March Madness 2023: Top seeds, underdogs, how to watch, potential upsets revealed
It's the most wonderful time of the year for college basketball fans - March Madness is here! The NCAA tournament is set to start, and fans are eagerly waiting to see which team will cut down the nets in New Orleans. In this report, we will break down what you need to know, including the favorites and underdogs, key games, and how to watch the tournament.
Top seeds
The top four seeds in the tournament are Alabama, Houston, Kansas, and Purdue. Each team is in a region, and some regions are tougher than others. Let's break them down:
East Region
The Purdue Boilermakers got a No. 1 seed for the fourth time after edging Penn State 67-65 in the Big Ten championship game, but they face potential hurdles in Memphis and surging Duke. Memphis (26-8) is fresh from a big upset of top-ranked Houston and led by Kendric Davis. Duke (26-8) shut down Virginia in a 59-49 ACC title game win.
South Region
Alabama is a No. 1 seed for the first time after sweeping the Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament titles behind league player of the year Brandon Miller, capped by an 82-63 romp over Texas A&M. They will open the tourney not far from home, in Birmingham, Alabama. Potential hurdles for the Crimson Tide could include Baylor, Arizona. There's an intriguing early matchup between No. 5 seed San Diego State and No. 12 Charleston, which has 31 wins. Furman is making its first tourney appearance since 1980.
Midwest Region
Houston (31-3) got a top seed despite stumbling 75-65 against unranked Memphis in the American Athletic Conference title game, minus league player of the year Marcus Sasser (strained groin). They will open against Northern Kentucky (22-12). Potential hurdles could include Penn State, which took Purdue down to the wire in the Big Ten, and SEC Tournament runner-up Texas A&M.
West Region
The Jayhawks fell 76-56 to Texas in the Big 12 championship game, and they wound up with the top seed in a stacked region. They will open against Howard (22-12), making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1992. Potential hurdles include No. 6 TCU (21-12), which beat Kansas at Allen Field House 83-60 on Jan. 21, and Arkansas (20-13).
Must watch March Madness games
Texas A&M vs. Penn State - Thursday, 9:55 p.m. ET (TBS)
These two teams are both hot after flirting with league tournament titles, and they are both hungry for a win after years of NCAA Tournament droughts.
Arkansas vs. Illinois - Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET (TBS)
Watch out for Arkansas' top prospect Nick Smith Jr., who has been lighting up the scoreboard despite his knee issues. Meanwhile, Illinois has a strong team led by transfers Terrence Shannon Jr. and Matthew Mayer.
Miami vs. Drake - Friday, 7:35 p.m. ET (TBS)
This game features two conference players of the year in Miami's Isaiah Wong and Drake's Tucker DeVries. Both teams have a history of success in the tournament, so this game promises to be an exciting matchup.
Kentucky vs. Providence - Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET. (CBS)
Led by last year's AP player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky is hoping to avoid another early exit from the tournament. Providence, on the other hand, has their sights set on a Sweet 16 appearance and is led by Kentucky transfer Bryce Hopkins.
Surprise teams in the tournament
Texas Southern and Kennesaw State made the NCAA Tournament cut while North Carolina did not. The Tar Heels made history as the first team since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985 to start the season ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 poll and finish with an NCAA tournament airball. On the other hand, Kennessaw State, which had a 1-28 record three years agso, made the field. Also, Southern Conference champ Furman is dancing for the first time since 1980 and MEAC winner Howard makes its first appearance since 1992.
How to watch the game
All games of the men’s tournament will be aired on CBS, TBS, TNT, or TruTV and their digital platforms. CBS will host the Final Four semifinals and national title game this year. For game times, channel listings, and announcing teams, the NCAA and CBS websites have multiple sources. Additionally, the NCAA will stream games via its March Madness Live option, while CBS games will be streamed on Paramount.
March Madness calendar
The NCAA has released the March Madness calendar, setting up the bracket matchups for the First Four and first- and second-round games across the country from Florida to California.
The Sweet 16 games will be held in New York City (East Region), Las Vegas (West), Kansas City, Missouri (Midwest), and Louisville, Kentucky (South).
The Final Four will take place in Houston on April 1, with the championship game on April 3. For women's college basketball fans, the women's NCAA Tournament will hold its Final Four in Dallas, which is just a four-hour drive from Houston.
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