March Madness Viewer's Guide: What to Watch on Day 2 of the NCAA Tournament's Second Round
The road to the Final Four got shorter on Saturday after eight more teams were eliminated from championship contention during the second round's first day of action. No. 3 LSU got things started with a 69–67 last-second win over No. 6 Maryland.No. 2 Kentucky escaped with a close win over Wofford, while Florida State, Gonzaga, Michigan State, Purdue, Michigan and Auburn rolled into the Sweet 16 with less drama.
Eight more spots will be on the line on Sunday, with some of the country's best teams looking to keep their runs alive. The South's top seed, Virginia, and second-seeded Tennessee held off upset bids on Friday and will be looking to make out it of a second weekend in tough tests. No. 1 Duke, No. 1 UNC and No. 3 Texas Tech will also headline Day 2's slate of games hoping to avoid upset bids by UCF, Washington and Buffalo, respectively.
Sunday's slate is backloaded, with six of the day's eight games tipping off in the evening. Find out who to watch (and read about) on Sunday as the remaining teams vie for a coveted slot in the Sweet 16. The day's full schedule follows.
All times listed in Eastern.
What to watch
The early game
No. 10 Iowa vs. No. 2 Tennessee (12:10 p.m., CBS)
The Vols advanced to Sunday's second-round game against the Hawkeyes after holding off No. 15 Colgate's second-half rally for a 77–70 win. Tennessee let Colgate overcome a 14-point deficit to tie the game midway through the second half before putting the game away with back-to-back three's from Admiral Schofield, who finished the game with 19 points. Iowa solved Cincinnati's defense for 48 second-half points Friday, overcoming an early 13-point deficit for a 79–72 win. The last time these two teams played in the NCAA tournament was 2014, when Tennessee needed overtime to rally back and defeat Iowa, 78–65. Watch to find out if Iowa can win its eigth-straight game and clinch the upset.
The afternoon block
No. 9 Washington vs. No. 1 North Carolina (2:40 p.m., CBS)
North Carolina earned its way into the round of 32 with a 88–73 win over No. 16 Iona on Friday despite a slow first half showing. The Tar Heels were facing a five-point deficit at halftime before Cameron Johnson's three pointer and Luke Maye's jumped tied it 39 second into the second half. UNC didn't look back after that, going on an 18-4 run to get back on track. Washington took down No. 8 Utah State 78–61, giving second-year coach Mike Hopkins his first NCAA tournament victory. Can Carolina get off to a hot start and keep Washington's three-point attack at bay, or will the Huskies give Hopkins his second tournament win in thrilling fashion? Tune in and see.
Early evening must-watch
No. 9 UCF vs. No. 1 Duke (5:15 p.m., CBS)
Tacko Fall and Zion Williamson. Need we say more? At 7'6", 310 pounds, Fall wreaks havoc on the entire court. Williamson, who is a whole foot shorter and 25 pounds lighter, is the consensus No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft, setting up for a must-watch spectacle as he and Fall step foot on the same stage. Add in the fact that No. 9 UCF squashed Virginia Commonwealth 73–58 on Friday night, and Duke could have itself some decent competition in this second round. Fall vowed he wouldn't let Williamson "put me on one of his hightlight tapes." We'll have to wait until Sunday evening to see if he holds up on his promise.
Late night matchup
No. 13 UC Irvine vs. No. 12 Oregon (9:40 p.m., TBS)
UC Irvine once lived in relative anonymity. Now, the thirteenth-seeded squad is pulling off stunners in the NCAA tournament. The Anteaters introduced themselves to the world with the tournament's first upset, a 70–64 victory over No. 4 Kansas State on Friday. Their first tournament win in school history sets them up for a matchup against the No. 12 Oregon Ducks, who have ripped off nine consecutive victories and buried No. 5 Wisconsin 72–55 in the first round. Both teams will be coming into the game with plenty of defense and swagger, setting up for what should be an entertaining showdown.
Recommended reads from the SI Staff
• The SI Staff recapped all of Saturday's second round games for you, from Florida State knocking out Murray State to Kentucky and LSU surviving early scares.
• Charlie Pierce shares why Tacko Fall is a basketball spectacle to rival Zion Williamson and what to look forward to when the two share the same stage on Sunday.
• Jonathan Jones explores how UCF will prepare to face Williamson and Duke in just 41 hours.
• Laken Litman looks at how Carsen Edwards's performance vs. Villanova shows Purdue's potential.
• Dan Greene gives you the method behind Washington head coach Mike Hopkins' madness.
• Chris Ballard makes his case for why UC Irvine is not your typical Cinderella team in this year's NCAA tournament.
• Ross Dellenger dives into Ohio State's close call against Iowa State and how Kaleb Wesson and Keyshawn Woods were key in the Buckeyes' victory.
• Laken Litman reveals why Ja Morant's March Madness run was short but unforgettable and gave him the perfect platform before heading to the NBA.
• Andy Staples looks at how LSU keeps advancing in the tournament despite criticism of suspended head coach Will Wade and the program.
Sunday's full schedule
• 12:10 p.m.: No. 10 Iowa vs. No. 2 Tennessee (CBS)
• 2:40 p.m.: No. 9 Washington vs. No. 1 North Carolina (CBS)
• 5:15 p.m.: No. 9 UCF vs. No. 1 Duke (CBS)
• 6:10 p.m.: No. 6 Buffalo vs. No. 3 Texas Tech (TNT)
• 7:10 p.m.: No. 12 Liberty vs. No. 4 Virginia Tech (TBS)
• 7:45 p.m.: No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Virginia (truTV)
• 8:40 p.m.: No. 11 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Houston (TNT)
• 9:40 p.m.: No. 13 UC Irvine vs. No. 12 Oregon (TBS)
All games can also be streamed with March Madness Live online on NCAA.com.
