Syracuse survived a scare from UNC-Asheville, Vandy and Louisville bucked their recent upset trends, and chalk mostly prevailed--except, of course, for Shaka Smart's Rams.
Don't bet against Shaka: The VCU Rams aren't sneaking up on anyone this year, but it doesn't matter. Shaka Smart's twelfth-seeded Colonial champs knocked off one of the best mid-majors in the country in #5 Wichita State, 62-59. Bradford Burgess, the lone holdover from last year's Final Four squad, led his team with 16 points. The Rams' vaunted defense gave the Shockers problems throughout the game, and they'll need another effort like that to beat #4 Indiana.
#1 Syracuse's close call: Without an ineligible Fab Melo, the Orange got all they could handle from the 16th-seeded UNC-Asheville Bulldogs, but won 72-65. James Southerland's shooting and some questionable calls down the stretch bailed them out of what would've been a monumental upset. More shooting performances like this one (5-23 from long range) and Syracuse might have trouble getting out of the treacherous East Region.
The Runnin' Rebels are one-and-done: #6 UNLV was upset by the surprising Pac-12 champions, 11-seed Colorado, 68-64. The Buffaloes almost gave this one away, squandering nearly all of a 20-point lead to turn a decisive rout into a squeaker. UNLV connected on just nine of its 36 three-point attempts, as its offense frequently stalled in the half-court against a stingy defense. Colorado can beat #3 Baylor to reach the Sweet Sixteen, but will need to avoid the second-half fatigue that plagued them in this game.
#3 Baylor edges #14 South Dakota State...barely: The Bears' imposing frontcourt should have dominated a small South Dakota State team. But they've been underperforming all year, so why would we see anything different in the NCAA tournament? Perry Jones III and Quincy Acy combined to score six points as guards Pierre Jackson and Brady Heslip had to carry the team to the finish line. Baylor won't beat Colorado in the Round of 32 with a similar performance. Just ask the Runnin' Rebels.
Rodney McGruder lifts #8 Kansas State: Syracuse's next opponent will be the Wildcats, who outlasted Southern Miss in their back-and-forth 8-9 matchup, 70-64. Rodney McGruder scored 30 points as K-State went to the line 34 times and held the Golden Eagles to 37% shooting. If Frank Martin's team plays strong defense, crashes the boards, and scrapes together enough offense, they can upset the Orange on Saturday. Freshman point guard Angel Rodriguez will have to avoid turnovers facing the Syracuse press, though.
#4 Wisconsin will face #5 Vanderbilt in the wide-open East: Fab Melo's ineligibility and Syracuse's near-disaster against UNC-Asheville leaves the East Region ripe for the taking, and both the Badgers and Commodores have their sights set on a deep tournament run. Wisconsin brushed aside #13 Montana in the second half and Vanderbilt survived a late Harvard run to end its ignominious streak of first-round upsets. The two teams clash on Saturday with a Sweet Sixteen berth on the line.
#4 Louisville and #5 New Mexico avoid upsets: Davidson's three-point attack was completely neutralized by Louisville--the Wildcats hit on only four of their 19 shots from long distance. Peyton Siva's 17 points and 6 assists keyed the offensive attack and Louisville advanced, 69-62. The Cardinals' foe in the second round will be New Mexico, who outlasted Long Beach State in their 5-12 matchup. Like Louisville, the Lobos won on account of their defense--they held LBSU's star point guard Casper Ware to just 5-of-19 shooting. Drew Gordon was a force inside as usual, scoring 18 points with 13 rebounds. Cardinals-Lobos in a battle for the Sweet Sixteen should feature some vicious defense.
So long, UConn: The Huskies never really lived up to their talent during the season, and expecting them to figure things out in the NCAA tournament was unrealistic. The defending champs were out-rebounded, out-shot, and outplayed by #8 Iowa State, so the Calipari-Calhoun showdown will become a reality. Four Cyclones scored in double figures to secure their 77-64 victory, and Kentucky awaits on Saturday.
Unexpected seasons for #4 Indiana, #6 Murray State continue: Two of this season's most appealing storylines aren't quite over yet. Jordan Hulls scored 22 points against #13 New Mexico State in yet another win for this resurgent Hoosiers program. And Murray State dominated the second half against #11 Colorado State, doubling up the Rams and holding one of the country's best three-point shooting teams to just three makes for the entire game. Up next: Indiana has to handle VCU's intense defensive pressure, and Murray State will try to run with Darius Johnson-Odom and three-seed Marquette.
Don't question Gonzaga's toughness: The seventh-seeded Zags had to fly across the country to play in #10 West Virginia's backyard. There were doubts about the Bulldogs' ability to handle the trip, or the Mountaineers' physicality. They certainly answered those questions, blowing out WVU 77-54. Eleven different Gonzaga players hit field goals in a balanced offensive assault (56% from the field) while strong defense anchored by Robert Sacre held Kevin Jones to 5-of-14 shooting. If the Zags play like this against Ohio State...well, watch out.
No drama for #1 Kentucky, #2 Ohio State, and #3 Marquette: They're top seeds for a reason, and none of them had issues moving on to the Round of 32. Kentucky's frontcourt dominated Western Kentucky, DeShaun Thomas and William Buford led Ohio State to a 19-point win over Loyola, and Marquette ran past BYU 88-68. Stiffer challenges will await on Saturday.
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