The Sports to Watch This Weekend

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This is it, the one weekend when you are suddenly very interested in Kennesaw State and Florida Atlantic. You may well end the weekend tossing your N.C.A.A. bracket in the garbage, but it will be a lot of fun getting there. (All times Eastern.)

Here’s what I’ll be watching →

The Sports to Watch This Weekend

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The men’s first round started Thursday afternoon, with survivors meeting Saturday and Sunday.

A couple of Friday games that might be close: No. 7-seeded Michigan State vs. No. 10 U.S.C. (12:15 p.m., CBS) and No. 5 Miami vs. No. 12 Drake (7:25 p.m., TBS).

The Sports to Watch This Weekend

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Norfolk State is the first of what could be six straight teams to fall before mighty South Carolina in the women’s tournament (Friday, 2 p.m., ESPN).

No. 4-seeded Texas started the season ranked No. 3; the Longhorns take on East Carolina (Saturday, 10 p.m., ESPN).

The Sports to Watch This Weekend

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The United States is safely through to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic, but it faces a stern test there.

Venezuela features Anthony Santander (hitting .462) and Salvador Perez (.500), not to mention Jose Altuve and Miguel Cabrera (Saturday, 7 p.m., Fox).

The Sports to Watch This Weekend

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Ireland can clinch the Six Nations rugby tournament, as well as the Grand Slam for going 5-0, with a victory over England in Dublin (Saturday, 1 p.m., NBC).

The Sports to Watch This Weekend

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Max Verstappen drove away with the season-opening Formula 1 race, like he drove away with last season’s championship. Can anyone stop him?

Race 2 is the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (Sunday, 1 p.m., ESPN).

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