Here are Saturday’s key March Madness 2024 games to watch:
(7) Dayton vs. (2) Arizona
12:45 p.m., CBS
It’s been quite the tournament for the Atlantic 10, which has two teams in the second round for the first time since 2016.
Dayton overcame a 17-point deficit to beat Nevada but likely will need a better showing to have any chance against high-powered Arizona, which rolled past Long Beach State.
(5) Gonzaga vs. (4) Kansas
3:15 p.m., CBS
Two of the winningest active coaches, Bill Self (810 wins) and Mark Few (715), make this a must-see showdown.
This wasn’t a vintage Gonzaga team, finishing second in the West Coast Conference, but the Zags hammered trendy upset pick McNeese in the first round. Kansas, meanwhile, needed the help of a generous foul call in the closing seconds to avoid blowing a big lead against Samford.
(9) Michigan St. vs. (1) North Carolina
5:30 p.m., CBS
Two of the handful of programs to have won multiple national titles, the Spartans and Tar Heels feels more like an Elite Eight or Final Four matchup most seasons.
Vegas appears to agree, with North Carolina narrow favorites despite the seeding disparity after Michigan State underwhelmed during the regular season.
(14) Oakland vs. (11) N.C. State
7:10 p.m., TBS
This is a heavyweight matchup, but not the one anyone expected.
Oakland knocked off 3-seed Kentucky behind an incredible 10 3-pointers from graduate transfer Jack Gohlke, while N.C. State — and its 275-pound cult hero, DJ Burns Jr. — continued its late-season surge by upsetting Texas Tech. Either team would be a fun addition to the second weekend.
(11) Duquesne vs. (3) Illinois
8:40 p.m., TNT
After earning the school’s first NCAA Tournament win since 1969 by upsetting BYU, Duquesne gets another chance to prolong the career of coach Keith Dambrot, who is retiring after the season.
Illinois’ Terrence Shannon Jr. has been on a tear, however, scoring at least 25 points in five straight games, including 26 in Thursday’s rout of Morehead State.
(11) Oregon vs. (3) Creighton
9:40 p.m., TBS
Oregon’s Jermaine Couisnard couldn’t be stopped against his former team, South Carolina, on Thursday, dropping a tournament-high 40 points.
Creighton has a three-headed monster, though, with Ryan Kalkbrenner, Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman each averaging 17-plus points during the regular season.
They have their sights set on becoming the first Big East team to reach the Sweet 16 this year.
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