Selection Sunday has come and gone, and the official 2024 March Madness bracket has been released for the public to predict. But how did we get there?
The most glaring loss was handed to the Tennessee Volunteers, courtesy of the Mississippi State Bulldogs. On Friday, March 15, the Bulldogs defeated the Vols 73-56, the final warning for Tennessee to fix their team issues before the tournament. Destined for the Midwest’s 1-seed, Tennessee’s loss on Friday knocked them down to the 2-seed and opened the door for North Carolina to snag the final top spot.
Houston, Purdue, and the reigning champion UConn Huskies all secured their expected 1-seed spots, while Marquette, Iowa State, and Arizona secured their 2-seeds. Big names like Duke, Kansas, and Baylor snagged 3 and 4-seeds, while lesser-known schools like Morehead State, Oakland, and Long Beach State are getting their chance in the big dance.
The tournament kicked off Tuesday, March 19, with the first two First Four matchups, playing out as follows:
Wagner vs. Howard at 6:40 p.m: Wagner wins 71-68
Colorado State vs. Virginia at 9:10 p.m: Colorado State wins 67-42
Wednesday, March 20, will wrap up the First Four round. All games in this round will be aired on TruTV, with Wednesday’s matchups scheduled as follows:
Grambling vs. Montana State at 6:40 p.m: Grambling wins 88-81
Colorado vs. Boise State at 9:10 p.m: Colorado wins 60-53
Although the First Four is important, not many watch it. The real action begins Today, Thursday, March 21, across four channels (CBS, TruTV, TNT, and TBS). Starting with Mississippi State vs. Michigan State at 12:15 p.m. on CBS, games will be on all day until Washington State vs. Drake at 10:05 p.m. on truTV wraps up the action.
The Women’s bracket settled as expected, but Texas snuck into the 1-seed, knocking Stanford out of their predicted spot. Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes seem to be the closest competition for South Carolina, but the games will be occurring at the same time as the Men’s. All games can be caught on ESPN channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU).
Have you completed your bracket? Who is your pick to win, and who is your Cinderella story? During Spring Break, March Madness will provide an intense form of entertainment 24/7, so be sure to tune in. Enjoy the madness!