Here’s how Las Vegans can see all the #VegasMadness action in March

By BEN GOTZ LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

Loyola Marymount players cheer as their team plays Saint Mary’s during the West Coast Conference basketball tournament quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 5, 2016. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

March Madness in Las Vegas (Gabriel Utasi/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Pepperdine’s Shawn Olden (21) goes up for a shot against Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference Basketball Championships semifinal game (WCC tournament) at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Monday, Mach 9, 2015. Gonzaga won 79-61. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

March 12, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Elgin Cook (23) shoots the basketball against Utah Utes forward Jordan Loveridge (21) during the first half in the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena. (Kyle Terada/USA Today Sports)

Oregon Ducks players celebrate their 88-57 win over Utah during the Pac 12 Conference tournament championship game at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Saturday, March 11, 2016. (Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is seen before the start of the Pac 12 Conference tournament championship game between Oregon and Utah at the MGM Grand Garden Arena n Las Vegas Saturday, March 11, 2016. Oregon defeated Utah 88-57. (Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Vegas Madness is coming.

Over the course of 10 days in early March, seven conference basketball tournaments will come into the city at Orleans Arena, the Thomas & Mack Center and T-Mobile Arena. The wild week-and-a-half should be filled with fans shuffling from arena to arena in search of the best matchups and storylines before the automatic berths to the NCAA Tournament are awarded.

The tournaments will be filled with star players such as Gonzaga guard Nigel Williams-Goss, the West Coast Conference Player of the Year from Findlay Prep, and UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball, who leads the nation in assists per game.

With all the WCC, Mountain West, Pac-12 and Western Athletic Conference action a basketball fan could ask for, here is a day-by-day breakdown with highlights and best bets for anyone trying to soak up the madness.

THURSDAY

The first day of Vegas Madness belongs to the WCC women with two first-round and two quarterfinal games at Orleans Arena. Games are at noon, 2 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., with the conference’s No. 3 seed (Saint Mary’s) playing at 6.

FRIDAY

Day 2 begins with the top seed of the WCC women (probably Gonzaga) taking on the winner of the first game of the previous day. The other women’s quarterfinal takes place at 2 p.m., and then the low seeds of the men’s tournament play at 6 and 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

The big show arrives Day 3. Gonzaga, the No. 4 team in the nation, will play a 7 p.m. quarterfinal game at Orleans Arena. The Zags will begin their quest to enter the NCAA Tournament with a No. 1 seed, with their biggest challenger, No. 20 Saint Mary’s, playing at 9.

Two other men’s quarterfinal games take place at 1 and 3 p.m.

SUNDAY

No games scheduled.

MONDAY

The WCC women’s semifinals start at noon, and it should be easy to catch the first game, then head over to the Thomas & Mack for a 4:30 p.m. first-round game in the Mountain West women’s tournament.

The highlight comes at night with the WCC men’s semifinals, likely to feature Gonzaga (6 p.m.) and Saint Mary’s (8:30).

TUESDAY

The higher seeds of the Mountain West women’s tournament begin playing, and currently UNLV is scheduled for an 8:30 p.m. game at the Thomas & Mack. The focus of the day is the WCC men’s championship game at 6 p.m. at Orleans Arena, with a potential Gonzaga-Saint Mary’s matchup.

With the Zags attempting to claim a No. 1 seed, Las Vegas could be treated to one of the juiciest matchups of early March.

MARCH 8

With the WCC tournaments over, three more tournaments (Mountain West men, Pac-12 men, WAC women) spring up. The Mountain West women continue with semifinal games.

The Mountain West men play an opening-round game at 11 a.m. at the Thomas & Mack, which should end early enough for fans to make the trek for a 2:30 p.m. first-round Pac-12 game at T-Mobile Arena. Fans can either stay for a 6 p.m. game or leave to catch the 6:30 Mountain West women’s semifinal at the Thomas & Mack, with another game at 9.

MARCH 9

The WAC men’s tournament joins the fray, but only three events have games scheduled. Fans can check out the No. 1 seed for the Mountain West men (probably UNR or Colorado State) at noon at the Thomas & Mack, and can either stay for a 2:30 p.m. game or check out WAC men’s games starting at 2 p.m. at Orleans Arena.

At night, fans will want to be at T-Mobile Arena for the Pac-12 men’s tournament, with the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds scheduled to play at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Right now, No. 7 Arizona, No. 6 Oregon and No. 3 UCLA are the top three teams in the standings, and the chance to watch two of them play in a row is a can’t-miss opportunity.

MARCH 10

Five tournaments are in action, but with three of them taking place only at night, it will be impossible to see everything. There is a good game early, with the Mountain West women’s championship game at noon at the Thomas & Mack, and fans then should be able to catch a 2:30 p.m. WAC women’s semifinal at Orleans Arena.

When it comes to the night games, the Pac-12 semifinals at 6 and 8:30 p.m. should be fans’ first option.

MARCH 11

Four championship games make up the slate of the final day of Vegas Madness, with two at 3 p.m. and two at 8. The most exciting matchups are likely at the Mountain West men’s final at 3 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack and the Pac-12 title game at 8 at T-Mobile Arena.

Contact reporter Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.