Special March Madness First Round Viewing Guide

The top three games during each time slot are listed below starting with the games that are projected to be the most fun to watch. All times AZ.

THURSDAY MORNING

5 Notre Dame vs. 12 Princeton
9:00 AM, CBS

5 Virginia vs. 12 UNC Wilmington
9:30 AM, TruTV
Blowout Warning

4 Butler vs. 13 Winthrop
10:00 AM, TNT
Blowout Warning

THURSDAY LUNCH BREAK

8 Northwestern vs. 9 Vanderbilt
1:20 PM, TBS
Overtime Watch

5 Minnesota vs. 12 Middle Tennessee
12:50 PM, TNT
Upset Alert / Overtime Watch

4 Florida vs. 13 East Tennessee St.
12:00 PM, TruTV
Blowout Warning

THURSDAY AFTERNOON

6 Maryland vs. 11 Xavier
3:45 PM, TNT
Upset Alert / Overtime Watch

7 St. Mary’s vs. 10 VCU
4:15 PM, TBS

4 Purdue vs. 13 Vermont
4:15 PM, TruTV

THURSDAY NIGHT

8 Wisconsin vs. 9 Virginia Tech
6:30 PM, CBS

5 Iowa St. vs. 12 Nevada
6:55 PM, TruTV

3 Florida St. vs. 14 Florida Gulf Coast
6:15 PM, TNT
Blowout Warning

FRIDAY MORNING

7 Michigan vs. 10 Oklahoma St.
9:00 AM, CBS
Upset Alert / Overtime Watch

8 Arkansas vs. 9 Seton Hall
10:00 AM, TNT
Overtime Watch

3 Baylor vs. 14 New Mexico St.
9:30 AM, TruTV
Blowout Warning

FRIDAY LUNCH BREAK

6 Creighton vs. 11 Rhode Island
1:20 PM, TBS
Upset Alert

6 SMU vs. 11 USC
12:00 PM, TruTV

2 Louisville vs. 15 Jacksonville St.
11:30 PM, CBS
Blowout Warning

FRIDAY AFTERNOON

6 Cincinnati vs. 11 K-State
4:15 PM, TruTV
Upset Alert

7 Dayton vs. 10 Wichita St.
4:00 PM, CBS
Upset Alert

2 Duke vs. 15 Troy
4:15 PM, TBS
Blowout Warning

FRIDAY NIGHT

7 South Carolina vs. 10 Marquette
6:45 PM, TBS
Game of the Round / Upset Alert / Overtime Watch

8 Miami (FL) vs. 9 Michigan St.
6:15 PM, TNT
Overtime Watch

3 UCLA vs. 14 Kent St.
6:55 PM, TruTV
Blowout Warning

What to Watch – Special March Madness First Round Edition

The games are ranked using a zero- to five-star scale. Five stars meaning that you should make every human effort possible aside from committing a crime to watch this game (it’s time your children learned to feed themselves) and zero stars meaning you probably shouldn’t waste your time.

Games are ranked using a super-scientific system comparing the overall quality of the two teams and the closeness of the match-up. The quality of each team is found using Ken Pomeroy’s, ESPN’s, and Jeff Sagarin’s advanced stats ranking systems.

Without further ado: the games. All times AZ. Picks in CAPS.

GAME OF THE ROUND 

7 South Carolina vs. 10 MARQUETTE
Fri., Mar. 17, 6:45 PM, TBS
Upset Alert / Overtime Watch

FIVE-STAR GAMES

7 MICHIGAN vs. 10 Oklahoma St.
Fri., Mar. 17, 9:00 AM, CBS
Upset Alert / Overtime Watch

8 MIAMI vs. 9 Michigan St.
Fri., Mar. 17, 6:15 PM, TNT
Overtime Watch

FOUR-STAR GAMES

6 CREIGHTON vs. 11 Rhode Island
Fri., Mar. 17, 1:20 PM, TBS
Upset Alert

8 Northwestern vs. 9 VANDERBILT
Thu., Mar. 16, 1:20 PM, TBS
Overtime Watch

6 Maryland vs. 11 XAVIER
Thu., Mar. 16, 3:45 PM, TNT
Upset Alert / Overtime Watch

8 ARKANSAS vs. 9 Seton Hall
Fri., Mar. 17, 10:00 AM, TNT
Overtime Watch

6 CINCINNATI vs. 11 Kansas St.
Fri., Mar. 17, 4:15 PM, TruTV
Upset Alert

5 MINNESOTA vs. 12 Middle Tennessee
Thu., Mar. 16, 12:50 PM, TNT
Upset Alert / Overtime Watch

THREE-STAR GAMES

8 WISCONSIN vs. 9 Virginia Tech
Thu., Mar. 16, 6:30 PM, CBS

5 IOWA ST. vs. 12 Nevada
Thu., Mar. 16, 6:55 PM, TruTV

5 NOTRE DAME vs. 12 Princeton
Thu., Mar. 16, 9:00 AM, CBS

7 Dayton vs. 10 WICHITA ST.
Fri., Mar. 17, 4:00 PM, CBS
Upset Alert

7 ST. MARY’S vs. 10 VCU
Thu., Mar. 16, 4:15 PM, CBS

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