Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, a former Iowa State Cyclones guard, posted on X advising college basketball fans to submit a single bracket for the NCAA Division I men's and women's tournaments rather than multiple entries.[1]
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Haliburton said people who fill out numerous brackets are unable to commit to one prediction. "I think it’s just so lame that people are like, ‘Oh, I made this many brackets.’ Like, dang, how many brackets do you get? That’s not how it works. It’s because they can’t make up their mind," he said, discussing his partnership with Reese's March Madness Bracket Busting Campaign.[1]
Haliburton, who played one season for Iowa State in 2019-20 and set the program's single-season assists record with 229, allows for some exceptions, such as one optimistic bracket picking an alma mater to win despite long odds and another more analytical version.[2][3] He selected Iowa State to win the men's national championship on his bracket.
The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference, recognized as one of the strongest in men's college basketball.[4] Haliburton credited Iowa State's schedule in the league and performance on neutral sites for his confidence.
Reese's campaign encourages fans to post their inevitably busted brackets on social media platforms including Instagram, X and TikTok, tagging @Reeses and using #ForAReesesSweeps for chances to win free products and tickets to the men's or women's Final Four and championship games.[1]
Haliburton participated in a Bracket Summit alongside New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, ESPN analysts Richard Jefferson and Andraya Carter, where they shared picks for both tournaments.[1]
Sources
- Fox News Digital
Tyrese Haliburton tells March Madness fans to 'make one bracket and stand on it'
March 2025 (exact date not specified in draft)
https://www.foxnews.com/sports - Iowa State University Athletics
Tyrese Haliburton - 2019-20 - Men's Basketball
Accessed October 2024
https://cyclones.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tyrese-haliburton/14058 - National Basketball Association
Tyrese Haliburton Player Profile
Accessed October 2024
https://www.nba.com/player/1630167/tyrese-haliburton - Big 12 Conference
2024-25 Men's Basketball Standings (contextual strength)
Accessed October 2024
https://big12sports.com/
