College Hoops Viewing Guide For March 11, 2017

Visit Conference Tournament Central for a full lineup of matchups, tip times, and TV info for this week.

TV info courtesy Matt’s College Sports on TV Website.

If you’re only able to listen today, check out TuneIn’s college basketball lineup.

All times are Eastern, adjust accordingly.

Games With Bubble Impact

Listed in tip time order

UT Arlington vs. Texas State, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
Alabama vs. Kentucky, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
Davidson vs. Rhode Island, 1 p.m. (CBSSN)
Penn vs. Princeton, 1:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
UCF vs. SMU, 3 p.m. (ESPN2)
Vanderbilt vs. Arkansas, approx. 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Richmond vs. VCU, approx. 3:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
UConn vs. Cincinnati, approx. 5:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Colorado State vs. Nevada, 6 p.m. (CBS)
Marshall vs. Middle Tennessee, 8 p.m. (CBSSN)

Of today’s mid-major championship games, each features the top seed and six pit the top two seeds against each other.

America East Championship

No. 3 Albany Great Danes (21-12, 10-6) at No. 1 Vermont Catamounts (28-5, 16-0), 11 a.m. (ESPN2)
The Catamounts swept the season series.

Vermont is aiming to wrap up a 19-0 league season and earn its first bid since 2012. Albany last appeared in 2015, the third of three appearances in a row.

MEAC Championship

No. 2 Norfolk State Spartans (16-15, 12-4) vs. No. 1 N.C. Central Eagles (24-8, 13-3), 1 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Eagles defeated the Spartans 72-57 in Norfolk on January 14th.

The MEAC’s split quarterfinal format worked! The top two seeds will play for the title in Norfolk, with the Eagles looking for their first bid since 2014 and the Spartans their first since 2012. That team happened to knock Missouri off in a 2-over-15 upset.

Big East Championship

No. 6 Creighton Bluejays (24-8, 10-8) vs. No. 1 Villanova Wildcats (30-3, 15-3), 5:30 p.m. (Fox)
The Wildcats swept the season series.

Both won thrillers in Friday’s semifinals, so perhaps we’ll get another great finish at MSG. Creighton could really use a win for seeding purposes. Nova will be a one win or lose.

Mountain West Championship

No. 2 Colorado State Rams (22-10, 13-5) vs. No. 1 Nevada Wolf Pack (26-6, 14-4), 6 p.m. (CBS)
The Wolf Pack defeated the Rams 85-72 in Reno on Saturday.

Yup, these two met in Reno just a week ago, in a game that was streamed on ESPN3. But a national broadcast network audience will get to see the rematch. The Wolf Pack are currently 31st in the RPI, so they’ll get a look with a loss, though they’re 0-1 in games against the Top 50.

Big 12 Championship

No. 4 Iowa State Cyclones (22-10, 12-6) vs. No. 2 West Virginia Mountaineers (25-7, 12-6), 6 p.m. (ESPN)
The Mountaineers swept the season series.

The winner of this one has a great shot to earn a protected seed spot on line four.

SWAC Championship

No. 2 Alcorn State Braves (17-13, 13-5) vs. No. 1 Texas Southern Tigers (22-11, 16-2), 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
The Tigers swept the season series.

If you need to skip a game tonight, this would be it. The Tigers have already earned the SWAC’s auto bid as the Braves are ineligible for the postseason. Mike Davis’ team returns to the field for the first time since 2015.

MAC Championship

No. 6 Kent State Golden Flashes (21-13, 10-8) vs. No. 1 Akron Zips (26-7, 14-4), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The pair split their season series with each winning on the road.

It’s been a surprisingly long time since each of these squads made an NCAA field — 2013 for Akron and 2008 for Kent State.

Big Sky Championship

No. 3 Weber State Wildcats (19-12, 12-6) vs. No. 1 North Dakota Fighting Hawks (21-9, 14-4), 8:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
The Fighting Hawks swept the season series.

The Wildcats will earn their third bid in four seasons with a win, while a Fighting Hawk victory will send them to the Division I tournament for the very first time.

C-USA Championship

No. 6 Marshall Thundering Herd (20-14, 10-8) vs. No. 1 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (29-4, 17-1), 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
The Blue Raiders swept the season series.

Marshall used the three ball to blow past two seed Louisiana Tech in the semifinals, and they’ll try to do the same to Middle today. The Blue Raiders should get an at-large look with a loss, though falling the Thundering Herd late might hurt.

ACC Championship

No. 5 Duke Blue Devils (26-8, 11-7) vs. No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (24-8, 12-6) , 9 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network)
The Blue Devils defeated the Fighting Irish 84-74 in South Bend on January 30th.

The Blue Devils can pretty much lock up a two seed with a victory, while Notre Dame could end up as a three (but a four is more likely).

Southland Championship

No. 2 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (19-10, 12-6) vs. No. 1 New Orleans Privateers (19-11, 13-5, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Privateers defeated the Islanders 73-72 (OT) on December 31st at home.

The Southland’s stepladder format did what the OVC’s couldn’t — delivering the desired final. UNO last reached the field in 1996 and a return would be quite a feat for a team that almost dropped down to Division III (then II) after Katrina. A&M-CC made its lone NCAA trip in 2007.

Pac-12 Championship

No. 2 Arizona Wildcats (29-4, 16-2) vs. No. 1 Oregon Ducks (29-4, 16-2), 11 p.m. (ESPN)
The Ducks defeated the Wildcats 85-58 at home on February 4th.

You think the Wildcats want revenge for that game in Eugene? While the Ducks will probably be a two seed either way, the Wildcats will join them with a victory in Vegas.

WAC Championship

No. 2 New Mexico State Aggies (24-5, 11-3) vs. No. 1 Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners (22-8, 12-2), 11 p.m. (ESPNU)
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

The league’s top two teams and last two tourney reps meet at the Orleans Arena in Vegas after a late Friday night for both. The Roadrunners needed four overtimes to dispatch pesky Utah Valley in the night’s first semifinal.

Big West Championship

No. 2 UC Davis Aggies (21-12, 11-5) vs. No. 1 UC Irvine Anteaters (21-13, 12-4), 11:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

It’s a rubber match with an NCAA bid on the line. The Anteaters earned their only bid in 2015, while the Aggies have never made the D1 tourney.

American Athletic Semifinals

ESPN2 will air both games.

No. 4 UCF Knights (21-10, 11-7) vs. No. 1 SMU Mustangs (28-4, 17-1), 3 p.m.
The Mustangs defeated the Knights 65-60 in Orlando on January 25th.
No. 6 UConn Huskies (16-16, 9-9) vs. No. 2 Cincinnati Bearcats (28-4, 16-2), approx. 5:30 p.m.
The Bearcats swept the season series.

Bubble teams need the top two seeds to roll yesterday, with a repeat of the Bearcats’ Sunday road win over the Huskies looking particularly necessary. With UConn playing on its secondary home floor in Hartford, the Huskies are a dangerous potential bid thief.

Atlantic 10 Semifinals

CBSSN will air both games.

No. 9 Davidson Wildcats (17-14, 8-10) vs. No. 4 Rhode Island Rams (22-9, 13-5), 1 p.m.
The Rams swept the season series.
No. 3 Richmond Spiders (19-11, 13-5) vs. No. 2 VCU Rams (24-7, 14-4), approx. 3:30 p.m.
The Rams swept the season series.

But the Atlantic 10 has everyone beat on the thievery front, as only VCU looks assured of an at-large out of this group.

Big Ten Semifinals

CBS will air both games.

No. 8 Michigan Wolverines (22-11, 10-8) vs. No. 4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (24-8, 11-7), 1 p.m.
The Golden Gophers defeated the Wolverines 83-78 (OT) at home on February 19th.
No. 6 Northwestern Wildcats (23-10, 10-8) vs. No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers (24-8, 12-6), approx. 3:30 p.m.
The Wildcats defeated the Badgers 66-59 in Madison on February 12th.

Might Michigan be the favorite now? Considering how the Wolverines have played in their first two games in D.C., it’s possible. However, it would be hilarious if Northwestern won twice more and didn’t have to worry about picking up an at-large for its first NCAA appearance.

Ivy League Semifinals

ESPNU will air both games.

Game 1: No. 4 Penn Quakers (13-14, 6-8) vs. No. 1 Princeton Tigers (21-6, 14-0), 1:30 p.m.
The Tigers swept the season series.
Game 2: No. 3 Yale Bulldogs (17-10, 9-5) vs. No. 2 Harvard Crimson (18-9, 10-4), approx. 4 p.m.
The Crimson swept the season series.

The inaugural Ivy League Tournament — set for the Palestra, the greatest arena in college basketball — features a pair of classic matchups. Note that Princeton sits just outside the Top 50, at 51st, so Tiger wins have the potential to help teams like Monmouth and Cal, who happened to beat them.

SEC Semifinals

ESPN will air both games.

No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide (19-13, 10-8) vs. No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats (27-5, 16-2), 1 p.m.
The Wildcats defeated the Crimson Tide 67-58 in Tuscaloosa on February 11th.
No. 7 Vanderbilt Commodores (19-14, 10-8) vs. No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks (24-8, 12-6), approx. 3:30 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning on the road.

With Vandy looking safe, Alabama is the only potential bid thief in action in Nashville. But like Northwestern, don’t be surprised if the Commodores, playing virtual home games, takes matters out of the Committee’s hands tomorrow.

Sun Belt Semifinals

ESPN3 will stream both games.

No. 4 Texas State Bobcats (19-12, 11-7) vs. No. 1 UT Arlington Mavericks (25-7, 14-4), 12:30 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.
No. 6 Troy Trojans (19-14, 10-8) vs. No. 2 Georgia State Panthers (20-11, 12-6), approx. 3 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning on the road.

The Mavericks have an outside shot at getting an at-large, since they’re 37th in the RPI, but that will go away if they lose to the Bobcats for a second time.

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