College Hoops Viewing Guide For March 7, 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.

Horizon League Championship

No. 10 Milwaukee Panthers (11-23, 4-14) vs. No. 4 Northern Kentucky Norse (23-10, 12-6), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

While the Panthers last reached the NCAAs in 2014, the Norse are aiming to become the first school to qualify in their first season of Division I postseason eligibility since the North Dakota State Bison did so in 2009. Naturally, Milwaukee would be destined for the First Four in Dayton if they manage to win their fourth game in five days.

NEC Championship

No. 4 St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash (16-15, 11-7) at No. 1 Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (18-15, 14-4), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Mountaineers swept the season series.

While the Mountaineers lost to the Albany Great Danes in Dayton in 2014, the Red Flash last qualified under Jim Baron in 1991 — falling to the Arizona Wildcats in a 2-vs.-15 game in Salt Lake City. The winner here looks set to be a First Four team this year, though that could change depending on what happens later this week.

WCC Championship

No. 2 Saint Mary’s Gaels (28-3, 16-2) vs. No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (31-1, 17-1), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
The Bulldogs swept the season series.

Both of these squads will hear their names called during the Selection Show, but the Bulldogs’ top seed hopes are at stake. A loss to the Gaels opens the door for either the Pac-12 Tournament winner, Kentucky, Louisville, or Baylor to jump on to the top line when all is said and done. A Saint Mary’s win would do wonders for its seeding hopes. Considering how the Gaels routed BYU last night and the Bulldogs struggled to get past Santa Clara, this one might have become a bit more intriguing.

Summit League Championship

No. 4 South Dakota State Jackrabbits (17-16, 8-8) vs. No. 3 Omaha Mavericks (18-13, 9-7), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
The pair split their season series with each winning on the road.

With a win, the Mavericks can sew up their first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament bid in their second season of eligibility. Omaha smashed IUPUI in Monday night’s second semifinal in Sioux Falls. Meanwhile, the Jackrabbits, who earned a 12 seed last season, are aiming for their fourth bid since 2012. SDSU stunned archrival South Dakota, the tournament’s top seed, in last night’s first game.

SWAC Quarterfinals

Game 1: No. 8 Alabama State Hornets (8-22, 6-12) at No. 1 Texas Southern Tigers (20-11, 16-2), 8;30 p.m. (Texas Southern on YouTube)
The Tigers swept the season series.
Game 2: No. 5 Grambling State Tigers (14-16, 10-8) at No. 4 Prairie View A&M Panthers (13-19, 10-8), 9 p.m. (Prairie View video)
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.
Game 3: No. 7 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (7-24, 7-11) at No. 2 Alcorn State Braves (16-13, 13-5), 7 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning on the road.
Game 4: No. 6 Jackson State Tigers (14-17, 10-8) at No. 3 Southern Jaguars (14-17, 10-8), 8:30 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

For the second season in a row, the two seed, Alcorn State, is ineligible for the NCAA Tournament. So if the Braves win the tournament, the highest-seeded eligible surviving team will earn the bid, as has been the conference’s policy since 2014. Tonight’s four winners will advance to Houston for Friday’s semifinals. If Texas Southern fails to win this tournament, expect the SWAC champion to end up in Dayton.

ACC First Round

ACC Network will air all three games in its footprint.

Game 1: No. 13 North Carolina State Wolfpack (15-16, 4-14) vs. No. 12 Clemson Tigers (16-14, 6-12), 12 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Tigers defeated the Wolfpack 78-74 at home on March 1st.
Game 2: No. 15 Boston College Eagles (9-22, 2-16) vs. No. 10 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (18-12, 9-9), approx. 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Demon Deacons swept the season series.
Game 3: No. 14 Pittsburgh Panthers (15-16, 4-14) vs. No. 11 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (17-14, 8-10), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
The Yellow Jackets defeated the Panthers 61-52 at home on February 28th.

For the first time, all fifteen ACC members will compete in the tournament, so there’s one extra Tuesday game in Brooklyn when compared to the last two seasons in Greensboro. Wake has earned some breathing room, but that will be gone if they lose to BC in the second game of the afternoon doubleheader. Clemson and Georgia Tech will see their hopes evaporate outright if they lose.

MEAC First Round, Day 2

ESPN3 will stream both games.

No. 9 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (9-21, 6-10) vs. No. 8 Delaware State Hornets (10-21, 7-9), 4 p.m.
The Hornets defeated the Wildcats 88-82 (OT) in Daytona Beach on February 4th.
No. 10 Florida A&M Rattlers (6-22, 5-11) vs. No. 7 South Carolina State Bulldogs (10-19, 7-9), approx. 6:30 p.m.
The Bulldogs defeated the Rattlers 75-64 at home on February 25th.

While yesterday’s first round winners, Howard and Maryland Eastern Shore, won’t play again until Thursday, today’s are back on the court to take on the top two seeds tomorrow.

Big Sky First Round

Eversport.tv will stream all three games.

Game 1: No. 9 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (9-22, 6-12) vs. No. 8 Portland State Vikings (14-15, 7-11), 5:35 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.
Game 2: No. 10 Idaho State Bengals (6-25, 3-15) vs. No. 7 Sacramento State Hornets (12-17, 9-9), 8:35 p.m.
The Hornets defeated the Bengals 75-63 at home on February 11th.
Game 3: No. 11 Southern Utah Thunderbirds (5-26, 3-15) vs. No. 6 Montana State Bobcats (16-15, 11-7), approx. 11:05 p.m
The Bobcats defeated the Thunderbirds 83-78 on the road on February 11th.

The Big Sky’s first round is truncated this season as the Northern Colorado Bears are ineligible for the postseason, thanks to a self-imposed ban. (They’re not just for power conferences anymore!) Today’s winners won’t play again until Thursday, when the men’s tournament resumes in Reno with the quarterfinals.

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