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March Madness tipped off in Philadelphia this weekend, with two days of tournament games at Xfinity Mobile Arena. But for all of the city’s local teams, the run was short-lived, with early exits ending their title hopes.
Thousands pack March Madness games in Philadelphia
One of the matchups featured the University of Tennessee — an Elite Eight team last year — taking on Miami University (Ohio), a mid-major program that entered the tournament on a 31-game winning streak this season.
Nearly 20,000 fans attended Friday’s first session of games, including Miami fan Tiki Wackowski, who painted his entire body red for the RedHawks’ postseason run and said he wouldn’t shower “until they lose.”
“It’s been a long journey for sure,” Wackowski said. “It’s been inspiring. You talk about an underdog story, how special that is, and I think it’s a testament to the fact that if you believe in yourself, and you believe in a group, anything’s possible.”