With tickets to the Candy 16 on the road, one other day of second-round motion Sunday wrapped the NCAA Event’s exhilarating first weekend.
We have already had a No. 15-seeded Cinderella in Saint Peter’s attain the second weekend with its win Saturday. And a March Insanity traditional in North Carolina’s upset of No. 1 Baylor.
Sunday was all about Duke vs. Michigan State. And the second-round showdown undoubtedly delivered, with the Blue Devils conserving coach Mike Krzyzewski’s profession alive in knocking out a resilient Michigan State crew.
Coach Okay to Candy 16:4 defining moments from Duke and Michigan State’s thriller
Houston and Villanova began Sunday off in spectacular trend, advancing to the Candy 16 within the South Area with convincing wins in opposition to Illinois and Ohio State, respectively. And Iowa State grew to become the second No. 11 seed to achieve the Candy 16, becoming a member of Michigan, after upsetting No. 3 Wisconsin.
After a primary spherical that noticed the Massive Ten go 7-3 (it improved to 8-3 on Saturday with Michigan’s upset of Tennessee), that 0-4 stance strikes the Massive Ten to 8-7 on this yr’s match.
A have a look at the winners and losers from Sunday’s eight video games:
WINNERS
Duke
The Blue Devils (30-6) had been trailing by 5 with 5 minutes remaining however made key performs down the stretch to tug away from a Michigan State squad that refused to go away and win 85-76 in a down-to-the-wire second-round traditional. Whereas all of the pre-game hype was on Coach Okay and Tom Izzo, it was all about Duke gamers rising to the event. The hero for the Blue Devils was Jeremy Roach (15 factors, 5 blocks), who made an enormous three-pointer with 1:18 left to provide this crew the successful momentum it wanted to shake off the Spartans and advance. Mark Williams had 5 blocks to steer a gritty defensive effort and Paolo Banchero (19 factors) led 5 Duke gamers into double figures.
“For a younger group, they confirmed unimaginable guts,” coach Mike Krzyzewski stated after the sport on CBS. “It wasn’t any teaching. I am so pleased with them. … It appeared like our ship was sinking.”
Arizona
The Wildcats (33-3) received 58 factors from its two stars – Ben Mathurin (30 factors) and Christian Koloko (28 factors) – and that duo scored the crew’s closing 15 factors to assist Arizona prevail in additional time in opposition to a decided TCU squad, 85-80. Arizona made the performs down the stretch to flee the Horned Frogs and attain the Candy 16. Mathurin, particularly, made the clutch pictures on the finish of regulation to assist Arizona will its option to additional time after falling behind within the closing minutes.
Texas Tech
The Pink Raiders (27-9) leaned on their elite protection within the closing minutes to flee Notre Dame 59-53 within the second-round conflict that despatched Texas Tech again to the Candy 16. It has been an overachieving season below first-year coach Mark Adams. With the Irish and Pink Raiders buying and selling baskets within the closing minutes, it was Texas Tech forcing steals and blocking pictures that proved to be the difference-maker. Kevin Obanor (15 factors) led the way in which for Texas Tech.
Purdue
The Boilermakers (29-7) are the one Massive Ten crew that hasn’t underachieved, dispatching Texas 81-71 to achieve the Candy 16. Jaden Ivey (18 factors on the evening) hit a dagger three-pointer with 1:03 left to provide Purdue a 77-71 edge after Texas had sliced the deficit to 1 possession. The All-American guard’s playmaking offers coach Matt Painter a dimension he hasn’t had on a few of his earlier elite groups. And Trevion Williams got here up clutch with 22 factors off the bench, because the Boilermakers held off all of Texas’ late runs.
Houston
The Cougars (31-5) lead the nation in subject purpose share protection and their smothering method was on full show in a 68-53 win over an Illinois crew that gained the Massive Ten common season. Coach Kelvin Sampson’s crew used its protection for offense, seemingly controlling the sport’s momentum all through the day. The backcourt triplet of guards Taze Moore (21 factors), Jamal Shead (18 factors) and Kyler Edwards (15 factors) will be deadly heading into the Candy 16.
Villanova
The Wildcats (27-7) are heading again to the Candy 16 after a formidable 71-61 win over Ohio State. The energy for coach Jay Wright’s crew is expertise, and Collin Gillespie epitomized it together with his play on this contest. The senior guard completed with 20 factors and 4 assists, together with an ideal 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. Gillespie had a knee harm that stored him out of Villanova’s Candy 16 end final yr so he’ll be able to attempt to advance the Wildcats additional in his closing season. Fellow senior Jermaine Samuels added 17 factors and eight rebounds.
Iowa State
The Cyclones (22-12) had been 2-22 general final season, together with 0-18 within the Massive 12. What coach TJ Otzelberger has been capable of do in a short while span was punctuated by Iowa State’s upset of No. 3-seeded Wisconsin 54-48 to achieve the Candy 16. What’s maybe most spectacular is the Cyclones capacity to win when its two greatest gamers had been horrible. Main scorer Izaiah Brockington had 10 factors on 4-for-15 taking pictures, whereas Tyrese Hunter, Iowa State’s hero vs. LSU with 23 factors, had simply 4 factors on 1-for-10 taking pictures.
LOSERS
Auburn
The Tigers (28-5) really tanked on the latter a part of the season, punctuated by a 79-61 upset loss to No. 10 Miami (Fla.) within the second spherical. Coach Bruce Pearl’s crew was a projected No. 1 seed within the NCAA’s high 16 reveal in late February however went 3-3 to complete the common season. Jabari Smith shot 3-for-16 within the season-ending loss to Miami, and this crew could not get something going. Garnering a No. 2 seed and never advancing to the second weekend is all the time a let-down and that is the newest for Pearl on the helm of the Tigers.
TCU
The Horned Frogs (21-13) had Arizona on the ropes in an 85-80 final result that took an additional time to see the No. 1 seed advance. TCU hardly performed like a No. 9 seed and confirmed its muscle on the inside, outrebounding Arizona 48-44 and getting big efforts from frontcourt gamers Chuck O’Bannon Jr. (23 factors) and Eddie Lampkin (20 factors). Coach Jamie Dixon had his crew able to play and TCU was inside a possession of pulling off a surprising second-round upset.
Illinois
The No. 4-seeded Combating Illini (23-10) bowed out of the NCAA Event early for the second consecutive yr, this time getting dismantled by Houston in a 68-53 loss. Illinois’ offense went chilly once more and the Illinois shot 6-for-25 from three-point vary, offering little perimeter manufacturing to enhance All-American huge man Kofi Cockburn (19 factors, eight rebounds). At the side of lacking pictures, the Illini’s offense was sloppy for the second recreation in a row after barely avoiding a first-round upset in opposition to Chattanooga. Towards Houston’s nation-leading subject purpose share protection, Illinois dedicated 19 turnovers and appeared fully out of its component. After shedding to Loyola-Chicago as a No. 1 seed final March, coach Brad Underwood as soon as once more has a let-down fanbase.
Michigan State
The Spartans (23-13) performed impressed and had a well-executed recreation plan – up till the ultimate 5 minutes – in an 85-76 loss to Duke. Michigan State noticed its five-point edge slip away in crunch time, turning the ball over and seeing the Blue Devils make key performs when it counted most. It hardly felt like MSU was a No. 7 seed, although, as this crew made 11 three-pointers, 4 of which got here from Gabe Brown (18 factors within the loss).
Ohio State
The Buckeyes (20-11) hung round in opposition to a superior Villanova crew, however simply did not have it within the tank to tug off the upset. Coach Chris Holtmann lastly had his crew at full energy, however on Sunday there was little manufacturing outdoors of freshman standout Malaki Branham (23 factors, 5 assists) and veteran EJ Liddell (17 factors, six rebounds). Had this crew performed as much as its potential sooner within the season, it may not have gotten such a troublesome second-round draw.
Wisconsin
The Badgers (25-7) turned the ball over an uncharacteristic 17 occasions and shot poorly – together with 2-for-23 from three – in an upset loss to Iowa State within the second spherical. All-American guard Johnny Davis wasn’t on his A-game, going 0-for-7 from past the arc to complete with 17 factors. Since reaching two Candy 16s in his first two years in Madison, coach Greg Gard has now did not get the Badgers to the NCAA Event’s second weekend in every of the final three appearances.
Observe faculty basketball reporter Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson,
