Xavier advanced to the Midwest Region semifinals after defeating Pittsburgh, with all five starters scoring in double digits. The Musketeers had an impressive win with 22 assists and will now play No. 2 seed Texas in the next round. In another game, UConn pulled away from Saint Mary’s to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in nine years, led by Adama Sanogo’s 24 points. UConn will face eighth-seeded Arkansas in the West Region semifinals in Las Vegas. The NCAA Tournament continues to excite as March Madness heats up, with games scheduled for later this week.
Michigan State Returns to Sweet 16 for the First Time in Four Years
In a stunning victory, Michigan State beat second-seeded Marquette 69-60, sending Coach Tom Izzo’s team back to the Sweet 16 for the first time in four years. Tyson Walker led the charge, scoring 23 points, followed by Joey Hauser, a Marquette transfer, who scored 14 points. Michigan State (21-12) secured the win in the last three minutes of the game, with A.J. Hoggard scoring 13 points.
Michigan State’s next opponent will be third-seeded Kansas State, and the teams will face off in the East Region semifinals on Thursday at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Izzo, the 68-year-old Hall of Fame coach, reached his 15th regional semifinal and won his record 16th March Madness game with a lower-seeded team. This victory was particularly meaningful, as Izzo became the face of a grieving school where three students were killed in a campus shooting on Feb. 13.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper led Marquette (29-7) with 16 points, and Kam Jones had 14 points, including three 3-pointers, for the Big East champions.
In another game, third-seeded Kansas State (25-9) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018, where they will play Michigan State in the East Region semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York. Markquis Nowell scored 23 of his 27 points after halftime, and Ismael Massoud buried a 3 from the right wing at the 2:21 mark that gave Kansas State the lead for good. Keyontae Johnson followed with another 3 with 1:23 left to put Kansas State ahead by five. Oscar Tshiebwe had 25 points and 18 rebounds for sixth-seeded Kentucky (22-12), which shot 55% after halftime and led by eight early in the second half.
In yet another match, Xavier (3rd seed) beat 11th-seeded Pittsburgh to reach its first Sweet 16 since 2017. Jack Nunge scored 18 points, and Adam Kunkel added 15 on five first-half 3-pointers.
Xavier Advances to Midwest Region Semifinals to Play Texas
Xavier had an impressive win against Pittsburgh, with all five starters scoring in double digits. Colby Jones had 10 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, while Souley Boum and Jerome Hunter each chipped in with 14 points. The Musketeers had 17 assists on 19 baskets in the first half, building a 48-34 lead at the break. Xavier finished with 22 assists.
Xavier (27-9) will now move on to play No. 2 seed Texas on Friday in the Midwest Region semifinals in Kansas City, Missouri. Blake Hinson scored 18 points and Jamarius Burton had 16 for Pitt (24-12).
In another game, Adama Sanogo scored 24 points as UConn pulled away from Saint Mary’s to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in nine years. No. 4 seed UConn (27-8) advanced to the West Region semifinals in Las Vegas on Thursday, where they will face eighth-seeded Arkansas. Sanogo dominated a big-man matchup with Mitchell Saxen, grabbing eight rebounds while shooting 11 for 16 from the floor. Saint Mary’s (27-8) of the West Coast Conference failed to get out of the first weekend of the tournament for the second straight season as a No. 5 seed.
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