/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49071327/usa-today-8498843.0.jpg)
Back in the day when a lot of us were growing up, you got to watch the game that CBS decided you wanted to watch. Sure, we all got to see Bryce Drew throw in that miracle against Ole Miss, but what if Xavier had been playing right then? Now, we are presented with the other issue. With literally every game being televised, it can be hard to know where to be and when. Even worse, what if you land on a game that Bill Raftery is somehow calling? To help keep things straight, we've compiled every first round listing, tipoff time, and announcer pairing right here. We'll link to this throughout the weekend to keep you up to date on when, and where, things are happening.
Play-in Games
Date | Tip (ET) | Network | Site | Game | Play-by-Play/Analyst//Reporter |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tuesday, March 15 | 6:40 p.m. | truTV | Dayton | Fla Gulf Coast Eagles vs. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights | Andrew Catalon / Steve Lappas // Jamie Erdahl |
Tuesday, March 15 | After conc. I | truTV | Dayton | Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Wichita State Shockers | Catalon / Lappas // Erdahl |
Wednesday, March 16 | 6:40 p.m. | truTV | Dayton | Holy Cross Crusaders vs. Southern Jaguars | Carter Blackburn / Mike Gminski // Jaime Maggio |
Wednesday, March 16 | After conc. I | truTV | Dayton | Michigan Wolverines vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane | Blackburn / Gminski //Maggio |
These aren't exactly your marquee matchups. Frankly, I find it a little difficult to digest that automatic qualifiers have to play in to the tournament (especially in Dayton) but that's the way it goes. Vandy, Tulsa, and Michigan are all teams that could have just as easily been left out for the likes of Monmouth or St. Bonaventure. The pressure will be on them to justify their existence in the field of 68.
Thursday March 17: Round of 64 Games
TIP (ET) | NETWORK | SITE | Region | GAME | PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST//REPORTER |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12:15 p.m. | CBS | Providence | West | (4) Duke Blue Devils vs. (13) NC-Wilmington Seahawks | Ian Eagle/Chris Webber/Len Elmore//Evan Washburn |
12:40 p.m. | truTV | Raleigh | Midwest | (8) Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. (9) Butler Bulldogs | Kevin Harlan/Reggie Miller/Dan Bonner//Lewis Johnson |
1:30 p.m. | TNT | Des Moines | South | (8) Colorado Buffaloes vs. (9) Connecticut Huskies | Jim Nantz/Grant Hill/Bill Raftery//Tracy Wolfson |
2:00 p.m. | TBS | Denver | Midwest | (4) Iowa State Cyclones vs. (13) Iona Gaels | Andrew Catalon/Steve Lappas//Jamie Erdahl |
After conc. I | CBS | Providence | West | (5) Baylor Bears vs. (12) Yale Bulldogs | Eagle/ Webber/Elmore//Washburn |
After conc. I | truTV | Raleigh | Midwest | (1) Virginia Cavaliers vs. (16) Hampton Pirates | Harlan/Miller/Bonner//Johnson |
After conc. I | TNT | Des Moines | South | (1) Kansas Jayhawks vs. (16) Austin Peay Governors | Nantz/Hill/Raftery//Wolfson |
After conc. I | TBS | Denver | Midwest | (5) Purdue Boilermakers vs. (12) Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans | Catalon/ Lappas// Erdahl |
6:50 p.m. | TNT | Providence | South | (3) Miami-Florida Hurricanes vs. (14) Buffalo Bulls | Eagle/ Webber/Elmore//Washburn |
7:10 p.m. | CBS | Des Moines | East | (5) Indiana Hoosiers vs.(12) Chattanooga Mocs | Nantz/Hill/Raftery//Wolfson |
7:20 p.m. | TBS | Raleigh | East | (1) North Carolina Tar Heels vs. (16) Florida Gulf Coast/Fairleigh Dickinson | Harlan/Miller/Bonner//Johnson |
7:27 p.m. | truTV | Denver | Midwest | (3) Utah Utes vs. (14) Fresno State Bulldogs | Catalon/ Lappas// Erdahl |
After conc. III | TNT | Providence | South | (6) Arizona Wildcats vs. (11) Vanderbilt/Wichita State | Eagle/ Webber/Elmore//Washburn |
After conc. III | CBS | Des Moines | East | (4) Kentucky Wildcats vs. (13) Stony Brook Seawolves | Nantz/Hill/Raftery//Wolfson |
After conc. III | TBS | Raleigh | East | (8) USC Trojans vs. (9) Providence Friars | Harlan/Miller/Bonner//Johnson |
After conc. III | truTV | Denver | Midwest | (6) Seton Hall Pirates vs. (11) Gonzaga Bulldogs | Catalon/ Lappas// Erdahl |
The first thing that jumps out here is that Jim Nantz is really good, Bill Raftery is really bad, and the powers that be have forced them on us in the same announcer group. On the other hand, Ian Eagle and Len Elmore should be genuinely good to listen to. There may end up being a small break in the games between that last tip of the first set on TBS and the 6:50 tip on TNT. Plan runs for wings, pizza, and other necessities accordingly.
Friday March 18: Round of 64
TIP (ET) | NETWORK | SITE | Region | GAME | PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST//REPORTER |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12:15 p.m. | CBS | St. Louis | Midwest | (7) Dayton Flyers vs. (10) Syracuse Orange | Brian Anderson/Steve Smith//Dana Jacobson |
12:40 p.m. | truTV | Brooklyn | South | (2) Villanova Wildcats vs. (15) UNC-Asheville Bulldogs | Verne Lundquist/Jim Spanarkel//Allie LaForce |
1:30 p.m. | TNT | Oklahoma City | West | (7) Oregon State Beavers vs. 910) Virginia Commonwealth Rams | Carter Blackburn/ Mike Gminski//Jaime Maggio |
2:00 p.m. | TBS | Spokane | South | (4) California Golden Bears vs. (13) Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | Spero Dedes/Doug Gottlieb//Ros Gold-Onwude |
After conc. I | CBS | St. Louis | Midwest | (2) Michigan State Spartans vs. (15) Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders | Anderson/Smith//Jacobson |
After conc. I | TNT | Oklahoma City | West | (2) Oklahoma Sooners vs. (15) CS-Bakersfield Roadrunners | Blackburn/Gminski//Maggio |
After conc. I | Brooklyn | South | (7) Iowa Hawkeyes vs. (10) Temple Owls | Lundquist/Spanarkel//LaForce | |
After conc. I | TBS | Spokane | South | (5) Maryland Terrapins vs. (12) South Dakota State Jackrabbits | Dedes/Gottlieb//Gold-Onwude |
6:50 p.m. | TNT | St. Louis | East | (7) Wisconsin Badgers vs.(10) Pittsburgh Panthers | Anderson/Smith//Jacobson |
7:10 p.m. | CBS | Brooklyn | East | (3) West Virginia Mountaineers vs. (14) Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks | Lundquist/Spanarkel//LaForce |
7:20 p.m. | TBS | Oklahoma City | West | (3) Texas A&M Aggies vs. (14) Green Bay Phoenix | Blackburn/Gminski//Maggio |
7:27 p.m. | truTV | Spokane | West | (1) Oregon Ducks vs. (16) Holy Cross/Southern U. | Dedes/Gottlieb//Gold-Onwude |
After conc. III | TNT | St. Louis | East | (2) Xavier Musketeers vs. (15) Weber State Wildcats | Anderson/Smith//Jacobson |
After conc. III | CBS | Brooklyn | East | (6) Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs.(11) Michigan/Tulsa | Lundquist/Spanarkel//LaForce |
After conc. III | TBS | Oklahoma City | West | (6) Texas Longhorns vs.(11) Northern Iowa Panthers | Blackburn/Gminski//Maggio |
After conc. III | truTV | Spokane | West | (8) Saint Josephs (PA) Hawks vs. (9) Cincinnati Bearcats | Dedes/Gottlieb//Gold-Onwude |
Verne Lundquist is not only still alive, he's still calling games. It would be fantastic to hear him call a first round upset for SFA. Brian Anderson and Steve Smith are calling Xavier's game against Weber State. Anderson is primarily a baseball guy, but he's been in the tournament the last couple of years. Just in case there wasn't enough impetus to salvage sleep by not watching UC already, Doug Gottlieb is on the call.