Front seat for basketball fans

That the Ohio State University basketball Buckeyes made it into the 64-team NCAA Big Dance is commendable, and we wish Coach Chris Holtmann’s young team well in its first-round game tonight against Iowa State in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

But for those not traveling with the hometown team, we are fortunate to have plenty of good basketball on display in town this weekend as Columbus again hosts the first two rounds of play in the men’s South and Midwest regions.

With eight teams playing in Nationwide Arena today and the four victors on Sunday, collegiate hoops fans will be able to watch top-ranked North Carolina and Tennessee, 1- and 2-seeds, respectively, as they compete with 16- and 15-seeds Iona and Colgate.

Columbus also will be treated to Ohio’s topranked team in the field, the 7-seed Cincinnati Bearcats, who begin tournament play against 10-seed Iowa.

Rounding out the local dance card are two moreclosely matched contenders, 8-seed Utah State against 9-seed Washington.

This is the fifth time Columbus has hosted NCAA Division 1 men’s first-and second-round games. It will be followed by NCAA Women’s Division II Elite Eight games Tuesday through Friday at Ohio Dominican University’s Alumni Hall, the second time those games have been held in Columbus.

Regardless of whether this is the year that your bracket finally holds together through more than the first weekend, it’s a great time for basketball fans to be in Columbus.