The 2024 NCAA Tournament has been a wild ride, and now we’re down to the Elite Eight! After starting with 68 teams on Selection Sunday, we’ve witnessed incredible victories, shocking upsets, and unforgettable moments. With just four games left before the Final Four, the excitement is at an all-time high. Your Guide to Watching the 2024 March Madness Elite Eight.

Thursday saw No. 1 seed UConn dominate No. 5 seed San Diego State, while Friday brought thrilling performances from No. 1 seed Purdue and No. 2 seed Tennessee. The action continues on Saturday with games broadcast on TBS, followed by Sunday’s matchups on CBS.

How to watch 2024 NCAA Tournament

As we head into the Final Four, veteran broadcaster Ian Eagle takes the reins as lead play-by-play announcer, stepping in for the legendary Jim Nantz. Eagle will be joined by Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, and reporter Tracy Wolfson on the top announcing team. Another exciting addition to the broadcast lineup is former Purdue star Robbie Hummel, who called his first NCAA Tournament games during the first week.

CBS and TBS are leading the way, televising 21 games each throughout the tournament, with truTV and TNT carrying 13 and 12 games, respectively. The Final Four will be simulcast across TBS and TNT. Fans can catch every game on the 2024 March Madness Live app, while Paramount+ subscribers can watch all CBS-televised games. For the rest of the games, subscribers to Max’s B/R Sports Add-On have you covered.

Don’t miss a single moment of the magic as CBS Sports and TNT Sports bring you the excitement from the Selection Show all the way to the playing of “One Shining Moment” when a new champion is crowned.

2024 March Madness Tournament schedule, dates

Elite Eight Schedule:

Saturday, March 30

• 6:09 p.m. (3) Illinois vs. (1) UConn (TD Garden, Boston)
• 8:49 p.m. (6) Clemson vs. (4) Alabama (Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles)

Sunday, March 31

• 2:20 p.m. (1) Purdue vs. (2) Tennessee (Little Caesars Arena, Detroit)
• 5:05 p.m. (4) Duke vs. (11) NC State (American Airlines Center, Dallas)

Final Four: Saturday, April 6 — 6:09 p.m. start (TBS / TNT) State Farm Stadium — Glendale, Arizona

National Championship: Monday, April 8 — 9:20 p.m. (TBS / TNT) State Farm Stadium — Glendale, Arizona

Get ready for an unforgettable conclusion to the 2024 March Madness Tournament!

Get ready to be inspired by “The Beautiful Game,” a fictional movie that shines a light on the incredible Homeless World Cup Tournament. For two decades, this tournament has brought together hundreds of people from all walks of life to compete in a soccer tournament like no other. Starring the talented Bill Nighy as a grieving widower who finds solace in coaching, this film aims to raise awareness about the real tournament and change perceptions about the homeless and those in recovery.

A Cast of Characters Fighting for Redemption

In the The Beautiful Game Movie, Mal (played by Nighy) is a dedicated coach who works with homeless English soccer players. For these players, the Homeless World Cup tournament represents a chance at redemption. The tournament welcomes participants who have experienced homelessness, are in recovery, or are seeking asylum. The film introduces us to a cast of characters, each with their own struggles and triumphs, including:

• Nathan (Callum Scott Howells), a heroin addict whose mother has been told to cut ties with him
• Cal (Kit Young), who left his child alone for 48 hours during a bender
• Jason (Sheyi Cole) and Rosita (Cristina Rodlo), who share a budding romance during the tournament

Real-Life Homeless World Cup Alums Take the Field

What makes “The Beautiful Game” movie even more special is the inclusion of real Homeless World Cup alums who play for the American team in the film. Among them is Lisa Wrightsman, who not only coached the American team at the first U.S. Homeless World Cup in Sacramento in 2023 but also played in the 2010 Homeless World Cup in Rio de Janeiro. Wrightsman, sporting a #3 jersey, can be seen scoring a goal for the U.S. team in a match against England for third place.

From Rock Bottom to a Brighter Future

Wrightsman’s personal story resonates with the character of Vinny (Micheal Ward), a promising soccer player whose career fell through. Like Vinny, Wrightsman played soccer at Sacramento State but lost her chance to go pro. She spiraled into drug and alcohol addiction, hitting rock bottom and landing in jail. However, through the support of a sober living facility and Street Soccer USA, Wrightsman found a new purpose in life. She now runs the Sacramento chapter of Street Soccer USA, using soccer to empower at-risk youth.

The Power of Second Chances

Another real-life Homeless World Cup alum featured in the film is Angela Draws, who wears a #4 jersey and can be seen playing alongside the American team. Draws met Wrightsman in a sober living facility while recovering from drug addiction. Despite never having played soccer beyond grade school, Draws credits the sport with helping her maintain 12 years of sobriety. She now works as a personal trainer in Sacramento and hopes the movie will inspire people to show more kindness to the homeless and those in recovery.

A Message of Hope and Inspiration

“The Beautiful Game” serves as a powerful reminder that every person, regardless of their circumstances, has the potential for greatness. As Draws eloquently puts it, “You never know the magic inside someone who’s sleeping on the street. We are not our circumstance. We are not the worst thing we’ve ever done.”

With the next Homeless World Cup scheduled for September 21-28 in Seoul, South Korea, this film couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s a heartwarming tale of redemption, hope, and the transformative power of sport.

Don’t miss “The Beautiful Game Movie,” out on March 29, and let it inspire you to see the beauty and potential in every human being.

Chad King, a former star running back and defensive back at Ocean Township High School, is returning home as the newly appointed head football coach. The Ocean Township Board of Education approved King’s hiring on Tuesday night, according to Ocean athletic director Rusty Todd.

King brings with him a wealth of coaching experience, having served as the head coach at Long Branch for the past two seasons. Prior to that, he spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach under the legendary Dan George, who was also King’s head coach at Ocean through his junior year.

A graduate of Ocean Township High School in 2000, King takes over from Don Klein, who recently resigned after being hired as the head coach at his alma mater, Shore Regional. Klein, the school’s all-time winningest coach, led the Spartans for the past 17 seasons.

During King’s tenure at Long Branch, the Green Wave posted a 14-9 record, which included three NJSIAA road playoff wins. Last season, they reached the NJSIAA Central Group 4 championship game after defeating Jackson Memorial and the unbeaten Brick Memorial. In 2022, Long Branch also secured a first-round Central Group 4 victory at unbeaten Pennsauken.

Under Klein’s leadership, Ocean compiled a 93-75-1 record, with nine NJSIAA playoff appearances, four Shore Conference divisional championships, and seven winning seasons. The Spartans’ most successful seasons under Klein were in 2013 (10-1), 2015 (9-2) led by current Philadelphia Eagles’ backup quarterback Kenny Pickett, 2019 (8-1) with Syracuse University junior wide receiver Trebor Pena, and 2022 (8-1) with quarterback Tyler Douglas, now at Temple University.

Ocean, coming off a 4-6 season, will compete in Shore Conference Class B North alongside Middletown North, Matawan, Freehold, Freehold Township, and Red Bank Regional. The Spartans will also face Holmdel, Manasquan, and Shore in non-divisional games.

With King’s hiring, Long Branch remains the only coaching vacancy in the Shore Conference.

In a tragic turn of events, former NHL Player Chris Simon Dies on Monday night in his hometown of Wawa, Ontario. He was 52 years old. A spokesperson for the NHL Players’ Association, who had been in contact with Simon’s agent, confirmed the news.

On Wednesday, Simon’s family released a statement through his agent, Paul Theofanous, revealing that he had died by suicide. The family attributed his death to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease. They requested privacy during this difficult time and expressed their appreciation for those who share in their tragic loss.

Simon had an impressive NHL career spanning 15 seasons from 1993 to 2008, playing 857 regular-season and playoff games. His physical style of play was well-known, as he engaged in over 100 fights and accumulated 1,824 penalty minutes, placing him 67th in NHL history.

Throughout his career, Simon had the privilege of winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and being part of runs to the final with the Washington Capitals in 1998 and the Calgary Flames in 2004. He also played for various other teams, including the Quebec Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, and New York Islanders. After his NHL career, he spent five seasons in the KHL from 2008 to 2013 before retiring.

Former teammates and colleagues remembered Simon fondly. Joe Sakic, Colorado’s president of hockey operations and captain during their 1996 championship season, described him as a great guy, a beloved teammate, and an important part of their success. Sakic praised Simon’s on-ice skills, his presence in the dressing room, and his willingness to stand up for his teammates.

While Simon was respected and loved by his teammates and fans, he occasionally faced disciplinary action from the league. The NHL suspended him eight times for a total of 65 games, including a 25-game ban in March 2007 for cross-checking the Rangers’ Ryan Hollweg in the face and a 30-game suspension in December of the same year for stomping on the leg of Pittsburgh’s Jarkko Ruutu.

The hockey community mourns the loss of Chris Simon and extends its condolences to his family and loved ones during this challenging time. NHL Player Chris Simon Dies.