March Madness continues Sunday with the men completing the NCAA tournament’s second round and the women starting it.
Will we at last start to see more upsets, or will the heavyweights continue to dominate? Below is a look at the schedule of games and which are must-see and which can be skipped.
Sunday’s men’s schedule (All times Eastern)
12:10 p.m. — No. 1 Florida vs. No. 8 UConn (CBS)
2:40 p.m. — No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 Baylor (CBS)
5:15 p.m. — No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 6 Illinois (CBS)
6:10 p.m. — No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 7 Saint Mary’s (TNT)
7:10 p.m. — No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 12 Colorado State (TBS)
7:45 p.m. — No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Ole Miss (TruTV)
8:40 p.m. — No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 10 New Mexico (TNT)
9:40 p.m. — No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 5 Oregon (TBS)
Must-see matchup: Two-time reigning national champion UConn doesn’t seem to be a serious threat to three-peat, but the Huskies summoned enough pride to stave off Oklahoma in the first round on Friday night. Now they find themselves in the unfamiliar role of March underdog against a juggernaut Florida team peaking at the ideal time. This will be Florida’s first real test of the NCAA tournament. The Huskies are well-coached and loaded with perimeter shooting.
Game to skip: There’s a reason Iowa State-Ole Miss was Sunday’s lone game relegated to TruTV. The matchup between the Cyclones and Rebels lacks All-American candidates, top-tier NBA prospects or big-brand appeal. This isn’t the game to watch from start to finish. It’s a good one to check in on if it’s close with 10 minutes to go.
Most likely potential upset: The biggest criticism when Kentucky hired Mark Pope was that he’d never won an NCAA tournament game. One year later, Pope has the Wildcats on the precipice of the Sweet 16. Standing in Kentucky’s way is an Illinois team that’s talented but volatile. The range of possibilities is wide whenever the Illini take the floor, which means this could be anything from a Kentucky rout to a high-scoring, free-flowing Illinois upset.
Player to watch: Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe came on strong in the second half Friday against Mississippi State, attacking the rim, drawing fouls down the stretch and coming up with key defensive stops. He also had the NCAA tournament’s most audacious missed dunk. Now the celebrated Baylor freshman will play on an even bigger stage as the ninth-seeded Bears get their crack at Cooper Flagg and Duke. This is Edgecombe’s best chance to solidify himself as a top-five pick and perhaps even climb higher.
Sunday’s women’s schedule (All times Eastern)
12 p.m. — No. 2 Duke vs. No. 10 Oregon (ESPN)
1 p.m. — No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Michigan (ABC)
2 p.m. — No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 5 Kansas State (ESPN)
3 p.m. — No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 9 Indiana (ABC)
4 p.m. — No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 5 Ole Miss (ESPN)
6 p.m. — No. 2 TCU vs. No. 7 Louisville (ESPN)
8 p.m. — No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Tennessee (ESPN)
10 p.m. — No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 8 Richmond (ESPN)
Must-see: Make time to watch TCU star Hailey Van Lith face the school she led to the Final Four two years ago. It should be compelling, even if both Van Lith and Louisville players and coaches downplayed it beforehand. Said Van Lith on Saturday, “I’m in a really good spot. I’m excited to play. You know, this game is much bigger than me and what I got going on. TCU is looking to go to the Sweet 16 for the first time ever. That’s a lot bigger than whatever else the narrative is.”
Game to skip: Richmond won its very first NCAA tournament game in program history against Georgia Tech on Friday. That sounds more like a team that’s achieved its goal than one ready to take down the NCAA tournament’s No. 1 overall seed on its home floor.
Most likely potential upset: Only two months ago, Kansas State cracked the top 10 in the AP poll after starting the season 19-1. Then the Wildcats collapsed during the second half of Big 12 play and cost themselves a top-four seed. The return of center Ayoka Lee from foot injuries seemed to snap Kansas State back to early season form. Behind 17 points and 10 reboundsw from Lee, the Wildcats dismantled dangerous No. 12 seed Fairfield on Friday. Now they get a shot at a fourth-seeded Kentucky team that barely survived its first-round matchup.
Player to watch: For Notre Dame, the joy of a dominant first-round victory evaporated early in Friday’s fourth quarter. That’s when star guard Olivia Miles crumbled to the floor after turning her left ankle. Heading into Notre Dame’s second-round matchup against sixth-seeded Michigan, it’s unclear whether Miles will play and if so how healthy she’ll be. Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey only told reporters on Friday that Miles “did a lot of treatment” the previous night and “says she feels pretty good.”
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Kentucky Derby 2025 predictions, betting odds: Top win, place, show, trifecta, superfecta expert picks
Imagn Images The Kentucky Derby 2025 takes place on Saturday at Churchill Downs, and you'll find differing opinions on how often a horse should race leading up to it. Most trainers have seemed to settle in between four and eight starts, as the vast majority of the 19-horse 2025 Kentucky Derby field falls within that range. The Kentucky Derby 2025 will go to post at 6:57 p.m. ET. Journalism, who has five starts, is the 3-1 favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds, while the second-favorite, Sovereignty (5-1), has also raced five times. Which 2025 Kentucky Derby horses can you trust in your 2025 Kentucky Derby betting strategy? With so much to consider while making your 2025 Kentucky Derby picks, a little expert help can go a long way.Winning the Kentucky Derby is more about the honor and prestige of […]
Fantasy Baseball Today Waiver Wire: Shane Baz’s breakout in question following latest outing, and more
USATSI Given how well he was pitching to open the season – and how poorly the Royals were hitting – Shane Baz's seven-run effort Thursday stands as one of the most surprising negative results of the season. But not to me. Earlier this week, I wrote about Baz's breakout, and why I wasn't necessarily buying it. The column focused mostly on Baz's massive strikeout rate, and how it wasn't backed up by any of the underlying metrics we usually look at for strikeouts: "Baz has thrown 56.8% of his pitches in the strike zone in the early going, compared to an MLB average of 48.7%; hitters are making contact on 83.7% of their swings on pitches in the strike zone, compared to the MLB average of 82.0%; and he is generating a swing on just 24.1% of pitches out of the strike zone, […]
Sormani indica “time de várzea” que corre risco no Brasileirão: “Voltar para a Série B”
Fábio Sormani, em participação no Apito Final (Reprodução) Fábio Sormani não esconde o sentimento de preocupação com o Santos. Após o empate contra o CRB, pela Copa do Brasil, o comunicador sinalizou que o atual desempenho em campo reflete a situação caótica nos bastidores. Isso porque, fora dos gramados, o Peixe é visto como um time de “várzea”, motivo pelo qual uma série de recusas de treinadores ocorreram nas últimas semanas. “Sem o Pedro Caixinha, bateram na porta de um monte de treinadores e foram humilhados por todos eles. Tite, Dorival Júnior, Sampaoli, Luis Castro, Ramón Díaz… todos disseram ‘não’. O Santos, hoje, é uma várzea! É um time de fundo de quintal. Mal administrado, pobre, caloteiro e completamente perdido na figura do presidente Marcelo Teixeira.”, disse Sormani, em seu canal no YouTube. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “Uma vitória em oito jogos! […]
São Paulo hoje: veja provável time contra o Fortaleza no Brasileirão
Time do SPFC antes de jogo pela Copa do Brasil (Rubens Chiri - Divulgação) Depois de superar o Náutico pela terceira fase da Copa do Brasil no meio de semana, o São Paulo volta ao MorumBIS, desta feita para medir forças contra o Fortaleza, pelo Brasileirão Série A. O jogo se inicia às 21h30 (de Brasília). Para o embate, o técnico Luis Zubeldía deve promover alterações entre os 11 iniciais, já se preservando de eventuais problemas por desgaste. No jogo diante do Timbu, o atacante Ferreirinha foi cortado por conta de uma sobrecarga muscular na coxa. Alan Franco teve uma lesão no pé esquerdo. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE Diante da proximidade do jogo decisivo frente ao Alianza Lima, na Libertadores, o treinador deve escalar o time com novidades, principalmente no setor de meio-campo. A provável escalação do SPFC aparece com: Rafael; Cédric, […]
Paulo Nunes crava time que bate o Flamengo no Brasil hoje: “Único”
Paulo Nunes é comentarista esportivo - Divulgação Paulo Nunes considera ainda o Flamengo o melhor time do Brasil, mas tem um adversário que é capaz hoje de fazer frente com o Rubro-Negro: o Palmeiras. Na avaliação do ex-atacante, a equipe comandada por Abel Ferreira tem condições de igualar as forças com os cariocas. Além de um trabalho sólido, o Verdão se mostra cada vez mais fortalecido também sob o aspecto psicológico. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “É muito difícil para um time ganhar do Palmeiras. Mesmo quando ele não joga bem, consegue vencer, é uma equipe que certamente vai evoluir. O Paulinho vai entrar nesse time, tem ainda o Raphael Veiga que vai voltar”, prevê Paulo Nunes, em declaração dada no Seleção Sportv. “Para mim, é a única equipe que pode nitidamente enfrentar o Flamengo, faz frente. São os dois melhores times do […]
Kentucky Derby 2025 odds, post positions, picks: Journalism, Sovereignty, Sandman predictions from top expert
Imagn Images Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. had never finished better than eighth in four previous Kentucky Derby appearances, but as he pressed the pace with Mystik Dan near the rail in his fifth ride last season, he saw an opening and took it. Hernandez squeezed Mystik Dan by on the rail and held off late charges from Sierra Leone and Forever Young to win the 150th Run for the Roses and etch his name in the record books. Now, he'll try to become the seventh jockey in history to go back-to-back with Burnham Square on Saturday at Churchill Downs in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Post time is scheduled for 6:57 p.m. ET and Burnham Square is 12-1 in the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds.He's fourth among the 2025 Kentucky Derby horses behind Journalism (3-1), Sovereignty (5-1) and Sandman (6-1). Before making […]
Related
Kentucky Derby 2025 predictions, betting odds: Top win, place, show, trifecta, superfecta expert picks
Imagn Images The Kentucky Derby 2025 takes place on Saturday at Churchill Downs, and you'll find differing opinions on how often a horse should race leading up to it. Most trainers have seemed to settle in between four and eight starts, as the vast majority of the 19-horse 2025 Kentucky Derby field falls within that range. The Kentucky Derby 2025 will go to post at 6:57 p.m. ET. Journalism, who has five starts, is the 3-1 favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds, while the second-favorite, Sovereignty (5-1), has also raced five times. Which 2025 Kentucky Derby horses can you trust in your 2025 Kentucky Derby betting strategy? With so much to consider while making your 2025 Kentucky Derby picks, a little expert help can go a long way.Winning the Kentucky Derby is more about the honor and prestige of […]
Fantasy Baseball Today Waiver Wire: Shane Baz’s breakout in question following latest outing, and more
USATSI Given how well he was pitching to open the season – and how poorly the Royals were hitting – Shane Baz's seven-run effort Thursday stands as one of the most surprising negative results of the season. But not to me. Earlier this week, I wrote about Baz's breakout, and why I wasn't necessarily buying it. The column focused mostly on Baz's massive strikeout rate, and how it wasn't backed up by any of the underlying metrics we usually look at for strikeouts: "Baz has thrown 56.8% of his pitches in the strike zone in the early going, compared to an MLB average of 48.7%; hitters are making contact on 83.7% of their swings on pitches in the strike zone, compared to the MLB average of 82.0%; and he is generating a swing on just 24.1% of pitches out of the strike zone, […]
Sormani indica “time de várzea” que corre risco no Brasileirão: “Voltar para a Série B”
Fábio Sormani, em participação no Apito Final (Reprodução) Fábio Sormani não esconde o sentimento de preocupação com o Santos. Após o empate contra o CRB, pela Copa do Brasil, o comunicador sinalizou que o atual desempenho em campo reflete a situação caótica nos bastidores. Isso porque, fora dos gramados, o Peixe é visto como um time de “várzea”, motivo pelo qual uma série de recusas de treinadores ocorreram nas últimas semanas. “Sem o Pedro Caixinha, bateram na porta de um monte de treinadores e foram humilhados por todos eles. Tite, Dorival Júnior, Sampaoli, Luis Castro, Ramón Díaz… todos disseram ‘não’. O Santos, hoje, é uma várzea! É um time de fundo de quintal. Mal administrado, pobre, caloteiro e completamente perdido na figura do presidente Marcelo Teixeira.”, disse Sormani, em seu canal no YouTube. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “Uma vitória em oito jogos! […]
São Paulo hoje: veja provável time contra o Fortaleza no Brasileirão
Time do SPFC antes de jogo pela Copa do Brasil (Rubens Chiri - Divulgação) Depois de superar o Náutico pela terceira fase da Copa do Brasil no meio de semana, o São Paulo volta ao MorumBIS, desta feita para medir forças contra o Fortaleza, pelo Brasileirão Série A. O jogo se inicia às 21h30 (de Brasília). Para o embate, o técnico Luis Zubeldía deve promover alterações entre os 11 iniciais, já se preservando de eventuais problemas por desgaste. No jogo diante do Timbu, o atacante Ferreirinha foi cortado por conta de uma sobrecarga muscular na coxa. Alan Franco teve uma lesão no pé esquerdo. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE Diante da proximidade do jogo decisivo frente ao Alianza Lima, na Libertadores, o treinador deve escalar o time com novidades, principalmente no setor de meio-campo. A provável escalação do SPFC aparece com: Rafael; Cédric, […]
Paulo Nunes crava time que bate o Flamengo no Brasil hoje: “Único”
Paulo Nunes é comentarista esportivo - Divulgação Paulo Nunes considera ainda o Flamengo o melhor time do Brasil, mas tem um adversário que é capaz hoje de fazer frente com o Rubro-Negro: o Palmeiras. Na avaliação do ex-atacante, a equipe comandada por Abel Ferreira tem condições de igualar as forças com os cariocas. Além de um trabalho sólido, o Verdão se mostra cada vez mais fortalecido também sob o aspecto psicológico. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “É muito difícil para um time ganhar do Palmeiras. Mesmo quando ele não joga bem, consegue vencer, é uma equipe que certamente vai evoluir. O Paulinho vai entrar nesse time, tem ainda o Raphael Veiga que vai voltar”, prevê Paulo Nunes, em declaração dada no Seleção Sportv. “Para mim, é a única equipe que pode nitidamente enfrentar o Flamengo, faz frente. São os dois melhores times do […]
Kentucky Derby 2025 odds, post positions, picks: Journalism, Sovereignty, Sandman predictions from top expert
Imagn Images Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. had never finished better than eighth in four previous Kentucky Derby appearances, but as he pressed the pace with Mystik Dan near the rail in his fifth ride last season, he saw an opening and took it. Hernandez squeezed Mystik Dan by on the rail and held off late charges from Sierra Leone and Forever Young to win the 150th Run for the Roses and etch his name in the record books. Now, he'll try to become the seventh jockey in history to go back-to-back with Burnham Square on Saturday at Churchill Downs in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Post time is scheduled for 6:57 p.m. ET and Burnham Square is 12-1 in the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds.He's fourth among the 2025 Kentucky Derby horses behind Journalism (3-1), Sovereignty (5-1) and Sandman (6-1). Before making […]
Be the first to leave a comment