DES MOINES, Iowa — The first day of March Madness was full of surprises, with big upset wins for Princeton over Arizona and Furman over Virginia. Your bracket is probably busted, but if you wanted to bet on something, odds are in your favor when it comes to wedgies.
No, not that kind of wedgie. The basketball kind -- when the ball gets stuck between the rim and the backboard after a shot or block.
It requires the ball to hit the rim in just the right spot, and it doesn't happen all that often. There's been only 47 this season in the NBA, according to NBA Wedgie Tracker.
That's why fans and announcers were stunned when there were five wedgies on the first day of the NCAA tournament, and four happened at the same tournament site.
It started as West Virginia hit a wedgie in their game against Maryland early Thursday. Then a double feature in Des Moines, as Arkansas went up-and-under for the first wedgie just minutes into their game against Illinois. Minutes later, a three-point attempt from Illinois also got stuck behind the rim.
"It's the rarest of all feats, it's a double wedgie in Des Moines," said announcer Brian Anderson.
Then a third later Thursday, after a three-point attempt from Texas against Colgate.
When it unfolded a fourth time in Des Moines as Penn State shot on Texas A&M, the announcers were astonished.
"Are you kidding me? Another wedgie! If you're just joining us, that's the fourth wedgie of the day in Des Moines. It's a record," Anderson quipped. Some fans on social media wondered if there might be a problem with the backboards or rims.
Basketballs getting stuck is a recurring theme during March Madness. In 2022, two Indiana cheerleaders saved the day when a basketball got stuck on top of the backboard during Indiana's game against the Saint Mary's Gaels.
