College Basketball Galore

This is a weekend for baskets – and not just Easter baskets. We’re down to the Final Four in men’s and women’s college basketball, and there’s not a game woth skipping.

Your viewing schedule starts early, so be strong. Friday night is a doubleheader of women’s games and this is a powerful field. Every team that made it to Columbus, Ohio was a No. 1 seed in its region. This string-tickling quartet has a combined record of 141-6 and one of the teams, Connecticut, isn’t responsible for a single defeat.

So get that heiner in the recliner. ESPN2 shows Louisville (36-2) and Mississippi State (36-1) at 7 p.m. ET and Notre Dame (33-3) vs. UConn (36-0) at around 9 p.m. The winners battle Sunday at 6 p.m. on ESPN for national title.

The fellas get around to hoopin’ on Saturday. The early game pairs everybody’s darlings in Loyola-Chicago (32-5) and Michigan (32-7). That’s at 6:09 p.m. on TBS. Following is what should really be the title game: Kansas (31-7) vs. Villanova (34-4) in a tussle of No. 1 seeds. Stay with TBS at 8:49 (though expect that start to be a wee bit later).

At this time of the year we also start to think about the pastoral charms of Churchill Downs. But before we can have the Kentucky Derby, we must winnow the field with prep races. So we offer you the $1 million Florida Derby from Gulfstream Park. The favorite is Audible, at 9-5. But with the race being run a day before Easter, this omen-addled typist leans to Catholic Boy at 7-2. Tune in at 6 p.m. on NBC Sports and see if this horse has a prayer.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman