March Madness 2017 Live Stream (TRU TV): Watch New Orleans Privateers vs Mount St Mary's Mountaineers Online
NCAA March Madness 2017 kicks off Tuesday night with a game between New Orleans Privateers and Mount St Mary's Mountaineers. This First Four game will take place from the UD Arena and has a scheduled start time of 6.40 p.m. ET. The game can be watched on TV on the TRU network or online through free live stream (details below).
Whoever wins this contest will have the chance to take on No. 1 overall seed Villanova in the First Round of the East Regional in Buffalo, NY on Thursday. However, before looking too far ahead, both upstart schools will need to focus on the job at hand, and only one team can progress from here to the First Round proper.
Both teams tonight are attempting to record a second NCAA Tournament victory in their school history. Mount St Mary's achieved a record of 19-15 this season, and qualified for the First Four by winning the Northeast Conference tournament.
Meanwhile, New Orleans had a record of 20-11 this season, and they got to this stage by winning the Southland Conference competition.
The Privateers are here for the first time since 1996 and they will not want the dream to end here. Coach Mark Slessinger has said, "We're excited for the chance to put our university and our city back on the national stage in the biggest basketball tournament in the world. Our team goal has always been, from Day One, to win the Southland Conference, to go to the NCAA Tournament and to win games."
He added, "Our goal was never just to get in this tournament. Our goal is to win games in this tournament. The guys are all very clear on the expectation level and what we have to do to meet it."
Meanwhile, Mountaineers junior guard Greg Alexander has told the Carroll County (Md.) Times: "How it started out was discouraging at times because we started out not so great.
"But for me personally, playing all these top-tier teams made me feel good once we got to conference play, and I knew we would be ready because I don't think these teams have seen the type of competition we've seen to start the season."
He added, "I think the way we responded and went into conference play, I think everybody felt the same way I did, just ready for anybody."
Tonight's big March Madness 2017 First Four opener between New Orleans Privateers and Mount St Mary's Mountaineers has a scheduled start time of 6.40 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the TRU network or online through free live stream by clicking here.