The volume notches up as the audience settles in. The round of 32 is less crowded and more competitive than its predecessor. It also falls on a weekend. Saturday’s schedule has mass appeal between the national fixations (Duke, Michigan, Houston) and the agents of chaos (High Point, Texas, VCU).
Here is a quick introduction to the NCAA Tournament’s second round. It’s a strange, wondrous place. Five years ago on this very date, Loyola Chicago toppled top-seeded Illinois and put the nation on notice. Watch out for whatever is fated this go-around.
All times ET. All efficiency stats via KenPom.
March Madness schedule for round of 32, Saturday
| Game | Time | TV | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Michigan vs. Saint Louis |
12:10 p.m. |
CBS |
|
|
Michigan St. vs. Louisville |
2:45 p.m. |
CBS |
|
|
Duke vs. TCU |
5:15 p.m. |
CBS |
|
|
Houston vs. Texas A&M |
6:10 p.m. |
TNT |
Max |
|
Gonzaga vs. Texas |
7:10 p.m. |
TBS |
Max |
|
Illinois vs. VCU |
7:50 p.m. |
CBS |
|
|
Nebraska vs. Vanderbilt |
8:45 p.m. |
TNT |
Max |
|
Arkansas vs. High Point |
9:45 p.m. |
TBS |
Max |
CBS is free over the air and included in Paramount+ subscriptions. Streaming is also available on the March Madness Live app.
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 9 Saint Louis
Midwest Region
There were faint murmurs after Michigan lost the Big Ten tournament title game to Purdue. The Wolverines responded by cracking triple digits in Thursday’s NCAA Tournament opener. Morez Johnson Jr. had 21 points on perfect 8-for-8 shooting. Elliot Cadeau had nine assists to one turnover. Center Aday Mara flexed his versatility through a line of 19/7/6, plus three blocks.
Granted, Saint Louis is far tougher than No. 16 seed Howard. The Billikens logged a triple-figure outburst of their own, beating Georgia by a 102-77 final. Dion Brown made nine of his 10 shots, while Robbie Avila ranged from rim stuffs to a 28-foot triple. The bespectacled big man has a folkloric quality that would balloon with another W. Michigan All-American Yaxel Lendeborg will try to be Bill Russell to Avila’s “Milk Chamberlain.”
No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 6 Louisville
East Region
Tom Izzo is Izzo-ing once more. Sparty was efficient off the glass and automatic at the foul line versus North Dakota State. Jeremy Fears Jr. leads Division I in assists per game, and he added 11 dimes in Thursday’s beatdown. Four-year Spartan Carson Cooper put up a 20-10 double-double.
Louisville was on upset watch with Mikel Brown Jr. (back) out for opening weekend. Pat Kelsey and the Cardinals took care of business anyway. They bested South Florida off the strength of Isaac McKneely’s seven made 3-pointers. Senior guard Ryan Conwell resumes high volume and heavy usage, facing a Michigan State team that ranks No. 14 in adjusted defensive efficiency.
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 TCU
East Region
What … uh, what was that? Powerhouse Duke wobbled into an improbable, surreal 11-point halftime deficit against Siena. The Blue Devils ended up with a six-point win, though the game spread hovered close to 30 by tipoff. Despite his near-perfect freshman campaign, Cameron Boozer had a sloppy tourney debut — 4-of-11 from the field, five unsightly turnovers. Isaiah Evans came through for a momentum-swinging slam and scooped five offensive boards from the wing. We’ll see if Thursday was a blip of Madness or a harbinger of bad vibes.
TCU had a close call of its own, though the Horned Frogs’ narrow finish was much more understandable. David Punch shifted through the Ohio State zone and found Xavier Edmonds for the tie-breaking, game-winning layup. Afterward, Edmonds evoked a basketball truism (“job’s not finished“) to spur on his TCU teammates. The job indeed continues, but it doesn’t get much harder than Duke’s top-rated defense.
No. 2 Houston vs. No. 10 Texas A&M
South Region
Our last memory of Houston in the NCAA Tournament had been last year’s national title nightmare. Thankfully for Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars, their ledger was finally reset in Thursday’s first-round breeze past Idaho. The pressurizing defense forced the Vandals into gnarly 29/20 percent shooting splits. Kingston Flemings broke his tourney seal with 18 points in an efficient 27 minutes. Emanuel Sharp made all three of his 3s to christen his revenge tour.
H-Town is countered by College Station. Texas A&M pulled a convincing 10-over-7 upset at Saint Mary’s expense; 25-year-old senior Rashaun Agee was the Aggies’ leader in points, rebounds and assists. Bucky McMillan introduces pressing “Bucky Ball” to the South side of the bracket, though TAMU’s defense is unlikely to get another 18 takeaways. This time, the Aggies’ opponent touts the seventh-best turnover rate in the nation.
No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 11 Texas
West Region
The Zags carry the second-longest active streak for tournament berths, their 27 straight dances one year short of Izzo and Michigan State. To advance into the Sweet 16, they must stop a Texas team that refuses to stop dancing. The Longhorns jolted out of the First Four with Tramon Mark’s walk-off fadeaway jumper. Then they conquered AJ Dybantsa’s BYU outfit, thanks to a Mark halftime buzzer-beater and a strong showing from Matas Vokietaitis.
Gonzaga plays sound defense around Graham Ike, whose collegiate career began in 2020. The super-senior brings a fiery magnitude that lifts his tempered Bulldogs.
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 11 VCU
South Region
Heading into Saturday, Illinois boasts the second-best offensive rating in all of college basketball. Choose your (freshman) fighter. Montenegrin forward David Mirkovic scored 29 points in 28 minutes during the first-round dispatch of Penn. NBA prospect Keaton Wagler had an 18/7/7 line and sunk four 3s. The Illini are lengthy, creative and deep in their scoring bag.
VCU eschews that pro-level smoothness for uncut chaos. The Rams just ripped off the second-biggest second-half comeback in NCAA Tournament history. They trailed UNC by 19 before Terrence Hill Jr. went heat-seeking. He nailed a four-point play that prompted the revival, and he drained a crossover iso 3 to seal things in overtime. VCU won’t have margin for error against Illinois’ top-line talent. But no one can rule the Rams out after Thursday’s absolute banger.
No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt
South Region
It’s a clash of long-suffering programs. At least someone will leave with weight off their shoulders.
Vanderbilt notched its first March Madness win since 2012. The Commodores survived buzzy sleeper McNeese as Tyler Tanner dropped 26 points. And Nebraska just recorded its first March Madness win ever; Pryce Sandfort rained seven made 3s atop No. 13 seed Troy. The Commodores now sit at No. 8 in offensive rating and the Cornhuskers are seventh on defense. Both sides are top of the table when it comes to overdue fan bases. One Sweet 16 dream is realized Saturday night.
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 12 High Point
West Region
These are the kind of captivating, hilarious matchups that define early rounds of March Madness. Arkansas is stewarded by John Calipari, No. 4 all-time in NCAA coaching wins (including those vacated). The Razorbacks are built around blue-chipper Darius Acuff Jr., SEC Player of the Year and first-team All-American as a true freshman.
High Point is coached by Flynn Clayman, who is still amid his first full season on a DI sideline. The Panthers’ leading scorer, Terry Anderson, arrives from the JUCO circuit. And their newfound sizzle, Chase Johnston, made his first 2-pointer of the entire season to knock out Wisconsin.
Arkansas is the rightful favorite on a massive scale. But let’s find out just how high this High Point goes.
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