2023 March Madness Recap: Fairleigh Dickinson Impresses in First Round
The first round of March Madness 2023 was an eventful one, with plenty of upsets and close calls. In one of the final games of the night, the trendy upset pick, Golden Flashes, failed to threaten the Hoosiers. Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis delivered an outstanding performance, recording 24 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks. According to OptaStats, he made history by being the first player to achieve such a stat line in NCAA Tournament history since blocks became an official stat in 1985-86.
Kansas State advanced to the second round by defeating Montana State without much difficulty. Though the Bobcats managed to reduce the deficit to four early in the second half, they couldn’t close the gap any further, and Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell ensured Kanas State’s victory with a combined score of 35 points.
Meanwhile, TCU edged past Arizona State with a go-ahead floater from JaKobe Coles in the dying moments of the game. Mike Miles was the leading scorer for the Horned Frogs with 26 points, and TCU’s win was also aided by Arizona’s 17 turnovers compared to TCU’s five.
FAU also secured a win in the first round by beating Memphis thanks to a clutch play from Nick Boyd, who scored the go-ahead basket with just 2.5 seconds remaining. Fairleigh Dickinson, who impressed in their first-round game, will be FAU’s opponent in the second round on Sunday.
Kent State, on the other hand, had a poor offensive performance, shooting just 26.3% from the field. Despite this, they managed to remain within striking distance of Indiana with a 9-3 edge in second-chance points. The Hoosiers’ frontcourt duo of Race Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis combined for 23 points, and Kent State will need to step up their game if they want to avoid elimination in the next round.
Lastly, Arizona State will be hoping to keep the momentum going in the second half against TCU after a hot shooting start in the first half, hitting 60% from both the field and beyond the arc. With plenty of upsets and close calls in the first round, the second round promises to be just as exciting.
NCAA Tournament First Round Recap: Miami and Memphis Secure Wins
The NCAA Tournament First Round provided fans with plenty of drama, upsets, and surprises. Kansas State started off strong, shooting 51.7% from the floor in the first half and getting 10 points each from Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson. However, Montana State put up a good fight, with RaeQuan Battle scoring 13 points on 5 of 9 shooting. The teams struggled with turnovers and missed free throws, combining for just 3 of 9 from the line.
Meanwhile, Memphis overcame a slow start to take the lead against FAU, finishing the first half with a 35-31 lead. Kendric Davis led Memphis with 9 points and the team committed just two turnovers, while FAU shot only 4 of 14 from beyond the arc. The winner of this game would go on to play Fairleigh Dickinson, providing a clear path to the Sweet 16.
Drake had a comfortable lead against No. 5 seed Miami but could not hold on, as Miami went on a 16-1 run in the final minutes to secure a 63-56 victory. Nijel Pack led Miami with 21 points and Wooga Poplar added 15, while Darnell Brodie led Drake with 20. Miami will now face either Indiana or Kent State in the second round.
In another game, Kentucky defeated Providence with Antonio Reeves leading all Wildcats with 22 points, and Oscar Tshiebwe nearly notching a double-double with 25 rebounds. Providence will now focus on coach Ed Cooley, who has been linked heavily to the Georgetown vacancy.
Overlooked amidst the madness was No. 3 seed Gonzaga’s comfortable win over Grand Canyon, with Julian Strawther leading the team with 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Drew Timme contributing 21 points. The Zags shot an impressive 53.6% from the floor, building on their momentum coming into the Big Dance.
Finally, Indiana faced off against Kent State, with many predicting an upset. However, Indiana stepped up to the challenge, with Trayce Jackson-Davis delivering a big game with 24 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks. The Hoosiers’ Jalen Hood-Schifino also had a big second half, helping Indiana secure the win by more than the spread.
As the tournament progresses, fans can expect more surprises and upsets, and teams will need to step up their game to secure a spot in the Sweet 16.
March Madness First Round: FAU Upsets Memphis, UConn Dominates Iona
The NCAA Tournament First Round provided plenty of excitement as underdogs surprised favorites and some of the top teams struggled. One of the most significant upsets of the round occurred when FAU defeated Memphis. Despite having 31 wins on the season, FAU entered the game as underdogs. However, coach Dusty May had a game plan to contain Memphis guard Kendric Davis, one of the best at his position. FAU’s balance on offense and defense helped them secure a win and cover the spread of 2.5 points.
Miami also struggled in the first half against Drake, shooting only 23.3% from the floor and making only two 2-point attempts. Darnell Brodie led Drake with 11 points, but Miami was able to turn things around in the second half, going on a 16-4 run to secure a 63-56 victory.
In another game, Gonzaga faced off against No. 14 seed Grand Canyon, who led at one point 28-21 after a 10-0 run. However, Gonzaga closed the first half by making seven of its final nine shots from the floor, taking a 40-36 lead into halftime. Julian Strawther led Gonzaga with 16 points, and Anton Watson added 11, while Chance McMillan had 11 points for Grand Canyon. The second half promised to be a competitive one.
Kentucky took a 38-31 lead into halftime against Providence, behind a big half from Antonio Reeves, who scored 14 points on 4 of 7 shooting from 3-point range. Jacob Toppin added 12, and the Wildcats outscored Providence 13-2 in second-chance points behind 13 boards from Oscar Tshiebwe. Bryce Hopkins had just five points on 2 of 7 shooting for the Friars, facing his old team.
Meanwhile, Purdue faced off against 16-seed FDU and was down by a point after 20 minutes of play. Despite expected National Player of the Year Zach Edey’s 12 points and 6 rebounds, the Boilermakers were cold from 3-point land, shooting only 2-of-11. Purdue had a significant size advantage over FDU, but the underdogs held their own.
UConn dominated Iona in a game that was close in the first half but turned into a blowout in the second. Adama Sanogo led the Huskies with a game-high 28 points and 13 rebounds, and UConn outscored Iona 50-24 in the second half. The Huskies shot an impressive 48% from the field and 44% from 3, and dominated inside with 36 points in the paint. The win marked the program’s first tournament win since 2016 and coach Dan Hurley’s first tournament win at UConn.
As the tournament progresses, more surprises and upsets are sure to come. Fans can expect plenty of drama and excitement as teams battle it out for a spot in the Sweet 16.
NCAA Tournament First Round Recap
The NCAA Tournament first round has been nothing short of exciting, with some unexpected upsets and thrilling finishes. Let’s take a look at some of the most noteworthy games and moments from Friday’s matchups.
Iowa State Falls to Pittsburgh
Iowa State had a rough start to their game against Pittsburgh, missing their first 11 shots from the field and falling into a 22-2 deficit. They were unable to recover and shot just 23.3% for the game, ultimately losing to Pittsburgh.
Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner Shines
Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner put on an impressive performance in their game against NC State, scoring 31 points on 11 of 14 shooting, grabbing seven rebounds, and blocking three shots. Despite a strong effort from Terquavion Smith on the Wolfpack’s side, Creighton was able to come out on top.
Iona vs. UConn
Iona came out strong in the first half of their game against UConn, making 6 of 11 attempts from 3-point range and taking a 39-37 lead into halftime. Berrick JeanLouis led the way for Iona with 11 points, while UConn’s big men Donovan Clingan and Adama Sanogo combined for 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting.
Marquette Takes Down Vermont
Marquette put on an impressive display against Vermont, with Kam Jones scoring 18 straight points at one point and the team shooting 51.8% from the field. Marquette only committed five turnovers and got double figures from five different players.
Wolfpack and Bluejays Keep it Close
The game between NC State and Creighton was a close one, with both teams struggling to find offense at times. Terquavion Smith had 14 points for NC State, while Ryan Kalkbrenner had 11 for Creighton. There were just eight total turnovers in the half, and both teams were tied in paint points at 16-16.
Overall, the first round of the NCAA Tournament has been full of surprises and exciting moments. Fans can look forward to more thrilling matchups in the days to come.
NCAA March Madness First Round Recap
The first round of the NCAA March Madness Tournament is officially underway, and the games have been full of excitement and surprises. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from the recent matchups.
Iowa State mounts a comeback against Pittsburgh
In a game that started out one-sided, Iowa State pulled off an impressive comeback against Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh took an early 22-2 lead, but Iowa State rallied back in the final 10 minutes of the game, outscoring Pittsburgh 21-9 to close the half. The Cyclones held Pittsburgh to just one field goal in the final 6:14 of game time to secure the win.
Saint Mary’s dominates VCU
Saint Mary’s had no trouble dispatching VCU in the first game of the day. VCU’s star player, Ace Baldwin Jr., went down with a lower-leg injury in the second half, and despite his return to the game, VCU was unable to mount a comeback. Saint Mary’s held VCU to just 37% shooting and will face the winner of UConn-Iona in the next round.
Marquette takes control against Vermont
Marquette took a commanding lead against Vermont, leading 39-30 at halftime. Vermont relied heavily on outside shots, making six of 12 attempts from beyond the arc, but struggled to make stops on defense. Marquette shot an impressive 50% from the field and outscored Vermont 8-0 on second-chance points.
Baylor comes alive in the second half against UC Santa Barbara
Baylor struggled defensively in the first half against UC Santa Barbara, allowing the Gauchos to shoot 61% from the field. But the Bears came alive in the second half, holding UCSB to just seven total field goals and scoring 14 unanswered points down the stretch to secure the win. Adam Flagler and LJ Cryer combined for 33 points, while Caleb Lohner had a standout performance with 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting.
Overall, the first round of the tournament has been full of exciting games and upsets, with more action to come in the next round.
VCU and Saint Mary’s battle it out in Round 1
In a matchup between VCU and Saint Mary’s, the two teams are neck-and-neck in Round 1 with VCU trailing by only one point at halftime. VCU entered the tournament with a nine-game winning streak and has been performing well, with Ace Baldwin Jr. scoring 11 of the team’s 28 points at the break. On the other hand, Saint Mary’s has relied on their defense throughout the season and is known for winning low-scoring games.
Xavier moves on to the next round
Despite falling behind by 13 points in the second half, No. 3 seed Xavier was able to make a comeback and secure a win against No. 14 seed Kennesaw State. Souley Boum made a pair of free throws to give Xavier a three-point lead in the final seconds, and Kennesaw State’s attempt to tie the game and force overtime came up short. Boum finished with 17 points, while Jerome Hunter led the team with 24 points. Xavier will move on to face the winner of the Pitt vs. Iowa State matchup in the second round on Sunday.
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