Arizona basketball kicks off its NCAA Tournament on Friday, but there are intriguing and familiar matchups on Thursday.
Here's what we'll be watching in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.
Arizona's familiar opponents
Pittsburgh vs. Colorado, 10:40 a.m. MST (TBS): Colorado didn't seem it had much juice left in the tank when it hit Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament. But the Panthers might be in the same boat as a middle-of-the-road team in a decent-enough conference. Good thing for Arizona fans that Pittsburgh, Sean Miller's old school, signed Jamie Dixon to an extension last season.
BYU vs. Oregon, 12:10 p.m. MST (truTV): The Ducks squeaked one out in overtime against the Cougars in their perfect nonconference schedule and are coming off a loss to the same UCLA team that dropped Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament. There should be plenty of scoring in this one between Oregon's Joseph Young, Jason Calliste and BYU's Tyler Haws. Dana Altman's bench looked good in the tournament with Calliste gunning and point guard Dominic Artis finding himself.
Texas vs. ASU, 6:40 p.m. MST (CBS): It's hard to say what the Sun Devils can do in the tournament, especially since we don't really know what to expect from a Longhorns team that was basically a .500 club down the stretch run of its season. Can Jahii Carson, Jermaine Marshall and Jordan Bachynski do enough to make a run? A lot has always been on that trio's shoulders.
New Mexico State vs. San Diego State, 6:57 p.m. MST (truTV): Two of Arizona's opponents from 2013-14 square off in what should be an easy win for the Aztecs.
The most intriguing
N.C. State vs. Saint Louis, 4:20 p.m. MST, (TNT): The Wolfpack were questionably an NCAA Tournament squad, but after winning the play-in game against Xavier, Mark Gottfried and company could be ready to prove their place in the field. Saint Louis reached the top-10 this season but fell back to earth in a hard way, losing four of their last five. But either way, this one is a good opportunity to take in NC State forward T.J. Warren, a 25-point per game scorer who could be working his way into the NBA lottery.
Thursday's Game Schedule
Region
Game
Venue
Time
TV
Announcers
South
Dayton Flyers (11) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (6)
First Niagara Center (Buffalo, NY)
12:15p
CBS
Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery/Allie LaForce
West
American University Eagles (15) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (2)
BMO Harris Bradley Center (Milwaukee, WI)
12:40p
truTV
Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel/Lewis Johnson
South
Pittsburgh Panthers (9) vs. Colorado Buffaloes (8)
Amway Center (Orlando, FL)
1:40p
TBS
Brian Anderson/Dan Bonner//Kristine Leahy
East
Harvard Crimson (12) vs. Cincinnati Bearcats (5)
Spokane Memorial Arena (Spokane, WA)
2:10p
TNT
Spero Dedes/Doug Gottlieb//Jaime Maggio
South
Western Michigan Broncos (14) vs. Syracuse Orange (3)
First Niagara Center (Buffalo, NY)
2:45p
CBS
Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery/Allie LaForce
West
BYU Cougars (10) vs. Oregon Ducks (7)
BMO Harris Bradley Center (Milwaukee, WI)
3:10p
truTV
Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel/Lewis Johnson
South
Albany Great Danes/ Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (16) vs. Florida Gators (1)
Amway Center (Orlando, FL)
4:10p
TBS
Brian Anderson/Dan Bonner//Kristine Leahy
East
Delaware Blue Hens (13) vs. Michigan State Spartans (4)
Spokane Memorial Arena (Spokane, WA)
4:40p
TNT
Spero Dedes/Doug Gottlieb//Jaime Maggio
East
Saint Joseph's (PA) Hawks (10) vs. Connecticut Huskies (7)
First Niagara Center (Buffalo, NY)
6:55p
TBS
Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery/Allie LaForce
MidWest
Wofford Terriers (15) vs. Michigan Wolverines (2)
BMO Harris Bradley Center (Milwaukee, WI)
7:10p
CBS
Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel/Lewis Johnson
MidWest
North Carolina State Wolfpack/Xavier Musketeers (12) vs. Saint Louis Billikens (5)
Amway Center (Orlando, FL)
7:20p
TNT
Brian Anderson/Dan Bonner//Kristine Leahy
West
North Dakota State Bison (12) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (5)
Spokane Memorial Arena (Spokane, WA)
7:27p
truTV
Spero Dedes/Doug Gottlieb//Jaime Maggio
East
Milwaukee Panthers (15) vs. Villanova Wildcats (2)
First Niagara Center (Buffalo, NY)
9:25p
TBS
Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery/Allie LaForce
MidWest
Arizona State Sun Devils (10) vs. Texas Longhorns (7)
BMO Harris Bradley Center (Milwaukee, WI)
9:40p
CBS
Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel/Lewis Johnson
MidWest
Manhattan Jaspers (13) vs. Louisville Cardinals (4)
Amway Center (Orlando, FL)
9:50p
TNT
Brian Anderson/Dan Bonner//Kristine Leahy
West
New Mexico State Aggies (13) vs. San Diego State Aztecs (4)
Spokane Memorial Arena (Spokane, WA)
9:57p
truTV
Spero Dedes/Doug Gottlieb//Jaime Maggio
Friday's Game Schedule
Region
Game
Venue
Time
TV
Announcers
MidWest
Mercer Bears (14) vs. Duke Blue Devils(3)
PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC)
12:15p
CBS
Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols
West
Nebraska Cornhuskers (11) vs. Baylor Bears (6)
AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX)
12:40p
truTV
Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager
South
Stanford Cardinal (10) vs. New Mexico Lobos (7)
Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO)
1:40p
TBS
Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson
West
Weber State Wildcats (16) vs. Arizona Wildcats (1)
Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA)
2:10p
TNT
Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston
MidWest
Iowa Hawkeyes/Tennessee Volunteers (11) vs. Massachusetts Minutemen (6)
PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC)
2:45p
CBS
Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols
West
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (14) vs. Creighton Bluejays (3)
AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX)
3:10p
truTV
Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager
South
Eastern Kentucky Colonels (15) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (2)
Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO)
4:10p
TBS
Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson
West
Oklahoma State Cowboys (9) vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs (8)
Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA)
4:40p
TNT
Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston
East
George Washington Colonials (9) vs. Memphis Tigers (8)
PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC)
6:55p
TBS
Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols
MidWest
Cal Poly Mustangs/ Texas Southern Tigers (16) vs. Wichita State Shockers (1)
Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO)
7:10p
CBS
Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson
East
Providence Friars (11) vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (6)
AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX)
7:20p
TNT
Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager
South
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (12) vs. Virginia Commonwealth Rams (5)
Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA)
7:27p
truTV
Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston
East
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (16) vs. Virginia Cavaliers (1)
PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC)
9:25p
TBS
Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols
MidWest
Kansas State Wildcats (9) vs. Kentucky Wildcats (8)
Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO)
9:40p
CBS
Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson
East
NC Central Eagles (14) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (3)
AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX)
9:50p
TNT
Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager
South
Tulsa Golden Hurricane (13) vs. UCLA Bruins (4)
Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA)
9:57p
truTV
Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston