March Madness 2014 Schedule: Bracket, Round-by-Round Dates, TV Info and More
The NCAA tournament is finally here and you do not want to miss a second of the action.
With up to 16 games in one day and four going on at one time, it is often tough to keep up. However, March Madness gets its name due to the high potential for upsets and the ability to produce a memorable moment at any point. This means you have to make sure to catch as many games as possible to not be left out of the loop.
Fortunately, you can follow the entire three weeks of play with this guide, whether you are a die-hard fan of one team or want to try to watch every single game in the tournament.
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| First Four (Game 1) | 6:30 p.m. | TruTV |
| First Four (Game 2) | 9 p.m. | TruTV |
| First Four (Game 3) | 6:30 p.m. | TruTV |
| First Four (Game 4) | 9 p.m. | TruTV |
| Second Round | 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Second Round | 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 7:15 p.m., 9:55 p.m. | TruTV |
| Second Round | 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 6:45 p.m., 9:15 p.m. | TBS |
| Second Round | 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7:15 p.m., 9:45 p.m. | TNT |
| Second Round | 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Second Round | 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 7:15 p.m., 9:55 p.m. | TruTV |
| Second Round | 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 6:45 p.m., 9:15 p.m. | TBS |
| Second Round | 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7:15 p.m., 9:45 p.m. | TNT |
| Third Round | 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Third Round | 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Third Round | 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. | TBS |
| Third Round | 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Third Round | 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Third Round | 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. | TBS |
| Third Round | 7:30 p.m. | TruTV |
| Sweet Sixteen | 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Sweet Sixteen | 7:15 p.m., 9:55 p.m. | TBS |
| Sweet Sixteen | 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Sweet Sixteen | 7:15 p.m., 9:55 p.m. | TBS |
| Elite Eight | 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m. | TBS |
| Elite Eight | 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m. | TBS |
| Final Four (Game 1), Final Four Game 2 | 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m. | TBS, TNT, TruTV |
| National Championship Game | 9 p.m. | CBS |
Top Players to Watch
Doug McDermott, Creighton
The likely National Player of the Year has run away with the race since the middle of the season. The coach's son leads the country in scoring and has turned Creighton into a legitimate Final Four contender.
McDermott scored 45 points in his Senior Night against Providence, giving him over 3,000 points for his career. When Georgetown coach John Thompson III heard about it, he noted how easy that must have been:
Meanwhile, Grantland's Mark Titus reminds us that what the forward has been doing is truly special:
The senior has transformed himself from a pure shooter into an elite player who can score in many different ways. Additionally, he has become an all-around star who can rebound and make plays on the defensive end.
Heading into the NCAA tournament, Creighton has the ability to outscore anyone in the field. The only question is if the squad can play enough defense to advance.
Jabari Parker, Duke
Heading into the year, there was a question about who would be the best freshman in the country between Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon and more. At this point of the year, there is no debate.
While Wiggins might have more upside for NBA teams, Parker has been without a doubt the best freshman in the country with his ability to score over 20 points in almost every game.
He is a matchup nightmare for opponents due to his ability to shoot lights out from three or drive to the hole and finish above the rim, as shown with this game-winning play:
After he scored 30 points in a win over North Carolina, Parker explained that he does not even want to be compared to others in his class. According to the Associated Press (via Fox News), Parker explained to reporters, "No more freshman. I don't like getting in that category anymore because my team needs me more than just an 18-year-old. They need somebody with experience through the whole game. ... It's time to grow up."
He has truly been a leader for Duke, making huge shots when he is needed the most. This skill will likely be seen quite a bit in the coming days and weeks as he hopes to carry the Blue Devils deep into the NCAA tournament.
Russ Smith, Louisville
Every year in the Big Dance we see one player who finds a way to take over and lead his team to a national championship. Although it is sometimes tough to predict who will step up, we already know that Russ Smith is capable of this type of run.
The guard scored 134 points in six games last season while leading Louisville to a national title. After a strong finish to this season, Dana O'Neil of ESPN pointed out that the player really enjoys this month:
Based on what we have seen, there is no reason to doubt Smith's ability to put together another great effort. While his scoring is slightly down this season, he has been a much more efficient player to help Louisville win games and still has the potential to go off at any time, as evidenced by his recent 42-point against Houston.
Bleacher Report's Adam Lefkoe noted his two biggest improvements:
No team has been able to repeat as national champions since Florida in 2006-07, but Smith will give his squad a chance.
Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.
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