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The 5 best NCAA tournament games to watch Thursday

Make sure these games are on your March Madness radar for Thursday!
Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
A detailed view of a Wilson Basketball with a NCAA March Madness logo on it during the first half between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Florida Gators during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament East Regional at Madison Square Garden.

All the action on the hardwood can be overwhelming if you’re new to the March Madness experience. With as many as four NCAA tournament games going on simultaneously at some points in the day, it might be difficult to prioritize where to focus your attention. We’re here to help.

Of course, you’ll want to keep an eye on the scoreboard, and make sure you follow our @SportsPSA account on Twitter so you don’t miss any close finishes. But to get you started, here’s a chronological list of what we think will be the most compelling match-ups on the Thursday slate in the round of 64.

No. 7 Rhode Island vs. No. 10 Oklahoma, Midwest Region, 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS

The first tip of the day from Pittsburgh is a good place to begin. The Sooners and freshman sensation Trae Young struggled mightily in the latter half of the Big 12 campaign and must now try to regain their early-season form. But the Rams have a veteran lineup and should be ready for the big stage.

No. 6 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 11 Loyola-Chicago, South Region, 3:10 p.m. ET, truTV

It’s been quite a while since the Ramblers went dancing. The last time, in fact, they got as far as the Sweet 16 before falling to Patrick Ewing and Georgetown in 1985. Now that they’re back, they have the makings of a team that could stick around. The Hurricanes, however, have been through the grind of an ACC schedule and won’t be troubled by Loyola’s solid record.

No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 South Dakota State, West Region, 4 p.m. ET, TNT

The Buckeyes’ finish near the top of the Big Ten was somewhat unexpected. The Jackrabbits’ dominance of the Summit League was anything but. South Dakota State has experience, talent and a whole lot of fan support. But Ohio State’s first-year coach Chris Holtmann is familiar with March success and should have his Buckeyes ready.

No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 12 Davidson, South Region, 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS

Even Kentucky coach John Calipari expects a tough battle in this all-Wildcats showdown. Davidson not only got hot at the right time of the season to claim the A-10 title, but it might just have the best player on the floor in this match-up. Kentucky has its usual collection of top recruits, but Davidson’s Peyton Aldridge can take over a game.

No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 14 Montana, West Region, 9:50 p.m. ET, TBS

This contest could keep things interesting in the late-night session. The red-hot Wolverines should be well rested after blazing through the earlier-than-usual Big Ten tourney. They must now hope rest doesn’t turn into rust, as the Big Sky champion Grizzlies are capable of springing a surprise.

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