Preview Roundups
March 20, 2019
North Carolina Central at North Dakota State 6:40 PM ET
North Carolina Central takes on North Dakota State in the East Region’s First Four play-in game on Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio. The Eagles, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champs, and the Bison, the winners of the Summit League, are both seeded 16th and the winner will face the top-overall seed Duke on Friday.
Toledo at Xavier 7:00 PM ET
The fall from grace has been swift for Xavier, which was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this time last year but now is a No. 3 seed in the NIT. The Musketeers play their NIT opener on Wednesday against visiting Toledo, the No. 6 seed in the region.
Norfolk State at Alabama 7:00 PM ET
Alabama will try to get something out of this season while preparing for the future when it starts play in the NIT with a matchup against visiting Norfolk State on Wednesday night. The top-seeded Crimson Tide dropped four of their last five games to end any NCAA Tournament hopes, but will look to grow from the experience of playing in more pressure situations with several key underclassmen still developing.
Harvard at Georgetown 7:00 PM ET
Big East Freshman of the Year James Akinjo will lead No. 3 seed Georgetown into its first postseason game since 2015 when it hosts sixth-seeded Harvard on Wednesday in the first round of the NIT. Akinjo and the Hoyas missed out on the NCAA Tournament but can gain valuable experience facing the Crimson at McDonough Arena.
Wichita St. at Furman 7:00 PM ET
For the first time since 1991, Furman will make an appearance in the NIT as it garnered a No. 3 seed and will host sixth-seeded Wichita State in the first round on Wednesday. The Paladins began their season with 12 consecutive victories, but finished tied for third in the Southern Conference despite winning a program-record 25 games overall.
Grand Canyon at West Virginia 7:00 PM ET
West Virginia looks to build on its surprising run at the Big 12 Tournament when the Mountaineers face visiting Grand Canyon in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational on Wednesday. After limping into its conference tournament as a No. 10 seed, the shorthanded Mountaineers upset Oklahoma and Texas Tech before losing to Kansas in the semifinals.
Stony Brook at South Florida 7:00 PM ET
South Florida returns to the postseason for the first time since 2012 and will host Stony Brook on Wednesday in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational. The Bulls recorded as many American Athletic Conference victories (eight) as they had in the three previous seasons combined while Stony Brook once again finished in the top two in the America East Conference and will be making their fourth CBI appearance in six years.
Central Michigan at DePaul 8:00 PM ET
DePaul finished the regular season with its best win total (15) in 12 years, which was also the last time the team played in a postseason event. The Blue Demons will end that drought when they host Central Michigan on Wednesday in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational.
Sam Houston St. at Texas Christian 9:00 PM ET
TCU was hoping for a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament after a 19-year hiatus, but a 1-6 stretch near the end of the season and a loss to No. 14 Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament solidified its spot in the NIT. The Horned Frogs, who won college basketball's longest-standing tournament in 2017, are one of four No. 1 seeds in the 32-team bracket and will host eighth seed Sam Houston State on Wednesday.
Butler at Nebraska 9:00 PM ET
No. 4 seed Nebraska looks to get over the disappointment of missing the NCAA Tournament when it hosts fifth-seeded Butler in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday. The Cornhuskers seemed poised to earn their first March Madness berth since 2013-14 following a 13-4 start, but they proceeded to drop 10 of their next 14 games, and hope to build off their encouraging performance in the Big Ten Tournament after advancing to the quarterfinals.
St. John's at Arizona State 9:10 PM ET
Bobby Hurley and Chris Mullin had plenty of positive NCAA Tournament experiences as players but they'll butt heads as coaches when No. 11 seeds Arizona State and St. John's meet Wednesday in the First Four at Dayton, Ohio. Hurley won a pair of NCAA titles (1991, 1992) while a point guard at Duke while Mullin helped St. John's to the 1985 Final Four.