Greetings fellow planeswalkers and welcome to the 2015 March Madness tournament! This year’s tournament features 31 of the most famous and infamous planeswalkers from across the multiverse facing off in eight different arenas. Our dedicated staff of analysts and reporters are on-hand to bring you all of the exciting action as these powerful beings face off in one of the deadliest, intense, and time-honored competitions known across the ‘verse: basketball. Today we’re proud to bring you the Final Four recap and the preview of the final match.
March Madness 2015 Schedule
SATURDAY – MARCH 20
Regional Preview
MONDAY – MARCH 23
Regional Recap/Sweet Sixteen Preview
FRIDAY – MARCH 27
Sweet Sixteen Recap/Elite Eight Preview
MONDAY – MARCH 30
Elite Eight Recap/Final Four Preview
FRIDAY – APRIL 3
Final Four Recap/Championship Preview
MONDAY – APRIL 6
Championship Recap
Final Four Recap
Liliana Vess versus Ugin
As the masses of natives from and visitors to Zendikar piled into the Emeria Sky Stadium, there was one visage that overshadowed the entire tournament: the Spirit Dragon. The last time he had come to Zendikar it was to rid them of the Eldrazi plague. Now, with the Eldrazi re-awoken was he here to once again put them back in the ground? No. He was here to play basketball. Across the court warming up with some calisthenics was one of the multiverse’s most feared necromancers: Liliana Vess. Once a master of the healing arts, she turned to darkness to save her brother but once she’d begun down that path there was no turning back.
The match began with an air of apprehension in the stadium as these two powerhouses took to the court. They traded baskets back-and-forth at a furious pace with neither side giving any care to defend. The physical play was also at a minimum with both planeswalkers focused on the prize. About halfway through the quarter things took a turn as the Spirit Dragon seemed to lose his focus on the match and Liliana began to pull ahead. By the end of the half, Vess was up 47-40 and Ugin seemed disinterested.
There was concern that the Spirit Dragon would abandon the fight as ominous clouds rolled in over the stadium. A magical barrier protected the crowd from the elements and both players took to the court. Still, Ugin seemed detached from the game as the thunder raged overhead. Liliana continued to pull ahead and seemed frustrated at the dragon’s nonchalant demeanor. When the final buzzer rang the score was 92-54 Liliana, and the dragon immediately took to the skies, blowing a hole in the stadium roof that needed to be mended before the next match.
Chandra Nalaar versus Nicol Bolas
The crowd cheered wildly when the fan-favorite pyromancer Chandra Nalaar emerged from the tunnel to the classic sounds of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” The Firebrand, as she is known, had been on Zendikar just before the Eldrazi awoke. Back then she was manipulated by a man named Ramaz who in turn was being manipulated by a “mysterious dragon.” Perhaps it was the dragon waiting across the court to settle the score once and for all: Nicol Bolas.
Nicol Bolas seemed to immediately get into the head of Chandra, possibly literally, as her field goal percentage was abysmal. The Firebrand was cold as ice as jump shots, free throws, and three point attempts all fell just short or bounced off the rim. Bolas, meanwhile, didn’t seem interested in running up the score, instead getting into foul trouble, seemingly trying to get closer to Chandra. The crowd let their displeasure pour over the players like the torrents of rain pouring over the stadium. The half ended with Bolas up 22-15.
When the second half began the elder dragon legend took a single jump shot and then caught sight of another dragon in the sky. It could have been Ugin, but it was too far for our mortal eyes to determine the true nature. Regardless, Bolas abandoned his match with Chandra, forfeiting as a result. Such events were heretofore unprecedented in March Madness, but now with Garruk conceding in the Sweet Sixteen and Bolas departing in the middle of a Final Four match, something seemed suspicious. Either way, the Firebrand advanced to her first ever Multiverse Championship Game.
Championship Preview
The table is set for Chandra Nalaar and Liliana Vess to lay it all out on the court. Storms are brewing in the skies above Zendikar and Ugin and Nicol Bolas seem too preoccupied to be bothered with the tournament, but the championship will go on as scheduled. The Firebrand and the Veil-Mistress will go head-to-head for the title of Multiverse Champion. Two women will enter, but only one will be crowned victorious.
