AP The NCAA Tournament doesn’t get going until March 19, but for the real college hoops fans, the days leading up to Selection Sunday is when the madness really begins. Over the next two weeks teams will fight for the postseason lives. Bubbles will burst and tickets will be punched, and Cinderellas will be born. This is the real March Madness.
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Here’s what to watch for on Tuesday.
Game of the Night: Quinnipiac at LIU-Brooklyn
One of these two teams has made in to the NEC Tournament Finals in each out of the last three seasons. The two teams finished their regular seasons off against one another on Saturday, with Brooklyn winning 96-90. 2013 NEC Player of the Year Jamal Olasewere will be the difference maker for the Blackbirds.
Player to Watch: Kyle Vinales, Central Connecticut State
The sophomore guard from Detroit has scored 30 or more points on five occasions this season, twice coming against the Seahawks. Kyle scored a career-high 42 points the last time the Blue Devils visited Staten Island. If Central Connecticut State is to pull off the upset victory, Vinales must lead the way.
Miscellaneous Madness: For the first time since 2010, the Atlantic Sun will crown a champion not named Belmont. In fact, East Tennessee State and Mercer are the only remaining members of the Atlantic Sun with Conference tournament championships.
Tuesday Schedule:
Atlantic Sun Conference Quarterfinals
2:30 p.m. – North Florida (7) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (2)
8:30 p.m. – Lipscomb (8) vs. Mercer (1)
Northeast Conference Quaterfinals
7 p.m. – Mount Saint Mary’s (5) at Bryant (4)
7 p.m. – Quinnipiac (6) at LIU-Brooklyn (3)
7 p.m. – Central Connecticut State (7) at Wagner (2)
7 p.m. – St. Fancis NY (8) at Robert Morris (1)
Ohio Valley Conference First Round
7 p.m. – Tennessee-Martin (8) vs. Morehead State (5)
9 p.m. – Eastern Illinois (7) vs. Southeast Missouri (6)
Patriot League Quarterfinals
7 p.m. – American (5) at Army (4)
7 p.m. – Colgate (6) at Lehigh (3)
7 p.m. – Holy Cross (7) at Lafayette (2)
7 p.m. – Navy (8) at Bucknell (1)
West Coast Conference First Round
9 p.m. – Loyola Marymount (9) vs. Portland (8)
You can find Troy Machir on Twitter at @TroyMachir
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