This post is from 2010!!!
What an opening weekend.
I am sure that there have been opening weekends that have been as good or close to as a good, but I can’t imagine another NCAA Tournament opening weekend being better than what we just saw.
There were buzzer beaters, huge upsets, Cinderellas that lasted to the second weekend, tremendous individual performances, and just a lot of really, really good basketball. This weekend proved, once again, why the NCAA Tournament is the most exciting event in sports.
Now it is time for the second weekend, the Sweet 16 and then the Elite 8, and we have all of the TV schedule, announcer, and spread info you need.
First, let’s talk about tickets. If you are thinking about going to any of the four regional sites this weekend, here the links to StubHub that you need:
- All Sweet 16 and Elite 8 Tickets
- South Region in Houston: Sweet 16 and Regional Final Tickets
- West Region in Salt Lake City: Sweet 16 and Regional Final Tickets
- Midwest Region in St. Louis: Sweet 16 and Regional Final Tickets
- East Region in Syracuse, NY: Sweet 16 and Regional Final Tickets
Now, let’s break down the TV schedule, announcer assignments (courtesy of FangsBites.com), and spreads for each of the Sweet 16 matchups. Throughout this week I will be posting previews and prediction for each game (or as many as I’m able to get to). I’ll update this post with links once those posts are done.
Follow the link to view the entire 2010 NCAA Tournament schedule.
East Region (Thursday/Saturday Games)
#2 West Virginia v #11 Washington
- West Virginia-Washington Date: Thursday, March 25
- West Virginia-Washington Tip Time: 7:27 ET
- West Virginia-Washington Location: The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY
- West Virginia-Washington Announcers: Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas
- West Virginia-Washington Spread: West Virginia -4.5
- MSF Analysis: West Virginia-Washington Preview and Prediction
- StubHub: West Virginia-Washington Tickets
- StubHub: East Regional Final Tickets
- StubHub: East Regional Tickets (both sessions)
#1 Kentucky v #12 Cornell
- Kentucky-Cornell Date: Thursday, March 25
- Kentucky-Cornell Tip Time: 9:57 ET
- Kentucky-Cornell Location: The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY
- Kentucky-Cornell Announcers: Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas
- Kentucky-Cornell Spread: Kentucky -9.5
- MSF Analysis: Cornell-Kentucky Preview and Prediction
- StubHub: Kentucky-Cornell Tickets
- StubHub: East Regional Final Tickets
- StubHub: East Regional Tickets (both sessions)
The winners of this game will play on Saturday, March 27th. The time will be determined once the matchups are known. The announcers will be the same.
West Region (Thursday/Saturday Games)
#1 Syracuse v #5 Butler
- Syracuse-Butler Date: Thursday, March 25
- Syracuse-Butler Tip Time: 7:07 ET
- Syracuse-Butler Location: Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City, UT
- Syracuse-Butler Announcers: Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
- Syracuse-Butler Spread: Syracuse -7
- MSF Analysis: Syracuse-Butler Preview and Prediction
- StubHub: Butler-Syracuse Tickets
- StubHub: West Regional Final Tickets
- StubHub: West Regional Tickets (both sessions)
#2 Kansas State v #6 Xavier
- Kansas State-Xavier Date: Thursday, March 25
- Kansas State-Xavier Tip Time: 9:37 ET
- Kansas State-Xavier Location: Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City, UT
- Kansas State-Xavier Announcers: Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
- Kansas State-Xavier Spread: Kansas State -4
- MSF Analysis: Xavier-Kansas State Preview and Prediction
- StubHub: Xavier-Kansas State Tickets
- StubHub: West Regional Final Tickets
- StubHub: West Regional Tickets (both sessions)
The winners of this game will play on Saturday, March 27th. The time will be determined once the matchups are known. The announcers will be the same.
South Region (Friday/Sunday Games)
#3 Baylor v #10 St. Mary’s
- Baylor-St. Mary’s Date: Friday, March 26th
- Baylor-St. Mary’s Tip Time: 7:27 ET
- Baylor-St. Mary’s Location: Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX
- Baylor-St. Mary’s Announcers: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg
- Baylor-St. Mary’s Spread: Baylor -3.5
- MSF Analysis: Baylor-St. Mary’s Preview and Prediction
- DSF Analysis: Baylor-St. Mary’s Preview and Prediction
- StubHub: Baylor-St. Mary’s Tickets
- StubHub: South Regional Final Tickets
- StubHub: South Regional Tickets (both sessions)
#4 Purdue v #1 Duke
- Purdue-Duke Date: Friday, March 26th
- Purdue-Duke Tip Time: 9:57 ET
- Purdue-Duke Location: Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX
- Purdue-Duke Announcers: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg
- Purdue-Duke Spread: Duke -8
- MSF Analysis: Purdue-Duke Sweet 16 Preview and Prediction
- StubHub: Purdue-Duke Tickets
- StubHub: South Regional Final Tickets
- StubHub: South Regional Tickets (both sessions)
The winners of this game will play on Sunday, March 28th. The time will be determined once the matchups are known. The announcers will be the same.
Midwest Region (Friday/Sunday Games)
#5 Michigan State v #9 Northern Iowa
- Michigan State-Northern Iowa Date: Friday, March 26th
- Michigan State-Northern Iowa Tip Time: 9:37 ET
- Michigan State-Northern Iowa Location: Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, MO
- Michigan State-Northern Iowa Announcers: Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
- Michigan State-Northern Iowa Spread: Michigan State -1
- MSF Analysis: Michigan State-Northern Iowa Preview and Prediction
- StubHub: Michigan State-Northern Iowa Tickets
- StubHub: Midwest Regional Final Tickets
- StubHub: Midwest Regional Tickets (both sessions)
#2 Ohio State v #6 Tennessee
- Ohio State-Tennessee Date: Friday, March 26th
- Ohio State-Tennessee Tip Time: 7:07 ET
- Ohio State-Tennessee Location: Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, MO
- Ohio State-Tennessee Announcers: Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
- Ohio State-Tennessee Spread: Ohio State -4.5
- MSF Analysis: Ohio State-Tennessee Preview and Prediction
- StubHub: Ohio State-Tennessee Tickets
- StubHub: Midwest Regional Final Tickets
- StubHub: Midwest Regional Tickets (both sessions)
The winners of this game will play on Sunday, March 28th. The time will be determined once the matchups are known. The announcers will be the same.
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* – Basketball image credit: eHow.com

I think we are over do for a last second finish in a Gus Johnson announced game. Go Butler!
We can only hope. If Gus doesn't get one this weekend, CBS should allow him to call every game until he gets a tight finish, even Jim Nantz has to be booted from the National Championship game.
4thanddone.com
Len Elmore must have graduated from Kansas State – I have never heard a more biased announcer in the tourney – I have no dog in this hunt, but he is Obviously for ks