On The Menu: Wednesday, March 9, 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.

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

Patriot League Championship

Game 9: No. 9 Holy Cross Crusaders (13-19, 5-13) at No. 2 Lehigh Mountain Hawks (17-14, 13-5), 7:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
The Hawks swept the season series.

The Crusaders are attempting to win their fourth conference tournament game on the road, after being shut out during the Patriot League season. Lehigh defeated Holy Cross by five at Stabler Arena on February 15th. The Mountain Hawks enter this final as the hottest team in the league, winners of 11 in a row, as they look to reach the tourney for the first time since 2012. Holy Cross's wait has been a bit longer, as they were a 13 seed in 2007. If the Crusaders make the field with a losing record, they will be almost assured of a First Four date next week.

This will be final bid awarded before Saturday.

ACC Second Round

ACC Network will air all four games.

Game 3: No. 9 Syracuse Orange (19-12, 9-9) vs. No. 8 Pittsburgh Panthers (20-10, 9-9), 12 p.m. (ESPN)
The Panthers swept the season series.
Game 4: No. 12 North Carolina State Wolfpack (16-16, 5-13) vs. No. 5 Duke Blue Devils (22-9, 11-6), approx. 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)
The Blue Devils swept the season series.
Game 5: No. 10 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (18-13, 8-10) vs. No. 7 Clemson Tigers (17-13, 10-8), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.
Game 6: No. 11 Florida State Seminoles (19-12, 8-10) vs. No. 6 Virginia Tech Hokies (18-13, 10-8), approx. 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Hokies defeated the Seminoles 83-73 in Blacksburg on February 20th.

With the exception of the second game of the afternoon doubleheader, Wednesday in Washington, D.C. features a trio of bubble elimination matchups, although the Syracuse-Pitt loser isn't necessarily eliminated. The same cannot be said of the two losers in the night session, as all four teams are barely in the picture anyway.

Atlantic 10 First Round

ASN will air both games.

Game 1: No. 13 Saint Louis Billikens (10-20, 5-13) vs. No. 12 George Mason Patriots (11-20, 5-13), 6:30 p.m.
The pair split the season series with each winning on the road.
Game 2: No. 14 La Salle Explorers (8-21, 4-14) vs. No. 11 Duquesne Dukes (16-15, 6-12), approx. 9 p.m.
The Dukes defeated the Explorers 87-60 in Pittsburgh on January 26th.

Considering each of those teams did manage to defeat a bid contender or two during disappointing seasons, they'll all take the floor in Brooklyn looking to upset the expected order of things a bit.

Big 12 First Round

ESPNU will air both games.

Game 1: No. 9 Oklahoma State Cowboys (12-19, 3-15) vs. No. 8 Kansas State Wildcats (16-15, 5-13), 7 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.
Game 2: No. 10 TCU Horned Frogs (11-20, 2-16) vs. No. 7 Texas Tech Red Raiders (19-11, 9-9), approx. 9:30 p.m.
The Red Raiders swept the season series.

The thing to watch in Kansas City tonight is whether the Red Raiders can avoid a very bad late loss to the Horned Frogs.

Big East First Round

FS1 will air both games

Game 1: No. 9 DePaul Blue Demons (9-21, 3-15) vs. No. 8 Georgetown Hoyas (14-17, 7-11) , 7 p.m.
The Hoyas swept the season series.
Game 2: No. 10 St. John's Red Storm (8-23, 1-17) vs. No. 7 Marquette Golden Eagles (19-12, 8-10), approx. 9:30 p.m.
The Golden Eagles swept the season series.

The Golden Eagles, the only one of these four with postseason hopes, are looking to improve their NIT chances with a win or two in New York. Interestingly, both of these season series wrapped up before the end of January.

Big Ten First Round

Game 1: No. 13 Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-22, 2-16) vs. No. 12 Illinois Fighting Illini (13-18, 5-13), 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Fighting Illini swept the season series.
Game 2: No. 14 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-24, 1-17) vs. No. 11 Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-17, 6-12), approx. 7 p.m. (BTN)
The Cornhuskers swept the season series.

On a day full of disappointing conference tournament opening round matchups, the slate in Indianapolis is the worst.

Conference USA Second Round

All four games will air on ASN and CST.

Game 2: No. 9 North Texas Mean Green (12-19, 7-11) vs. No. 8 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (16-15, 8-10), 1 p.m.
The Hilltoppers defeated the Mean Green 81-78 in Denton on January 16th.
Game 3: No. 12 FAU Owls (7-24, 5-13) vs. No. 5 Old Dominion Monarchs (19-12, 12-6), approx. 3:30 p.m.
The Monarchs defeated the Owls 78-66 in Boca Raton on January 28th.
Game 4: No. 10 Rice Owls (12-19, 7-11) vs. No. 7 Charlotte 49ers (13-18, 9-9), 7 p.m.
The 49ers swept the season series.
Game 5: No. 11 FIU Golden Panthers (13-18, 7-11) vs. No. 6 UTEP Miners (18-13, 10-8), approx. 9:30 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning on the road.

Check out Miner Rush's Conference USA Tournament Viewing Guide.

Three of the four higher seeds will look to stay perfect against their respective opponents and move on to Thursday's quarterfinals in Birmingham. UTEP is looking to win a rubber match.

MEAC Quarterfinals, Night One

ESPN3 will stream both games.

Game 12: No. 9 Morgan State Bears (9-21, 6-10) vs. No. 1 Hampton Pirates (18-10, 13-3), 6 p.m.
The Pirates swept the season series.
Game 13: No. 7 North Carolina Central Eagles (13-18, 7-9) vs. No. 2 Norfolk State Spartans (16-13, 12-4), approx. 8:30 p.m.
The Spartans defeated the Eagles 88-79 in Durham on January 16th.

In Norfolk, tonight's winners will await Thursday's two winners in Friday's semifinal doubleheader.

Mountain West First Round

Mountain West Network will stream all three games.

Game 1: No. 9 Utah State Aggies (15-14, 7-11) vs. No. 8 Wyoming Cowboys (14-17, 7-11), 2 p.m.
The Cowboys defeated the Aggies 84-65 in Laramie on February 6th.
Game 2: No. 10 Air Force Falcons (14-17, 5-13) vs. No. 7 UNLV Runnin' Rebels (17-14, 8-10), approx. 4:30 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.
Game 3: No. 11 San Jose State Spartans (9-21, 4-14) vs. No. 6 Colorado State Rams (16-15, 8-10), approx. 7 p.m.
The Rams swept the season series.

With the Mountain West a likely one-bid league, these six teams are all aiming to make a surprise run in Las Vegas.

Pac-12 First Round

Pac-12 Network National will air all four games. Regional feed coverage is indicated with the individual games.

Game 1: No. 9 Stanford Cardinal (15-14, 8-10) vs. No. 8 Washington Huskies (17-13, 9-9), 3 p.m. (Bay Area, Washington)
The Huskies defeated the Cardinal 64-53 in Seattle on February 20th.
Game 2: No. 12 Washington State Cougars (9-21, 1-17) vs. No. 5 Colorado Buffaloes (21-10, 10-8), approx. 5:30 p.m. (Washington, Mountain)
The Buffaloes swept the season series.
Game 3: No. 10 UCLA Bruins (15-16, 6-12) vs. No. 7 USC Trojans (20-11, 9-9), 9 p.m. (L.A.)
The Trojans swept the season series.
Game 4: No. 11 Arizona State Sun Devils (15-16, 5-13) vs. No. 6 Oregon State Beavers (18-11, 9-9), approx. 11:30 p.m. (Arizona, Oregon)
The Sun Devils defeated the Beavers 86-68 in Tempe on January 28th.

Washington needs a win to stay in the conversation. Colorado could be in trouble if they lose to the Cougars, not an impossibility, as they needed two OTs to beat Wazzu in Boulder on February 11th. USC will look to continue its dominance over the Bruins and keep itself safe. Oregon State cannot afford another loss to the Sun Devils, not with this crowded bubble.

SEC First Round

Game 1: No. 13 Auburn Tigers (11-19, 5-13) vs. No. 12 Tennessee Volunteers (13-18, 6-12), 8 p.m. (SEC Network)
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

The winner gets the chance to burst Vanderbilt's bubble tomorrow. Note that with Missouri Tigers ineligible for the postseason, there's just one game tonight in Nashville.

Southland First Round

ESPN3 will stream both games.

Game 1: No. 8 New Orleans Privateers (10-19, 6-12) vs. No. 5 Southeastern Louisiana Lions (11-20, 9-9), 6 p.m.
Game 2: No. 7 Nicholls Colonels (10-22, 6-12) vs. No. 6 McNeese State Cowboys (9-19, 7-11), approx. 8:30 p.m.

With a whopping three teams ineligible either due to their transition to Division I or sanctions, the Southland field is weaker than it could be. Since the conference uses a ladder format, tonight's winners move on to meet the four and three seeds, respectively, in Katy, Texas on Thursday night.

SWAC Quarterfinals, Night One

SWAC.org will stream both games

Game 3: No. 7 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (7-26, 8-12) vs. No. 2 Alcorn State Braves (15-14, 13-5), 3:30 p.m.
The Braves swept the season series.
Game 4: No. 8 Alabama A&M Bulldogs (11-17, 6-12) vs. No. 1 Texas Southern Tigers (17-13, 16-2), 9:30 p.m.
The Tigers swept the season series.

Just like in the MEAC, tonight's winners will meet tomorrow's in Friday's semifinals in Houston. There's a wrinkle, however. Alcorn State is ineligible, but still allowed to participate as is the SWAC's custom. So, if the Braves win the championship, the highest seeded eligible advancer (in this case, the finalist) will earn the auto bid. Also, even though Alcorn defeated MVSU twice, they needed four overtimes between the two games to do so.

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