Wichita State went 34-0 during the regular season, but the Selection Committee did them no favors, slating them in what looks to be a loaded Midwest region. The Shockers will potentially face the who’s-who of college basketball over the next few weeks with Duke, Kentucky, Louisville and Michigan all waiting in the wings in the Midwest.
March Madness 2014 schedule: Wichita State seeks another Final Four run
The Shockers stunned the country last March with a run to the national semifinals. Now, all eyes will be on the midwest region’s top-seeded team.
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Here is the full second round schedule for the Midwest region. All times are eastern.
No. 1 Wichita State vs. No. 16 Cal Poly/Texas Southern winner, 7:10 p.m. Friday, CBS
The Shockers have balance, experience and depth after reaching the Final Four a year ago.
No. 8 Kentucky vs. No. 9 Kansas State, 9:40 p.m. Friday, CBS
Despite coming into the season as the No. 1 team in the country, Kentucky just didn’t gel like it was supposed to. John Calipari’s boys are incredibly talented, but getting them to play consistently on both ends of the floor for 40 minutes has been a real challenge. If UK overlooks the Wildcats in favor of a potential showdown with the Shockers, they could find themselves bounced early.
No. 5 Saint Louis vs. No. 12 North Carolina State/Xavier winner, 7:20 p.m. Thursday, TNT
The Billikens began the year 25-2 before losing four of their final five games. Four of their last five wins came by four points or fewer. Saint Louis can really defend, but scoring the ball has been a serious issue in recent weeks.
No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 13 Manhattan, 9:50 p.m. Thursday, TNT
The Cardinals are red-hot, winning 12 of their last 13 games. Russ Smith is as battle-tested as any player in the country and Montrezl Harrell is a freak of nature. Do not sleep on Manhattan, though, especially with senior guard George Beamon capable of going off at any point.
No. 6 UMass vs. No. 11 Iowa/Tennessee, 2:45 p.m. Friday, CBS
The Minutemen really like to push the tempo, and while they aren't great on either end of the floor, they are very tough to beat with senior point guard Chaz Williams running the show.
No. 3 Duke vs. No 14. Mercer, 12:15 p.m. Friday, CBS
Jabari Parker may just be the most talented player in college basketball, and he will get a chance to take the biggest stage this week against a very solid Mercer squad. If the Blue Devils are hitting their 3s, they are just about unbeatable.
No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Arizona State, 9:40 p.m. Thursday, CBS
Rick Barnes saved his job with the turnaround effort he led in Austin this season. With the Longhorns and Sun Devils both limited in what they can do offensively, the team that controls the glass will likely come out on top in this one.
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Wofford, 7:10 p.m. Thursday, CBS
Who needs Mitch McGary? The Wolverines looked to be dead in the water after losing McGary earlier in the year, but John Beilein has done an amazing job figuring things out over the last two months. Nik Stauskas is one of the best scorers in the country and can score from every spot on the floor.
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