[1] INDIANA VS. [16] LIU/JAMES MADISON

3:10 p.m. Friday in Dayton, Ohio • TBS

HOOSIERS (27-6)

Coach: Tom Crean.

Entry: Big Ten at-large.

Player to watch: Cody Zeller (16.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg).

Notable: The Hoosiers are terrific offensively, ranking in the top six in NCAA statistics in points, field-goal percentage, and three-point accuracy.

BLACKBIRDS (20-13)

Coach: Jim Ferry.

Entry: Northeast champion.

DUKES (20-14)

Coach: Matt Brady.

Entry: CAA champion.

[8] NORTH CAROLINA STATE VS. [9] TEMPLE

12:40 p.m. Friday in Dayton, Ohio • TBS

WOLFPACK (24-10)

Coach: Mark Gottfried.

Entry: ACC at-large.

Player to watch: Richard Howell (12.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg).

Notable: Howell enters the NCAA tournament with 1,200 career points and 1,040 career rebounds. C.J. Leslie shot 51.4 percent from the floor.

OWLS (23-9)

Coach: Fran Dunphy.

Entry: Atlantic 10 at-large.

Player to watch: Khalif Wyatt (19.8 ppg, 4.1 apg).

Notable: The Owls have the ability to reach the Sweet 16 but also could easily suffer an opening-round blowout loss. Temple can be that inconsistent.

[5] UNLV VS. [12] CALIFORNIA

6:27 p.m. Thursday in San Jose, Calif. • truTV

REBELS (25-9)

Coach: Dave Rice.

Entry: Mountain West at-large.

Player to watch: Anthony Bennett (16.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg).

Notable: NCAA tourney teams will have a tough time keeping Bennett away from the basket. The 6-foot-8 freshman is a first- team all-conference pick.

GOLDEN BEARS (20-11)

Coach: Mike Montgomery.

Entry: Pac-12 at large.

Player to watch: Allen Crabbe (18.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg).

Notable: Crabbe was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year. Cal had won seven in a row before a regular-season-ending loss to Stanford.

[4] SYRACUSE VS. [13] MONTANA

8:57 p.m. Thursday in San Jose, Calif. • truTV

ORANGE (26-9)

Coach: Jim Boeheim.

Entry: Big East at-large.

Player to watch: C.J. Fair (14.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg).

Notable: The Orange closed the regular season 3-5 but rebounded to reach the Big East final. James Southerland is a reliable three-point shooter.

GRIZZLIES (25-6)

Coach: Wayne Tinkle.

Entry: Big Sky champion.

Player to watch: Will Cherry (13.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.1 apg).

Notable: The Grizzlies have shot well, ranking fifth in the nation in free-throw percentage, 13th in three-point shooting and 23rd in field-goal percentage.

[2] MIAMI (FLA.) VS. [15] PACIFIC

1:10 p.m. Friday in Austin, Texas • TNT

HURRICANES (27-6)

Coach: Jim Larranga.

Entry: ACC champion.

Player to watch: Shane Larkin (14.6 ppg, 4.4 apg).

Notable: Durand Scott, a 6-5 senior, was named the ACC defensive player of the year, and Larkin finished second in the voting.

TIGERS (22-12)

Coach: Bob Thomason.

Entry: Big West champion.

Player to watch: Lorenzo McCloud (11.4 ppg, 4.0 apg).

Notable: The Big West tourney champion Tigers will make their ninth NCAA tourney appearance. Pacific has won six in a row and eight of 1.

[7] ILLINOIS VS. [10] COLORADO

3:40 p.m. Friday in Austin, Texas • TNT

ILLINI (22-12)

Coach: John Groce.

Entry: Big Ten at-large.

Player to watch: Brandon Paul (16.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.8 apg).

Notable: Ranked as high as 10th in December, the Illini finished first in the Big Ten with 265 three-pointers as Paul and D.J. Richardson combined for 152.

BUFFALOES (21-11)

Coach: Tad Boyle.

Entry: Pac-12 at-large.

Player to watch: Spencer Dinwiddie (15.6 ppg, 3.0 apg).

Notable: Colorado was fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (63.8 ppg). The Buffaloes averaged 10.0 assists and 13.3 turnovers per game.

[6] BUTLER VS. [11] BUCKNELL

11:40 a.m. Thursday in Lexington, Ky. • truTV

BULLDOGS (26-8)

Coach: Brad Stevens.

Entry: Atlantic 10 at-large.

Player to watch: Roosevelt Jones (10.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.5 apg).

Notable: Rotnei Clarke was second in the A-10 in free-throw percentage this season (.886) and first in three-pointers made (3.6 per game).

BISON (28-5)

Coach: Dave Paulsen.

Entry: Patriot champion.

Player to watch: Mike Muscala (19.0 ppg, 12.3 rpg).

Notable: The Bison, making an NCAA tournament for the second time in three seasons, have won seven consecutive games and 12 of the last 13.

[3] MARQUETTE VS. [14] DAVIDSON

2:10 p.m. Thursday in Lexington, Ky. • truTV

GOLDEN EAGLES (23-8)

Coach: Buzz Williams.

Entry: Big East at-large.

Player to watch: Davante Gardner (11.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg).

Notable: Marquette creates offense off a pressing defense but don't attempt many three-pointers. Davante Gardner is the Big East's sixth man of the year.

WILDCATS (26-7)

Coach: Bob McKillop.

Entry: Southern champion.

Player to watch: De'Mon Brooks (13.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg).

Notable: Davidson led the nation in free-throw percentage, with Nik Cochran connecting on an NCAA-best 94.1 percent.