The March Madness countdown has begun.
The NCAA Tournament, a treasured annual ritual, begins this week. Now that the pairings have been set for Selection Sunday, thousands will fill out their brackets in the hopes of winning the office poll or at least earning some respect.
Who will win it all? UConn is the No. 1 overall seed and the popular selection to win its sixth overall title and become the first team to repeat as NCAA champion since Florida in 2006-07. Other top seeds include Houston, Purdue, and North Carolina.
March Madness: How To Watch And What To Watch For In The 2024 NCAA Tournament
However, there are no obvious superior teams this year, and it might be another wild ride; remember that last year’s Final Four had two 5 seeds (Miami and San Diego State), the fourth-seeded Huskies, and the ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic.
The competition begins with the opening Four on Tuesday and the opening round on Thursday.
5 Gonzaga vs. 12 McNeese State. The Cowboys are in the tournament for the first time since 2002, and they are one of just four teams with 30 wins under first-year coach Will Wade. The Zags had their lowest seed in seven appearances.
6 South Carolina versus 11 Oregon. South Carolina tied for second in the SEC after being ranked worst in the preseason. To qualify, the Ducks must win the last Pac-12 Tournament, and Dana Altman may meet his old team (Creighton) if they beat the Gamecocks.
6 Clemson vs. 11 New Mexico. Tigers are coming off losses in three of their last four games. Richard Pitino’s Lobos are hot after defeating San Diego State in the Mountain West tournament.
8 Nebraska vs. 9 Texas A&M The Cornhuskers are the only Power Five team that has never won a game in the tournament. Their athletic director, Trev Alberts, transferred to A&M last week to take the same position.
HOW TO WATCH:
Every game of the men’s tournament will be broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, or TruTV, as well as its digital platforms, including Paramount+. Here is a schedule that will be updated with matchups. TBS will broadcast this year’s Final Four and national championship game.
The NCAA is airing games through its March Madness Live platform.
BETTING GUIDE
FanDuel Sportsbook ranks UConn, Houston, and Purdue as the top three betting favourites (in that order).
WHO’S PLAYING?
UConn, the defending national champion, is the top overall seed after winning both the Big East regular season and tournament championships. Houston, Purdue, and North Carolina are all top seeds.
Their first games are UConn vs. Stetson, Houston vs. Longwood, Purdue vs. Montana State or Grambling, and North Carolina against. Howard or Wagner.
When are the games?
The First Four is held in Dayton, Ohio, with first—and second-round games scheduled for March Madness 21-24 in cities from New York City to Spokane, Washington.
Sweet 16 games will take place March madness 28-31 in Boston (East Regional), Dallas (South), Detroit (Midwest), and Los Angeles (West).
The Final Four will be held in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday, April 6, with the title game scheduled for Monday, April 8.
SOURCE – (AP)
