NCAA Tournament 2017: Princeton Must Conquer Storm First, Notre Dame Second

PRINCETON, NJ — The winter storm expected to dump up to two feet of snow on some portions of the Northeast is making travel hectic for many teams set to begin play in the 2017 NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with U.S. Airlines canceling thousands of flights ahead of the storm, according to espn.com.

Chief among teams facing adversity before stepping on the court is the Princeton University men’s basketball team, which won the inaugural Ivy League tournament in Philadelphia on Sunday, and followed it with a brief celebration, Director of Basketball Operations Chris Mongilia told ESPN.

The team is traveling to Buffalo, NY, to face Notre Dame in the first round on Thursday, 12:15 p.m. Mongilia told ESPN several players on the team have to factor taking mid-terms into their schedule. The team is scheduled to leave on Tuesday, and players will have to take their exams in a conference room at the hotel.

“The storm has definitely put a few bumps in our travel plans,” Mongilia said in the report.

The story didn't mention how Notre Dame is faring, but their trip is certainly much longer than Princeton's. South Bend, Indiana is 445 miles from Buffalo, while Princeton is just 360 miles away, according to The Buffalo News.

It's too early to tell what impact travel will have on the game, but the seeding matchup is ripe for an upset. According to ESPN, a No. 12 seed, which Princeton is in the West Region, has beaten a No. 5 seed, like Notre Dame in 25 of the last 28 tournaments. No. 12 seeds have a 35.9 percent win percentage in the tournament.

Read more at espn.com.

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