Preview Roundups
March 17, 2017
Oklahoma St. at Michigan 12:15 PM ET
Seventh-seeded Michigan looks to build off its incredible run in the Big Ten Tournament when it takes on No. 10 seed Oklahoma State in the first round of the Midwest Region in Indianapolis on Friday. The Wolverines almost missed the conference tournament after their charter plan skidded off the runway en route to Washington, but proceeded to win four games in four days - capped by a 71-56 victory against Wisconsin in Sunday's final - to lift their first conference tournament championship since 1
New Mexico St. at Baylor 12:40 PM ET
After finishing tied for second place in the powerful Big 12 Conference, Baylor held out hope for a program-best No. 2 seed despite suffering a 70-64 quarterfinal loss to Kansas State in the conference tournament. Instead, the Bears matched a school record with a No. 3 seeding in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament but also got their best-case scenario by being placed in the Tulsa quadrant, where they will face 14th-seeded WAC champion New Mexico State in the first round Friday.
Seton Hall at Arkansas 1:30 PM ET
Seton Hall, back in the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season, needs to be at its very best if it has designs on advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. The ninth-seeded Pirates, who lost in the first round as a No. 6 seed last season, face eighth-seeded Arkansas on Friday in the South Region in Greenville, S.C.
Iona at Oregon 2:00 PM ET
After having its hopes for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament dashed by Arizona, Oregon was assigned a third seed and sent to the Midwest Region for a first-round matchup against 14th-seeded Iona in Sacramento on Friday. The Ducks lost 83-80 to Arizona in Saturday’s Pac-12 tournament title game in their first contest without senior forward Chris Boucher, who will miss the Tournament with a knee injury.
Jacksonville St. at Louisville 2:45 PM ET
A year after a self-imposed postseason ban, Louisville returns to the NCAA Tournament with a first-round matchup against Jacksonville State on Friday in Indianapolis. The Cardinals earned the second seed in the Midwest Region, finishing in a tie for second in the ultra-competitive ACC before being knocked out by Duke in the quarterfinals of the conference tourney.
Southern California at Southern Methodist 3:10 PM ET
Sixth-seeded SMU rides a 16-game winning streak as it tries to snap a stretch of almost three decades without an NCAA Tournament victory Friday when it takes on 11th seed USC in the first round of the Eastern Region in Tulsa, Okla. The Mustangs are winners of a school-record 30 games this season, but have not won a contest in the Big Dance since defeating Notre Dame in the first round in 1988.
Texas Southern at North Carolina 4:00 PM ET
North Carolina has some unfinished business to take care of in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels' mission to complete their task begins on Friday when the No. 1 seed in the South Region takes on 16th-seeded Texas Southern in Greenville, S.C.
Rhode Island at Creighton 4:30 PM ET
On track for a possible top-eight NCAA Tournament
seed two months ago with an 18-1 start, Creighton instead settled for a No. 6
seed after losing star point Maurice Watson Jr. to injury and going 7-8 in its
final 15 games. That seed also entails a first-round Midwest Region matchup
Friday against 11th-seeded Rhode Island in Sacramento.
UC Davis at Kansas 6:50 PM ET
Top-seeded Kansas begins its quest for a fourth NCAA Tournament title and first since 2008 when it takes on 16th seed UC Davis in the first round of the Midwest Region on Friday night in Tulsa, Okla. The Jayhawks come in with a little more rest than expected after being upset by TCU on March 9 in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals and make their record 28th consecutive appearance in the Big Dance.
Wichita St. at Dayton 7:10 PM ET
Wichita State won 30 games, but that was only good enough to earn a No. 10 seed in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament. The Shockers, who won both the regular season and tournament titles in the Missouri Valley Conference, will take on seventh-seeded Dayton on Friday in Indianapolis.
Troy at Duke 7:20 PM ET
After running through the loaded ACC tournament bracket, Duke now turns its attention to the NCAA Tournament East Region, which the second-seeded Blue Devils will begin with a matchup against No. 15 seed Troy on Friday in Greenville, S.C. The Blue Devils are in the NCAA Tournament for the 33rd time under coach Mike Krzyzewski and the 22nd season in a row.
Kansas St. at Cincinnati 7:27 PM ET
Despite leading his program to its best season in 15 years, Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin wasn't particularly happy with the NCAA Tournament committee's opinion of his team on Selection Sunday or where it had to go to prove itself. The sixth-seeded Bearcats attempt to earn a bit more respect Friday when they head to Sacramento, Calif. to face No. 11 seed Kansas State in first-round action of the South region.
Michigan St at Miami-Florida 9:20 PM ET
An intriguing 8-9 matchup in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament has No. 8 seed Miami of the Atlantic Coast Conference taking on No. 9 Michigan State of the Big Ten in a first-round game in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday. Both teams come in having lost three of their last four after losing in the quarterfinals of their respective conference tournaments, though the Spartans have a long history of tournament success under coach Tom Izzo.
Northern Kentucky at Kentucky 9:40 PM ET
Kentucky begins its bid for a ninth NCAA Tournament title when it meets No. 15 Northern Kentucky on Friday in the first round of the South Region in Indianapolis and coach John Calipari made it clear how the Wildcats can reach the pinnacle. "What happens for us the rest of the way will all be based on how we play ... it'll be all based on defense,'' Calipari said after the Wildcats won the SEC title with an 82-65 victory over Arkansas on Sunday.
Marquette at South Carolina 9:50 PM ET
South Carolina gets some home cooking for its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years when it faces Marquette on Friday in Greenville, S.C. The seventh-seeded Gamecocks, who are led by SEC Player of the Year and leading scorer Sindarius Thornwell, haven't won a tournament game since 1973 while the 10th-seeded Golden Eagles are in for the first time under coach Steve Wojciechowski.
Kent St. at UCLA 9:57 PM ET
UCLA ended the regular season ranked No. 3 in the nation in the coaches' poll, but was eliminated in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament, leaving the Bruins seeded third in the South Region heading into their first-round game Friday against 14th-seeded Kent State in Sacramento. The Bruins showed few vulnerabilities while going unbeaten in nonconference play, then came back to beat the three Pac-12 teams that defeated them earlier in the season, but UCLA couldn't capitalize on its strengths i
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