A pair of 14-seeds upsetting Big 12 powers. A controversial goaltending call to decide an outcome in the final 10 seconds. A few overtime thrillers. And a March Madness record for games decided by one point in a single day.
If you thought the initial full-slate of NCAA Tournament games was great, just imagine what Friday's other second-round schedule has to offer.
"Sometimes the first day of the tournament is chalk, and then the upsets start the second day,'' St. John's coach Steve Lavin said. "This appears to be one of those tournaments where the upsets begin right out of the gate. I think the advantage for teams that play on Friday is that you quickly gain a sense of March Madness and how difficult it is to move forward in the brackets, independent of the numbers that are next to your name. A No. 3 or a No. 14 doesn't mean much if a team does not bring the necessary level of effort and execution that gives a team the opportunity to be successful. When you get to the tournament, there are no guarantees.''
Lavin will be hoping his ninth-seeded Red Storm (21-11) can get by San Diego State in the nightcap of the Charlotte, N.C., quadruple-header. The game will tip off approximately 30 minutes after top-seeded Duke's 7:10 p.m. meeting with 16th-seeded Robert Morris.
"I think there's pressure and excitement for everybody,'' Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said during a press conference Thursday. "Everybody is zero-and-zero. It's a new season, it's a great season and it's a one-and-done season. So you either feel pressure, or excitement. Hopefully you feel something, and then you respond to whatever you're feeling in a positive manner. But the seed doesn't make a difference. It's your matchup, and your ability to focus on who you're playing in that moment. And hopefully you get a chance to play another moment after that game.''
Here is the full schedule, with game times, TV coverage and announcers:
MORE MARCH MADNESS: Full coverage of 2015 NCAA TournamentAfternoon action:
(15) New Mexico St. vs. (2) KansasTime: 12:15 p.m.Site: Omaha, Neb.TV: CBS.Announcers: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Len Elmore.
(10) Georgia vs. (7) Michigan St.Time: 12:40 p.m.Site: Charlotte, N.C.TV: truTVAnnouncers: Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill.
(12) Wyoming vs. (5) Northern IowaTime: 1:40 p.m.Site: Seattle.TV: TBSAnnouncers: Spero Dedes, Mike Gminski.
(12) Buffalo vs. (5) West VirginiaTime: 2:10 p.m.Site: Columbus, Ohio.TV: TNT.Announcers: Ian Eagle, Doug Gottlieb.
How Bobby Hurley fired up his Buffalo team before NCAA Tournament(10) Indiana vs (7) Wichita StTime: 2:45 p.m.Site: Omaha, Neb.TV: CBS.Announcers: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Len Elmore.
(15) Belmont vs. (2) VirginiaTime: 3:10 pm.Site: Charlotte, N.C.TV: truTV.Announcers: Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill
(13) UC Irvine vs. (4) LouisvilleTime: 4:10 p.m.Site: Seattle.TV: TBSAnnouncers: Spero Dedes, Mike Gminski.
(13) Valparaiso vs. (4) MarylandTime: 4:40 p.m.Site: Columbus, Ohio.TV: TNT.Announcers: Ian Eagle, Doug Gottlieb.
Evening action:
(9) Oklahoma St. vs. (8) OregonTime: 6:50 p.m.Site: Omaha, Neb.TV: TBS.Announcers: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Len Elmore.
(16) Robert Morris vs (1) DukeTime: 7:10 p.m.Site: Charlotte, N.C.TV: CBS.Announcers: Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill
(10) Davidson vs. (7) IowaTime: 7:20 p.m.Site: Seattle.TV: TNT.Announcers: Spero Dedes, Mike Gminski.
(14) Albany vs. (3) OklahomaTime: 7:27 p.m.Site: Columbus, Ohio.TV: truTV.Announcers: Ian Eagle, Doug Gottlieb.
(16) Coastal Carolina vs. (1) WisconsinTime: 9:20 p.m.Site: Omaha, Neb.TV: TBS.Announcers: Marv Albert, Chris Webber, Len Elmore.
(9) St. John's vs. (8) San DiegoTime: 9:40 p.m.Site: Charlotte, N.C.TV: CBSAnnouncers: Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill.
(15) North Dakota St. vs. (2) GonzagaTime: 9:50 p.m.Site: Seattle.TV: TNTAnnouncers: Spero Dedes, Mike Gminski.
(11) Dayton vs. (6) ProvidenceTime: 9:57 p.m.Site: Columbus, Ohio.TV: truTVAnnouncers: Ian Eagle, Doug Gottlieb.
BRACKET BOY'S PICKS: See his complete bracket.Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.
Source: http://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/index.ssf/2015/03/march_madness_2015_what_channel_are_fridays_ncaa_t.html
