I got a bracket with times from the IU board and promptly lost the link (hey, I'm tired), but it has UNC tipping at 7:10 on Friday for anyone interested.
BTW, IU fans seem stunned UNC would be irritated they are the 8-seed in our bracket. They think the NCAA is punishing them (and I guess us, too, by putting a 5-6 quality seed as the 8 in our region).
As a team in freefall, IU was lucky to get an 8. And I say this as a IU farmer's daughter.
Glad to hear about the late tip time. As for the early pod, my lecture schedule permits either the first half of the first game, or the second half of the second. Hoping Davidson/Gonzaga goes off second. That's the most intriguing game for me in the first round, other than the obvious U$C/KState game.
Davidson over zags
where is unc-asheville?
NIT:
Ohio State v. UNC-A
VT v. Morgan State
Nebraska v. UNC-C
Minnesota v. Maryland
Florida State v. Akron
Who are you calling a nit? Are you Governor LePetomaine?
man, no favors from the selection comittee. how the heck does the no. 1 seed overall draw the no.1 RPI team as a 2 seed? plus Louisville if TN stumbles. not to mention IN as a bad karma #8 opponent, and a national semi matchup with what is IMO the country the no. 2 team in the country, Kansas. I have no idea what Wash St has.
a lot will depend on officiating. it looks as though the ACC officials have been determined recently not to send Hansbrough to the line for contact that had done so in the past. big change. it will be interesting to see if that carries through the NCAA's.
Ellington may be going off on a streak. he certainly has the tools
Your full Thursday/Friday schedule (unfortunately I will be working full days both days):
Announcers
Thursday Games:
Denver: Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
Washington DC: Craig Bolerjack and Bob Wenzel
Omaha: Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner
Anaheim: Dick Enberg/Carter Blackburn and Jay Bilas
Friday Games:
Birmingham: Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
Raleigh: Jim Nantz and Billy Packer
Little Rock: Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
Tampa: Tim Brando and Mike Gminski
THURSDAY GAMES:
12:20 PM: (12) Temple (21-12) vs (5) Michigan State (25-8) (Denver)
12:20 PM: (14) Georgia (17-16) vs (3) Xavier (27-6) (Washington, DC)
12:25 PM: (16) Portland State (23-9) vs (1) Kansas (31-3) (Omaha)
2:30 PM: (11) Kentucky (18-12) vs (6) Marquette (24-9) (Anaheim)
2:50 PM: (11) Baylor (21-10) vs (6) Purdue (24-8) (Washington, DC)
2:55 PM: (9) Kent State (28-6) vs (8) UNLV (26-7) (Omaha)
3:00 PM: (13) Oral Roberts (24-8) vs (4) Pittsburgh (26-9) (Denver)
4:55 PM: (14) Cornell (22-5) vs (3) Stanford (26-7) (Anaheim)
7:10 PM: (11) Kansas State (20-11) vs (6) USC (21-11) (Omaha)
7:10 PM: (15) Belmont (25-8) vs (2) Dook (27-5) (Washington, DC)
7:20 PM: (13) Winthrop (22-11) vs (4) Washington State (24-8) (Denver)
7:25 PM: (9) Texas A&M (24-10) vs (8) BYU (27-7) (Anaheim)
9:40 PM: (14) Cal State Fullerton (24-8) vs (3) Wisconsin (29-4) (Omaha)
9:50 PM: (12) George Mason (23-10) vs (5) Notre Dame (24-7) (Denver)
9:50 PM: (16) Mississippi Valley State (17-15) vs (1) UCLA (31-3) (Anaheim)
9:50 PM: (10) Arizona (19-14) vs (7) West Virginia (24-10) (Washington, DC)
Friday Games:
12:15 PM: (15) American (21-11) vs (2) Tennessee (29-4) (Birmingham)
12:25 PM: (10) Davidson (26-6) vs (7) Gonzaga (25-7) (Raleigh)
12:30 PM: (10) St. Mary's (CA) (25-6) vs (7) Miami (FL) (22-10) (Little Rock)
12:30 PM: (12) Western Kentucky (27-6) vs (5) Drake (28-4) (Tampa)
2:45 PM: (10) South Alabama (26-6) vs (7) Butler (29-3) (Birmingham)
2:55 PM: (15) UMBC (24-8) vs (2) Georgetown (27-5) (Raleigh)
3:00 PM: (13) San Diego (21-13) vs (4) UConn (24-8) (Tampa)
5:00 PM: (15) Austin Peay (24-10) vs (2) Texas (28-6) (Little Rock)
7:10 PM: (16) Play-In Winner (TBD) vs (1) North Carolina (32-2) (Raleigh)
7:10 PM: (11) St. Joseph's (21-12) vs (6) Oklahoma (22-11) (Birmingham)
7:20 PM: (13) Siena (22-10) vs (4) Vanderbilt (26-7) (Tampa)
7:25 PM: (9) Oregon (18-13) vs (8) Mississippi State (22-10) (Little Rock)
9:50 PM: (9) Arkansas (22-11) vs (8) Indiana (25-7) (Raleigh)
9:50 PM: (14) Boise State (25-8) vs (3) Louisville (24-8) (Birmingham)
9:50 PM: (12) Villanova (20-12) vs (5) Clemson (24-9) (Tampa)
9:55 PM: (16) UT Arlington (21-11) vs (1) Memphis (33-1) (Little Rock)
Davidson against the Zags looks good, as does Clemson against 'Nova. Otherwise, a typical snoozer first round (speaking as a neutral, non-participant observer here - it's almost like being Swiss once you get to 'acceptance').
I see a lot to like in the first round, myself.
I think Temple/Michigan State and/or Georgia/Xavier could be knock-out starters ... or total duds. Depends on whether the hot-conference teams (Temple & Georgia) continue their torid play or, happy with just making it, sit back and get whacked by higher seeds.
Kentucky/Marquette has a lot of potential interest, though the style KY has played to win is Sendekian in its boringness.
Keep an eye on ORU/Pitt. By some bizarre happenstance, I've caught several ORU games this year and they are a tough little team. If Pitt has a hangover from the Big East tournament, everyone's fave upset specialists in the West could find themselves in a real dog-fight with these guys.
K-State/Southern Cal is another potential winner, though neither is a "great" team so you have a cap on the probably quality of play.
Then there is Winthrop/Washington State -- frankly, this is not a top of the line Winthrop team but Washington State has been really disappointing. I don't expect a good game but nonetheless am hopefull that the Eagles play above their heads a bit to make this one fun.
I don't know if it is much of an upset, but BYU/TAMU could be an early exit for the Aggies. BYU is a very mature (a lot of post-mission seniors), experienced team that could give the erratic Aggies a world of trouble. It may not be an exciting game in terms of probably being a grinding affair if BYU is going to be in it, but another one to keep an eye on.
Arizona/WVU should be an interesting contrast in styles. It think the Cats never really got it together and so favor WVU, but Zona certainly has the component parts to make this a wild one. Also, watch that Wisconsin/Cal State Fulerton score. I expect Wiscy to run away with it but with their slower style could leave the door open for a scrappy little team.
And that is just Thursday!
Actually, I think that being neutral makes you more cynical/circumspect (depending on your POV) about the match-ups. I know I'm much more likely to get excited about games like the ones I trumpeted above than I was in the 2 seasons UNC missed the tournament.
i haven't quite had the nerve to go with ORU but agree that might be nailbiter. Also picking BYU and WestbyGod
OK, CBS has published the weekend schedule, too. Hopefully we all want to watch Dook play AZ or WVU & Vandy versus Clemson or Nova b/c those are the only games in the opening time-slots this weekend.
[* times approximate 30 minutes after prior game]
SATURDAY
2:10 p.m.: West Virginia/Arizona vs. Duke/Belmont
4:20 p.m.: USC/Kansas St. vs. Wisconsin/Cal St. Fullerton
4:40* p.m.: Xavier/Georgia vs. Purdue/Baylor
6:40 p.m.: Washington St./Winthrop vs. Notre Dame/George Mason
6:45 p.m.: Stanford/Cornell vs. Marquette/Kentucky
6:50* p.m.: Kansas/Portland State vs. UNLV/Kent State
9:10* p.m.: Pittsburgh/Oral Roberts vs. Michigan State/Temple
9:15* p.m.: UCLA/Mississippi Valley vs. Brigham Young/Texas A&M
SUNDAY
12:10 p.m.: Vanderbilt/Siena vs. Clemson/Villanova
2:15 p.m.: Miami/St. Mary's vs. Texas/Austin Peay
2:30 p.m.: Tennessee/American vs. Butler/South Alabama
2:40 p.m.: Gonzaga/Davidson vs. Georgetown/UMBC
2:40* p.m.: Drake/Western Kentucky vs. Connecticut/San Diego
4:45* p.m.: Memphis/Texas-Arlington vs. Mississippi St./Oregon
5:00* p.m.: Oklahoma/St. Joseph's vs. Louisville/Boise State
5:10* p.m.: North Carolina/Coppin St. or MSM vs. Indiana/Arkansas
although it would involve us losing in shameful fashion, the prospect of Mt. St. Mary's playing St. Mary's is intriguing... imagine the Mascot fight in that one!!
I'll be at the Sunday games and perhaps a non-UNC Friday game courtesy of a buddy of mine who has Canes season tix and parlayed those into 8 seats at the RBC for these rounds ...
Cool!
I've been to every round of the NCAA Tournament (in different years) and I have discovered the first two rounds are definitely the stay home and gorge on hoops on TV rounds for me ... especially since they introduced the NCAA Tournament package so I can watch any and all games I want.