Saturday Watchlist: 3-22-25
So much sports and so little time, especially on Saturday.
The Saturday Watchlist is now new and improved. In prior editions, I’ve simply laid out which games I’m watching with no explanation as to why. Today, that changes.
For each window, I’ll give you one, potentially two contests1 that I’m interested in watching for the day, followed by a couple of paragraphs on why that’s the case. I think it’s better. If you don’t, all complaints can be emailed to my assistant, Toby.2.
Early Window
McNeese vs. Purdue (11:10 AM CDT - CBS)
This is the obvious choice here, in my opinion.
McNeese, armed with the power of head coach Will Wade and electric student manager Amir Khan, held on to upset fifth-seeded Clemson 69-67 in the Round of 64 and will now look to continue the Cinderella run with a win against the reigning national runner-ups. McNeese’s story, alongside Purdue’s history of crashing out in the tournament against relative nobodies, makes this matchup a must-watch in the morning window.
Purdue, at least in my eyes, still has a lot to prove on the national stage. A national championship game appearance last year certainly helps the cause, but I’m not sure the Boilermakers have completely shaken off the stigma from their pre-2024 performance. Back-to-back trips to the Sweet 16 should end the antagonizing. Anything less will only add fuel to the fire.
Afternoon Window
Arkansas vs. St. John’s (1:40 PM CDT - CBS)
Philadelphia Flyers @ Dallas Stars (1:00 PM CDT - Victory+, NBC Sports Philadelphia)
There are two options for the afternoon window: keep watching March Madness or pivot over to the NHL for a hockey matinee. The typical sports viewer would think this is a no-brainer: keep the basketball on. It’s not so simple for me. As an avid Stars fan, I must get my eyes on every game they play. That won’t be changing, even when there’s a big college basketball game going on at the same time. I’ll be viewing both, but for the more casual viewer, I’d recommend going with Arkansas vs. St. John’s.
Rick Pitino’s renaissance with St. John’s has been a great story—perhaps the biggest story in college basketball this season. Now, he has to face John Calipari, his former rival coach when the two shared the state of Kentucky—Pitino at Louisville and Calipari at Kentucky—which is must-see television. There will only be one winner in the basketball game, but the rest of us will all be winners for watching it.
Afternoon Window Bonus For the Sickos
Kansas City Royals vs. Texas Rangers (2:05 CDT - Rangers Sports Network, MLB.tv)
For all you baseball sickos out there like me, the Texas Rangers play the Kansas City Royals tomorrow afternoon in one of the final Spring Training games in Arizona. Jack Leiter will toe the rubber for the Rangers, seeking to cement a spot on the Opening Day roster. There are some other intriguing position battles as well that Rangers fans should keep an eye on as Spring Training winds down over the next couple of days. Less than a week before the start of the season. I can’t wait!
Evening Window
Drake vs. Texas Tech (5:10 PM CDT - TNT)
Creighton vs. Auburn (6:10 PM CDT - TBS/truTV)
BYU vs. Wisconsin (6:45 PM CDT - CBS)
Gonzaga vs. Houston (7:40 PM CDT - TNT)
UCLA vs. Tennessee (8:40 PM CDT - TBS/truTV)
You can really do no wrong with tomorrow night’s slate for college basketball. Watch them all if possible! This is the best window that the tournament, which has admittedly been pretty cut and dry so far, has had to offer up to this point. Whether it actually delivers is an entirely different matter. Nonetheless, every game has the potential to be a classic, and the storylines for some of them are so tantalizing. So get out all those screens, crank up the multiview, and become a couch potato for the evening.
Late Evening Window
Chicago Bulls @ Los Angeles Lakers (9:30 PM CDT - NBA League Pass)
If you still have energy after all that sports watching, you can watch Luka Doncic go to town on the middling Chicago Bulls. Personally, I will be abstaining from indulging in the NBA for a while. My mental health will be better off for it. Sigh.
There will be exceptions to this rule, no doubt.
He’s a cat, so I don’t know how productive complaining actually will be. Maybe just keep it to yourself instead and don’t waste all that time trying to communicate with a tuxedo cat who likes to eat spaghetti (long story).