Sports

Appalachian State University is expected to announce a major change this week for its athletic department. After more than 40 years competing in the Southern Conference, the school in Boone, NC, will announce a transition to the Sun Belt Conference. App State has considered moving its 20 athletic teams for several years and is likely to start competing in the new conference next year.

Men's Tournament

No. 2 seed Duke heads to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament after defeating Creighton, 66-50. North Carolina exits the tournament at the hands of the Kansas Jayhawks for the second straight year.

North Carolina A&T has its first ever NCAA Tournament victory.  The Aggies narrowly defeated Liberty University, 73-72, last night to advance.  A last-second shot by Liberty missed as time expired to preserve the A&T win. 

Before last night, the Aggies had never won in nine trips to the tournament.  Head coach Cy Alexander said his team didn't fold under pressure.

"I thought our young men showed a lot of resilience because Liberty didn't back down and we would go up a little bit and they would keep coming back," Alexander said.

You don’t have to be a basketball fan to participate in this March Madness bracket, just a public radio listener. Southern California public radio station KPCC has created an alternative competition pitting 32 public radio shows against one another. Listeners can vote for their favorites on their website.

NC A&T will tip it off against Liberty tonight in Dayton, OH as part of the First Four. The Aggies surprised everyone last week when they seized the MEAC championship in a 57-54 win against Morgan state.

Last year Norfolk State represented the MEAC in the NCAA Tournament. As a 15-seed the Spartans defeated 2-seed, Missouri, 86-84. It is one of only six upsets where a 15-seed knocked off a 2-seed. With a victory tonight, North Carolina A&T would meet 1-seed Louisville on Thursday. A 16-seed has never beaten a one-seed.