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March Is Here And So Is The Madness

march madness
Mark Humphrey
/
AP
An NCAA referee waits for play to resume during a game between Cincinnati and Nevada in the 2018 NCAA college basketball tournament.

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament’s field is set as of Sunday night, and the local area is well-represented by the Cincinnati Bearcats and Northern Kentucky Norse.

NKU is back in the tournament for the second time in the mere three years that the university has been eligible for the tournament at the NCAA Division I level. The impact could be significant for the upstart program and head coach John Brannen, as millions of fans tune in to see the opening round games. Star player Drew McDonald, who became NKU's all-time leading scorer in his final season, says the team is "not done yet." Coach Brannen also says the Norse could "make a nice a little run" in the tournament.

Meanwhile, head coach Mick Cronin has the UC Bearcats back in top form, and this year, the team will look to advance beyond the tournament opening weekend and to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2012.

And on top of all the games to watch, there is the tradition of the NCAA office pool. Even novice basketball fans enjoy filling out a bracket and making their picks for the celebrated Final Four.

But does it interfere with work productivity?

One professor says no — it's quite the opposite in fact.

Joining Cincinnati Edition for this look on the NCAA Tournament, the local teams participating, and the office pool, are American University marketing professor Benjamin Wright, PhD. (@BenjaminKWright), WXIX sports anchor Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) and sports talk radio host Andy Furman (@AndyFurmanFSR).

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Michael Monks brings a broad range of experience to WVXU-FM as the host of Cincinnati Edition, Cincinnati Public Radio's weekday news and information talk show.