2024 NCAA Men’s Tournament Viewing Guide: First Round Thursday Evening

Graphics are by me. Team logos are from Chris Creamer’s SportsLogos.net or College Sports Logos on Twitter. Matchup history from Sports Reference.

Chronological Schedule

Midwest Region in Charlotte (TNT)

Commentators: Brian Anderson (play-by-play)/Jim Jackson (analyst)/Allie La Force (reporter)

(10) Colorado State vs. (7) Texas, 6:50 p.m.

Rams (25-10, Mountain West at-large, First Four winner) vs. Longhorns (20-12, Big 12 at-large)
Lone meeting: a Texas win in 1952

Rodney Terry’s first Longhorn team reached the Elite Eight as a 2 seed. His second will need to take care of a Ram squad that dominated a Virginia team (who probably should have not been in the field) in Dayton on Tuesday night before getting the opportunity to probably meet a 2 seed this time. While Niko Medved’s squad is making its second appearance in three season, CSU’s last NCAA win came in 2013 under Larry Eustachy.

(15) Saint Peter’s vs. (2) Tennessee, 9:20 p.m.*

Peacocks (19-13, MAAC auto bid) vs. Volunteers (24-8, SEC at-large)
Lone meeting: a Tennessee win in the 1984 NIT

The Peacocks can’t possibly do it again, can they? In their last appearance in 2022, an OT win over another SEC squad, Kentucky, propelled Shaheen Holloway’s team on a run to the Elite Eight. Now, Saint Peter’s will try again under Bashir Mason, starting against a Tennessee squad that reached the Sweet 16 in 2019 and 2023 under Rick Barnes, but who also lost during the first weekend as a single-digit seed in their other three appearances during his tenure.

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South Region in Pittsburgh (CBS)

Commentators: Andrew Catalon (play-by-play)/Steve Lappas (analyst)/Evan Washburn (reporter)

(14) Oakland vs. (3) Kentucky, 7:10 p.m.

Golden Grizzlies (23-11, Horizon League auto bid) vs. Wildcats (23-9, SEC at-large)
First meeting

Speaking of the Wildcats, they’re looking to make it out of the first weekend for the first time since 2019. John Calipari’s club followed 2022’s first-round loss with a second-round defeat to Kansas State last season. While Kentucky is one of this sport’s blue bloods, Greg Kampe’s Golden Grizzlies are aiming for their first ever Round of 64 win—Oakland defeated Alabama A&M 79-69 in the single play-in game in Dayton in 2005.

(11) NC State vs. (6) Texas Tech, 9:40 p.m.*

Wolfpack (22-14, ACC auto bid) vs. Red Raiders (26-7, Big 12 at-large)
First meeting since 1954

For a program with two national titles, NC State has a sketchy NCAA Tournament history from a seeding perspective. The Wolfpack, who won five games in as many days to claim the ACC auto bid are an 11 seed for the third straight tournament. In fact, they haven’t been seeded higher than 8th since earning a 3 seed in 2004. As for the Red Raiders, under their third coach in four seasons (Grant McCasland, who led North Texas to the 2023 NIT title), they can advance to the Round of 32 for a fourth consecutive appearance with a victory.

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Midwest Region in Salt Lake City (TBS)

Commentators: Brad Nessler (play-by-play)/Brendan Haywood (analyst)/Dana Jacobson (reporter)

(12) McNeese vs. (5) Gonzaga, 7:25 p.m.

Cowboys (30-3, Southland auto bid) vs. Bulldogs (25-7, WCC at-large)
First meeting

The Cowboys are the only team in history to qualify for the NCAAs after defeating both the College of Biblical Studies (96-55 on Nov. 10) and Mississippi University for Women (which is now co-ed, 92-23 on Dec. 5). McNeese’s last appearance came in 2002 under Tic Price, but being a 12 seed in 2024 compared to a 14 then, Will Wade’s squad has a better shot at winning a game this time. Of course, they’ll have to get by a Gonzaga squad that hasn’t lost a First Round game since back-to-back defeats in 2007 and 2008.

(13) Samford vs. (4) Kansas, 9:55 p.m.*

Bulldogs (29-5, SoCon auto bid) vs. Jayhawks (22-10, Big 12 at-large)
First meeting

The lone Alabama team that didn’t get shipped to Spokane, Samford last qualified in 2000, the second of consecutive bids under Jimmy Tillette. That 2000 squad was also a 13 seed (who lost to Syracuse), but the 2024 version of the Bulldogs has a better shot at advancing, given their matchup against a shorthanded Jayhawk team. Kansas hasn’t fallen at the first hurdle since back-to-back losses in 2005 and 2006, Bill Self’s second and third seasons.

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East Region in Omaha (TruTV)

Commentators: Tom McCarthy (play-by-play)/Debbie Antonelli and Avery Johnson (analysts)/AJ Ross (reporter)

(15) South Dakota State vs. (2) Iowa State, 7:35 p.m.

Jackrabbits (24-11, Summit League auto bid) vs. Cyclones (27-7, Big 12 auto bid)
Lone meeting: a 71-68 Jackrabbit win on December 2, 2020

This is one of those matchups that the Committee loves to set up accidentally on purpose, as current Cyclone coach T.J. Otzelberger coached the Jackrabbits to two NCAAs (Round of 64 losses in 2017 and 2018) before moving on to UNLV and, eventually, Ames. South Dakota State is still looking for its first Division I Tournament win in its seventh appearance. On the other hand, Otzelberger led Iowa State to the Sweet 16 in 2022 before falling in an 11-over-6 upset to Pitt last time around.

Note that the two teams have met twice, and the Jackrabbits are apparently scary to Cyclones (or maybe their cardinal mascot), as SDSU has won both games.

(10) Drake vs. (7) Washington State, 10:05 p.m.*

Bulldogs (28-6, MVC auto bid) vs. Cougars (24-9, Pac-12 at-large)
First meeting

The Bulldogs and Cougars missed each other in the 2018 Las Vegas Classic, which would have been their lone meeting before tonight. Kyle Smith is Washington State’s third coach since Tony Bennett departed for Virginia in 2009. He’s the first to reach the NCAAs since Bennett’s squads made consecutive appearances in 2007 and 2008—succeeding where Ken Bone and Ernie Kent both failed. As for Darian DeVries, Tucker DeVries, and the rest of the Drake Bulldogs, this is their second straight trip and third in four seasons. While Drake won a First Four game in 2022, it hasn’t won a game in the main draw since 1971.

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