Here’s the Post’s guide to Thursday’s best NCAA Tournament games:
(10) Minnesota vs. (7) Louisville
12:15 p.m., CBS
The best day of the sporting calendar tips off with one of the more intriguing first-round matchups — the Pitino Bowl. Minnesota coach Richard Pitino faces the former school of his father, Rick, who was fired by Louisville for his involvement in the FBI corruption scandal. The elder Pitino is coaching in Greece and won’t be in Des Moines to watch, but you can be sure his son would love to pick up a win over his former employer.
(12) New Mexico State vs. (5) Auburn
1:30 p.m., TNT
There are few teams hotter than Bruce Pearl’s Tigers, winners of eight consecutive games and the SEC Tournament champions. If you like 3-pointers Auburn is the team for you, ranking third (and first among NCAA Tournament teams) in attempts from beyond the arc this season. New Mexico State is in the field for the third consecutive year, having been eliminated in the first round each time.
(11) Belmont vs. (6) Maryland
3:10 p.m., truTV
Belmont is coming off the school’s first NCAA Tournament victory in Tuesday’s First Four against Temple and could make it No. 2 versus Maryland, which just lost to a depleted Nebraska team in the Big Ten Tournament.
(13) Northeastern vs. (4) Kansas
4 p.m., TNT
When the brackets came out, everyone immediately fast-forwarded to a potential Kansas-North Carolina Sweet 16 showdown in Kansas City, but the Jayhawks shouldn’t book their tickets just yet. Their streak of 14 straight Big 12 titles ended this year as key absences took their toll. Northeastern, meanwhile, has won 12 of its past 13 games, with the only loss coming in overtime.
(10) Florida vs. (7) Nevada
6:50 p.m., TNT
There may not be a stronger double-digit seed than Florida, which is ranked 28th in Ken Pomeroy’s advanced metrics, ahead of higher seeds such as Cincinnati (7), Utah State (8) and VCU (8). Nevada entered the season off last year’s Sweet 16 run with high expectations and faded after a strong start, losing three of its final eight games.
(15) Montana vs. (2) Michigan
9:20 p.m., TNT
Welcome to John Beilein Month. The Michigan coach has owned March lately, winning 17-of-20 postseason games that includes two Big Ten Tournament titles and a trip to the national championship game last year. This year’s team started 17-0 and has a blowout victory over No. 1-seeded North Carolina.