Over the next 13 days, the brackets will start to take shape. Teams with no at-large aspirations will make one final push at the post-season. Teams on the bubble will look to assert themselves as worthy members of “The Big Dance”, and contenders will start priming their engines for a national Championship run. While “March Madness” officially begins following Selection Sunday, the real madness starts now.
Until Sunday, March 11, this will be your home for Championship Week recaps and previews. The players and teams are starting to prepare for March Madness, so you should too.
Game of the Night: Xavier vs. Saint Louis
This is a classic bubble eliminator. Unless the game is decided in overtime, the loser is likely headed to the N.I.T. Both teams excelled in non-conference play but were unable to sustain momentum during league play. Which team will be able to “Zip ‘em up”?
Player to Watch: Perry Jones III, Baylor
The sensational sophomore has registered 49 points and 18 rebounds in the previous two games, and looks to be gaining the consistency he lacked during the regular season. He put up big numbers against Kansas, and a win against Missouri in the Big-XII title game would do wonders for this teams confidence and mental toughness.
Miscellaneous Madness: Selection Sunday is roughly 24 hours away. Need I say more?
Saturday Schedule:
America East Conference Finals
11:00AM - #2 Vermont at #1 Stony Brook
Atlantic Coast Conference Semifinals
1:00PM - #5 North Carolina State vs. #1 North Carolina
3:00PM -#3 Florida State vs. #2 Duke
Atlantic-10 Conference Semifinals
1:00PM - #8 Massachusetts vs. #4 St. Bonaventure’s
3:30PM - #3 Xavier vs. #2 Saint Louis
Big East Conference Finals
9:00PM - #7 Louisville vs. #4 Cincinnati
Big-Ten Conference Semifinals
1:40PM - #4 Wisconsin vs. #1 Michigan State
3:30PM - #2 Ohio State vs. #2 Michigan
Big-XII Conference Finals
5:00PM - #4 Baylor vs. #1 Missouri
Big West Finals
10PM - #3 Santa Barbara vs. #1 Long Beach State
Conference-USA Finals
10:30AM - #5 Marshall vs. #1 Memphis
Mid-American Conference Finals
8:00PM - #3 Ohio vs. #1 Akron
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Finals
1:00PM - #4 Bethune-Cookman vs. #2 Norfolk State
Mountain West Conference Finals
7:00PM - #2 New Mexico vs. #1 San Diego State
Pac-12 Conference Finals
6:00PM - #6 Colorado vs. #4 Arizona
Southeastern Conference Semifinals
1:00PM - #4 Florida vs. #1 Kentucky
3:30PM - #7 Ole Miss vs. #3 Vanderbilt
Southland Conference Finals
3:00PM - #4 McNeese State vs. #3 Lamar
Southwestern Athletic Conference Finals
8:00PM - #2 Texas Southern vs. #1 Mississippi Valley State
Western Athletic Conference Finals
11:00PM - #5 Louisiana Tech vs. #2 New Mexico State