Here are Saturday’s key March Madness 2022 games to watch:
No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 1 Baylor: 12:10 p.m., CBS
Perhaps no team looked more impressive than North Carolina in the first round, blitzing Marquette in a 32-point rout. The Heels have been inconsistent all year, but there’s no doubting their talent after they put a beatdown on Duke in Coach K’s Cameron Indoor farewell. Despite an impressive first-round showing, Baylor could be vulnerable playing with injured stars Jonathan Tchamwa and LJ Cryer.
No. 9 Creighton vs. No. 1 Kansas: 2:40 p.m., CBS
Top-seeded Kansas has flown under the radar for much the season compared to Gonzaga and Arizona, but the Jayhawks are coming on strong. Keep an eye on sixth man Remy Martin, a top scorer at Arizona State who has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since transferring, but has scored in double figures his past three games.
Remy Martin USA TODAY SportsNo. 11 Michigan vs. No. 3 Tennessee: 5:15 p.m., CBS
Michigan coach Juwan Howard gained a measure of retribution Thursday by winning a game for the first time since his five-game suspension, overcoming an ugly first half to top Colorado State. Tennessee will be a much tougher test, though. The Vols are among the hottest teams in the country, having won eight straight in a stretch that includes victories over Auburn, Arkansas and Kentucky.
No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 4 UCLA: 7:10 p.m., TBS
It’s a West Coast showdown between two teams that looked very different in Round 1. Saint Mary’s 29-point beatdown of Indiana flew under the radar since it took place at the same time as the Saint Peter’s upset of Kentucky, but the Gaels already hold a convincing win over Gonzaga this season. UCLA, meanwhile, got just nine points from its March hero last year, Johnny Juzang, and barely survived against Akron.
No. 12 New Mexico State vs. No. 4 Arkansas: 8:40 p.m., TNT
Aggies star Teddy Allen is playing at his fourth different school, but he has saved his best for last. His 37 points — many of them coming on hard-to-believe shots — led to a first-round upset of Connecticut, and he could have more in store for Arkansas, which survived a 75-71 scare from Vermont to advance.
No. 9 Memphis vs. No. 1 Gonzaga: 9:40 p.m., TBS
Gonzaga got a scare from 16th-seeded Georgia State. The game was still tied with 12:58 remaining before a 24-1 run turned it into a blowout. Drew Timme led the Zags with 32 points while fellow big man Chet Holmgren posted an absurd stat line of 19 points, 17 boards, five assists and seven blocks. Memphis won’t be a pushover in the second round, though, as Penny Hardaway’s crew has won 15 of its past 17 games.
