The upside to a mostly chalk Friday in the NCAA Tournament is that the schedule on Sunday is loaded with high-quality matchups.
2015 NCAA Tournament TV schedule: Kansas-Wichita State highlights Sunday slate
The Sweet 16 will take shape with eight more games coming on Sunday, but perhaps none will be more highly anticipated than a matchup between in-state foes.
No. 2 Virginia and No. 7 Michigan State will get the day started with a Sweet 16 matchup from a year ago -- the Spartans upset the Cavaliers in 2014 to advance to the regional final. That game will be followed by No. 1 Duke vs. No. 8 San Diego State, but the real show starts shortly after that one.
That’s when No. 2 Kansas faces No. 7 Wichita State. Not only should it be a great game on the court -- the Shockers are a particularly strong 7 seed that went undefeated in the regular season a year ago -- but it’s one with plenty of off-court intrigue. Wichita State has made it no secret that it has wanted to schedule the Jayhawks out-of-conference. The two schools consistently field tournament-caliber teams and are located just a couple hours apart, making it a natural rivalry sure to give players great experience. But Kansas has refused. As a power conference team, it does not have much to gain from scheduling a team from the Missouri Valley, especially when it runs the risk of losing that game.
Regardless, those two will finally get a chance to meet on the court, with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.
The fun doesn't end there, either. The day concludes with a pair of 4-5 matchups. No. 4 Maryland plays No. 5 West Virginia at 8:40 p.m. ET, then No. 4 Louisville gets the Missouri Valley's 5-seeded Northern Iowa Panthers at 9:40 p.m. ET.
The full schedule can be found below. All times Eastern:
12:10 p.m.: No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 7 Michigan State, CBS
2:40 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 8 San Diego State, CBS
5:15 p.m.: No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 7 Wichita State, CBS
6:10 p.m.: No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 11 Dayton, TNT
7:10 p.m.: No. 2 Gonzaga vs. No. 7 Iowa, TBS
7:45 p.m.: No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 8 Oregon, TruTV
8:40 p.m.: No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 5 West Virginia, TNT
9:40 p.m.: No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 5 Northern Iowa, TBS
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