March Insanity brings again probably the most thrilling time of the yr. Thursday noticed No. 14 Oakland knock out No. 3 Kentucky and No. 11 Duquesne advance to the Spherical of 32 for the primary time since 1969.
Beneath is the total rundown of Friday’s action-packed schedule of the 2024 males’s NCAA Event, that includes tipoff occasions (in ET) and TV channels.
Yale upsets Auburn in East Area
Auburn is the most recent staff to go right down to an upset within the NCAA Event because it dropped a 78-76 resolution to Yale within the first spherical Friday.
The Bulldogs, who’re seeded thirteenth within the East Area, have been led by John Poulakidas, who completed with 28 factors.
For the twelfth time in 13 tournaments because the subject expanded to 68 groups, a staff that gained a First 4 sport has superior to no less than the Spherical of 32.
The SEC is 1-5 within the first spherical on the NCAA Event, with all of the losses to decrease seeds. — Daniel Shirley
Colorado advances previous Florida with thrilling conclusion
INDIANAPOLIS — Whoa! No. 10 seed Colorado hangs on in a monitor meet towards No. 7 seed Florida, taking down the Gators 102-100 on KJ Simpson’s jumper from the correct baseline with 1.7 seconds remaining in regulation. Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr.’s half-court heave on the buzzer smacked off the backboard.
It was one heck of an entertaining efficiency from each groups. Colorado has now superior from the First 4 to a second-round NCAA Event matchup towards second-seeded Marquette. The Buffaloes did so after blowing a 13-point lead with 4:49 remaining. Colorado’s Cody Williams made one among two free throws to present the Buffaloes a 100-97 lead with 14.7 seconds remaining earlier than Clayton buried a pull-up 3 with 9.5 seconds remaining to tie the rating. — Jesse Temple
SPOKANE, Wash. — Right here is your abstract of the primary sport of the day at Spokane Area, through which everybody within the constructing was on their ft and on pins and needles within the final minute: One staff had Jaedon LeDee. The opposite staff was Alabama-Birmingham.
There actually isn’t any deep, thought-about evaluation of fifth-seeded San Diego State’s 69-65 survival of an upset bid from the No. 12 seed Blazers. That is all there’s: LeDee and nothing else. The senior ahead had 32 factors, two in need of his career-high. He made each vital play within the vital moments, together with grabbing an offensive board off a horrible look with a minute left and the Aztecs clinging to a one-point lead.
LeDee hit two free throws at that interval, then two extra with 20.1 seconds left to create one other three-point benefit, then snagged the defensive board when UAB’s game-tying 3-point try from the highest of the important thing didn’t fall. He shot 11 of 18 from the ground and 9 of 10 from the road; the remainder of his staff, in whole, contributed 13 buckets and 7 free throws. He fouled out two of UAB’s key bigs. The 4 turnovers weren’t nice, however between LeDee was a plus-19.9 on factors produced versus factors allowed, per the StatBroadcast feed. The subsequent-highest Aztecs quantity? Lamont Butler’s plus-6.1.
Story of the season, actually, and it almost made them the second shock 2023 Last 4 participant to take a first-round loss on Friday. Although the Blazers roared again from a 12-point deficit to take a lead with 10 minutes to go — their first of the day — their grand whole of zero subject targets within the remaining two and a half minutes was decisive. Despite the fact that San Diego State scuffled equally — zero buckets within the final 4:12 — they nonetheless had a go-to star to, effectively, go to. — Brian Hamilton
Marquette overcomes tough first half to advance
INDIANAPOLIS — The excellent news: Marquette gained its first-round sport towards Western Kentucky. The dangerous information: the Golden Eagles are going to be exhausted. The ultimate rating, 87-69, gained’t replicate this one. The Hilltoppers’ frenetic tempo and feisty protection pushed Marquette and ignited a boisterous crowd.
Loads of Marquette followers made the four-hour journey, however what the Western crowed lacked in numbers they made up for, in let’s assume, eagerness. Hooting on the refs and screaming for his or her gamers, the Hilltopper devoted added gas to an offense that didn’t want a complete lot of assist.
The savior for Marquette not surprisingly, was Tyler Kolek. In his first sport again struggling an indirect pressure on Feb. 28, Kolek performed 38 minutes. He additionally clearly was fantastic, producing a double-double with 18 factors and 10 assists, including a pair of steals and 6 rebounds for good measure. The Golden Eagles’ wanted his maestro efficiency, unable to shake the Hilltoppers and their nation’s main quickest paced offense.
However the identical blistering taking pictures that carried Western Kentucky within the first half disappeared within the second, the Golden Eagles stretching its protection and limiting the identical staff that drained six treys within the first half to only 2-of-11 from the arc within the second. That’s just about the recipe for catastrophe for any staff attempting to drag an epic upset within the NCAA Event, and it wound up doing within the Hilltoppers, too. — Dana O’Neil
No. 6 Clemson upsets No. 11 New Mexico
MEMPHIS — Nicely, now we have an upset. Technically. No. 6 Clemson defeated No. 11 New Mexico 77-56. The Tigers entered the sport as 2.5-point underdogs regardless of having the higher seed.
Clemson’s dimension and slower tempo have been an efficient antidote to New Mexico’s frenetic tempo. The Tigers have been environment friendly within the halfcourt, scoring 38 factors within the paint and turning the ball over 9 occasions. The Lobos couldn’t reply, hitting simply 3-of-23 from past the arc and giving it away 13 occasions, which Clemson was 19 factors.
The NCAA choice committee will take some pleasure on this one, after describing New Mexico as a bid stealer following its run to the Mountain West Convention event title. Many assumed the Lobos, with a NET of twenty-two, have been safely within the subject, and the betting traces favored them over a Clemson aspect that limped into March Insanity, having misplaced three of its final 4, together with an early exit from the ACC event.
Chase Hunter led all scorers, with 15 of his 21 factors coming within the second half. Ahead Ian Schieffelin had a double-double with 16 factors and 12 rebounds, and P.J. Corridor added 14 factors. Nelly Junior Joseph led New Mexico with 14 factors and 12 rebounds. Guard Jaelen Home, the son of former NBA participant Eddie Home, had 12 factors on simply 4 of 14 from the sector, and battled foul bother for a lot of the second half, sitting on the top of the bench with a towel wrapped round his head.
Rick Pitino, the top coach of St. John’s, who missed out on an at-large bid, was seated throughout from the New Mexico bench to cheer on his son, Richard, coach of the Lobos. The 2 shared a realizing wave because the youthful Pitino exited the court docket after the loss.
Clemson’s win units up a spherical of 32 matchup towards third-seeded Baylor on Sunday after the Bears gained huge over Colgate earlier on Friday. The sport will pit Baylor’s top-five offense towards Clemson’s top-25 offense, in accordance with KenPom. The Tigers advance past the primary spherical of the event for the primary time since 2018, when Brad Brownell’s staff reached the Candy 16. — Justin Williams
UConn advances and not using a sweat
BROOKLYN – There was little question that UConn was the defending champion in Friday’s opening spherical of the NCAA Event. UConn opened with an early lead towards No. 16 Stetson and by no means relinquished, advancing to the second spherical with a 91-52 victory. These opening minutes have been the closest the Hatters would get to the Huskies as UConn commanded your complete sport.
The one time it felt like they misplaced management was a short scoreless three-minute stretch within the second half the place the Hatters went on a 9-0 run.
It was an all-around effort with 5 Huskies in double figures, with Donovan Clingan main the cost with 19 factors and eight rebounds. Stephan Swensen led the Hatters with 19 factors.
UConn will face Northwestern on Sunday within the second spherical. — Charlotte Carroll
Northwestern advances through extra time
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — This time of yr requires each persistence and a way of urgency, as Northwestern guard Brooks Barnhizer is aware of higher than most.
With the clock ticking down and a two-point deficit within the ninth-seeded Wildcats’ NCAA Event opening-round sport towards No. 8 Florida Atlantic, Barnhizer dribbled, dribbled and dribbled some extra earlier than passing out to Nick Martinelli who received it proper again to Barnhizer with 11 seconds left. He drove to the basket for a game-tying layup that electrified each his teammates and the Barclays Middle crowd. A head-scratching remaining possession by FAU guard Johnell Davis — who didn’t appear to acknowledge how little time he had earlier than the buzzer sounded — ensured the sport would head to extra time.
And extra time belonged to the ‘Cats, who have been led by Ryan Langborg’s 12 factors within the additional interval that helped them draw back for a 77-65 win within the first sport of Friday’s motion. Langborg, who performed on this event a yr in the past for Princeton, completed with a game-high 27 factors. Star guard Boo Buie chipped in one other 22 factors, because the pair dazzled in extra time specifically.
Northwestern will presumably play No. 1 general seed Connecticut on Sunday.
In the meantime, The Dusty Could Sweepstakes can formally start, because the FAU coach might be a scorching commodity on this yr’s teaching carousel. His identify has been linked most to the open Louisville job. — Nicole Auerbach
Baylor handles Colgate with ease
MEMPHIS — Baylor has been right here loads of occasions earlier than. It’s the one program that’s been a No. 3 seed or greater within the final 4 NCAA Tournaments, and within the backdrop of No. 3 seed Kentucky falling to Oakland on Thursday night time, the Bears rapidly squashed any ideas of an upset. Baylor accomplished a wire-to-wire win over No. 14 seed Colgate by a 92-67 margin early Friday afternoon. Scott Drew’s staff put forth a masterclass offensively with 58/53/71 taking pictures splits and 5 gamers in double figures, led by 23 factors from senior Jalen Bridges, on the opposite finish of the spectrum, Massive 12 Freshman of the Yr Ja’Kobe Walter added 19 factors.
The matchup of the sport was Baylor’s 3-point taking pictures (39.6 % on the season, sixth greatest nationally) towards Colgate’s 3-point protection (29.9 %, tenth nationally) and the Bears gained that sport throughout the sport convincingly with 16 made 3-pointers in comparison with simply 5 from Colgate. With heart Yves Missi restricted on account of an upper-body damage early within the first half, Baylor relied closely on a zone protection and size from their guards and wings to disrupt a Colgate offense that discovered success contained in the paint. The outcome was a 14-2 run within the first half’s remaining minutes, creating an insurmountable 20-point benefit going into halftime.
Bridges’ 18 second-half factors made positive that Baylor’s massive lead wouldn’t be challenged an excessive amount of within the second half, and because the outcome appeared inevitable, Drew cleared the bench which paved the best way for a flurry of threes by the Baylor reserves which have been met with roars by the touring crowd. General, it was an anticipated end result for a program of Baylor’s cache, however as we noticed on the primary day these outcomes usually are not assured. Missi’s availability might be a query mark forward of Sunday’s second-round sport however there’s hardly something to nitpick from the Bears’ opening effort. The No. 3 seed will await the winner of Clemson versus New Mexico. — Kennington Smith III
Friday’s schedule (tipoff occasions and channels)
No. 8 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 9 Northwestern, 12:15 p.m., CBS (Brooklyn)
No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 Colgate, 12:40 p.m., truTV (Memphis)
No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 12 UAB, 1:45 p.m., TNT (Spokane)
No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 15 Western Kentucky, 2 p.m., TBS (Indianapolis)
No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 Stetson, 2:45 p.m., CBS (Brooklyn)
No. 6 Clemson vs. No. 11 New Mexico, 3:10 p.m., truTV (Memphis)
No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 13 Yale, 4:15 p.m., TNT (Spokane)
No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Colorado, 4:30 p.m., TBS (Indianapolis)
No. 8 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Texas A&M, 6:50 p.m., TNT (Memphis)
No. 4 Duke vs. No. 13 Vermont, 7:10 p.m., TNT (Brooklyn)
No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 16 Grambling, 7:25 p.m., CBS (Indianapolis)
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Charleston, 7:35 p.m., TBS (Spokane)
No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Longwood, 9:20 p.m., TNT (Memphis)
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 James Madison, 9:40 p.m., CBS (Brooklyn)
No. 8 Utah State vs. No. 9 TCU, 9:55 p.m., TBS (Indianapolis)
No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon, 10:05 p.m., truTV (Spokane)
Gamers to look at
- Jamal Shead, Houston: The Massive 12 Participant of the Yr, 13.1 factors, 3.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists in his fourth yr in Houston. He grew to become the primary participant in Massive 12 historical past to win each Participant of the Yr and Defensive Participant of the Yr in the identical season.Â
- Zach Edey, Purdue: Edey, 7-foot-4, averaged 24.4 factors, 11.7 rebounds and a pair of.2 blocks per sport and is the reigning AP Participant of the Yr.Â
- Mark Sears, Alabama: The Crimson Tide star was tied for first in scoring within the SEC at 21.1 factors per sport. When Sears will get going, he can put up huge numbers in a rush like he did in December when he scored 35 on Purdue.Â
- Tristen Newton, UConn: Newton put the nation on discover a yr in the past when he was named the Most Excellent Participant of the Last 4. His success continued as he was named a First Workforce All-American with averages of 15.2 factors, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists.
- Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor: The Massive 12 Rookie of the Yr has arguably been probably the most constant freshman within the nation and might be a lottery choose in a number of months. Walter averaged 14.2 factors and 4.4 rebounds per sport.Â
Required studying
(Picture: Kirby Lee / USA Right now)