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Late NCAA championship game tip sparks annual tradition of complaining

jason owens
Staff writer
·3 min read
55

Every year, the NCAA championship game tips off sometime after 9 p.m. ET.

Every year, the late tip catches folks off guard in the hours before tipoff.

This year's tilt between North Carolina and Kansas was no different. The Tar Heels and Jayhawks tipped off at 9:20 ET on Monday before the Jayhawks won the national championship, sparking cries of outrage and surprise from East Coast fans dreading an early alarm clock.

The angst on the East Coast is understandable. For folks who clock in early, staying up much past 9 p.m. can be a challenge — much less starting a two-plus hour game at 9:20 p.m. But it's been this way for years, and the NCAA and its broadcast partners don't seem motivated to change their ways.

For those in the Mountain and Pacific time zones? It's their time to shine. Night owls too. In a world that revolves much around the Eastern time zone, it's good to count wins where you can find them.

Twitter had its fair share of both perspectives in the leadup to Monday's game.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 04: North Carolina Tar Heels players warm up on the court before the game against the Kansas Jayhawks during the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship at Caesars Superdome on April 04, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)