Photo courtesy of Samford Athletics
The Samford University men's basketball team prepares to play Kansas in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Most sports fans in central Alabama have been aware of the strong season Samford University’s men’s basketball team has put together.
Samford now has an opportunity to become part of the national conversation. The Bulldogs have qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000 and will play in the opening round Thursday evening.
Samford earned a No. 13 seed in the tournament after winning the Southern Conference tournament. The Bulldogs will take on No. 4 seed Kansas in the first round. The game is set for an 8:55 p.m. CDT tip-off and can be seen on TBS. The game is being played in Salt Lake City, Utah.
McMillan, a Mountain Brook native who built the Mountain Brook High School basketball program into a national powerhouse, is in his fourth year at Samford and has won the SoCon’s Coach of the Year award in three straight seasons.
“For Samford, it’s always big to be in this spotlight,” McMillan said Wednesday. “This isn’t going to be the last time we’re in this spotlight.”
A win over Kansas would certainly be considered an upset, as Kansas is one of the perennial top programs year after year. Underdogs have a way of capturing the nation’s attention during the NCAA Tournament, though, and Samford is hoping to capitalize on that opportunity.
“Hopefully, it’s tomorrow we win, but we will make a run in this tournament,” McMillan said. “The further you can get deep in March, the more you’re in that national spotlight and the more people get to learn about your program.”
The winner of Thursday’s game will play again Saturday.
