March Madness Is Upon Us

March Madness is just around the corner and it goes without saying that this is the most exciting time of year in college basketball. It's this time of year when coaches pull out all the stops in their playbooks and players make shots that will have them remembered for years. The Davids, like Bucknell, Canisius College, and George Mason, upset the Goliaths like UConn, Kentucky, and UCLA. People who haven't watched all season long tune in and seemingly every sports channel is broadcasting college basketball. Brackets are filled out and office pools are organized and all of the sudden seemingly everyone becomes an expert on college hoops. I fall into that category, but there is just over a week left before "Selection Sunday" and there are a handful of games left to be played with big time tournament implications. Here are the ones I will be watching:

Ohio State at Northwestern

--February 29th--Welsh Ryan Arena

After a crippling overtime loss to Michigan last week, Northwestern has almost no other option than to take down #11 Ohio State. Beating the Wildcats in Welsh Ryan Arena has proven to be a tall task this season. They're 14-4 at home with key victories against Michigan State and Iowa. Northwestern's resume is respectable and if they can manage to knock off Ohio State on Wednesday, their ticket should be punched.

Marquette at Cincinnati

--February 29th-- Fifth Third Arena

The Bearcats defeated #17 Louisville in one of the most exciting games of the season this past Thursday and also boast wins against Georgetown, UConn, and Pittsburgh. But a lackluster non-conference schedule and dreadful losses against Presbyterian and Marshall have the Cincinnati coaching staff losing sleep late in the season. A victory against #7 Marquette at home would help the selection committee forget about their bad losses and almost certainly send them to the dance.

Florida State at Virginia

--March 1st-- John Paul Jones Arena

Although Virginia came within a possession of defeating #7 North Carolina this past weekend, they still lack that key victory that will get them into the tourney. Florida State can solidify their place in the tournament with a win, but I wouldn't expect it to come easy against a stingy Cavalier squad. A typical ACC dogfight is almost guaranteed.

North Carolina at Duke

--March 3rd-- Cameron Indoor Stadium

People are still talking about the last time these two teams met in the Dean Dome just a few weeks ago. This game doesn't have nearly as many tournament implications as other games, but both teams are trying to lock up #1 and #2 seeds. This rivalry produces gems almost every time these programs travel the eight miles down Tobacco Road. Even though both teams are sure locks for the tournament, you can count on two things: the Cameron Crazies will be out in full force and both coaches will have their teams prepared like this is a Final Four game.

Sources: ESPN.com