NCAA Tournament Schedule 2014: TV Info, Live Stream, Bracket Advice for Tourney
The NCAA tournament is one of the most-watched sporting events, as college basketball and bracket-crazy fans huddle around television sets to watch all the upsets and buzzer-beaters that the sport has to offer.
Chances are, if you're watching March Madness, then you're going to fill out a bracket. Or two. Or three. Or 100.
Don't just blindly fill out your brackets, folks. Most people just do so for bragging rights in office pools or among friends, but why not destroy the competition? Filling out a perfect bracket may as well be mathematically impossible with how slim the chances are, but these tips will help you to do your best to come close.
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Schedule
Live Stream
To live stream the NCAA tournament, click here and then follow a simple three-step process. Scroll through the main page until you find a section titled "How to Watch." From there, the simple process allowing you to catch every basket of the tournament begins.
Bracket Advice
Don't Fall in Love with Top Seeds
| 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., 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 | 7:30 p.m. | TruTV |
| Sweet 16 | 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Sweet 16 | 7:15 p.m., 9:55 p.m. | TBS |
| Sweet 16 | 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Sweet 16 | 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 |
Disparity defined much of the 2013-14 college basketball season, so falling in love with a No. 1 seed really isn't a good idea. The chances of one falling to a No. 16 are pretty much non-existent, but round-of-32 opponents could prove to be the downfall of at least one of the top four teams.
ESPN Stats & Info's Twitter account points out another disturbing fact for those relying on No. 1 seeds to pace the competition:
Take the West Region, for example. Arizona is deserving of its No. 1 seed, but a team like Oklahoma State, Baylor or Creighton could feasibly give the Wildcats a run for their money.
In the East Region, the Florida Gators are no lock to win against teams like Ohio State, Syracuse or Kansas.
Don't fall in love with No. 1 seeds. Live a little. Go against the grain.
Pick a No. 12 Seed
If last year told us anything, it's that No. 12 seeds can spoil a ton of brackets.
Oregon and Mississippi won by double digits against Oklahoma State and Wisconsin, respectively, and Cal was able to get past UNLV. Not many people correctly predicted that three of the four No. 12 seeds would be victorious in the round of 64. The people who did were rewarded. Be one of those people this time around.
This year, I have my eyes on one matchup in particular. North Carolina State (a No. 12 seed) should be able to take down the Saint Louis Billikens (a No. 5 seed) on the strength of forward T.J. Warren. Warren scored 25 points in his team's "First Four" game against Xavier and has averaged 24.8 points per game this season.
He has the perfect mentality for the NCAA tournament, too. He told SportsXchange, via the Chicago Tribune, that his success against Xavier was simply about working hard:
"I just kept moving without the basketball and stayed aggressive. I knew that eventually my shots were going to fall. My teammates did a great job at finding me in my sweet spot. So just aggressiveness, staying at it."
Even if you don't love the other No. 12 seeds, selecting N.C. State over Saint Louis could be a smart decision. Warren has the star power to lead his team to a win.
Don't Count Out No. 15 Seeds
There has been a growing trend over the last two NCAA tournaments—a No. 2 seed always seems to go down to a No. 15 seed in the round of 64.
Last year, it was Florida Gulf Coast's "Dunk City" that took down Georgetown. In 2012, Lehigh dropped Duke, and Norfolk St. bested Missouri. "Dunk City" ended up having the most success of the three teams, as the Eagles were able to defeat San Diego State in the next round and move on to the Sweet 16.
A No. 15 seed that could disappoint a No. 2 seed this year is American University. It'll take on Wisconsin in the round of 64, and the Badgers will have their work cut out for them.
Head coach Bo Ryan told Jeff Potrykus of the Journal Sentinel about the type of team his Badgers are going up against:
"They run a lot of stuff that is tough to guard. But you don't get into the tournament unless you have something going for you and they have that. They beat a real good Boston University team and held them to 30-some points. That gives you an idea."
Wisconsin is perhaps the weakest of the No. 2 seeds, and that means American will be looking to step it up and grab an upset.
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