The Madness Strikes Back: Round of 64, Friday, March 20, Back Eight

#9 Iowa Hawkeyes v #8 Clemson Tigers

6:50 ET/5:50 GTZ. TNT.

BoilerUp89: This game is unwatchable.

AlmaOtter: This is, by all reckoning, the truest definition of a Meteor Game in recorded history. Ugh. Go Iowa, though it pains me.

Kind of...: Two well-respected coaches, two joyless offenses. Clemson is 4-6 in their last 10; Iowa is 3-7. Go ahead and take your time with dinner tonight. Repair relations by luxuriating over dessert and really bonding with the family. If you don't turn this on until the under 8:00 timeout in the first half, it will be okay. Really.

HoustonBoiler: Question for AlmaOtter - do you really think the meteor will show up twice in one week? As for this game, I will not be watching.

AlmaOtter: Let a mustelid dream, HB.

#12 Northern Iowa Panthers v #5 St. John's Red Storm

7:10 ET/6:10 GTZ. CBS.

BoilerUp89: Love me some Valley teams. Even though this isn't Bradley, I'm hoping Northern Iowa represents the conference well. St. John's has lost 1 game since January 3. They won the Big East regular season and tournament. They still got a 5 seed. Rick Pitino's team plays defense but has trouble scoring.

AlmaOtter: Ah, yes. 15 Second Rick. I mean, odds are good that the Red Storm take care of business here. But god, it would be fun for UNI to pull this one off.

Kind of...: It's wild that Pitino was the first guy to really "get" the value of the 3 point line in lead Providence to the Final Four in '87. And the historically great '96 Kentucky team would just press you into oblivion. And, now, in 2026, his offense is hideous. It's like watching an 8th grade team decide that the apex of the sport was Charles Barkley backing people down possession after possession for a mediocre 76ers squad in the late 80s. Trouble is, I don't know how UNI is going to stop it. Their defense numbers are great, but it's because they specialize in running similarly small, perimeter-oriented MVC teams off the 3 point line. Tough matchup for the Panthers, but Ben Jacobson has pulled bigger upsets.

HoustonBoiler: While most of the attention in the Big East has been focused on UConn, St. John's is the team that has figured things out over the course of the season. That said, the Big East was also trasch this season. In the end, I expect St. John's to win this game but would not be surprised if they don't.

#10 Central Florida Knights v #7 UCLA Bruins

7:25 ET/6:25 GTZ. TBS.

BoilerUp89: A healthy UCLA squad wins this game. Are they truly healthy - even if Dent and Bilodeau play? Only one way to find out.

Kind of...: If UCF wins this, the Big 12 chest-puffing will be intolerable. I mean, it already is thanks to TCU backing up their woofing. But, yeah, UCLA, you have one job.

HoustonBoiler: Yes, UCLA, you really do only have one job. Don't make us point at you and laugh, at least for a few days.

#15 Queens Royals v #2 Purdue Boilermakers

7:35 ET/6:35 GTZ. truTV.

BoilerUp89: Go Boilers. Take care of the basketball, rebound like your hair is on fire, and get the ball inside. Oh - and go set that career assist record Braden. Do it early and then let's get on with the business of winning.

AlmaOtter: Queens. Royals. It all smacks of monarchy. I don't care for it. Go get that assist mark, Braden. Although your car and your beard remain idiotic.

Kind of...: Evidently Miami and High Point couldn't get major schools to play them because they were all too busy playing Queens: Villanova, Virginia, Alabama, Auburn. And none closer than 20 points. Purdue should roll.

This Purdue team really reminds me of the one that lost to Saint Peter's. Great offense. But some uneasy co-existence in the post (TKR/Cluff; Williams/Edey). A PG who seems to be highlight hunting on occasion (Smith; Ivey). And a 6'5" 3 point specialist who is a liability on defense (Loyer; Stefanovic). I guess Painter has a type.

HoustonBoiler: If the Oscar Cluff from last week shows up this week, the Boilers will dominate inside and roll. Queens doesn't play defense well enough to get enough stops against a top tier offense to win this game. As usual, Purdue needs to rebound, limit their turnovers, contain the dribble, and pound the ball inside against an undersized Queens team.

#16 Prairie View A&M Panthers v #1 Florida Gators

9:25 ET/8:25 GTZ. TNT.

BoilerUp89: Largest spread for a NCAA tournament game in years and to be honest, I expect Florida to cover. The SWAC isn't a good conference and Prairie View finished 8th!

AlmaOtter: Garden variety beatdown, this game.

Kind of...: Florida gets one step closer to being able to play the "disrespekt" card. "They put us in the Houston regional with Houston." It's going to be awful.

HoustonBoiler: Florida is another team that has rounded into form as the season progressed. I expect this game to get ugly early.

#13 California Baptist Lancers v #4 Kansas Jayhawks

9:45 ET/8:45 GTZ. CBS.

BoilerUp89: Be a real shame if the Lancers were to upset Kansas. Just absolutely terrible. Kansas never really got going this season - in large part thanks to Darryn Peterson missing so much time. Cal Baptist's defense is pretty good but they are facing a whole new level of athlete.

AlmaOtter: While I would enjoy Kansas losing, I can't condone rooting for a school that explicitly expelled a trans student for being trans. Go Jayhawks, fuck you, Lancers.

Kind of...: No way! Not at...Cal...Bapstist???

HoustonBoiler: What AlmaOtter said.

#15 Furman Paladins v #2 UConn Huskies

10:00 ET/9:00 GTZ. TBS.

BoilerUp89: We are all paladin fans.

AlmaOtter: This one is easy. UConn, you are bad AWOOHuskies.

Kind of...: UCLA needs to win because if I'm going to watch an irritable, shaved-headed jackass stomp around for 2 hours on Sunday, I might as well have to watch TWO irritable, shaved-headed jackasses stomp around for 2 hours Sunday.

HoustonBoiler: What Kind Of... said.

#10 Missouri Tigers v #6 Miami Hurricanes

10:10 ET/9:10 GTZ. truTV.

BoilerUp89: No comment.

AlmaOtter: Man, this is an ugly slate full of scum and villainy. I picked the Tigers, but ew.

Kind of...: I'll admit, I always kind of dug watching Malik Reneau. Maybe it's because he dropped 30 against Wisconsin in a game the Badgers won comfortably so it felt warm and cuddly. And Dennis Gates was fun at Cleveland State! Or so I remember. Look, it's the last game of the first round. Either, it's compelling and you stay up hoping for one last bit of magic. Or, it's not, and you feel full enough already and put the remote down without guilt. Easy.

HoustonBoiler: Mushy middle SEC versus mushy middle ACC. I cannot be bothered even though the winner may face Purdue in the second round.