Today's March Madness Schedule

Early Games:

(3) Syracuse vs (14) Stephen F. Austin (Miami, FL) 12:15 p.m. ET

Comment:  This blog continues assuming Syracuse wins tomorrow.  If they lose, Scott may be taking over permanently as I'll be eyeing the view from the top of the Sears Tower.

(8) Oklahoma State vs (9) Tennessee (Dayton, OH) 12:25 p.m. ET

Comment: Tennessee is determined to stick up for the S.E.C. the way L.S.U. did yesterday.  However, I like the Pokes in this one because the Big 12 is a better conference and O.K. State is more battle tested.  Plus, how can you root for Bruce Pearl when he's going to sweat through a bright orange sport jacket?  Yuck.

(6) Marquette vs (11) Utah State (Boise, ID) 12:30 p.m. ET

Comment:  If Dominic James was healthy, I'd tell you that Utah State has no shot in this game.  I still like Marquette, but Utah State should make things interesting.  

(3) Kansas vs (14) North Dakota State (Minneapolis, MN) 12:30 p.m. ET

Comment:  The defending champs have a tough draw with a N.D. State team that is full of seniors and is in the tourney for the first time.  And coach Saul Phillips is a protege of Wisconsin's great coach Bo Ryan.  But KU is far too athletic for the Bisons to stay in it.  Rock. Chalk.  Jayhawk.

Mid-Afternoon Games:

(6) Arizona State vs (11) Temple (Miami, FL) 2:45 p.m. ET

Comment:  I know it's stylish to pick Temple here, but the A-10 is down this year, and the Sun Devils have an NBA player in James Harden.  I like the fellas from Tempe in this one.

(1) Pittsburgh vs (16) East Tennessee State (Dayton, OH) 2:55 p.m. ET

Comment:  If you're picking against Pitt in this one, well, you're an idiot.  This should be a 40-point win for the Panthers.

(3) Missouri vs (14) Cornell (Boise, ID) 3:00 p.m. ET

Comment:  Missouri had a great year out of the Big 12 that not many would have expected, and they have a good draw, against a Cornell squad that will produce probably a few future hotel managers.  But not basketball players.

(6) West Virginia vs (11) Dayton (Minneapolis, MN) 3:00 p.m. ET

Comment:  Bob Huggins is doing some good things at his alma mater, and usually does well in the tournament.  Dayton had a great year out of the A-10 winning 26 games, but while there's a regional playing on the Flyers home court, this game is in the Hump Dome.  I'll take W.V.U.

Evening Games:

(1) Louisville vs (16) Morehead State (Dayton, OH) 7:10 p.m. ET

Comment:  During the play-out game, some Morehead State fan was wearing a t-shirt that said "Bring on Pitino".  That was dumb, because the 'Ville is going to crush this team.  

(5) Utah vs (12) Arizona (Miami, FL) 7:10 p.m. ET

Comment:  Maybe Arizona didn't deserve to make the tourney in the first place, but they have 3 good players that can help them beat Utah.  Jordan Hill, Nic Wise, and Chase Budinger.  I like the upset here.  

(7) Boston College vs (10) U.S.C. (Minneapolis, MN) 7:20 p.m. ET

Comment:  For some reason, I like U.S.C. here.  Granted, the ACC is a better conference than the Pac-10, but I think Timmy Floyd's crew rides the momentum from their miraculous Pac-10 Tournament win.

(4) Xavier vs (13) Portland State (Boise, ID) 7:25 p.m. ET

Comment:  Some people are picking this upset.  I don't know a damn thing about Portland State.  That's why I picked Xavier.

Late Games:

(8) Ohio State vs (9) Siena (Dayton, OH) 9:40 p.m. ET

Comment:  I would have picked Siena, but somehow the Buckeyes got a home game.  So I'll take Ohio State.

(4) Wake Forest vs (13) Cleveland State (Miami, FL) 9:40 p.m. ET

Comment:  Cleveland State is a dangerous team, coming off the Horizon League Championship and going up against a titan in Wake Forest with nothing to lose.  Yet I couldn't pull the trigger, and took Dino Gaudio's club.

(2) Michigan State vs (15) Robert Morris (Minneapolis, MN) 9:50 p.m. ET

Comment:  My dad thinks Robert Morris could win this game.  He's also ranked last in our bracket challenge currently.  Sparty wins.

(5) Florida State vs (12) Wisconsin (Boise, ID) 9:55 p.m. ET

Comment:  I picked Florida State because they have a ton of motivation to win this.  Their program is mired in NCAA violations now, and this is probably their last shot for a few years to  win anything.  Tough to doubt Bo Ryan though.