March Madness is underway, and the NCAA tournament is full of surprises. On Friday, a crooked rim didn’t help Iowa State in their loss to Pitt, and UConn’s Adama Sanogo put up a big performance. Meanwhile, Purdue was upset by No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson, and another top seed, Kansas, lost to Arkansas. On Sunday, more iconic teams will play, including the team that pulled off the biggest upset in NCAA tournament history. The Sweet 16 bracket is almost complete, with Princeton and Xavier among the teams advancing. Xavier’s backcourt duo of Demetre Roberts and Grant Singleton helped the Knights stage a massive turnaround after a 4-22 season, and their small lineup led to arguably the biggest upset in NCAA tournament history. With all these upsets and surprises, March Madness has certainly lived up to its name.
March Madness 2023: Creighton Advances to Sweet 16 with Huge Offensive Performance
Creighton is headed to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons after a big offensive performance from Ryan Nembhard, who scored a career-high 30 points. Creighton beat No. 3 seed Baylor with a final score of 88-78. The Bluejays shot 11 of 24 from 3-point range and made all 22 free throws to secure the victory. Despite Baylor’s attempt to come back from an 18-point deficit, Creighton’s strong offensive play proved too much for the Bears. Creighton will now face off against Princeton in the Sweet 16.
Florida Atlantic and Fairleigh Dickinson Battle it Out
Florida Atlantic currently leads by seven against Fairleigh Dickinson, despite shooting just 35.1% from the floor in the first half. The Knights missed several good looks at the rim and the teams shot a combined 6 of 33 from beyond the arc in the first half. The winner of this game will play Tennessee at Madison Square Garden in the next round.
Indiana vs. Miami: Who Will Advance to the Sweet 16?
Indiana has a size advantage inside with Trayce Jackson-Davis, but they are also capable of running. Miami, on the other hand, will seek to run throughout the game. Miami escaped an upset bid from Drake in the first round, while Indiana handled business against Kent State. Indiana is poised to ride Jackson-Davis into the Sweet 16, but it remains to be seen if Miami can counter with their fast-paced play. David Cobb’s pick for this game is Indiana -1.5.
UConn Makes a Strong Statement
UConn has made a strong statement in the NCAA Tournament with a combined 39-point victory over Iona and Saint Mary’s. Adama Sanogo was impressive once again, scoring 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the win against Saint Mary’s. Jordan Hawkins also contributed with a strong second-half performance. UConn will now face off against Arkansas in the next round.
Baylor’s Defense Exposed by Creighton
Baylor’s defense has been suspect entering the NCAA Tournament and it was exposed by Creighton’s strong offensive play in the first half. Creighton shot 50%, including 7 of 16 from 3-point range, to take a 10-point lead at halftime. Despite L.J. Cryer’s 12-point performance, Keynote George and Adam Flagler struggled to find their shooting rhythm.
Michigan State Continues March Madness Success with Win Over Marquette
Tom Izzo and his Michigan State Spartans continue their March Madness success, advancing to the Sweet 16 with a win over Marquette. Tyson Walker scored 23 points, including 17 in the second half, to lead the Spartans to victory. Izzo has a history of leading No. 7 seeds deep into the tournament, with a Final Four appearance in 2015. MSU’s defense played a huge role in the win, holding Marquette to 38.5% shooting and forcing 16 turnovers. Michigan State is certainly a team to watch in the coming rounds.
UConn Takes on Saint Mary’s
UConn faced a tough challenge against Saint Mary’s in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels started strong, jumping out to a 17-9 lead, but UConn fought back behind Adama Sanogo and Tristan Newton. Sanogo, who had an impressive performance in UConn’s first-round win over Iona, looks to be continuing his strong play, already racking up six rebounds and on track for another double-double. While Saint Mary’s is a strong defensive team, UConn has the ability to beat opponents in a variety of ways and should be able to pull ahead as the game progresses. David Cobb’s pick for this game is UConn -3.5.
Kansas State Defeats Kentucky in Second Round
Kansas State knocked off Kentucky in the second game on Sunday, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018. Markquis Nowell led the Wildcats with 27 points, including 23 in the second half. Nowell took over the game as a creator and scorer, finishing with seven made field goals and three triples. His strong performance propelled Kansas State to a comeback victory over Kentucky.
Classic Finish in Michigan State vs. Marquette
The game between Michigan State and Marquette on CBS is turning into a classic finish. The two teams have been trading big plays throughout the game, with Michigan State currently leading 56-54. Both teams have shown great resilience and it remains to be seen who will come out on top. Is Tom Izzo about to make another unexpected March run? Fans will have to stay tuned to find out.
Michigan State Takes Points in Close Matchup Against Marquette
Despite Marquette’s strong performance in the past two months, Kyle Boone is taking the points with Michigan State in what promises to be a close matchup. While Marquette has a good offense, Michigan State’s defense has been much improved, making this game a near-draw. Fans will have to tune in to see who comes out on top. Boone’s pick for the game is Michigan State +2.5.
Kentucky Takes Lead in Second Half Against Kansas State
Kentucky has taken the lead against Kansas State in the second half, going on a 13-4 run to take a 39-33 lead. Oscar Tshiebwe already has a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Kentucky, but Jacob Toppin and Antonio Reeves have struggled to find the basket, making only one of their 15 shots from the floor. Despite this, Kentucky still holds a lead over K-State.
Xavier Defeats Pitt to Advance to Sweet 16
Xavier defeated Pitt to advance to the Sweet 16, with six players reaching double figures. The Musketeers started hot offensively, making 7 of 14 shots from beyond the arc in the first half, and held on despite a late push from Pitt. Adam Kunkel made all five of his 3-pointers in the opening half to set the pace for Xavier. The Musketeers will take on No. 2 seed Texas in the next round.
Kentucky Fans Nervous Against Kansas State
Kentucky fans may be feeling some nerves against Kansas State, recalling the Wildcats’ 2018 loss to K-State that ended their season. However, aside from two losses at the end of the season, Kentucky has been playing well and is favored to win. Boone’s pick for the game is Kentucky -2.
Classic Finish in Kansas State vs. Kentucky
The game between Kansas State and Kentucky is shaping up to be a classic finish. Both teams are playing hard, with Markquis Nowell leading K-State with 27 points and Oscar Tshiebwe already racking up a double-double for Kentucky. The Wildcats of Kentucky are currently ahead, but with a close score of 51-50, anything could happen in the final minutes. Fans won’t want to miss this exciting matchup.
Xavier dominates first half against Pitt
Xavier’s Souley Boum was held scoreless in the first half against Pitt, but that didn’t stop the Musketeers from heading into halftime with a comfortable 14-point lead. Boum’s teammate, Adam Kunkel, had an impressive first half, scoring 15 points after making all five of his attempted 3-point shots. Jack Nunge also contributed with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Although Pitt was able to find some success on offense, they had no answers for Xavier’s attack.
March Madness roundup: Purdue and Kansas knocked out
Saturday’s Round 2 action was a wild ride as No. 1 seed Purdue and reigning champion Kansas were both knocked out of the NCAA Tournament. Purdue was defeated by No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson, while Kansas lost to No. 8 seed Arkansas in a stunning upset. Despite leading or being tied for almost the entirety of the game, the Jayhawks fell to the Razorbacks 72-71 thanks to a series of clutch free throws.
On the brighter side, No. 15 seed Princeton advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in the modern era of the tournament with a dominant 78-63 win over No. 7 seed Missouri. It’s the first time an Ivy League program has reached the regional semifinals since 2010.
Sunday’s NCAA Tournament schedule
Sunday’s NCAA Tournament schedule is full of exciting matchups that include some of the most iconic programs in college basketball history. Additionally, the team that pulled off the biggest upset in tournament history will also be in action. The winners of today’s games will round out the Sweet 16 bracket. Check out Chip Patterson’s article for more on the day’s storylines.
The NCAA Tournament action heats up with some of the most iconic programs in college basketball history set to compete. But among them, is a surprise team that has managed to reach new heights in this year’s tournament. No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson pulled off arguably the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history, defeating No. 1 seed Purdue. So how did the Knights manage to go from a 4-22 season last year to creating history? It’s thanks to their starting backcourt of 5-8 Demetre Roberts and 5-9 Grant Singleton, the smallest team in the country, that has propelled them to this massive turnaround.
Meanwhile, Friday’s action was also filled with a fair share of excitement, ranging from a game with crooked rims to big performances and stunning upsets. March Madness hit an all-time high this year, with two No. 1 seeds getting sent home, No. 15 seed Princeton punching their ticket to the Sweet 16, and Fairleigh Dickinson making history. As we head into Sunday’s slate, there’s a lot of action to look forward to.
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