The biggest college basketball tournament is coming, bringing with it plenty of excitement and storylines. Will we see Cinderella causing trouble, or will the blue bloods continue to dominate the tournament? A reliable connection is always crucial during a successful tournament and we’ll keep you updated with the can’t-miss headlines and highlights from every round.
March Madness has arrived.
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The first four games on Tuesday and Wednesday are just the appetizer for two of the best sports days of the year. The men’s championship will officially begin on Thursday with 16 games before continuing with first-round matches on Friday, as will the first-round matches of the women’s championship.
Here’s the full men’s first-round schedule for Thursday. All times are Eastern Time.
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Thursday Afternoon Channel Guide
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12:15 PM — No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU (CBS)
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12:40 pm — No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy (TruTV)
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1:30 PM — No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida (TNT)
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1:50 PM — No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point (TBS)
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2:50 PM — No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena (CBS)
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3:15 PM — No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese (TruTV)
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4:05 PM — No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State (TNT)
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4:25 PM — No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii (TBS)
Must see: The first game of the first round should be very competitive. Ohio State is a 2.5-point favorite as the Buckeyes came out strong late in the season to easily escape the bubble and ease into the tournament. TCU already has wins over Florida State and Iowa State, with four Horned Frogs averaging at least 10 points per game.
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Nebraska also has a chance to finally get something the men’s basketball program will never get. The Cornhuskers are 12.5-point favorites in their ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Nebraska’s record in its first eight tournament appearances: 0-8. No. 4 Nebraska earned its highest NCAA tournament seed since No. 3 in 1991. That season, Nebraska lost to Xavier 89-84 in the first round as a 5.5-point favorite.
Must skip: Even on CBS, you shouldn’t pay too much attention to Duke and Siena. Blue Devils head coach Jon Schell has essentially ruled out forward Patrick Ngomba II for Thursday’s game and Caleb Foster will miss opening weekend, but Duke is a 28.5-point favorite and should easily beat Siena.
The second largest gap of the afternoon was the 16.5-point line between Michigan State and North Dakota State. The Spartans are the favorite and have won their past seven first-round games.
Most likely underlying upset: Watch for the two No. 11 seeds on Thursday. Louisville star linebacker Mikkel Brown is out for the ACC Tournament with a back injury and will miss Thursday’s opener, so the Cardinals could be in trouble against the Conference USA champions. South Florida averages 88 points per game and leads the nation in free throw percentage.
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The 12th high could also bring a scare to Wisconsin. The Panthers average 90 points per game, trailing only Alabama and Southern Methodist University, and average 11 steals per game.
Players to watch: Duke’s Cameron Boozer will be the National Player of the Year, but Duke should have an easy time against Siena. That’s why we have to go with Arkansas cornerback Darius Acuff Jr. The SEC Player of the Year has been outstanding all season long and had incredible performances in February and March. The freshman scored 49 points in a double-overtime loss to Alabama on Feb. 18 and has never scored fewer than 17 points in a game since.
As Arkansas won the SEC Tournament, Acuff scored 37 points in a quarterfinal win over Oklahoma State, 24 points in a semifinal win over Mississippi State, and then 30 points in the Razorbacks’ win over Vanderbilt. Overall, Akav averaged 18 points per game while shooting 48% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc.
Thursday Night Channel Guide
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6:50 PM — No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth (TNT)
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7:10 p.m. — No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 Howard (CBS)
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7:25 PM — No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas (TBS)
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7:35 p.m. — No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Texas A&M (TruTV)
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9:25 p.m. — No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn (TNT)
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9:45 p.m. — No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 St. Louis (CBS)
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10 p.m. — No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (TBS)
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10:10 p.m. — No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho (TruTV)
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Must see: If you want to see a contrast in styles, Saint Mary’s and Texas A&M will be a fascinating chess matchup. The Aggies will run a full-court press at all times and like to push the tempo. Saint Mary’s is, uh, pragmatic, with opponents averaging less than 65 points per game. The Gaels also outrebound their opponents by more than 11 rebounds per game. Only 24 teams allow more rebounds to their opponents per game than Texas A&M.
Remember Indiana State star Robbie Avila? Avila, who was dressed casually, now plays for Saint Louis, and the Billikens have cracked the AP top 25 this season. Avila’s scoring is down from his previous two seasons, but he’s posting the best effective field goal percentage of his career and averaging more than four assists per game. There’s a reason Georgia won by just 1.5 points.
Must skip: Howard earned its first NCAA tournament victory in school history Tuesday night by defeating UMBC in the Final Four. However, it’s hard to imagine Michigan State’s size not leading to Thursday night’s blowout. The Wolverines were able to beat the Bison early.
Houston’s suffocating defense is also bad news for Idaho State. The Cougars are favored by 23.5 points, and both Houston and Gonzaga should win easily, allowing you to focus on the exciting game between the Bulldogs and Billikens.
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Most likely underlying upset: North Carolina leads by just 2.5 points against VCU without star forward Caleb Wilson. He missed a year with a broken thumb while recovering from a broken hand.
The Rams shared the A-10 regular season title before defeating Dayton to win the conference championship. The Rams have seven players appear in 33 or 34 games, averaging at least 20 minutes per game. This is a deep team with great continuity. This can be upsetting.
Players to watch: If you’re an NBA Draft fan, Thursday’s draft slate will feature a ton of potential lottery picks. With Boozer and Acuff playing in the early game, potential BYU No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa will play in prime time. The freshman is averaging 25.3 points per game and has shouldered a greater burden for BYU’s offense after Richie Sanders suffered a knee injury. DiBanza has taken at least 20 shots in nine of 12 games since February. Which shot did he take the fewest times during this period? 14.
Dibansa remained productive during this stretch. Although he shot only 34% from three-point range, he shot 57% from three-point range and 51% overall while averaging nearly 7 rebounds and 4 assists per game.
