March Madness games today: Everything to know about NCAA Tournament schedule Saturday

As wordsmiths, we love our alliterations. With one of those mellifluous phrases, March Madness, now in full swing, we have reached the point where another starts getting bandied about.

No, not that one. Before we get to the Final Four, there are a couple more alliterative steps to be taken. On Saturday, the men’s NCAA tournament will start moving teams along to the Sweet 16.

By day’s end, half of the field for the tournament’s second weekend will be set. The lineup includes the usual array of household names and first-round surprise winners that make this event special. Here’s your Saturday viewer’s guide.

No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 7 Dayton, 12:45 p.m. ET, CBS

That Dayton is here at all is something of a miracle, but the Flyers’ rally from a 17-point hole against Nevada is proof positive that the three-point arc can bring hope and despair in equal measures. Arizona for its part took the better part of a half to find its rhythm as well but faced much less pressure down the stretch. Well-traveled Wildcats’ guard Caleb Love and versatile Dayton forward DaRon Holmes are capable of sparking runs at any time.

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No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 5 Gonzaga, 3:15 p.m. ET, CBS

Both these highly successful programs were nevertheless tagged as possible upset candidates when the bracket was unveiled. Gonzaga was never threatened, however, and it looked for all the world like Kansas would not be either until Samford’s furious comeback bid produced high drama in the wee hours. Whether the Jayhawks’ unexpected use of energy will have carry-over effects remains to be seen, but KU must continue to get production from Johnny Furphy and Nicolas Timberlake to compensate for the absence of Kevin McCullar. The Bulldogs are at their best when the offense goes through Anton Watson near the bucket, but any help he and Graham Ike get from the perimeter is welcome.

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Michigan State, 5:30 p.m. ET, CBS

One might expect to see this matchup much later in the tournament. Michigan State is in effect attempting to do what North Carolina achieved two years ago, doing just enough to make the field before going on a huge run in March. As it happens, it’s the Tar Heels themselves standing in the way. UNC seems well constructed to meet the challenge, with R.J. Davis running the show while Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram act as glass cleaners. But the Spartans’ backcourt tandem of A.J. Hoggard and Jaden Akins are playing like the veterans they are, and any team coached by Tom Izzo can’t be counted out in March, even though he is 0-4 against North Carolina in the tournament.

No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 7 Washington State, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT

It looked like this would be an all-Iowa showdown in nearby Omaha, but the Cougars made the plays late that Drake couldn’t to earn this date with the Cyclones. Iowa State is a well-integrated squad at both ends of the floor, but even with its recent run of success it often needs its sound defense to compensate for occasional scoring droughts. Washington State’s Myles Rice and Isaac Jones must make ball security their top priority in what could be another game of limited possessions.

No. 11 North Carolina State vs. No. 14 Oakland, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS

Unfortunately one of the most fun tournament stories thus far will come to an end here, but such is the nature of March Madness. The Golden Grizzlies, the plucky mid-major with a veteran coach who sent mighty Kentucky packing, face the red-hot Wolfpack, a school with a history of underdog triumphs in this event. Oakland’s bench bomber Jack Gohlke and N.C. State’s crafty big man D.J. Burns became instant crowd favorites in the Steel City, but this contest will likely hinge on whether primary producers Trey Townsend for the Grizzlies or the Wolfpack’s D.J. Horne get more help.

No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Texas, 8 p.m. ET, CBS

Curiously this is one of two contests on the day’s lineup in which a coach faces his former school. Tennessee’s Rick Barnes squaring off against the Longhorns is really just a subplot, however, as both programs have more immediate goals in mind. While Texas’s defensive effort deserves much of the credit for Colorado State’s power outage, the Volunteers’ and three-level scorer Dalton Knecht will be harder to shut down. The Longhorns figure to need more efficiency on the offensive end from Max Abmas and Dylan Disu to keep pace in this one.

No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 11 Duquesne, 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT

Dukes coach Keith Dambrot joked that his team doesn’t want him to retire just yet after they took down BYU. If they hope to extend his career for yet another weekend, they’ll need the same kind of defensive intensity against the well-rounded Fighting Illini, who’ve been getting contributions from other sources in addition to Terrence Shannon Jr. during their postseason run. Should matters be in doubt in the closing minutes, Duquesne’s Dae Dae Grant, a 94% free-throw shooter, is a nice card to have in one’s hand.

No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 11 Oregon, 9:40 p.m. ET, TBS

In the day’s final contest, the coaching reunion tour continues as Creighton, one of Ducks’ coach Dana Altman’s former stops, looks to keep its current run under successor Greg McDermott going. But again, the activity on the court should take precedence as these hot-shooting teams could stage an entertaining contest. The Bluejays have been getting terrific play at the point from Trey Alexander, allowing Baylor Scheierman and Ryan Kalkbrenner to get the ball where they most like it. The Ducks need another big outing from Jermaine Couisnard and more solid work in the paint from N'Faly Dante.