March Madness 2023 had been unpredictable so far with a few upsets, making it hard to predict the outcome. The Cinderella story of the day belonged to No. 15 seed Princeton, which advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in the modern era of the NCAA Tournament by shellacking No. 7 seed Missouri. Similarly, No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson made history as the second such team to ever defeat a No. 1 seed in the tournament. The Musketeers of Xavier also won a game against No. 11 seed Pitt, despite leading scorer Souley Boum scoring zero points. In another game, Kentucky defeated Providence in a sweat-free Round 1 win. With one full Sunday slate left, the tournament promises a few more surprises.
March Madness 2023: Highlights from College Basketball Scores and NCAA Tournament
The NCAA Tournament never fails to disappoint. In Round 1, Fairleigh Dickinson made history by becoming only the second No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the history of the tournament, stunning Purdue with a score of 74-69. This win put the Knights in the limelight and made them the smallest team in college basketball history to achieve such a feat.
However, the team’s second-round matchup against Florida Atlantic proved to be a tougher test as they lost with a score of 78-70. The Owls led most of the game, and despite FDU’s best efforts, they were unable to secure a spot in the Sweet 16.
Miami and Indiana also clashed in the tournament, with Miami leading in the first half thanks to Nigel Pack and Isaiah Wong’s combined 20 points. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Miller Kopp tried to bring Indiana back into the game, but they still trailed 28-15 at one point.
The battle between FDU and FAU was much closer, with the Knights leading 50-49 midway through the second half. They had the support of unlikely fans cheering them on from the sidelines.
In another matchup, Creighton defeated Baylor to advance to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years. Ryan Nembhard was the star of the show with a career-high 30 points, while Creighton made 11 out of 24 3-point attempts and a perfect 22 out of 22 free throws. Despite Baylor’s offensive resilience, they could not make up the difference and lost the game.
The Florida Atlantic Owls shot only 35.1% from the floor in the first half, but they still managed to lead by seven points. Fairleigh Dickinson had difficulty converting at the rim, missing several shots that could have closed the gap. The winner of this game would go on to play against Tennessee at Madison Square Garden in the next round.
The NCAA tournament is filled with unexpected twists and turns, and these games proved that anything can happen. From underdogs to stunning victories, the tournament continues to amaze and excite basketball fans worldwide.
College Basketball Scores and NCAA Tournament: Highlights and Predictions
The NCAA Tournament has brought us plenty of excitement so far. Here are some of the highlights from the latest matchups:
Indiana vs. Miami
Indiana has a size advantage inside with Trayce Jackson-Davis, but the Hoosiers are also fine with running. Meanwhile, Miami escaped an upset bid from Drake in the first round. The Hoosiers handled business against a solid Kent State team on Friday and are poised to ride Jackson-Davis into the Sweet 16.
Prediction: Indiana -1.5
UConn vs. Arkansas
UConn has proven to be a legit team, beating Iona and Saint Mary’s by a combined 39 points. Adama Sanogo was a beast AGAIN on Sunday, going for 24 points and eight rebounds. Jordan Hawkins’ shot came to life early in the second half, which put the Gaels away. Arkansas will be a tough test, and it will be interesting to see if UConn can keep up its momentum.
Baylor vs. Creighton
Baylor was not playing great defense entering the NCAA Tournament, and Creighton exposed the Bears in the first half with 50% shooting, including a 7 of 16 performance from 3-point range. Ryan Nembhard has 11 to lead the Bluejays, who lead by 10 despite committing nine turnovers. Baylor will need to step up its game if it wants to advance.
Michigan State vs. Marquette
Tyson Walker scored 23 points, including 17 in the second half, as Michigan State withstood a Marquette team that was playing some of the best basketball out of anyone in the country entering the Big Dance. The Spartans are at it again under Tom Izzo, who has a No. 7 seed headed to the Sweet 16. MSU’s defense was great today, holding Marquette to 38.5% shooting and forcing 16 turnovers.
Michigan State vs. Marquette was a nail-biting matchup that saw both teams trading big play after big play. In the end, Michigan State came out on top with a score of 56-54.
UConn vs. Saint Mary’s
Saint Mary’s flustered UConn out of the gate by jumping out to a 17-9 lead. But the Huskies finished the half strong behind 10 points from Adama Sanogo and nine from Tristan Newton, who made all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Sanogo was a beast in UConn’s first round win over Iona and is back at it. He’s got six rebounds and is on his way to another double-double. Alex Ducas has eight points for the Gaels, but this team may not have an answer for Sanogo.
The NCAA Tournament never fails to disappoint, and this year is no exception. With more exciting matchups to come, it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top.
Michigan State dominates early but Marquette fights back
In a Round 2 match-up between Michigan State and Marquette, it was all Michigan State early on. The Spartans led by as many as 13 points in the first half, but the Golden Eagles managed to close the gap with a big 13-6 run to end the half. Despite Michigan State missing nine out of ten 3-point attempts, they dominated in rebounding and inside the paint. Marquette’s guards, Tyler Kolek and Kam Jones, combined for just nine points.
UConn a clear favorite against Saint Mary’s
UConn is considered a clear favorite against Saint Mary’s after crushing Iona 87-63 in the first round. The Huskies have only lost to teams that are also playing in Round 2 of the NCAA Tournament, and they have won 10 of their last 12 games. While Saint Mary’s is known for their excellent defense, UConn has a well-rounded team capable of defeating opponents in a variety of ways.
David Cobb’s pick is in favor of UConn with a point spread of -3.5.
Kansas State advances to Sweet 16 with victory over Kentucky
In a game featuring two teams of Wildcats, Kansas State knocked off Kentucky to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018. Despite playing from behind for much of the game, K-State seized control down the stretch, propelled by a 27-point performance from guard Markquis Nowell. Nowell took over the game as a creator and scorer, finishing with seven made shots out of 14 attempts and three triples.
Michigan State vs. Marquette predicted to be a close matchup
Despite Marquette’s strong performance in recent months, Kyle Boone is picking Michigan State to cover the spread with a point spread of +2.5. The game is predicted to be a close matchup, with Marquette having a good offense and Michigan State having a much-improved defense.
Kentucky starts strong but struggles in the second half
Kentucky started the second half strong with a 13-4 run to take a 39-33 lead, but Kansas State responded and was ahead 51-50 at the under-eight timeout. Toppin and Reeves were a combined 1 of 19 from the floor for Kentucky, making it astounding that Kentucky was even in the game.
Oscar Tshiebwe already had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Kentucky, but Jacob Toppin and Antonio Reeves made a combined 1 of 14 shots from the floor in the first half.
Kentucky looks to avoid deja vu against Kansas State
Kentucky fans might have some lingering fears from 2018 when Kansas State ended the Wildcats’ season as a 5th seed. But despite two losses to Vanderbilt at the end of the season, Kentucky has played well this year, dumping Providence in a sweat-free win. Betting expert Kyle Boone picks Kentucky to win by two.
Xavier advances to Sweet 16 after win over Pitt
No. 3 seed Xavier took on No. 11 seed Pitt and opened up a 20-point lead in the second half. Pitt cut it to single digits late, but the Musketeers ultimately held on to advance to the Sweet 16. Six Xavier players reached double figures, and coach Sean Miller did an impressive job in his first season back with the program. Xavier’s Adam Kunkel had a hot hand in the first half, making all five of his three-pointers. The Musketeers will take on No. 2 seed Texas next week.
Saturday’s Round 2 Madness
Saturday’s Round 2 Madness did not disappoint. Following Fairleigh Dickinson’s victory over Purdue on Friday, a second No. 1 seed was sent packing as Kansas fell to No. 8 seed Arkansas in a 72-71 stunner. Kansas had led or been tied for all but 114 seconds of the game, but a string of Razorbacks free throws in crunch time sealed the victory for Arkansas.
Recap of Saturday’s NCAA Tournament Slate
Saturday’s NCAA Tournament slate had some shocking upsets and exciting matchups that were nothing short of madness. Here are a few key takeaways from the day’s action.
Cinderella Story: No. 15 Seed Princeton Advances to Sweet 16
The biggest surprise of the day came from No. 15 seed Princeton, who defeated No. 7 seed Missouri 78-63 to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in the modern era of the NCAA Tournament. Princeton is just the fourth Ivy League program to reach the regional semifinals and the first since 2010.
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Missouri’s SEC rivals also had some success on Saturday, and you can read more about it at this link.
Sunday’s Schedule and Storylines
Sunday’s college basketball schedule features some of the most iconic programs in the sport’s history, as well as the team that just pulled off the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history. You can read more about the day’s storylines in this article by Chip Patterson.
How Fairleigh Dickinson Became the Biggest Upset in NCAA Tournament History
No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson pulled off the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history with their win over No. 1 seed Purdue. The Knights have come a long way since last year’s 4-22 season, and you can read about their incredible turnaround in this article.
Recap of Friday’s Action
In case you missed Friday’s action, you can catch up on all the highlights and storylines in this article. Friday had a little bit of everything, from crooked rims to big performances and stunning upsets.
The NCAA Tournament has been full of surprises, with two No. 1 seeds eliminated and a No. 15 seed reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time in the modern era of the tournament. In addition, Fairleigh Dickinson made history by becoming the second No. 16 seed to ever defeat a No. 1 seed. The excitement and unpredictability of March Madness are sure to continue as we head into the final day of the first weekend. Get ready for more thrilling action!
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