Mathematicians calculate the odds of filling out a perfect bracket are one in 9.2 quintillion.Â
Working the NCAA Tournament across from my identical twin brother felt equally unfathomable, but our pipe dream turns reality Sunday when No. 3 seed Iowa State plays No. 6 Ole Miss in the round-of-32 (6:45 p.m. TruTV). Talk about an upset.Â
Sam Hutchens (left) and his identical twin brother Ben Hutchens (right) at the NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ben is Lee Enterprises' Iowa State University beat reporter while Sam covers Ole Miss.Â
In September, when Lee Enterprises hired me as an Iowa State University beat reporter, I never dared to hope I’d cross paths with my twin, Sam, who covers Ole Miss. After spending about 22 years living together, we now cover teams in separate conferences 11 hours away.
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As excited as I was to cover my first NCAA Tournament, there was a part of me sad I wouldn’t get to enjoy it alongside my brother. That’s the thing about being an identical twin: You can’t fully enjoy a cool moment, funny quote or wholesome interaction until you tell your brother about it.Â
For all my favorite March Madness memories — watching Jordan Poole make a buzzer-beater to beat Houston in 2018, Kris Jenkins hitting a 3-pointer for a 2016 championship against North Carolina and Kansas surviving Steph Curry’s Davidson all the way back in 2008 — my twin brother was right there. Watching the NCAA Tournament with him and my cousin in my grandma’s basement in Wichita is just as much a part of what I remember as the games themselves.
One day, when thinking about this week in Milwaukee, the games won’t be remembered as much as breaking bread at the Calderone Club restaurant (We both ordered the lasagna) or filling out our brackets together and mutually deciding to pick Louisville to advance because it’s too taxing rooting for opposite teams (the Cardinals lost by 14).
The weirdest part of the past few days has been meeting some of Sam’s colleagues who cover Ole Miss. For the first 22 years of our lives, we shared the same friends just like we shared a car, room, college, classes and job title. Now, I have to meet a bunch of people and pretend I don’t know much about them (Sam has already told me everything).
Read: What TJ Otzelberger, Chris Beard said about Iowa State's NCAA Tournament matchup with Ole Miss
The worst part has been people pointing out Sam is two inches taller than me. That’s OK, he is two minutes older so he should be taller.
The funniest part was when someone asked why I asked so many questions to Ole Miss coach Chris Beard. Nope, that was Sam.Â
Sunday, either ISU or Ole Miss will advance to the Sweet 16 and one twin will travel on to Atlanta to cover a matchup with either Michigan State or New Mexico.Â
How lucky am I? About one in 9.2 quintillion.
Ben Hutchens is an Iowa State University beat writer for the Lee Enterprises network. Follow him on X or send him an email at Ben.Hutchens@lee.net.
