With every passing week, the staff at The Athletic curates a careful selection of the most riveting sports telecasts to tune in. This week’s focus swivels towards the initial excitement of the annual March Madness extravaganza, homing in on the upcoming must-watch college basketball showdowns and a few other intriguing games.
The Men’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show is set to air at 6 p.m. ET on CBS this Sunday. Some sports spectacles stir a sensation akin to the euphoria of national celebrations. Undoubtedly, the Super Bowl stands tall as the most massive, amassing an audience of around 120 million spread across the United States.
The launch events for baseball, basketball, and college football season also exude a similar charm. However, many, myself included, find that Selection Sunday has its own unique appeal that arguably surpasses all others. This event caters meticulously to college basketball aficionados, irrespective of their preference for men’s or women’s teams.
The sheer suspense and anticipation of finding out whether your favored team has made the cut is simply electrifying. Such bouts of shared joy and despair are what ignite the passionate spirit of sports. Following this day, a thrilling three-week journey unfolds, which some would argue holds its own as the most enjoyable festivity on the U.S. sports calendar.
While it might not draw an audience as vast as the Super Bowl, the very nature of everyone joining in with their predictions lends a unique and diverse charm to this basketball tradition. It brings together a vivid spectrum of fans, united in anticipation and excitement. Come Sunday; all eyes will be fixed to see who earns their spot in the dance.
The Women’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show also has its fair share of anticipation and surprise, set to follow just two hours later at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. With the Selection Sunday looming, there are lingering queries regarding the formation of the top bracket. The quality level of the conference is unmatched.
Despite none of the matches having a direct impact on the teams’ entrance or exit from the tournament, they could weigh heavily on deciding whether a team earns a No. 1 or No. 2 seed, and their regional placements. It’s mind-boggling to imagine that some teams might be disregarded in their respective tournaments, but the reality forces us to focus on the ones of interest.
Potential top-seeders for the Big Dance are now in the limelight. If you’ve been missing out on their games this season, now is the time to recalibrate your focus. These are the squads that many bracket pool participants would back to make significant strides, bolstered by their all-star athletes, formidable defensive prowess, and this year, an offense revered among the country’s top ten, as per KenPom.
Assuming that the seeding progression remains unhindered, this promises to turn out as an impressive showdown between potential NCAA wild cards—two deserving units vying for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, based on their solid season achievements. However, a victory here ensures that one of them will have a more relaxed Selection Sunday.
The aftermath of one of the most memorable conference seasons in college basketball will be unwrapped this Sunday afternoon. Several aspirants to the No. 1 seed spot stand in contention for the title, but one can’t underestimate the power hidden in the league’s depths, potentially giving rise to an unforeseen match-up.
Earning the top spot in this event could be considered nearly as challenging as clinching victory in the NCAA Tournament itself. Irrespective of the final contenders from the conference that reach the utimate face-off, this last match of Championship Week proves to be the perfect antidote for those itching for the brackets to be disclosed.
The favorites are apparent, yet keep an eye out for potential upsetters waiting for the right moment to disrupt the common narrative.