Kansas forward Mitch Lightfoot celebrates with the net after an NCAA college basketball championship game against Texas Tech in the Big 12 Conference tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, March 12, 2022. Kansas won 74-65. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

2022 Men’s NCAA Tournament is set

The Men’s NCAA tournament bracket is set and here’s what to expect from the 68 teams dancing.

Teams Playing

The Complete 2022 field of 68 is set and the top seed is WCC Champion Gonzaga. Then we have Arizona, Kansas, Baylor, Auburn, Kentucky, Villanova, Duke, Wisconsin and Tennessee in the top ten. With Arizona, Kansas and Baylor as No 1 seeds.

The first four will tip off the madness Tuesday to qualify for the 64-team bracket will be Texas A&M-CC verse the Texas Southern Tigers at 6:40 p.m. and the Indiana Hoosiers v. the Wyoming Cowboys at 9:10 p.m. On Wednesday, Bryant takes on Wright State at 6:40 p.m. and Notre Dame v. Rutgers at 9:10 p.m.

What to Expect

With Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Texas Southern set to start the tournament on Tuesday, all eyes are on the former as they make their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament  in 15 years. These two teams will compete to take on No. 1 seed Kansas Thursday. Texas A&M-CC won three games over three days to clinch an NCAA Tournament berth. While the Islanders won the SWAC Tournament Championship game against Alcorn State giving them the opportunity to dance.

No. 12 seed Indiana will also have a lot of eyes on them after many predicted they wouldn’t succeed in making it into the first four. The team is prepping to play against Wyoming. The winner of this game is set to play No. 5 St. Mary’s on Thursday.

Wednesday sees Bryant against Wright State. This is the Bulldogs first NCAA Tournament appearance at the Division I Level. The winner of this game will go on to play No.1 seed Arizona on Friday.

Wednesday will also feature Notre Dame v. Rutgers. The winner of this game will go on to play against No. 6 seed Alabama on Friday.

Staying Hot

With the field set, schools around the nation have extended their tournament appearance streaks. Certainly, Kansas leads with a 32-year streak.  Michigan State trails with a 24-year streak while the third is Gonzaga with a 23-year streak. North Carolina sits at an 11 game streak and Villanova with a nine-year streak. Purdue now has  a seven-game streak and Michigan with a six-game streak.

Looking Ahead

As the teams prep to compete and rally for the NCAA championship title you can fill out your own 2022 bracket and follow along the #MarchMadness

Schedule

First Round on Thursday

To start off the first round on Thursday we have,

No. 11 Michigan vs. No. 6 Colorado St.at 12:15 p.m.

No. 13 S. Dakota St. vs. No. 4 Providence at 12:40 p.m.

No. 9 Memphis vs. Boise St. at 1:45 p.m.

No. 16 Norfolk St. vs. No. 1 Baylor at 2:00 p.m.

No. 14 Longwood vs. No. 3 Tennessee at 2:45 p.m.

No. 12 Richmond vs. No. 5 Iowa at 3:10 p.m.

No. 16 Georgia St. vs. No. 1 Gonzaga at 4:15 p.m.

No. 9 Marquette vs. No. 8 North Carolina at 4:30 p.m.

No. 12 New Mexico St. vs. No. 5 Connecticut at 6:50 p.m.

No 15 Saint Peter’s vs. No. 2 Kentucky at 7:10 p.m.

TBD vs. No. 5 St. Mary’s at 7:20 p.m.

No. 9 Creighton vs. No. 8 San Diego St. at 7:27

No. 13 Vermont vs. No. 4 Arkansas at 9:20 p.m.

No. 10 San Francisco vs. No. 7 Murray St. at 9:40 p.m.

No. 13 Akron vs. No. 4 UCLA at 9:50 p.m.

TBD vs. No. 1 Kansas at 9:57 p.m.

First Round on Friday

To start off on Friday we have,

No. 10 Loyola Chicago vs. No. 7 Ohio St. at 12:15 pm.

No. 15 Jacksonville St. vs. No. 2 Auburn at 12:40 p.m.

No. 14 Montana St. vs. No. 3 Texas Tech at 1:45 p.m.

No. 14 Yale vs. No. 3. Purdue at 2:00 p.m.

No. 15 Delaware s. No. 2 Villanova at 2:45 p.m.

No. 10 Miami (FL) vs. No 7 USC at 3:10 p.m.

TBD vs. No. 6 Alabama at 4:15 p.m.

No 11. Virginia Tech vs, No. 6 Texas at 4:30 p.m.

No. 13 Chattanooga vs. No 4 Illinois at 6:50 p.m.

No 15 Cal St. Fullerton vs. No. 2 Duke at 7:10 p.m.

No. 11 Iowa St. vs. No. 6 LSU at 7:20 p.m.

TBD vs. No. 1 Arizona at 7:27 p.m.

No. 12 UAB vs. No 5. Houston at 9:20 p.m.

No. 10 Davidson vs. No.7 Michigan St. at 9:40 p.m.

No. 14 Colgate vs. No. 3 Wisconsin at 9:50 p.m.

No 8. TCU vs. Seton Hall at 9:57 p.m.

About Keishla Espinal

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