream is just so close, others not so much. Conference championship week is underway as teams hope to be the next 2023 Champs in their respective conference.

“Grady Dick is him.” said Jayhawks fan Quinn Donnell when asked if Kansas would face any problems in the conference tournament.

Kansas, being the favored number one seed lost to Texas the two seed in the big 12 championships. This stirred up some controversy as in the March Madness bracket Kansas was granted the number one seed despite the loss in the conference championship. Quinn Donnell gave high praise to a future lottery pick, Jalen Wilson saying,

“I think Grady Dick and Jalen Wilson will pull through for the team, carry them and they’re just going to pull it off in the end.”

It will be interesting to watch as Kansas looks to repeat this year as national champions. 

“Gotta keep it local and go with UCSB.” said San Marcos student Anthony Obispo when asked who he thinks will be a dark horse candidate in this year’s march madness.

The local  UCSB Gauchos are dancing in Colorado this Friday! As they take on the  #3-seeded Baylor bears at 10:30 PDT.  The Gauchos defeated CSUF in the big west championship on Saturday as it was a thriller to watch. The final score being 72-62. Sophomore guard, Ajay Mitchell showed out scoring 20 points in the win over CSUF as well as 4 assists and snagged 4 rebounds to go with it.

This well-coached team is led by head coach Joe Pasternack and assistant coaches; Derek Glasser, Larry Lewis, and Ben Tucker. UCSB has made the NCAA tournament two out of the six years now as this is Pasternack’s sixth season with the Gauchos. This roster is led by guard  Ajay Mitchell as well as senior forward Miles Norris. Mitchell averaged 16 points per game and Norris averaged 14 points per game have helped the team out a lot and crowned UC Santa Barbara the second seed of the conference bracket, and then, later on, won it.  Former San Marcos star point guard Max Sheldon will be dancing in Colorado with UCSB as a walk-on, on the roster. Many San Marcos students are in high hopes for the Gauchos as they look to upset the Bears and go far in the national tournament.