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Schedule and TV/streaming info from MattSarzSports.com.

Chronological Schedule

Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis Finals

3rd/4th Place: North Carolina Tar Heels (5-1, ACC) vs. Oregon Ducks (6-1, Pac-12), 11:30 a.m. (ESPN)
Championship: Michigan Wolverines (6-0, Big Ten) vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs (8-0, WCC), approx. 2 p.m. (ESPN)
5th/6th Place: Iowa State Cyclones (4-2, Big 12) vs. Seton Hall Pirates (5-2, Big East), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
7th/8th Place: Alabama Crimson Tide (2-4, SEC) vs. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (2-5, C-USA), approx. 9:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

(JPG Bracket)

We entered Thursday with the possibility of having as many as three repeat matchups on Battle 4 Atlantis Friday. Thanks to Gonzaga’s thrilling 73-72 overtime win over Oregon, we will just get one, as the Bulldogs will now meet Michigan in the championship game. The Wolverines, 73-64 winners over North Carolina in Turkey Day’s first game, are already scheduled to host Oregon on December 14th. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels visit the Zags just four days later.

While Gonzaga already ranks among the group of national title contenders and will remain there even with a loss, Michigan entered this tournament unranked. I suspect that status won’t last much longer even if the Wolverines don’t bring home the title.

As for the guaranteed repeat matchup, that features Iowa State. The Cyclones were guaranteed one, as they have already defeated Southern Miss. at home in a non-bracketed game for this tournament and will meet Seton Hall in a Big 12/Big East Battle matchup on December 8th. With the Pirates triumphing in last night’s second consolation semifinal, the two will now meet twice in the span of a little more of a week.

Orlando Invitational Semifinals

Championship

ESPN2 will air both games.

Maryland Terrapins (6-0, Big Ten) vs. Harvard Crimson (5-2, Ivy), 11:30 a.m.
USC Trojans (6-1, Pac-12) vs. Marquette Golden Eagles (4-1, Big East), approx. 4:30 p.m.

Consolation

ESPN News will air both games.

Temple Owls (4-1, American) vs. Texas A&M Aggies (3-2, SEC), approx. 2 p.m.
Davidson Wildcats (2-4, A 10) vs. Fairfield Stags (1-5, MAAC), approx. 7 p.m.

(PDF Bracket)

In Thursday’s quarterfinals, Maryland got all it could handle from Temple and both of those teams look well placed to win today, based on how much both Harvard and Texas A&M struggled offensively in game two. USC took care of Fairfield, though Andy Enfield won’t be happy with a seven-point margin against such feeble opposition. Marquette will meet the Trojans this afternoon thanks to a 73-63 win that saw Davidson fail to make a three-point shot for the first time in 809 games. That’s nearly 26 seasons (January 15, 1994)!

If there isn’t a Maryland-Marquette final on Sunday afternoon, I’ll be surprised.

Emerald Coast Classic Semifinals

Host Bracket

CBSSN will air both games.

Florida State Seminoles (5-1, ACC) vs. Tennessee Volunteers (5-0, SEC), 7 p.m.
Purdue Boilermakers (3-2, Big Ten) vs. VCU Rams (6-0, A 10), approx. 9:30 p.m.

Visitor Bracket

Emerald Coast TV on YouTube will stream both games.

Jacksonville State Gamecocks (1-3, OVC) vs. Chicago State Cougars (3-4, WAC), 12 p.m.
Alabama State Hornets (0-5, SWAC) vs. Chattanooga Mocs (3-3, SoCon), approx. 2:30 p.m.

This event’s loaded host semifinals see a quartet of 2019 NCAA Tournament teams take the floor in Niceville, Fla. Remember that Purdue’s two losses came at the hands of Texas and Marquette, while Florida State lost to Pittsburgh in one of those ACC season-opening games. All four of these squads have a great chance to claim the title, but I’m particularly interested in seeing how Atlantic 10 favorite VCU does in a Feast Week that’s been pretty good to members of the conference.

Paycom Wooden Legacy Semifinals

Championship

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-2, ACC) vs. Long Beach State Beach (3-4, Big West), 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
Penn Quakers (4-2, Ivy) vs. Arizona Wildcats (7-0, Pac-12), approx. 11:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Consolation

Providence Friars (4-3, Big East) vs. College of Charleston Cougars (3-3, CAA), 4:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
UCF Knights (3-2, American) vs. Pepperdine Waves (3-4, WCC), 9 p.m. (ESPN News)

(PDF Bracket)

In total, the most exciting set of games on Thursday took place at Anaheim Arena.

• Long Beach State handed Providence its second straight loss, 66-65.
• Wake Forest took down regional rival College of Charleston, 65-56, in what turned out to be the largest winning margin of the day.
• Penn escaped UCF, 68-67, when Darin Green Jr.’s game-tying three turned out to be a too, since he shot from behind the wrong three-point line. (I was waiting for the multitude of three-point arcs on courts this season to cost a team a game.)
• Tournament favorite Arizona needed a Nico Mannion layup with four seconds to play to escape unfancied Pepperdine 93-91.

With all that craziness on Thursday, what will Friday’s four games offer up?

NIT Season Tip-Off Finals

ESPN2 will air both games.

Consolation: Penn State Nittany Lions (5-1, Big Ten) vs. Syracuse Orange (4-2, ACC), 7 p.m.
Championship: Ole Miss Rebels (5-1, SEC) vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-0, Big 12), approx. 9:30 p.m.

(PDF Bracket)

No matter the score in tonight’s doubleheader in Brooklyn, don’t give up on the contests. That’s because of Ole Miss’ rally in the first of Wednesday’s semifinals, which saw the Rebels come back from 21 down against Penn State to win, 74-72. In the nightcap, Syracuse’s Barclays Center struggles continued, as an early Orange lead turned into an easy 86-72 Oklahoma State victory.

Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational Finals

Host Bracket

FS1 will air both games.

Championship: Iowa Hawkeyes (5-1, Big Ten) vs. San Diego State Aztecs (7-0, MW), 8 p.m.
Consolation: Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-1, Big 12) vs. Creighton Bluejays (4-2, Big East), approx. 10:30 p.m.

Visitor Bracket

No TV coverage.

Consolation: Cal Poly Mustangs (1-6, Big West) vs. LIU Sharks (1-6, NEC), 2 p.m.
Championship: Tennessee State Tigers (4-3, OVC) vs. North Florida Ospreys (5-3, ASUN), approx. 4:30 p.m.

Both of Thursday’s semifinals at the Orleans Arena produced significant shocks. In game one, Iowa took an early lead on Texas Tech and held off the Red Raiders in the second half to record a rather comfortable 72-61 victory. Remember how the Hawkeyes lost to DePaul at home in the Gavitt Games? Well, the Red Raiders have to travel to Chicago to play the Blue Demons on Wednesday. That will be two Big East opponents in a row for Chris Beard’s team, who plays Creighton tonight. The Bluejays had their doors blown off by a San Diego State team that looks poised to challenge Utah State in the Mountain West, 83-52.

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