March Madness 2015: Breaking Down Day 2 3rd-Round Schedule and Odds

After Saturday's slate at the 2015 NCAA tournament graced us with a number of Cinderella stories and low-seeded surprises, Sunday returns primarily to chalk with a handful of star-studded and enticing matchups.

There was only one upset among the 16-game slate on Friday, but that means a higher percentage of third-round meetings between Top 25 programs with high aspirations. Getting to the Sweet 16 marked history-making in certain instances on Saturday, but doing so will be expected for many of the programs facing off Sunday.

Missing any of the action is pretty much out of the question at this point, with the best games in college basketball coming at the viewing public left and right. So let's take a look at all of the latest odds and information regarding Sunday's eight games.

Bracket

Matchup (Spread)	Time (ET)	TV	Location
No. 2 Virginia (-5) vs. No. 7 Michigan State	12:10 p.m.	CBS	Charlotte, N.C.
No. 1 Duke (-9.5) vs. No. 8 San Diego State	2:40 p.m.	CBS	Charlotte, N.C.
No. 2 Kansas (-1.5) vs. No. 7 Wichita State	5:15 p.m.	CBS	Omaha, Neb.
No. 3 Oklahoma (-4.5) vs. No. 11 Dayton	6:10 p.m.	TNT	Columbus, Ohio
No. 2 Gonzaga (-6) vs. No. 7 Iowa	7:10 p.m.	TBS	Seattle, Wash.
No. 1 Wisconsin (-12) vs. No. 8 Oregon	7:45 p.m.	truTV	Omaha, Neb.
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 5 West Virginia (-1)	8:40 p.m.	TNT	Columbus, Ohio
No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 5 Northern Iowa (-2.5)	9:40 p.m.	TBS	Seattle, Wash.

Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated March 21

Most Intriguing Games

No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 7 Wichita State

If you're going to catch one game Sunday, which would be incredibly ill-advised, make it one of the biggest games of basketball the state of Kansas has seen in years.

Every hoops fan in the state's eyes widened upon the release of the bracket on Selection Sunday, when it became apparent that the No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks could face No. 7 Wichita State for a trip to the Sweet 16. And after the Jayhawks and Shockers overcame opening-round tests, the bout is on.

And as David Gardner of Sports Illustrated noted, it's one with historical implications:

"

Kansas-Wichita State for the first time since 1993 coming to your TV on Sunday

— David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) March 20, 2015"

But it's not just another game between in-state rivals that haven't faced off in a while—this has much more resentment than that. Kansas' basketball program has sidestepped Wichita State in nonconference scheduling ever since their last meeting in 1993. Head coach Bill Self explained why himself recently, as per Kansas City Star's Rustin Dodd:

"

“This isn’t knocking Wichita State,” Self told The Star in late 2013. “But if it was best for our program, I would reach out to them about scheduling them. But it’s not.”

In Self’s view, the nonconference schedule is a precious commodity. Kansas officials strategically schedule games in fertile recruiting grounds and in big markets where the Jayhawks can expand their brand. During the Self era, Kansas has played nonconference games in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and the Bay Area, among other places. In the coming years, they will travel to San Diego State and UNLV, tapping into West Coast markets.

"

The idea of playing a big-time program in a recruiting-friendly location may have kept Kansas off the hook from facing Wichita State in seasons past, but the Shockers' recent emergence under head coach Gregg Marshall—including a Final Four run in 2013—has raised the questions even more.

But alas, the game that much of the state has been waiting for is about to happen—and it is one with a number of mouth-watering matchups.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The Shockers will be a handful in the backcourt, with Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet combining for more than 27 points per game. After taking it to Indiana offensively in the round of 64, Wichita State's guards could be a big problem for Frank Mason III and Wayne Selden Jr. as CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein noted:

Scoring enough to overcome such a shooting performance may be tough to do for Wichita, however. Although it came against No. 15 New Mexico State, the Jayhawks held their second-round foe to 20-of-56 shooting.

When it comes down to Sunday's matchup, though, all that will matter to Jayhawks fans is the longtime dominance that their program has maintained over the state. That may come into question for a brief moment Sunday, but Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel thinks that shouldn't be so farfetched for KU fans:

Having All-Big 12 first-teamer Perry Ellis back and healthy figured to be a game-changer entering the Big Dance, but he struggled on 4-of-10 shooting with nine points and two boards in Friday's win. His versatility in the frontcourt is a mismatch against Wichita State, but it remains to be seen if Ellis can currently play at the level capable of exploiting it.

But after the Shockers outscored Indiana 44-24 in the paint Friday, even doing that could be an uphill task.

Whether the Jayhawks or Shockers have the edge is pretty up in the air at this point, but one thing that remains certain is that the state of Kansas is getting the NCAA tournament showdown it deserves.