Make sure you clear your schedule so you can watch the National Championship game between Michigan and Villanova tonight.
It’s April 2, but March Madness is still in effect for one more game. The National Championship is tonight as the Villanova Wildcats look for their second national title in the last three years and the Michigan Wolverines who are back in the title game for the first time since 2013.
Watch: National Championship Game online
The game tips off at 9:00 p.m. ET on TBS for the national broadcast. You can also watch team-specific broadcasts at the same time on TNT and TruTV. If you’re a Michigan or Villanova homer, you’ll want to tune in for those broadcasts.
I love that this is a growing trend in college athletics. This was first started by ESPN a few years ago for the National Championship Game. The Megacast as they called it featured the homer broadcasts, coaches film room and all sorts of fun stuff with various media and ESPN personalities. It adds another layer of fun for the viewer, especially for the casual fan who is tuning in for the culmination of the season.
Villanova enters the game as a prohibitive seven-point favorite. According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Villanova has a 79.8 percent chance of winning, so the numbers are well in favor of Jay Wright’s team. Should Villanova capture their second title in three years, this has to elevate Wright’s profile to one of the best in the game. Considering he’s doing this without the benefit of recruiting classes that Duke, Kentucky and other prestigious programs have, it’s even more impressive.
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While the Wildcats are the big favorites, don’t count out the Wolverines who have played the best defense in the tournament. They’ve also benefitted from not having to play a 1 or 2-seed, so they’ll certainly be tested against Jalen Brunson and Nova.
The pre-game coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET with tip scheduled for 9:20 p.m. ET.