From the basketball game between Iowa State and Pittsburgh, it seems that Cyclones had a rough time as they missed their first 11 shots and fell into a 22-2 deficit. The Bluejays defeated the NC State with Ryan Kalkbrenner scoring 31 points and grabbing seven rebounds. In another game, Iona had a 39-37 lead on UConn entering halftime, with both teams emphasizing long-ball and having success. Kam Jones scored 18 straight points for Marquette, and the Golden Eagles cruised to a 78-61 victory over Vermont. In addition, Baylor came to life to dominate UC Santa Barbara after struggling defensively in the first half. They outscored UCSB 39-20 in the second half. Xavier advances into the next round after defeating Kennesaw State. Meanwhile, VCU, the trendy 12-over-5 pick, took a one-point deficit into halftime against Saint Mary’s.
2023 March Madness Scores and Takeaways
The first round of the 2023 March Madness tournament came to an end on Friday, leaving basketball fans with exciting games, upsets, and historical moments. In this article, we’ll cover some of the highlights from the night.
Indiana vs. Kent State
The game between Indiana and Kent State ended with a clear victory for Indiana, with Trayce Jackson-Davis leading the team with an impressive stat line. He scored 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and recorded five assists and five blocks. According to OptaStats, Jackson-Davis became the first player in NCAA Tournament history to achieve this stat line since blocks became an official stat in 1985-86. Indiana’s win sets up a 4/5 matchup with Miami on Sunday.
Kansas State vs. Montana State
Kansas State cruised past Montana State with Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell combining for 35 points. Montana State managed to reduce the lead to four early in the second half and remained within eight points with less than three minutes left in the game.
TCU vs. Arizona State
JaKobe Coles scored a clutch floater with 1.5 seconds remaining to give TCU a 72-70 win over Arizona State. Despite leading by eight points with under five minutes to go, Arizona State managed to tie the game with a DJ Horne 3-pointer with 15 seconds left. TCU’s Mike Miles led the team with 26 points. Arizona State committed 17 turnovers compared to TCU’s five, which proved to be a key difference in the game.
FAU vs. Memphis
FAU managed to escape with a win against Memphis thanks to a go-ahead bucket from Nick Boyd with just 2.5 seconds left on the clock. The game remained within five points for the entire second half, and Memphis committed a crucial late turnover, allowing FAU to secure the win. The Owls will face off against Fairleigh Dickinson in the second round.
Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Pitt
Fairleigh Dickinson was a shining star of the night with a convincing win over Pitt. Elyjah Goss led the way with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Jahlil Jenkins added 15 points and six assists. The team shot an impressive 53.6% from the field, and they will look to carry their momentum into the second round against FAU.
Arizona State vs. TCU
Arizona State started hot against TCU, shooting 60% from both the floor and beyond the arc in the first half. The Sun Devils will look to continue their strong performance in the second half and secure a win against TCU.
Overall, it was a fantastic first round of the 2023 March Madness tournament, and we can’t wait to see what the next round has in store.
March Madness 2023 Scores and Takeaways
The 2023 March Madness tournament has already provided fans with intense games, upsets, and historical moments. In this article, we’ll cover some of the highlights from Friday’s games.
Kansas State vs. Montana State
Kansas State shot an impressive 51.7% from the floor in the first half, with Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson each scoring 10 points. Despite their strong performance, Montana State managed to stay in the game, with RaeQuan Battle scoring 13 points on 5 of 9 shooting. Both teams struggled with turnovers in the first half, and they combined to make just 3 of 9 free throws.
Memphis vs. FAU
Memphis trailed FAU 25-15 midway through the first half but managed to finish strong, going on a 16-4 run to take a 35-31 lead into the locker room. Kendric Davis led Memphis with 9 points, and the team committed just two turnovers. FAU started hot but struggled from beyond the arc, going just 4 of 14. The winner of this game will face Fairleigh Dickinson in the second round.
Drake vs. Miami
Drake led Miami 55-47 with under six minutes remaining but could not hold on, as Miami finished strong with a 16-1 run to win 63-56. Nijel Pack led Miami with 21 points, and Wooga Poplar added 15. Darnell Brodie led Drake with 20 points. Miami will face either Indiana or Kent State in the second round.
Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Purdue
Fairleigh Dickinson shocked Purdue in the first round, providing one of the biggest upsets of the tournament so far. The team’s Elyjah Goss led the way with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Jahlil Jenkins added 21 points and six assists. The team shot an impressive 53.1% from the field and will face FAU in the second round.
Gonzaga vs. Grand Canyon
Gonzaga built a commanding 22-point lead against Grand Canyon and cruised to an 82-70 victory. Julian Strawther led the Zags with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Drew Timme added 21 points. Gonzaga shot an impressive 53.6% from the floor, continuing the momentum they had coming into the tournament.
Kentucky vs. Providence
Kentucky advanced to the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2019 with a win against Providence. Antonio Reeves led all Wildcats with 22 points, and Oscar Tshiebwe had an impressive 25 rebounds. Providence will now shift their focus to coach Ed Cooley, who has been heavily linked to the Georgetown vacancy.
Indiana vs. Kent State
Indiana faced off against Kent State, and many people thought Kent State could pull off the upset. However, Indiana was ready and won convincingly, setting up a second-round matchup with Miami. Trayce Jackson-Davis led the team with an impressive stat line of 24 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks. Indiana’s win continued their program rebuild under coach Mike Woodson, and they will look to continue their momentum in the next round.
Overall, Friday’s games provided basketball fans with excitement and unpredictability, and we can’t wait to see what the next round has in store.
NCAA Tournament: FAU dominates Memphis and Gonzaga defeats Grand Canyon
The NCAA Tournament continues to be full of surprises, with underdogs defying the odds and upsetting favored teams. On Friday, FAU was one of the teams that exceeded expectations, dominating Memphis with an impressive 60-58 victory.
Despite Memphis having a strong start, the Owls stayed in the game with a well-balanced offense and solid defense. Their game plan appeared to be centered around limiting Kendric Davis, Memphis’ star guard, and it seemed to work, as he struggled to find his rhythm throughout the game. FAU eventually took the lead with a go-ahead basket from Nick Boyd with only 2.5 seconds remaining.
The Owls will now face Fairleigh Dickinson in the second round on Sunday. FDU is coming off a surprising win against top-seeded Purdue, with a final score of 78-77.
In other action, Gonzaga started the game slow against Grand Canyon, with the Antelopes building a 28-21 lead after a 10-0 run. However, Gonzaga regained their composure and ended the first half with a 40-36 edge. Julian Strawther led the way with 16 points while Anton Watson added 11 for the Zags. Drew Timme contributed six points to the effort. Chance McMillan led the Antelopes with 11 points. Gonzaga will face the winner of the Oklahoma-Ole Miss matchup in the second round.
Kentucky vs. Providence and Purdue vs. FDU
Kentucky faced Providence on Friday, and they took a 38-31 lead into the locker room behind a big half from Antonio Reeves, who scored 14 points. Jacob Toppin also contributed with 12 points. The Wildcats outscored Providence 13-2 in second-chance points, and Oscar Tshiebwe had 13 boards to help them maintain their lead.
The top-seeded Purdue had a tough fight on their hands in the first half against 16-seed FDU, down by a point with Zach Edey doing his part with 12 points and six boards. Despite Purdue’s massive size advantage, they struggled from beyond the arc with only 2-of-11 shooting from three-point land. They will have to turn it around in the second half if they hope to avoid an early exit from the tournament.
UConn-Iona game
In a game that was high-energy and full of great shot-making, UConn dominated Iona in the second half to win with a final score of 89-53. Adama Sanogo was a beast, scoring a game-high 28 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. UConn outscored Iona 50-24 in the second half and will now face No. 5 Saint Mary’s in the second round.
Rick Pitino Watch
The coaching carousel is in full swing, and Rick Pitino is one of the big names making headlines. He has been linked to the vacant St. John’s opening, and there are reports that Texas Tech is also interested in him. It remains to be seen where he will end up, but the process is expected to move quickly.
March Madness First Round Recap
The first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament provided some exciting moments, including some upsets and close finishes. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from Friday’s action.
Iowa State Struggles Against Pittsburgh
Iowa State had a rough start to their game against Pittsburgh, missing their first 11 shots and falling into a 22-2 hole. Things didn’t get much better from there, as the Cyclones shot just 23.3% for the game and were only 11 of 19 from the free-throw line. Event staff evaluated one of the rims before the game, but Iowa State declined an offer for additional warm-up time. Ultimately, it didn’t matter as Pitt cruised to a 71-43 victory.
Creighton’s Kalkbrenner Dominates Against NC State
Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner had a dominant performance, scoring 31 points on 11 of 14 shooting, grabbing seven rebounds, and blocking three shots. Terquavion Smith countered with 32 points for NC State, but it wasn’t enough as Creighton pulled away in the second half for a 72-63 victory. Creighton will face No. 3 seed Baylor in the second round.
Iona and UConn Battle in Hurley vs. Pitino Matchup
In a highly anticipated matchup between coaches Dan Hurley and Rick Pitino, Iona jumped out to a 39-37 halftime lead against UConn behind 11 points from Berrick JeanLouis and six made 3-pointers. However, UConn’s Donovan Clingan and Adama Sanogo combined for 14 points to keep the Huskies in the game. Both teams emphasized the 3-point shot, with Iona making six of 11 attempts and UConn making seven of 16. The game remained close, but UConn pulled away in the second half for a 74-58 victory.
Marquette Advances Past Vermont
Marquette had an impressive offensive performance in their 78-61 victory over Vermont, shooting 51.8% from the field and hitting 10 of 20 attempts from beyond the arc. Kam Jones scored 18 straight points at one point for the Golden Eagles, who got double figures from five different players. They will face Michigan State in the second round.
Slow Start for Creighton and NC State
In a low-scoring first half, Creighton and NC State combined to make just one of 18 attempts from 3-point range. Terquavion Smith led the Wolfpack with 14 points on seven of 15 shooting, while Ryan Kalkbrenner had 11 for Creighton. Both teams had trouble finding offense outside of their top scorers, and the game was tied at 16-16 in points in the paint. The second half should provide some more action.
Overall, the first round of the NCAA tournament provided some exciting games and memorable performances. The second round promises to be even more thrilling, with some highly anticipated matchups on the horizon.
NCAA Tournament: Iowa State mounts comeback to take win against Pitt
In an exciting opening game at Greensboro, No. 6 seed Iowa State staged an impressive comeback against No. 11 seed Pitt, who opened with a 22-2 lead. Iowa State made a big run in the final 10 minutes, culminating in a 21-9 run before halftime, which included nine straight Cyclones points. Pitt, who did not make a field goal over the final 6:14 of game time, missed ten of their last eleven shots from the field. Iowa State won the game with a final score of 67-63.
Saint Mary’s secures a comfortable win against VCU
The fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s (SMC) team secured a comfortable win against VCU in a game that lacked drama. SMC’s rugged, opportunistic and bruising style limited VCU to 37% shooting, and VCU’s star player, Ace Baldwin Jr., went down with a lower-leg injury in the second half. Though he returned, he only scored 13 points. Mitchell Saxen led SMC with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Freshman Aidan Mahaney did not score any points in the game. SMC advances to the second round where they will face the winner of UConn-Iona. The Gaels are aiming for their first Sweet 16 since 2010.
Marquette takes the lead against Vermont in the first half
Marquette’s dynamic attack led the Golden Eagles to a 39-30 lead over Vermont in the first half. Vermont made six of their twelve attempts from 3-point range but needs to make more stops in the second half to overcome Marquette’s 50% shooting from the floor. Vermont was heavily reliant on outside shooting and did not take a single free-throw in the first half. The Catamounts will have to improve their defensive effort if they are going to repeat Princeton’s historic upset and stun a No. 2 seed.
Baylor dominates UC Santa Barbara after shaky start
After struggling defensively in the first half, Baylor bounced back in the second half to avoid an early exit from the NCAA tournament. The Bears held UC Santa Barbara to just seven field goals in the second half after allowing them to shoot 61% in the first half. UCSB did not make a field goal in the last nine minutes of the game. Baylor outscored UCSB 39-20 in the second half and went on a 14-2 run down the stretch, with all 14 points coming from Adam Flagler and LJ Cryer. Caleb Lohner contributed 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting. Baylor advances to the second round where they will play the winner of Creighton/NC State, hoping to avenge their second round loss to North Carolina in 2022.
VCU puts up a good fight against Saint Mary’s
VCU gave No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s a tough time in Round 1, trailing by just one point at halftime. VCU entered the tournament with a nine-game winning streak, including a run through the A-10 Tournament. Ace Baldwin Jr. led the team with 11 points at the half. Saint Mary’s defense has been its key to success all season, and they hope to continue this style of play throughout the tournament.
Xavier beats Kennesaw State to advance to the next round
In an exciting game, No. 3 seed Xavier overcame a 13-point deficit in the second half to defeat No. 14 seed Kennesaw State. Souley Boum made a pair of free throws to give Xavier a three-point lead in the final seconds, securing their spot in the next round. Jerome Hunter led Xavier with 24 points, while Boum added 17. Xavier will face the winner of the game between No. 11 seed Pitt and No. 6 seed Iowa State on Sunday.
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