If you live in Arkansas, you already know.
March isn’t just a month… it’s a mood.
It’s group texts blowing up about brackets. It’s someone in your office claiming they “called that upset” after picking the favorite. It’s last-minute lineup debates like we’re all suddenly assistant coaches.
And right here in Arkansas, we got a little taste of that excitement yesterday.
The Razorbacks took care of business in their opening round matchup, and if you watched the game, you know exactly what I mean — moments of dominance, a few moments that probably had us all holding our breath, and then that feeling when it all comes together the way you hoped it would. That’s March. That’s tournament basketball. And now, just like that, we’re on to the next round and already looking ahead to what this team might be capable of.
Because that’s what March does — it pulls you in.
Now, I’ll be honest with you… March Madness hits a little differently when you’ve played the game.
Before I was sitting in the stands or watching from the couch, I was on the court — a Sugarbear at UCA, running drills, chasing rebounds, and learning really quickly that basketball will humble you if you let it.
And if you’ve ever played, you know this:
There is nothing — and I mean nothing — like the feeling of a game coming down to one possession.
One shot.
One moment where everything either goes your way… or it doesn’t.
That’s why March Madness works.
It’s not just basketball. It’s controlled chaos.
It’s the underdog that won’t go away. It’s the team that gets hot at the right time. It’s the player nobody knew yesterday becoming the name everyone’s talking about today.
And this year’s Razorback team?
They’ve got that kind of energy.
They’re fast. They can score. And they’re the kind of team that can make things really interesting if they get rolling.
Which, if you’re filling out a bracket, is either exciting… or slightly terrifying.
But while everyone’s watching what’s happening on the national stage, I can’t help but think about what’s happening a little closer to home too.
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Back in Conway, my Sugarbears have been holding their own this season, and if you’ve followed the women’s program at UCA at all, you know they’ve been building something strong.
And that matters.
Because every time a girl steps on the court — whether it’s in a college arena or a small gym here in Saline County — she’s part of something bigger than just the game.
She’s part of a generation that gets opportunities we once had to fight a little harder for.
And I love seeing that.
March Madness might belong to the big schools and the bright lights, but the spirit of it?
That lives everywhere.
It’s in local gyms. It’s in youth leagues. It’s in the kid who takes a last-second shot with complete confidence, whether anyone’s watching or not.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what makes this time of year so much fun.
It reminds us why we fell in love with the game in the first place.
The unpredictability. The energy. The moments that make you jump off the couch — or, if you’re like me, yell at the TV like they can actually hear you.
So whether you’re watching the Razorbacks make a run, keeping an eye on your bracket, or just enjoying the chaos that comes with March…
Just know this:
Somewhere, right now, someone’s about to take the shot.
And just like always…
Until next week…We’ll all be watching to see how the ball bounces.
Read more from How the Ball Bounces with Bekka in the archives at www.mysaline.com/bounces.
About the author: Bekka Wilkerson is a lifelong lover of all things sports. Raised in a super athletic household it was no surprise when she too began to love sports at a young age. It seems like from the time she could walk she had a softball bat in her hands, but her true athletic passion came from all things Basketball. That love served her well as a Bryant High School Lady Hornet and ultimately earned her a full scholarship to play at the University of Central Arkansas – among many other adventures.
These days Bekka can be found running around Saline County with her husband, Speedy, or chasing one of her grandsons. She is also the Executive Director of The EMpact One Foundation, a Saline County Nonprofit Organization that helps young people stay connected to extracurricular activities through tuition assistance and equipment provisions.
Reach out to Bekka with questions and/or ideas about things you want to see in this column at [email protected] and learn more about The EMpact One Foundation at www.empactone.org.
