Three top seeds hit the hardwood
At Auburn Hills, Mich.
No. 3 Iowa (25-8) vs. No. 14 Northwestern State (25-7): Hawkeyes jump-shoot their way past Demons. 10:25 a.m.
No. 6 West Virginia (20-10) vs. No. 11 Southern Illinois (22-10): Mountaineers look to get back on track. *1 p.m.
No. 5 Pittsburgh (24-7) vs. 12 Kent State (25-8): Pitt’s “D” stifling; Kent gone – in a Flash, 5:10 p.m.
No. 4 Kansas (25-7) vs. No. 13 Bradley (20-10): Young Jayhawks begin first of many NCAA tourney runs. *8 p.m.
At Philadelphia
No. 8 Arizona (19-12) vs. No. 9 Wisconsin (19-11): ‘Cats start strong, but Badgers wear ‘Zona out. 10:30 a.m.
No. 1 Villanova (25-4) vs. 16 Monmouth (19-14): Nova’s Allan Ray (eye injury) gets to break back in slowly. *1 p.m.
No. 1 Connecticut (27-3) vs. No. 16 Albany (21-10): UConn gets off to a fast start. 5:25 p.m.
No. 8 Kentucky (21-12) vs. No. 9 UAB (24-6): UAB no stranger to beating UK in March. *8 p.m.
At Dallas
No. 8 Arkansas (22-9) vs. No. 9 Bucknell (26-4): Bucknell no Cinderella after beating Kansas a year ago. 10:30 a.m.
No. 1 Memphis (30-3) vs. No. 16 Oral Roberts (21-11): Memphis had better not overlook ORU’s athleticism. *12:50 p.m.
No. 7 California (20-10) vs. No. 10 North Carolina State (21-9): Oft-maligned Pac-10 needs a victory over an ACC team to gain some respect. 5:20 p.m.
No. 2 Texas (27-6) vs. No. 15 Penn (20-8): Texas returns to Dallas, where it lost Sunday. *7:40 p.m.
At Dayton, Ohio
No. 2 Ohio State (25-5) vs. No. 15 Davidson (20-10): Thin Buckeyes frontcourt might miss backup Matt Terwilliger (appendectomy). 10:15 a.m.
No. 7 Georgetown (21-9) vs. No. 10 Northern Iowa (23-9): UNI coach Greg McDermott could be a hot candidate if Panthers advance. *12:35 p.m.
No. 6 Michigan State (22-11) vs. No. 11 George Mason (23-7): Spartans faded late, but Tom Izzo’s teams always ready in March. 5:10 p.m.
No. 3 North Carolina (22-7) vs. No. 14 Murray State (24-6): Tar Heels’ 6-foot-9 freshman Tyler Hansbrough should dominate. *7:30 p.m.
* – Approximately 30 minutes after conclusion of first game
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TOPSY-TURVY SPARTANS
Izzo seeks consistency
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo can’t recall coaching a more perplexing team. The sixth-seeded Spartans (22-11), who face 11th-seeded George Mason today in a first-round game in Dayton, Ohio, have won only four of their past 10 games.
“We’ve been a little more confusing team than we’ve had recently,” Izzo said in a news conference this week. “We’ve done a very good job in most areas that you have to do a good job in. What we haven’t become is a very consistent team in those areas.”
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ON TAP TODAY
Beware of Bucknell
All hail the No. 1 seeds! Three of the four top seeds spring into action today as the first round of the NCAA Tournament continues. Connecticut, Memphis and Villanova – with a healthy Allan Ray – should breeze to victory.
The day’s best games? Look no further than Georgetown-Northern Iowa, California-N.C. State, Arizona-Wisconsin and Kentucky- UAB.
Look for George Mason to give Michigan State a closer game than many might think, and Bucknell, with the same starting five that took down Kansas a year ago, to thoroughly test Arkansas. The only thing that might save the Hogs will be a “homecourt” advantage, with many Arkansas fans pouring into Dallas.
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DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER
Buckeyes,
Davidson
battle again
When No. 2-seed Ohio State faces Davidson today in Dayton, Ohio, it will mark the first NCAA Tournament appearance for the Buckeyes since 2002 – when Ohio State, then seeded No. 4, played Davidson in the opening round.
Four years ago, Ohio State squeaked by Davidson 69-64. Senior center Terence Dials is the only remaining player from that Buckeyes team.
“We’re a higher seed, a different team,” Dials told reporters after the Buckeyes lost to Iowa on Sunday. would keep his job if he didn’t get the Razorbacks to the NCAA Tournament. Heath, 61-56 at Arkansas since replacing Nolan Richardson, made a wise hire prior to this season by bringing former Akron head coach Dan Hipsher onto the staff as an assistant coach. The Razorbacks rewarded Heath with a 22-9 record and his first trip to the tournament as Arkansas coach.
