Here are Friday’s key March Madness 2024 games to watch:
(10) Colorado vs. (2) Marquette
12:10 p.m., CBS
There could be fireworks to start the final day of the opening weekend. Colorado won one of the more entertaining first-round games you’ll ever see, a 102-100 shootout against Florida, while Marquette erupted in the second half to blow past Western Kentucky. The key for Marquette is the return of Tyler Kolek, who missed the Big East Tournament with an oblique injury but picked up where he left off, as the nation’s assist leader had 11 dimes Friday.
(8) Utah St. vs. (1) Purdue
2:40 p.m., CBS
The Boilermakers avoided infamy Friday against Grambling State with a second consecutive loss to a 16-seed thanks to Zach Edey becoming the first player since 1995 with a 30-point, 20-rebound game in the NCAA Tournament. Their redemption tour isn’t finished, though, and Utah State has a great big man of its own — Great Osobor, who averages 17.8 points.
(12) Grand Canyon vs. (4) Alabama
7:10 p.m., TBS
East Coasters may have been asleep by the time Grand Canyon wrapped up its first NCAA Tournament in school history early Saturday morning by stifling St. Mary’s, but the Lopes will have a harder time slowing down high-powered Alabama. The Crimson Tide have all the ingredients for shootouts — the nation’s top offense (they scored 109 in Friday’s win over Charleston) and an abysmal defense (they allowed 96).
(9) Texas A&M vs. (1) Houston
8:40 p.m., TNT
This intrastate showdown will take place in Memphis, Tenn., but the Aggies and Cougars will be fighting for Texas bragging rights. Houston has been a Goliath all season long, including a 40-point decimation of Longwood on Friday, while Texas A&M has gotten hot to end the season, winners of seven of its past eight. This is a rematch from Dec. 16, when Houston prevailed, 70-66, despite 34 points from the Aggies’ Wade Taylor IV.
(13) Yale vs. (5) San Diego St.
9:40 p.m., TBS
All those Yale alumni working at law and finances firms are gonna be sleepy-eyed Monday morning after staying up late to watch their Bulldogs try to become the second consecutive Ivy League school to make the Sweet 16 following Princeton a year earlier. They’ll need another big game out of John Poulakidas, who dropped 28 in the upset over Auburn, to get past San Diego State. The Aztecs, last year’s national runner-up, held off UAB behind Jaedon LeDee’s 32 points.
