My Two Cents: Reveling in March Madness, From Coast to Coast

It's been 10 states in two weeks covering college basketball, and the March Madness journey today brings me to Bridgeport, Conn., where Indiana's women's basketball team is ready to do battle with perennial power Connecticut right in their backyard. Really looking forward to this showdown.

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — If it's Saturday, the third Saturday, this must be Bridgeport. It all just blends in after a while. Another day, another set of games, another state. Where am I?

Yes, without question, this is the Madness of March.

The difference on the third Saturday of this crazy basketball journey, is that today is Ladies Day. I have made my way to Bridgeport, in the heart of enemy territory for the day, as Indiana's capturing-your-hearts women's basketball team takes on the the powerful Connecticut Huskies in the regional semifinals.

Two Saturdays ago, it was Indianapolis, for home games of the Big Ten men's game. Mike Woodson's team played that day, and lost to Iowa in the conference semifinals. A day later, the dash was on after Selection Sunday for both programs laid out the game plan. 

I woke up in my own bed in Brownsburg, Ind., that Monday morning, March the 14, and worked till noon. I haven't seen it since.

Then I jumped in my car and drove two-plus hours to Dayton, Ohio. I covered Indiana's men's First Four game late that night, and wrote until 1 a.m. ET. Then I dashed to the Indianapolis airport and got checked in for a 5 a.m. flight to Portland, Ore., to cover the Hoosiers in the first round. I connected in Phoenix on the way, and then spent four days in Portland covering those six games, losing the Hoosiers along the way.

I spent a few days in Seattle with former Indiana offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, then headed to Philadelphia on Tuesday for the men's East Regional, except that the flight was oversold and needed volunteers. Money talks, so I did. Finally got to Philly on Wednesday after a long layover in Denver, did a lot of Purdue basketball stories, among others, on Thursday and Friday. I've learned much more about Saint Peter's and Peacocks and Michael Lewis and UCLA  and North Carolina than I ever imagined I would.

Thankfully, Indiana's women's team was kind enough to win two games at home, bringing March Madness to Bloomington. They've been having so much fun that I figured I had to be a part of it.

Now they take it on the road, just a few hours from Philly, here in Bridgeport, Conn. I drove over this morning, and I'm excited to be here. I only get to watch this team from a distance all year, covering two men's teams, so I'm happy to give Teri Moren and her team the full treatment here today. My reporter Haley Jordan has written a lot of great stuff all week, and it's all linked below. 

Saturday's game starts at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN, and I'll be back in a big with a live blog straight from press row here in Bridgeport. (Later, CLICK HERE for the blog) And then plenty of coverage after Indiana (24-8) and UConn (27-5) get done scrapping.

It's Saturday, I think. It's Connecticut, I think.

The state count (10): Indiana, Ohio, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and now Connecticut.

The game count after today since March 9? After today, it will be 25 games in 16 days.

I love March so much. 

Related stories on Indiana women's basketball

• AURIEMMA PRAISES INDIANA: Legendary UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma said he Indiana is ''smart as hell'' and wouldn't be surprised if the Hoosiers won the whole tournament. CLICK HERE
• UCONN IS USED TO PLAYING GAMES IN ITS BACKYARD: The Huskies have made it to the Final Four 13 years in a row. For three of those trips, UConn has played in both Storrs and Bridgeport, Conn. until the Final Four round. This year will be no different as Indiana will take a stab at the Huskies' in their backyard. CLICK HERE
• FOUR BIG TEN TEAMS MAKE SWEET 16: Women's basketball coaches say it's the best conference for a reason. Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State and Michigan are each in the Sweet 16 and all have a chance at the NCAA Tournament title giving the NCAA a 25 percent chance of crowning a Big Ten team the champions for the first time since 2006. CLICK HERE
• NO ONE DESERVES WINS LIKE ALI PATBERG: Four Hoosiers played for the last time in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Monday night to advance to the Sweet 16. One player who has five seasons of memories and 4,264 minutes of play invested into the program is guard Ali Patberg. CLICK HERE
• NCAA WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT SWEET 16/ELITE EIGHT SCHEDULE: Here's a complete breakdown of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Sweet 16/Elite Eight schedules with location and TV times for each region. CLICK HERE