Houston (No. 1 seed, South Region)

Though it’s knocked on the door often, Houston has yet to win on the biggest stage in college basketball.

The program has been to the Final Four six times and the NCAA title game twice. Coach Kelvin Sampson — in just 10 years — has taken the team to the Final Four in 2021, Elite Eight in 2022 and Sweet 16 last year.

But never have the Cougars won a national championship.

This season, though, as the No. 1 seed yet again in the NCAA Tournament, they look as capable as they ever have to get over the top in March Madness — on a journey that begins with a first-round matchup against No. 16 seed Longwood at 8:20 p.m. Friday, March 22, at FedExForum.

Longwood (No. 16 seed, South Region)

It’s happened before. Just last season, in fact.

As improbable as it is for a No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, it isn’t impossible. UMBC did it over Virginia in 2018. Fairleigh Dickinson did it over Purdue last year. 

Now, Longwood hopes to be next when it faces No. 1 seed Houston in a first-round matchup at 8:20 p.m. Friday at FedExForum.

Oh, and funny enough, Griff Aldrich, coach of the No. 16 seed Lancers, was the director of recruiting for that UMBC team that pulled it off six seasons ago.

Nebraska (No. 8 seed, South Region)

In one of the more special seasons in the history of its program, Nebraska wants to make history.

The No. 8 seed Cornhuskers are looking to win their first NCAA Tournament game in school history when they take on No. 9 seed Texas A&M in a first-round matchup at 5:50 p.m. Friday at FedExForum.

At the same time, though, the Huskers aren’t trying to think too much about what the opportunity means. 

“We definitely want to get the monkey off our back and win our first one,” said junior guard Brice Williams, who averages 13.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. “... We just want to make a run.”

It’s a bird. It’s a plane.

It’s a blimp.

Over Memphis?

Texas A&M looks to continue to show ‘resiliency,’ snap six-year drought in NCAA Tournament

It is.

Texas A&M (No. 9 seed, South Region)

Buzz Williams is looking to get Texas A&M over the hump.

Five seasons into his time coaching the No. 9 seed Aggies, Williams is making his second NCAA Tournament appearance after leading his team to the Big Dance just a season ago. But Williams and Co. got sent home in the first round last year, extending what is now a six-year drought since the program last won a game in the tournament in 2018.

This season, though, the Aggies hope to snap that when they take on No. 8 seed Nebraska in a first-round matchup at 5:50 p.m. Friday at FedExForum.

“We’re thankful to be here after all that’s transpired over the last month or so,” said Williams, whose team went on a five-game losing streak in February. “And selfishly, I’d just like (this season) to keep going, to be able to continue to hang around these guys. It’s been remarkable, the lessons that we’ve learned, the resiliency that they’ve shown, the togetherness, the connectivity.”

You’ve seen the jerseys everywhere. 

One of the most popular throwback looks in NBA history still finds its way onto the hangers in stores across the country.

Heck, it’s in the Memphis Grizzlies Den located at FedExForum right now. 

No. 10, Vancouver Grizzlies, in teal, with Bibby on the back.

Clemson (No. 6 seed, West Region)

Back in mid-December, Clemson was one of the hottest teams in the country. 

Coach Brad Brownell’s group had jumped out to a 9-0 record and a No. 13 ranking in the AP Top 25. Then, it stumbled, going 12-11 the rest of the way, starting with a loss to the Memphis Tigers at FedExForum on Dec. 16, 2023.

Now, though, the No. 6 seed Tigers will begin their NCAA Tournament journey in that same building when they take on No. 11 seed New Mexico in a first-round matchup at 2:10 p.m. Friday.

“You (get to) play on the same rims, play on the same court,” said point guard Chase Hunter, who averages 12.3 points and a team-high 2.9 assists per game. “But at the end of the day, we’ve just gotta go out and play our best game. I think playing here definitely is an advantage — that we played here earlier in the season. It didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to. But we’ve got another chance, another opportunity to prove ourselves.”

For the first time in a decade, New Mexico is dancing.

The No. 11 seed Lobos, the Mountain West Conference Tournament champions, will play in an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 2014 when they tip off against No. 6 seed Clemson at 2:10 p.m. Friday for a first-round matchup at FedExForum.

But this isn’t just any other group among the field of 68. These Lobos are one of the trendiest picks when it comes to double-digit seeds considered capable of making a deep run. Some have even said being seeded 11th was disrespectful to the team.

Coach Richard Pitino’s guys don’t see it that way.

Baylor (No. 3 seed, West Region)

Since winning the NCAA title in 2021, Baylor hasn’t made it past the Round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament.

Coach Scott Drew and Co. will look to change that this season when the No. 3 seed Bears begin their March Madness journey with a first-round matchup against No. 14 seed Colgate at 2:10 p.m. Friday, March 22, at FedExForum.

“It’s always a blessing, honor and privilege to be part of March Madness,” Drew said Thursday. “Really excited for our guys to have a chance to experience it. We have a lot of players that this will be their first time. And in college, you dream of being a part of this. So, (we’re) excited for it to begin.”

Led by fifth-year transfer point guard RayJ Dennis, who averages 13.3 points and a team-high 6.8 assists per game, the Bears have a blend of veteran leadership and freshmen talent that they hope again leads them to a deep run this time around.

Colgate (No. 14 seed, West Region)

Hailing from Hamilton, New York, Colgate is looking to finally get over the hump.

The No. 14 seed Raiders will play in their fifth NCAA Tournament in the past six seasons — every year except for 2020, when COVID-19 canceled the Big Dance — when they take on No. 3 seed Baylor in a first-round matchup at 2:10 p.m. Friday at FedExForum.

When coach Matt Langel, now in his 13th season, took over the program in 2011, the Raiders had been to only two NCAA Tournaments in their history. Now, Langel and a team with several key upperclassmen are looking to use their experience to win Colgate’s first-ever NCAA Tournament game.

“When we first started, nobody had been here before,” Langel said Thursday. “Nobody had any idea. But now, our veteran guys, they’ve done this a few times. So we just talk about how their bodies are feeling, what we need to do outside of game preparation in order to be feeling our best.”

Halfway across the world, folks spanning an entire country will be setting their alarm clocks. They are going to watch what is taking place right here in Memphis. 

When the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Texas A&M Aggies tip off Friday afternoon inside FedExForum for the first round of the NCAA Tournament, it will be 7:50 a.m. in Tokyo the next day (Saturday). 

Japan, a country of baseball and soccer fans, is slowly finding a new sport to love. A few hoopers, including Grizzlies wing Yuta Watanabe and Lakers forward Rui Hachimuri, are happy to be pioneering the future of their sport in their home country.

Meet Memphis’ eight NCAA Tournament teams

Japan loves its athletic icons. And now a new face is quickly joining them in the basketball ranks, one with a style so captivating that it has earned him the nickname “The Japanese Steph Curry.”

For the eighth time since 1984, Memphis is hosting NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games.

The eight teams will complete in four first-round games on Friday, March 22 and Friday’s winners will advance to play in one of two second-round games on Sunday, March 24. All games will be played Downtown at FedExForum, which will have a clear bag policy. 

For teams and their fans traveling to the Bluff City for the tournament — or locals heading Downtown for March Madness — here’s a guide to what to do and where to eat in Memphis. 

Find breakfast and brunch in Downtown Memphis

The Daily Memphian featured ten breakfast restaurants around town in a recent Memphis breakfast guide, including a few trusty Downtown spots. The Arcade’s old-school diner feel and sweet potato pancakes and Garden Brunch Cafe's weekend brunch are both found on South Main Street, and Sunrise Memphis is a short drive from Downtown proper but worth it for the fried chicken biscuit and bibimbap bowl.