NCAA Tournament Schedule 2014: Intriguing Second-Round Games to Watch

Let's face it: You're watching all the games.

The Thursday and Friday that play host to the 32 games of the NCAA tournament's second round are quite possibly the two greatest days ever and most college basketball fans will take the chance to sit down and watch basketball for about 48 straight hours—with a slight break in between.

If for some reason you hate fun or won't be able catch all of the action, though, here's a look at some of the more intriguing early matchups in terms of style of play.

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Schedule

Date	1st Round	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Date	2nd Round	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Date	3rd Round	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Date	Regional Semifinals	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Date	Regional Finals	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Date	National Semifinals	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Date	National Championship	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Tue, March 18	(16) Albany vs. (16) Mt. St. Mary's	6:40 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Tue, March 18	(12) NC State vs. (12) Xavier	9:10 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Wed, March 19	(16) Cal Poly vs. (16) Texas Southern	6:40 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Wed, March 19	(11) Iowa vs. (11) Tennessee	9:10 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(11) Dayton vs. (6) Ohio State	12:15 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(15) American vs. (2) Wisconsin	12:40 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(9) Pittsburgh vs. (8) Colorado	1:40 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(12) Harvard vs. (5) Cincinnati	2:10 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(14) Western Michigan vs. (3) Syracuse	2:45 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(10) BYU vs. (7) Oregon	3:10 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(16) Albany/Mt. St. Mary's vs. (1) Florida	4:10 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(13) Delaware vs. (4) Michigan State	4:40 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(10) Saint Joseph's vs. (7) Connecticut	6:55 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(15) Wofford vs. (2) Michigan	7:10 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(12) NC State/Xavier vs. (5) Saint Louis	7:20 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(12) North Dakota St. vs. (5) Oklahoma	7:27 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(15) Milwaukee vs. (2) Villanova	9:25 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(10) Arizona State vs. (7) Texas	9:40 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(13) Manhattan vs. (4) Louisville	9:50 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Thu, March 20	(13) New Mexico St. vs. (4) San Diego State	9:57 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(14) Mercer vs. (3) Duke	12:15 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(11) Nebraska vs. (6) Baylor	12:40 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(10) Stanford vs. (7) New Mexico	1:40 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(16) Weber State vs. (1) Arizona	2:10 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(11) Iowa/Tennessee vs. (5) Massachusetts	2:45 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(14) LA-Lafayette vs. (3) Creighton	3:10 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(15) Eastern Kentucky vs. (2) Kansas	4:10 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(9) Oklahoma State vs. (8) Gonzaga	4:40 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(9) George Washington vs. (8) Memphis	6:55 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(16) Cal Poly/Texas Southern vs. (1) Wichita State	7:10 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(11) Providence vs. (6) North Carolina	7:20 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(12) Stephen F. Austin vs. (5) VCU	7:27 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(16) Coastal Carolina vs. (1) Virginia	9:25 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(9) Kansas State vs. (8) Kentucky	9:40 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(14) North Carolina Central vs. (3) Iowa State	9:50 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Fri, March 21	(13) Tulsa vs. (4) UCLA	9:57 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Sat, March 22	3rd Round - TBD	Noon	CBS	March Madness Live
Sat, March 22	3rd Round - TBD	2:30 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Sat, March 22	3rd Round - TBD	5:30 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Sat, March 22	3rd Round - TBD	6 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Sat, March 22	3rd Round - TBD	7 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Sat, March 22	3rd Round - TBD	7:30 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Sat, March 22	3rd Round - TBD	8:30 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Sat, March 22	3rd Round - TBD	9:30 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Sun, March 23	3rd Round - TBD	Noon	CBS	March Madness Live
Sun, March 23	3rd Round - TBD	2:30 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Sun, March 23	3rd Round - TBD	5:30 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Sun, March 23	3rd Round - TBD	6 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Sun, March 23	3rd Round - TBD	7 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Sun, March 23	3rd Round - TBD	7:30 p.m.	truTV	March Madness Live
Sun, March 23	3rd Round - TBD	8:30 p.m.	TNT	March Madness Live
Sun, March 23	3rd Round - TBD	9:30 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 27	Regional Semifinal - TBD	7 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 27	Regional Semifinal - TBD	7:15 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 27	Regional Semifinal - TBD	9:30 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Thu, March 27	Regional Semifinal - TBD	9:55 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 28	Regional Semifinal - TBD	7 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 28	Regional Semifinal - TBD	7:15 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 28	Regional Semifinal - TBD	9:30 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Fri, March 28	Regional Semifinal - TBD	9:55 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Sat, March 29	Regional Final - TBD	6 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Sat, March 29	Regional Final - TBD	8:30 p.m.	TBS	March Madness Live
Sun, March 30	Regional Final - TBD	2:10 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Sun, March 30	Regional Final - TBD	4:55 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live
Sat, April 5	National Semifinal - TBD	6 p.m.	TBS, TNT, truTV	March Madness Live
Sat, April 5	National Semifinal - TBD	8:30 p.m.	TBS, TNT, truTV	March Madness Live
Mon, April 7	National Championship - TBD	9:10 p.m.	CBS	March Madness Live

No. 5 VCU vs. No. 12 Stephen F. Austin

Steve Helber/Associated Press

Both defenses get after opponents, and both do it in very different ways.

By now, most know about Shaka Smart and the HAVOC defensive system he employs with VCU—constant pressure 94 feet away from the basket, attacking the ball like a young kitten after catnip.

It works, as KenPom.com (subscription required) indicates that the Rams record steals on 15.7 percent and force turnovers on 25.6 percent of their defensive possessions—both of which are the best marks in America.

But while Basketball State reveals that VCU loves to get up and down (72.4 possessions per 40 minutes, which is 25th most in the country), Stephen F. Austin (66.8, 223rd-most) would much prefer the game to be played in the half court.

Andy Glockner put it simply:

"

How cool is VCU-SFA, btw? Extreme Tempo Battle

— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) March 17, 2014"

Still, the Lumberjacks' slow tempo isn't necessarily due to a pack-line defense as it often is with other teams that limit possessions. They pressure the ball, get out in the passing lanes and force turnovers on 24.4 percent (third in the nation) of possessions.

These are two teams that approach the game in complete opposite ways, yet they get similar results.

No. 4 Michigan State vs. No. 13 Delaware

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Coming in, Delaware was a tantalizing potential Cinderella pick. Led by guards Jarvis Threatt, Davon Usher and Devon Saddler, the Blue Hens are a fast, explosive team that hardly ever turns the ball over.

However, they got matched up with Michigan State.

The Spartans are adept at playing a physical style of basketball and will be able to slow things down to make Delaware—a team that employs four guards around big man Carl Baptiste—extremely uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, the contrast of styles here is extremely compelling, and if Michigan State lets Delaware get out and run, there is potential for an upset.

No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 10 BYU

Chris Pietsch/Associated Press

Points, points and a few more points.

These two teams met in late December and the game ended with 196 points. Jason Calliste, one of the best sixth men in the country, poured in 31 points off the bench for Oregon while Tyler Haws answered with 32 for BYU.

An overtime helped increase some of those numbers, but when it was all said and done, there was a total of 183 possessions in the 45-minute game.

That's extremely fast.

Kyle Collinsworth tore his ACL in the West Coast Conference Championship Game, so it's unfortunate that BYU won't be at full strength, but you're still going to get two teams that love to run and can score in a hurry.