Matthews, Bulldogs heading to March Madness

Photo: Olive Branch native Cameron Matthews and the Mississippi State Bulldogs react to the team’s selection to play Baylor in the NCAA Round of 64. (Credit MSU Athletics)

The first games of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament are set for this week and Olive Branch will be represented again with March Madness.

Mississippi State’s Cameron Matthews, a graduate student from Olive Branch with the Bulldogs, reacted to his team’s Sunday selection to the tournament. The Bulldogs will open the tournament for the third straight year when they face Baylor of the Big 12 Conference on Friday in the round of 64. The Bulldogs are the number eight seed in the NCAA East Region. Baylor is the number nine seed.

Mississippi State (21-12, 8-10 SEC) and Baylor (19-14, 10-10 Big 12) meet at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Tip off is set for 11:15 a.m.

Opposite Mississippi State-Baylor are No. 1 seed Duke from the Atlantic Coast Conference along with No. 16 seeds American from the Patriot League and Mount St. Mary’s from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference who will meet Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio in the NCAA First Four.

Matthews spoke with the media after the selections were announced about playing again in the NCAA tournament.