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Did you get your bracket in for the BN Bracket Challenge? If not, you may have a few minutes left to do so while you wait for today’s games to start.
The first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament kicks off this morning without the UCLA Bruins for the second year in a row when the Louisville Cardinals take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers at 9:15 am PT. That game is easily the best matchup of the early games today, but the Michigan State Spartans, who I took to win it all in my brackets, starts play today with a game against Bradley at around 11:30 am PT.
But, the big game of the day today, at least for Bruin fans, has to be the game between the Nevada Wolfpack and the Florida Gators. Can Eric Musselman get past the Gators? Or, will Florida send Nevada home as a one and done team? If Musselman wants the job in Westwood, he needs to keep his team in the tourney as long as possible and the longer the better.
Of the last group of games to start today, the best matchup in that last group of four features the Baylor Bears against the Syracuse Orange. Syracuse has had some off the court distractions including an unfortunate car accident that coach Jim Boeheim got into which killed someone. Can the Orange move past that and advance or will Baylor send them home as a one and done team?
Here’s today’s full slate of games:
2019 NCAA Tournament, First Round, Day 1
| Game | Location | Time (PT) | TV | Commentators |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Location | Time (PT) | TV | Commentators |
| Louisville vs. Minnesota | Des Moines I | 9:15 AM | CBS | Kevin Harlan / Reggie Miller / Dan Bonner // Dana Jacobson |
| LSU vs. Yale | Jacksonville I | 9:40 AM | truTV | Ian Eagle / Jim Spanarkel // Jamie Erdahl |
| Auburn vs. New Mexico State | Salt Lake City I | 10:30 AM | TNT | Andrew Catalon / Steve Lappas // Lisa Byington |
| Florida State vs. Vermont | Hartford I | 11:00 AM | TBS | Carter Blackburn / Debbie Antonelli // John Schriffen |
| Michigan State vs. Bradley | Des Moines II | After conc. 1 | CBS | Kevin Harlan / Reggie Miller / Dan Bonner // Dana Jacobson |
| Maryland vs. Belmont | Jacksonville II | After conc. 1 | truTV | Ian Eagle / Jim Spanarkel // Jamie Erdahl |
| Kansas vs. Northeastern | Salt Lake City II | After conc. 1 | TNT | Andrew Catalon / Steve Lappas // Lisa Byington |
| Marquette vs. Murray State | Hartford II | After conc. 1 | TBS | Carter Blackburn / Debbie Antonelli // John Schriffen |
| Nevada vs. Florida | Des Moines III | 3:50 PM | TNT | Kevin Harlan / Reggie Miller / Dan Bonner // Dana Jacobson |
| Kentucky vs. Abilene Christian | Jacksonville III | 4:10 PM | CBS | Ian Eagle / Jim Spanarkel // Jamie Erdahl |
| Villanova vs. Saint Mary's (CA) | Hartford III | 4:20 PM | TBS | Andrew Catalon / Steve Lappas // Lisa Byington |
| Gonzaga vs. Fairleigh Dickinson | Salt Lake City III | 4:27 PM | truTV | Carter Blackburn / Debbie Antonelli // John Schriffen |
| Michigan vs. Montana | Des Moines IV | After conc. III | TNT | Kevin Harlan / Reggie Miller / Dan Bonner // Dana Jacobson |
| Wofford vs. Seton Hall | Jacksonville IV | After conc. III | CBS | Ian Eagle / Jim Spanarkel // Jamie Erdahl |
| Purdue vs. Old Dominion | Hartford IV | After conc. III | TBS | Andrew Catalon / Steve Lappas // Lisa Byington |
| Syracuse vs. Baylor | Salt Lake City IV | After conc. III | truTV | Carter Blackburn / Debbie Antonelli // John Schriffen |
This is your 2019 NCAA Tournament, First Round, Day 1 open thread.
Go Bruins.