On The Menu: Friday, March 4, 2016

Game information courtesy Matt College Sports on TV Website, which has even more games listed and more specific info on coverage for regional sports networks and American Sports Network telecasts.

All times listed are Eastern, adjust accordingly.

Big 12

No. 23 Texas Longhorns (19-11, 10-7) at Oklahoma State Cowboys (12-18, 3-14), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)

This rare Friday night Big 12 game is no gimme for the Longhorns, as they only topped the Cowboys by five at home on January 16th. Texas is one of three teams tied for fourth in the conference going into the weekend.

Elsewhere

Yale Bulldogs (20-6, 11-1) at Cornell Big Red (9-17, 2-10), 7 p.m. (ASN/NESN Plus)
Princeton Tigers (20-5, 10-1) at Harvard Crimson (12-16, 4-8), 7 p.m. (ESPN3)

The Bulldogs and Tigers both hit the road, aiming to remain on track for at least a share of the Ivy title and a possible playoff game.

Kent State Golden Flashes (19-11, 10-7) at Akron Zips (23-7, 12-5), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)

While the Zips have already clinched the top seed in the MAC Tournament, they lost to the Golden Flashes in Kent back on February 19th.

Conference Tournaments

For full information on this year's conference tournaments, visit Conference Tournament Central.

Big South Quarterfinals

All four games are streaming on ESPN3.

Game 4: No. 8 Longwood Lancers (10-22, 5-13) vs. No. 1 High Point Panthers (20-9, 13-5), 12 p.m.
The Panthers swept the season series.
Game 5: No. 5 Liberty Flames (13-18, 10-8) vs. No. 4 UNC Asheville Bulldogs (19-11, 12-6), approx. 2:30 p.m.
The Bulldogs swept the season series.
Game 6: No. 10 Presbyterian Blue Hose (11-19, 5-13) vs. No. 2 Winthrop Eagles (21-8, 13-5), 6 p.m.
The Eagles defeated the Blue Hose 74-70 at home on December 5th.
Game 7: No. 6 Gardner-Webb Bulldogs (16-15, 10-8) vs. No. 3 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (18-10, 12-6), approx. 8:30 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

The four top seeds will all be favored to advance to Saturday's semifinals, though High Point's prospects depend on the availability of Big South Player of the Year John Brown, who left his Senior Night on crutches with a foot injury.

Host Campbell Fighting Camels, the 11th seed, fell to Gardner-Webb in Thursday's opening round, so they won't be able to pull off a surprise run to the NCAAs.

CAA First Round

Both games are streaming on CAA.tv.

Game 1: No. 9 Drexel Dragons (5-24, 3-13) vs. No. 8 Elon Phoenix (16-15, 7-11), 6 p.m.
The Phoenix swept the season series.
Game 2: No. 10 Delaware Fighting Blue Hens (7-22, 2-16) vs. No. 7 College of Charleston Cougars (16-13, 8-10), approx. 8:30 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

Friday night's winners in Baltimore move on to face the top two seeds Hofstra (to start Saturday's early session) and UNC Wilmington (to start tomorrow's night session). The Cougars, who beat LSU earlier in the season, are by far the most dangerous team of these four.

Metro Atlantic Quarterfinals, Night One

Both games are streaming on ESPN3.

Game 4: No. 8 Rider Broncs (13-19, 8-12) vs. No. 1 Monmouth Hawks (25-6, 17-3), 7 p.m.
The Hawks swept the season series.
Game 5: No. 7 Canisius Golden Griffins (14-18, 8-12) vs. No. 2 Iona Gaels (19-10, 16-4), approx. 9:30 p.m.
The Gaels swept the season series.

Tonight's winners advance to Sunday's semifinals, where they'll meet the winners of Saturday's two quarterfinals, featuring the three and four seeds. Monmouth, a legitimate at-large candidate, is the team with the most at stake tonight, particularly as a loss to Rider, ranked 246th in the RPI, would be devastating at this late stage. While the Hawks blew out the Broncs a week ago at home, they only won by one at Alumni Gymnasium on February 12th.

Missouri Valley Quarterfinals

All four games are on MVC TV/CSN Chicago/FS Midwest and streaming on ESPN3.

Game 3: No. 8 Loyola of Chicago Ramblers (15-16, 7-11) vs. No. 1 Wichita State Shockers (23-7, 16-2), 1 p.m.
The Shockers swept the season series.
Game 4: No. 5 Southern Illinois Salukis (22-9, 11-7) vs. No. 4 Northern Iowa Panthers (19-12, 11-7), approx. 3:30 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.
Game 5: No. 7 Missouri State Bears (13-18, 8-10) vs. No. 2 Evansville Purple Aces (23-8, 12-6), 7 p.m.
The Purple Aces swept the season series.
Game 6: No. 6 Indiana State Sycamores (14-16, 8-10) vs. No. 3 Illinois State Redbirds (18-13, 12-6), approx. 9:30 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

The top-seeded Shockers are three wins away from not having to sweat out Selection Sunday, but funny things happen at Arch Madness. It might not happen with today's noon Central tip, but the four other teams wearing white jerseys today are all capable of pushing Wichita State into the at-large pool.

Ohio Valley Semifinals

Both games are on ESPNU.

Game 5: No. 8 Austin Peay Governors (16-17, 7-9) vs. No. 1 Belmont Bruins (20-10, 12-4), 7:30 p.m.
The Bruins defeated the Governors 76-58 in Nashville on January 16th.
Game 6: No. 3 Morehead State Eagles (19-11, 11-5) vs. No. 2 UT Martin Skyhawks (18-13, 10-6), approx. 10 p.m.
The Eagles defeated the Skyhawks 64-58 in Morehead on January 9th.

The Governors did the Bruins a favor in Thursday's quarterfinals by knocking out the Tennessee State Tigers team that topped the Bruins by 15 on Sunday. Still, it won't be easy for Rick Byrd's team to claim its second consecutive OVC Tournament title, as a tricky opponent would await on Saturday with a win this evening.

Southern Conference First Round

Both games are streaming on ESPN3.

Game 1: No. 9 VMI Keydets (9-20, 4-14) vs. No. 8 Samford Bulldogs (13-18, 4-14), 5 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.
Game 2: No. 10 The Citadel Bulldogs (10-21, 3-15) vs. No. 7 Mercer Bears (18-13, 8-10), approx. 7:30 p.m.
The Bears swept the season series.

Mercer, which represented the Atlantic Sun in 2014 (and defeated Duke in the Round of 64) is the best team playing on day one in Asheville, and it's not particularly close. However, Duggar Baucom's fast-paced Citadel team, tops in the nation in adjusted tempo, will challenge the Bears.

WCC First Round

Game 1: No. 9 San Diego Toreros (9-20, 4-14) vs. No. 8 Loyola Marymount Lions (13-16, 6-12), 9 p.m. (BYU TV/TheW.tv)
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

With the Pacific Tigers ineligible for the postseason, there's only one Friday night game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Tonight's winner gets the unenviable task of trying to knock the Saint Mary's Gaels out of the NCAA picture tomorrow in the quarterfinals.

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