clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Championship Fortnight Viewing Guide For Monday, March 11, 2019

Two more bids will be awarded tonight, with one of those contests potentially impacting the bubble. For a more traditional look at the schedule, visit MattSarzSports.com.

NCAA Basketball: Wofford at Kansas
The Wofford Terriers will attempt to allay some of the worries of the nation’s bubble teams in tonight’s SoCon final.
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

At the bottom of the page, you’ll find a lineup broken down by telecast window with the tournament info in bold to the left of the game. Instead of ordering these specifically by tip time, however, I’ve grouped them by importance.

SoCon Championship

No. 2 UNCG Spartans (28-5, 15-3) vs. No. 1 Wofford Terriers (28-4, 18-0), 7 p.m. (ESPN)

The Terriers are looking to wrap up a perfect 21-0 SoCon campaign and secure their first NCAA bid since 2015, while the Spartans are looking to go in back-to-back seasons. I’m still very confident that Wofford, 14th in the NET at the moment, will be in win or lose, so bubble fans will be cheering hard for them tonight.

MAAC Championship

No. 6 Monmouth Hawks (13-21, 10-8) vs. No. 1 Iona Gaels (16-15, 12-6), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)

Iona is favored to earn its fourth consecutive NCAA bid, while Monmouth last qualified as a member of the Northeast Conference in 2006. If you’ve spent any time this season following college basketball writers that cover the MAAC, the possibility that this Hawks squad would be the one to make the field after some high-profile at-large snubs has led to much conversation.

The pair split their two meetings this season, with each victorious at home.

CAA Semifinals

CBSSN will air both games.

Game 7: No. 5 Delaware Fighting Blue Hens (16-16, 8-10) vs. No. 1 Hofstra Pride (26-6, 15-3), 6 p.m.
Game 8: No. 3 College of Charleston Cougars (24-8, 12-6) vs. No. 2 Northeastern Huskies (21-10, 14-4), approx. 8:30 p.m.

Of the CAA’s top four seeds, only the perennially-forlorn William & Mary Tribe, one of the four original Division I members who have still not reached the NCAAs, failed to make tonight’s semifinals in North Charleston, S.C. While Hofstra swept its season series with Delaware (no guarantee of success tonight), Northeastern and Charleston split. Keep that in mind, particularly as the Cougars, 2018’s champs, should have a slight home advantage tonight.

Horizon Semifinals

ESPNU will air both games.

No. 4 Green Bay Phoenix (17-15, 10-8) vs. No. 1 Wright State Raiders (20-12, 13-5), 7 p.m.
No. 3 Oakland Golden Grizzlies (16-16, 11-7) vs. No. 2 Northern Kentucky Norse (24-8, 13-5), approx. 9:30 p.m.

The Horizon League’s decision to move the quarterfinal round on campus worked like a charm, as a conference that’s struggled to keep its higher seeds alive in postseason play will see its top four teams play in Detroit tonight. Both semifinals are rubber matches for their particular series, with home teams being perfect across the board.

Summit Semifinals

Midco SN will air both games. ESPN+ ($) will stream both games.

No. 8 Western Illinois Leathernecks (10-20, 4-12) vs. No. 4 North Dakota State Bison (16-15, 9-7), 7 p.m.
No. 3 Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (18-14, 9-7) vs. No. 2 Omaha Mavericks (20-10, 13-3), approx. 9:30 p.m.

If you’re looking for Mike Daum and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, well, you missed them losing to WIU on Saturday night. The other three favored teams all advanced, and while Omaha struggled to get past North Dakota in Saturday’s nightcap, both PFW and NDSU cruised in Sunday’s doubleheader. Both lower seeds will be looking to defeat their opponents for the first time this season.

WCC Semifinals

No. 8. Pepperdine Waves (16-17, 6-10) vs. No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (29-2, 16-0), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 7 San Diego Toreros (21-13, 7-9) vs. No. 2 Saint Mary’s Gaels (20-11, 11-5), approx. 11:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

So the Bulldogs and Gaels last played on March 2nd, while the Waves and Toreros have each won three games to get here. Both Pepperdine and San Diego even had a day off after their respective Saturday quarterfinal wins over the San Francisco Dons and BYU Cougars since the WCC Tournament takes Sunday off.

Both teams will need to defeat their very well rested opponents for the first time this season to reach tomorrow night’s final, however.

MEAC First Round, Night One

No. 11 Delaware State Hornets (5-24, 2-14) vs. No. 6 Savannah State Tigers (11-19, 8-8), approx. 6 p.m. (FloHoops.com ($))

With the Hampton Pirates in the Big South now and the Florida A&M Rattlers ineligible for the postseason, the MEAC’s First Round is two games shorter than it’s been in recent seasons. And with Savannah State going back to Division II next season, a three-game first round will be the new normal for the conference. The Tigers, looking to finally make a March Madness appearance before leaving the stage, defeated the Hornets in their lone meeting of the regular season.

MAC First Round

ESPN+ ($) will stream all four games.

No. 12 Western Michigan Broncos (8-23, 2-16) at No. 5 Central Michigan Chippewas (21-10, 10-8), 7 p.m.
No. 11 Ball State Cardinals (15-16, 6-12) at No. 6 Eastern Michigan Eagles (15-16, 9-9), 7 p.m.
No. 9 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (15-16, 7-11) at No. 8 Akron Zips (16-15, 8-10), 8 p.m.
No. 10 Ohio University Bobcats (14-16, 6-12) at No. 7 Northern Illinois Huskies (15-16, 8-10), 9 p.m.

Tonight’s four winners will travel to Cleveland for Thursday’s quarterfinals. Of the four visitors, only Miami managed to win a game in their season series with their hosts during the regular season.

Chronological Schedule

Grouped by quality in each tip window.

Early Evening Tips

SoCon FINAL: No. 2 UNCG (28-5, 15-3) vs. No. 1 Wofford (28-4, 18-0), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
CAA SF: No. 5 Delaware (16-16, 8-10) vs. No. 1 Hofstra (26-6, 15-3), 6 p.m. (CBSSN)
Horizon SF: No. 4 Green Bay (17-15, 10-8) vs. No. 1 Wright State (20-12, 13-5), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
Summit SF: No. 8 Western Illinois (10-20, 4-12) vs. No. 4 North Dakota State (16-15, 9-7), 7 p.m. (Midco SN/ESPN+ ($))
MAC R1: No. 12 Western Michigan (8-23, 2-16) at No. 5 Central Michigan (21-10, 10-8), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
MAC R1: No. 11 Ball State (15-16, 6-12) at No. 6 Eastern Michigan (15-16, 9-9), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
MEAC R1: No. 11 Delaware State (5-24, 2-14) vs. No. 6 Savannah State (11-19, 8-8), approx. 6 p.m. (FloHoops.com ($))

Mid-Evening Tips

CAA SF: No. 3 College of Charleston (24-8, 12-6) vs. No. 2 Northeastern (21-10, 14-4), approx. 8:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
MAC R1: No. 9 Miami (Ohio) (15-16, 7-11) at No. 8 Akron (16-15, 8-10), 8 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))

Late Evening/Night Tips

MAAC FINAL: No. 6 Monmouth (13-21, 10-8) vs. No. 1 Iona (16-15, 12-6), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
WCC SF: No. 8. Pepperdine (16-17, 6-10) vs. No. 1 Gonzaga (29-2, 16-0), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
WCC SF: No. 7 San Diego (21-13, 7-9) vs. No. 2 Saint Mary’s (20-11, 11-5), approx. 11:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Horizon SF: No. 3 Oakland (16-16, 11-7) vs. No. 2 Northern Kentucky (24-8, 13-5), approx. 9:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Summit SF: No. 3 Purdue Fort Wayne (18-14, 9-7) vs. No. 2 Omaha (20-10, 13-3), approx. 9:30 p.m. (Midco SN/ESPN+ ($))
MAC R1: No. 10 Ohio (14-16, 6-12) at No. 7 Northern Illinois (15-16, 8-10), 9 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))

Enjoy this post? Follow Blogging the Bracket on Twitter and Like the site on Facebook.