:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/30452063/20140321_pjc_bk1_004.0.jpg)
I'll be blunt - I think the first four days of March Madness might be my favorite tournament sports exhibition of all. I bite on the pomp.
The the upsets, the buzzer beaters, developing Cinderella stories, (Gus Johnson would go here, but sniff, business decisions and all), the bands -- I love it.
I got to take in two games back in 1996 at Reunion Arena in Dallas and see two really fun games. Utah's Keith Van Horn and Michael Doleac trumped an Iowa State team led by Kelvin Cato in the early game, but watching the eventual champion Kentucky Wildcats go silly on Virginia Tech was the headliner. UK was stacked that year with a handful of future NBA players, and seeing Tony Delk throw an alley oop from half court to Ron Mercer was...it was fun.
So here's a thread for all the Rams fans down with the Madness today. Drop your favorite stories in the comments. And if you happen to follow a team that is better at basketball than North Texas (pfffffft, fat chance) and playing today, good luck.
| Region | Game | Venue | Time | TV | Announcers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MidWest | Mercer Bears (14) vs. Duke Blue Devils(3) | PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC) | 12:15p | CBS | Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols |
| West | Nebraska Cornhuskers (11) vs. Baylor Bears (6) | AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX) | 12:40p | truTV | Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager |
| South | Stanford Cardinal (10) vs. New Mexico Lobos (7) | Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO) | 1:40p | TBS | Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson |
| West | Weber State Wildcats (16) vs. Arizona Wildcats (1) | Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA) | 2:10p | TNT | Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston |
| MidWest | Tennessee Volunteers (11) vs. Massachusetts Minutemen (6) | PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC) | 2:45p | CBS | Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols |
| West | Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (14) vs. Creighton Bluejays (3) | AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX) | 3:10p | truTV | Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager |
| South | Eastern Kentucky Colonels (15) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (2) | Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO) | 4:10p | TBS | Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson |
| West | Oklahoma State Cowboys (9) vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs (8) | Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA) | 4:40p | TNT | Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston |
| East | George Washington Colonials (9) vs. Memphis Tigers (8) | PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC) | 6:55p | TBS | Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols |
| MidWest | Cal Poly Mustangs (16) vs. Wichita State Shockers (1) | Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO) | 7:10p | CBS | Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson |
| East | Providence Friars (11) vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (6) | AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX) | 7:20p | TNT | Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager |
| South | Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (12) vs. Virginia Commonwealth Rams (5) | Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA) | 7:27p | truTV | Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston |
| East | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (16) vs. Virginia Cavaliers (1) | PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC) | 9:25p | TBS | Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols |
| MidWest | Kansas State Wildcats (9) vs. Kentucky Wildcats (8) | Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO) | 9:40p | CBS | Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson |
| East | NC Central Eagles (14) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (3) | AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX) | 9:50p | TNT | Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager |
| South | Tulsa Golden Hurricane (13) vs. UCLA Bruins (4) | Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA) | 9:57p | truTV | Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston |