ESPN Kicks Off Midnight Madness Tonight

Perhaps no time of the year (outside of March) is more exciting for hardcore college basketball fans than the first major weekend of Midnight Madness across the country. It’s a great way for fans to get ready for the season, for teams to show off their new and exciting players, and for the hype to build.

Well, it’s FINALLY here!

On Friday night, Midnight Madness is going to hit high-gear with a plethora of schools holding their respective events. The programs will look to make a splash on the national stage and get the momentum building for this season.

While much of the attention will go to some of the high-major programs on Friday, two mid-majors will be in the spotlight. In a really exciting decision, ESPN announced that they would be streaming the Midnight Madness events for both Harvard and Stephen F. Austin as they go live on Friday.

Harvard and Stephen F. Austin certainly aren’t the only mid-majors set for big years, but both are looking to build off recent NCAA Tournament appearances. Harvard made the field in 2015 and Stephen F. Austin each of the last three years.

For Harvard, perhaps the most interesting thing to watch will be the program’s newcomers. Harvard managed to land two four-star prospects this year and finished with the No. 24 class nationally per 247Sports. Even if the players don’t hit the ground running, that’s an exceptional recruiting class for the Crimson.

Stephen F. Austin will also be welcoming some new faces, but the one that fans will be most excited to see is Kyle Keller. He is taking over the program after Brad Underwood left for Oklahoma State and will have some big shoes to fill. Underwood spent three years with the Lumberjacks and went 53-1 (!!!) in conference play.

It should be an exciting night for mid-major fans across the country, but it could be an even bigger night for Harvard and Stephen F. Austin. You can stream the events here.