March Madness in 2023 witnessed two No. 1 seeds getting sent home, a No. 15 seed punching its ticket to the Sweet 16 and No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson making history as the second such team to ever defeat a No. 1 seed. 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 78-63. Sunday’s college basketball schedule has some can’t-miss games, with matchups that include both 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.
On Friday, March Madness had a little of everything from crooked rims to blown leads, big comebacks to big performances, tears, and triumphs. It is because of the Knights’ starting backcourt of 5-8 Demetre Roberts and 5-9 Grant Singleton that the country’s tiniest team, Fairleigh Dickinson, is in the midst of a massive turnaround. The action continued on Saturday in the first day of Round 2 action. Purdue got booted to the curb by Fairleigh Dickinson and Kansas fell to Arkansas in a stunner. Before the attention turned fully to Sunday’s action, let’s catch up on everything that went down on Saturday.
March Madness 2023: Latest NCAA Tournament Scores and Updates
The NCAA tournament is in full swing and teams are fighting hard to make it to the next round. Here are some of the latest scores and updates from the games:
Florida Atlantic vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
Despite shooting just 35.1% from the floor in the first half, Florida Atlantic leads by seven as Fairleigh Dickinson struggled to convert at the rim. The No. 16 seed Knights had some good looks in the paint but missed many of them. The teams had a combined 6 of 33 from beyond the arc in the first half and combined for 72 shots. The winner of this game will advance to play Tennessee at Madison Square Garden next week.
Indiana vs. Miami
Indiana has a size advantage with Trayce Jackson-Davis, but they are also comfortable with running, which is what Miami will try to do. The Hurricanes survived an upset bid from Drake in the first round, but they didn’t look like themselves for most of the game until late in the match. On the other hand, the Hoosiers defeated a solid Kent State team on Friday and are looking to ride Jackson-Davis into the Sweet 16. David Cobb picks Indiana -1.5.
UConn vs. Arkansas
UConn has been showing their legitimacy in this year’s tournament, beating Iona and Saint Mary’s by a combined 39 points. Adama Sanogo had 24 points and eight rebounds in their last game against Saint Mary’s, while Jordan Hawkins’ shot came to life early in the second half to seal the victory. Next up for them is a tough matchup against Arkansas.
Baylor vs. Creighton
Baylor’s defense has been a cause for concern entering the NCAA Tournament, and Creighton exploited that in the first half with 50% shooting, including 7 of 16 from beyond the arc. Despite committing nine turnovers, Creighton leads by 10 with Ryan Nembhard leading the way with 11 points. On the other hand, L.J. Cryer had 12 points for Baylor, but Keynote George and Adam Flagler made only four of their 17 shots in the first half.
Michigan State vs. Marquette
Michigan State, led by Tyson Walker’s 23 points, defeated Marquette, who had been playing some of the best basketball in the country prior to the tournament. Under Tom Izzo’s guidance, the No. 7 seed Spartans are headed to the Sweet 16 after an impressive defensive showing, holding Marquette to 38.5% shooting and forcing 16 turnovers.
The NCAA tournament continues to be full of surprises and upsets, and these games are just a small sample of what’s in store for basketball fans. Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament progresses.
Latest Scores and Updates from March Madness 2023 Round 2
The second round of March Madness 2023 continues to heat up with teams battling it out to make it to the Sweet 16. Here are some of the latest scores and updates from the games:
Michigan State vs. Marquette
Michigan State and Marquette are providing a classic finish, with both teams trading big plays as the game hits the under-four timeout with Michigan State leading 56-54. Tom Izzo’s guys started strong and have weathered everything that Shaka Smart and the Golden Eagles have thrown at them thus far. Will Izzo make another unexpected March run?
UConn vs. Saint Mary’s
UConn was flustered out of the gate by Saint Mary’s, who jumped out to a 17-9 lead. But the Huskies finished the first half strong, led by 10 points from Adama Sanogo and nine from Tristan Newton, who made all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Sanogo, who had a double-double in UConn’s first-round win over Iona, is on his way to another with six rebounds. Alex Ducas has eight points for the Gaels, but they may not have an answer for Sanogo.
Kansas State vs. Kentucky
In a game that saw the Wildcats of Kansas State knock off the Wildcats of Kentucky, K-State played from behind most of the game but seized control down the stretch as Kentucky went cold and as K-State guard Markquis Nowell heated up. Nowell finished with 27 points, his highest scoring total in a game in more than two months, and propelled Kansas State into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018.
Michigan State vs. Marquette
It was all Michigan State early in this game, as they led by as many as 13 points in the first half. But Marquette kept things within arm’s reach after a big 13-6 run to close the half. Despite missing nine of its 10 3-point attempts, Michigan State dominated on the glass and inside the paint, while Marquette’s guards — star Tyler Kolek and Kam Jones — combined for just nine points. Kyle Boone picks Michigan State +2.5.
UConn vs. Saint Mary’s
UConn has been on a roll lately, winning 10 of its last 12 games, and they just crushed Iona 87-63 in the first round after trailing at halftime. Saint Mary’s is an excellent defensive team, but the Huskies can beat opponents in a variety of ways and should find a method for creating separation as the game progresses. David Cobb picks UConn -3.5.
The NCAA tournament continues to provide exciting matchups and upsets, and these games are just a small sample of what’s to come. Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament progresses.
March Madness 2023 Round 2: Latest Scores and Updates
March Madness 2023 Round 2 continues to provide some thrilling games as teams battle it out to secure a spot in the Sweet 16. Here are some of the latest scores and updates:
Kansas State vs. Kentucky
The Wildcats of Kansas State took a blow from the Wildcats of Kentucky to begin the second half but responded and are back ahead 51-50 at the under-eight timeout as Markquis Nowell found his gear in the second half. Toppin and Reeves are now a combined 1 of 19 from the floor for UK, which makes it astounding that Kentucky is even in the game. Kentucky led 17-9 at one point, but K-State flipped the script and finished the first half strong after UK went cold. In addition, Kentucky fans may recall Kansas State ending their season in 2018, so there may be some nerves for BBN. Kyle Boone picks Kentucky -2.
Xavier vs. Pitt
No. 3 seed Xavier opened up a 20-point lead in the second half, but No. 11 seed Pitt cut it to single digits late. However, the Musketeers held on to advance to the Sweet 16 with six players reaching double figures. Adam Kunkel had an unbelievable first half, making all five of his 3-pointers and leading all scorers with 15 points. Xavier will play No. 2 seed Texas next week.
These games are just a small sample of the exciting matchups and upsets we’ve seen so far in the tournament.
UConn vs. Saint Mary’s
In another game, No. 4 seed UConn faced off against No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s. UConn was flustered out of the gate by Saint Mary’s, who jumped out to a 17-9 lead. However, the Huskies finished the first half strong, led by 10 points from Adama Sanogo and nine from Tristan Newton, who made all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Sanogo, who had a double-double in UConn’s first-round win over Iona, is on his way to another with six rebounds. Alex Ducas has eight points for the Gaels, but they may not have an answer for Sanogo. David Cobb picks UConn -3.5.
Michigan State vs. Marquette
Michigan State and Marquette are providing a classic finish, with both teams trading big plays as the game hits the under-four timeout with Michigan State leading 56-54. Tom Izzo’s guys started strong and have weathered everything that Shaka Smart and the Golden Eagles have thrown at them thus far. Will Izzo make another unexpected March run?
The NCAA tournament is not disappointing and continues to provide exciting games and upsets. Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament progresses.
March Madness Round 2 Recap: Upsets and Cinderella Stories
Saturday’s action in the first weekend of March Madness Round 2 was filled with surprises and upsets. No. 1 seed Purdue and No. 1 seed Kansas were both sent packing, with the latter falling to No. 8 seed Arkansas in a shocking defeat. The Cinderella story of the day was No. 15 seed Princeton, which advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in the modern era of the NCAA Tournament by defeating No. 7 seed Missouri 78-63. This is only the fourth time an Ivy League program has reached the regional semifinals.
Sunday’s action will determine the remaining eight teams that will advance to the Sweet 16. There are some highly anticipated matchups that include 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. Check out Chip Patterson’s piece for the day’s storylines.
It’s been an exciting and unpredictable tournament so far, and Sunday’s games are sure to deliver more thrills and excitement as the remaining teams fight for their spot in the Sweet 16.
The second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament has already seen two No.1 seeds exit, a No. 15 seed reach the Sweet 16 and No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson upset Purdue. Here is a closer look at the story behind Fairleigh Dickinson’s win, and how the Knights have turned around their fortunes with the help of their diminutive starting backcourt. Despite being the smallest team in the tournament, the Knights were able to pull off the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history, thanks to the play of Demetre Roberts and Grant Singleton.
Friday’s action was equally eventful, featuring blown leads, big comebacks, and a range of emotions from the players. One of the biggest surprises was Purdue’s stunning loss to Fairleigh Dickinson. The madness is set to continue on Sunday with several blue-blood programs in action, including the team that just made NCAA history. As we head towards the Sweet 16, it’s clear that anything can happen in this tournament.
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