The Big Dance begins

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
March 20, 2003
The numbers are in, the teams are set and the play-in game has been contested.
It's now time for the frantic two and a half week NCAA Tournament to begin, and on Friday, Birmingham, Ala., will host 25 percent of the opening round at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.
The Alabama city hosts first and second round games in the South and East brackets on Friday and Sunday.
East No. 5-seed and 20th-ranked Mississippi State University will take on No. 12-seed Butler University at 8:50 p.m. Friday, and East No. 4-seed Louisville will play No. 13-seed Austin Peay at 6:20 p.m. Friday.
From the South region, No. 1-seed Texas will play No. 16-seed UNC-Ashville, that won its play-in game against Texas Southern in overtime last Tuesday, at 11:30 a.m. Friday, and No. 8-seed LSU will take on No. 9-seed Purdue at 2 p.m. Friday.
The regional games should provide plenty of the excitement that has made March Madness the premiere event in college athletics, and it is time for the eight teams in Birmingham, Ala., to hunker down and make their runs for New Orleans.
And aside from the Texas-Texas Southern match-up, any team could win in the opening round.