Some people obviously have a problem with the new 68-team format, but a new feature of the 2011 NCAA Tournament that almost most everyone is in favor of is the fact that every single game will be broadcast nationally in its entirety.
Whereas before games were televised only on CBS, thus putting you at the whims of CBS’ decision-making for what game would be shown in your area, now you can choose whatever game you wish with TNT, TBS, and truTV joining CBS for March Madness TV coverage. Thus, no longer must you sit passively waiting for Greg Gumbel to bring you live look-ins or have your laptop open to March Madness On Demand. Any game will be just a click of the remote away.
But, as great as this sounds, there is an unintended consequence: you must now be your own viewing director. No more passive March Madness consumption. Are you ready for the challenge? It may be more of one than you think.
For each of the Tournament’s first four days, I’ll help you out by posting that day’s TV Schedule and “viewing gameplan” to give you some idea of how to attack your day of basketball viewing. Obviously you’ll have to adjust for blowouts, upsets-in-the-making, and games that go down to the wire, but at least you’ll have something to start with.
A couple quick notes before we start:
- I am getting my TV schedule from the incomparable FangsBites.com. Whenever you want info on the sports media, this blog is a great place to go.
- My suggestions below are obviously for people watching the tourney from my mindset: with no horse in the race. My Hoosiers are out of it, so I am just trying to maximize my enjoyment. If your team is playing, clearly that is the game you should be watching, even if Gus Johnson is announcing a down-to-the-wire upset. (Well…you should probably flip over at that point.)
March Madness 2011 TV Schedule and Viewing Gameplan for Thursday, March 17th
Early Afternoon Session – First Games
- 12:15 ET: West Virginia v UAB/Clemson on CBS w/ Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
- 12:40 ET: Butler v Old Dominion on truTV w/ Tim Brando and Mike Gminski
- 1:40 ET: Louisville v Morehead State on TBS w/ Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
- 2:10 ET: Temple v Penn State on TNT w/ Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller & Dan Bonner
Early Afternoon Session – Second Games
- Approx 2:45 ET: Kentucky v Princeton on CBS w/ Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
- Approx 3:00 ET: Pittsburgh v UNC-Asheville/Arkansas-Little Rock on truTV w/ Tim Brando and Mike Gminski
- Approx 4:00 ET: Vanderbilt v Richmond on TBS w/ Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
- Approx 4:30 ET: San Diego State v Northern Colorado on TNT w/ Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller & Dan Bonner
Rick Pitino surely appreciates morehead, especially in restaurants late at night, but he may not appreciate drawing a tough Morehead State team in the first round.
In my bracket predictions article, one of my big upsets was Morehead State over Louisville, plus Bill Raftery is doing this game, so I am going to suggest that you make this game your focus once it’s on, and let it anchor your early afternoon viewing. But be ready to flip back to Butler-Old Dominion once that game gets into the second half because it should be a tight game with a great finish.
Louisville-Morehead State should be over around 3:40, which will allow you to flip over Kentucky-Princeton. I think this is a game to keep an eye on. By the time you get there, it’ll be around the start of the second half. Princeton doesn’t have the athletes to keep up with Kentucky, but if the Wildcats are not focused and Princeton makes shots, they could keep it close.
Finally, both of the last two games are worth sticking around for. Vanderbilt-Richmond should be a tight game, and many people, including our own Sports Muse, are predicting Richmond to pull off the 5-12 upset. Watch that close finish, and then catch a little bit of San Diego State-Northern Colorado. This game shouldn’t be close, but the Aztecs are a legit Final 4 contender, so make sure you are acquainted with Kawhi Leonard before SDSU starts making their push deeper into the tourney.
Late Afternoon Session – First Games
- 6:50 ET: Florida v UC-Santa Barbara on TBS w/ Ian Eagle & Jim Spanarkel
- 7:15 ET: BYU v Wofford on CBS w/ Verne Lundquist & Bill Raftery
- 7:20 ET: UCONN v Bucknell on TNT w/ Tim Brando & Mike Gminski
- 7:27 ET: Wisconsin v Belmont on truTV w/ Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller & Dan Bonner
Late Afternoon Session – Second Games
- Approx 9:15 ET: UCLA v Michigan State on TBS w/ Ian Eagle & Jim Spanarkel
- Approx 9:45 ET: St. John’s v Gonzaga on CBS w/ Verne Lundquist & Bill Raftery
- Approx 9:50 ET: Cincinnati v Missouri on TNT w/ Tim Brando & Mike Gminski
- Approx 9:55 ET: Kansas State v Utah State on truTV w/ Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller & Dan Bonneer
UCONN may need the brilliant Kemba Walker to save it from a first round Bucknell upset.
The late afternoon games shape up much like the early games do. My other big upset is Bucknell over UCONN, which plays in the third game much like Louisville-Morehead State above. Assuming Bucknell can keep this game tight – and I think they can – then you are going to want to watch this ball game. Not only could it be the biggest upset of the first round, even if it’s not you still get to enjoy Kemba Walker, one of the best individual players in the tournament. And if UCONN does run away with this one, you’ve always got Bill Raftery calling Jimmer Fredette on CBS. Even if BYU dominates Wofford (and without Brandon Davies, they might not) Fredette will be fun to watch.
I think this session will present a problem though, because Wisconsin-Belmont is going to be a good game. I think Wisconsin will win, but a lot of people are picking Belmont. And why not? Belmont is actually a top 20 according to KenPom.com. I think Wisconsin is a little better than people seem to be giving them credit for, but it’s not like the Badgers play a style that blows games wide open. So be ready to have your finger on the clicker beginning at about 8:45 because both UCONN-Bucknell and Wisconsin-Belmont could go down to the wire as upsets in the making.
For the nightcap, UCLA and Michigan State are both talented teams that are inconsistent. Watching Ben Howland and Tom Izzo is always fun though, and I think the 10th-seeded Spartans have one more good game in them this year. Chances are though, that you won’t be watching this one because the finishes to UCONN-Bucknell and Wisconsin-Belmont should be so competitive. But definitely don’t stop watching just because the night games don’t have the star power of the early games.
In each one of the nightcap games on Thursday night, there is a very real shot for the lower-seeded team to win. In fact, in my predictions, I have all four lower-seeded teams doing just that. With no marquee matchup to point to, my best advice for the second session of Thursday night games is to have your remote ready and to definitely stay up for the K State-Utah State game. This was my 5-12 upset pick – the Aggies are 16th in KenPom’s rankings, despite their #12 seeding.
Readers: what do you think? Am I leading viewers astray? Chime in if you think other games should be peoples’ focus.
About Jerod Morris
