The madness officially begins today with a slate of 16 games in the men’s NCAA Tournament first round and two more First Four games in the women’s field tonight.
Among the featured matchups on the men’s side: No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga begins its quest for an elusive championship as it takes on No. 16 Georgia State. Two other top seeds, Baylor and Kansas, are also in action.
The Bears play Norfolk State in an East Region matchup, and in the Midwest Region, the Jayhawks play in the day’s latest tipoff as they entertain Texas Southern, who won their First Four game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Michigan, which barely squeaked into the 68-team field, starts off the action Thursday at 12:15 p.m. ET as it faces a dangerous Colorado State team and its Mountain West player of the year David Roddy.
Other intriguing matchups include No. 9 Memphis against No. 8 Boise State in the West Region and the always dangerous 5-12 slate, with New Mexico State and Connecticut battling it out.
On the women’s side, Longwood battles Mount Saint Marry’s in a battle for the No. 16 seed (7 p.m.) while Missouri State takes on Florida State for the No. 11 seed.
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Dark horses and overrated teams
When filling out your bracket, keep in mind there are bound to be many upsets, so don’t forget to pay attention to these teams, such as Iowa, which is a trendy pick to make the Final Four. Also, look out for UCLA, which is trying to repeat its Final Four magic from a year ago. The Bruins are starting to get healthy at the right time and could be trouble an issue for teams that overlook them.
While there are sleepers in the field, there are also teams that either have no business in the tournament or could find their way back home before the first weekend is gone.
Teams like Houston, Texas, Iowa State, Saint Mary’s and Ohio State earned at-large bids while navigating their regular-season schedule, but haven’t shown why you should pencil them in when it comes to advancing through the tournament.
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Dick Vitale vs. cancer
College basketball Hall of Fame broadcaster Dick Vitale usually is pumped up for this time of year, but after being diagnosed with cancer and recovering from surgery on his vocal cords to treat lymphoma, Vitale hasn’t been able to speak and show his enthusiasm for the game he loves.
“Not being able to communicate has me crying my eyes out,” Vitale, 82, told USA TODAY Sports through text messages. “I love speaking with people – at lunch or dinner, with my wife and family, and especially with people in public when they come up to me for a conversation.”
Vitale was set to have an evaluation to check his voice on March 16 – the day before the first round of the men’s NCAA Tournament.
Bill Self tops list of highest-paid in college basketball
Kansas coach Bill Self has guided the Jayhawks to success on the court and is handsomely rewarded for his effort to the turn of being one of the highest-paid coaches in college basketball. Self is making $10.2 million this season as the Jayhawks have another team capable of making a title run.
Each of the top five coaches who earn the most have won at least one national championship.
On the women’s side, South Carolina’s Dawn Staley sets the standard as she is making nearly $3 million per season.
Notre Dame outlasts Rutgers in double overtime
Notre Dame forward Paul Atkinson Jr.’s made a putback layup with 1.4 seconds remaining in the second overtime lifting the Fighting Irish to a 89-87 win in the final First Four game in Dayton. The Irish now travel to San Diego in a West Region contest to face No. 6 seed Alabama.
Indiana’s plane issues
After Indiana beat Wyoming in a First Four matchup, the Hoosiers had issues leaving Dayton. The team didn’t leave the city until 4 a.m. because it had to switch planes because the one that was waiting for them was too small to accommodate everyone.
The plane ended up landing five hours later in Portland, giving Indiana less than 36 hours before they take on Saint Mary’s in Thursday’s NCAA tournament first round.
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