THE HUNT CONTINUES!
(7) Nevada wins an absolute THRILLER in OT over (10) Texas, 87-83!
(7) Nevada wins an absolute THRILLER in OT over (10) Texas, 87-83!
K-State moves on!
(9) Kansas State downs (8) Creighton 69-59.
(9) Kansas State downs (8) Creighton 69-59.
<yt-formatted-string class="style-scope ytd-video-primary-info-renderer" style="--yt-endpoint-color:hsl(206.1, 79.3%, 52.7%);">Nevada tops Texas in overtime thriller.</yt-formatted-string>
<yt-formatted-string class="style-scope ytd-video-primary-info-renderer" style="--yt-endpoint-color:hsl(206.1, 79.3%, 52.7%);">Marshall vs. Wichita State....The Thundering Herd pull off the upset.</yt-formatted-string>
GO GREEN!
(3) Michigan State advances past (14) Bucknell 82-78, sending the Spartans to the Second Round.
(3) Michigan State advances past (14) Bucknell 82-78, sending the Spartans to the Second Round.
WAR EAGLE!
(4) Auburn dodges an upset and locks in its first March Madness victory since 2003 after defeating (13) Charleston 62-58.
(4) Auburn dodges an upset and locks in its first March Madness victory since 2003 after defeating (13) Charleston 62-58.
[h=1]<yt-formatted-string class="style-scope ytd-video-primary-info-renderer" style="--yt-endpoint-color:hsl(206.1, 79.3%, 52.7%);">Lipscomb vs. North Carolina.....The Tar Heels roll to a victory in the First Round.</yt-formatted-string>[/h]
[h=1]<yt-formatted-string class="style-scope ytd-video-primary-info-renderer" style="--yt-endpoint-color:hsl(206.1, 79.3%, 52.7%);">Kansas St. vs. Creighton.....The Wildcats pull away for a First Round victory.</yt-formatted-string>[/h]
Enjoy michael....Stay safe!
Let's go X!
(1) Xavier starts off hot with a 102-83 win over (16) Texas Southern.
(1) Xavier starts off hot with a 102-83 win over (16) Texas Southern.
[h=1]Preview: Alabama vs Villanova[/h]When: 12:10 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
[FONT="]Villanova looked every bit the part of a No. 1 seed in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats aim for an encore performance Saturday when they take on ninth-seeded Alabama in the Round of 32 at Pittsburgh.
[FONT="]The Wildcats topped No. 16 Radford 87-61 on Thursday as the team shot nearly 60 percent from the floor and over 51 percent from 3-point range. That sets up a key game for Villanova, which has lost in the second round in four of its last seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including last year to Wisconsin. “When you are consistently a high seed, that means two things,” coach Jay Wright told reporters. “It means your players have consistently played well for quite a while. It also means the expectations you face are always going to be very high." Alabama snuck past No. 8 seed Virginia Tech in its NCAA opener as talented freshman Collin Sexton registered 21 of his 24 points in the second half.[/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS[/FONT]
ABOUT ALABAMA (20-15): [FONT="]The Crimson Tide overcame 17 turnovers and nine missed foul shots while shooting 60 percent from the floor in Thursday's 86-83 triumph over the Hokies. John Petty helped Sexton by draining 6-of-8 from 3-point range - he's 11-of-17 from behind the arc over the last two games - while Donta Hall was 5-of-5 from the field in Thursday's win. Sexton averages 19.2 points overall and has surpassed that average in five straight games with all of those performances coming against teams that are seeded eighth or better in the NCAA Tournament. [/FONT]
ABOUT VILLANOVA (31-4): [FONT="]Eight players for Villanova scored between seven and 16 points in the opening-round win, led by Jalen Brunson (16), who shot 7-of-9 from the floor and is shooting 60.3 percent over the last five outings. Mikal Bridges added 13 points and has made at least three 3-pointers in nine straight games, shooting at least 50 percent from beyond the arc in seven of those contests. One minor concern for the Wildcats is the scoring production from versatile guard Donte DiVincenzo, who had seven points against Radford and is 9-of-28 from the field over the last four outings.[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. Alabama has not reached the Sweet 16 since advancing all the way to the Elite Eight in 2004.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Villanova's top seven scorers all have drained at least 26 from 3-point range.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3. The winner of this game will face either No. 5 West Virginia or No. 13 Marshall.[/FONT][/FONT]
Where: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
[FONT="]Villanova looked every bit the part of a No. 1 seed in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats aim for an encore performance Saturday when they take on ninth-seeded Alabama in the Round of 32 at Pittsburgh.
[FONT="]The Wildcats topped No. 16 Radford 87-61 on Thursday as the team shot nearly 60 percent from the floor and over 51 percent from 3-point range. That sets up a key game for Villanova, which has lost in the second round in four of its last seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including last year to Wisconsin. “When you are consistently a high seed, that means two things,” coach Jay Wright told reporters. “It means your players have consistently played well for quite a while. It also means the expectations you face are always going to be very high." Alabama snuck past No. 8 seed Virginia Tech in its NCAA opener as talented freshman Collin Sexton registered 21 of his 24 points in the second half.[/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS[/FONT]
ABOUT ALABAMA (20-15): [FONT="]The Crimson Tide overcame 17 turnovers and nine missed foul shots while shooting 60 percent from the floor in Thursday's 86-83 triumph over the Hokies. John Petty helped Sexton by draining 6-of-8 from 3-point range - he's 11-of-17 from behind the arc over the last two games - while Donta Hall was 5-of-5 from the field in Thursday's win. Sexton averages 19.2 points overall and has surpassed that average in five straight games with all of those performances coming against teams that are seeded eighth or better in the NCAA Tournament. [/FONT]
ABOUT VILLANOVA (31-4): [FONT="]Eight players for Villanova scored between seven and 16 points in the opening-round win, led by Jalen Brunson (16), who shot 7-of-9 from the floor and is shooting 60.3 percent over the last five outings. Mikal Bridges added 13 points and has made at least three 3-pointers in nine straight games, shooting at least 50 percent from beyond the arc in seven of those contests. One minor concern for the Wildcats is the scoring production from versatile guard Donte DiVincenzo, who had seven points against Radford and is 9-of-28 from the field over the last four outings.[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. Alabama has not reached the Sweet 16 since advancing all the way to the Elite Eight in 2004.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Villanova's top seven scorers all have drained at least 26 from 3-point range.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3. The winner of this game will face either No. 5 West Virginia or No. 13 Marshall.[/FONT][/FONT]
[h=1]Preview: Rhode Island vs Duke[/h]When: 2:40 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
[FONT="]Rhode Island pulled off one of the more thrilling victories in the first full day of action in the NCAA Tournament and they have a chance for their first Sweet 16 berth in 20 years. To get there, the seventh-seeded Rams will need to find a way to slow down No. 2 seed Duke and standout freshman Marvin Bagley III when the teams meet in the second round of the Midwest Region on Saturday in Pittsburgh.
[FONT="]The Rams squeaked past Oklahoma 83-78 in overtime on Thursday behind E.C. Matthews (16 points), Jared Terrell (13, five assists) and clutch defense to win a tournament game for the second straight season under coach Dan Hurley. "Our program is built around defense and making our opponent uncomfortable," Hurley - whose brother, Bobby, starred at Duke under coach Mike Krzyzewski - told reporters after the victory. "You win championships, you advance in this tournament, you build programs around being a good-to-great defensive team and by being one of the hardest-playing teams in the country." Not many teams have made Bagley feel uncomfortable and the likely one-and-done forward had no issue slicing up Iona on Thursday, recording 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting to lead the Blue Devils to an 89-67 rout. Three others scored at least 16 points for Duke, which shot 53.7 percent from the floor while opening the tourney with a win for the fourth straight time.[/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 2:40 p.m. ET, CBS[/FONT]
ABOUT RHODE ISLAND (26-7): [FONT="]Fatts Russell came off the bench to shine opposite fellow freshman Trae Young, the Sooners star who led the nation in scoring and assists, while finishing with 15 points in 21 minutes. "I told him when I recruited him: The only point guard I saw better than him at the Peach Jam last year was Trae Young, and he told me I was wrong about that and he was going to prove me wrong today," Hurley said of Russell. "And he put on a show." Cyril Langevine posted his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Terrell - who averaged 13.5 points and three steals in two tourney games last season - played 39 turnover-free minutes.[/FONT]
ABOUT DUKE (27-7): [FONT="]Bagley has often shared the freshman spotlight with fellow forward Wendell Carter Jr., who had nine points and eight boards but has been bothered by a sore Achilles since the ACC Tournament. Guard Trevon Duval, another of the Blue Devils' heralded freshmen, chipped in 19 points and eight assists as he wrestles with an ankle ailment, but any number of maladies can be rendered moot when Bagley dominates the way he did. "I woke up and felt a little anxious," Bagley told the media. "I was just anxious to play. When the first game came on, I was watching it a little bit until we left the hotel. From there it was time to lock in."[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. Rhode Island shot 12-of-20 from the free-throw line in the first round, while Duke was just 4-of-8.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Blue Devils G Grayson Allen had 16 points and nine assists Thursday and is averaging 20.7 points over his last six NCAA Tournament games.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3. Duke has won each of the previous four meetings, including twice in the tournament in 1978 and 1988, and a 75-65 win in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament last season despite 22 points by Terrell.[/FONT][/FONT]
Where: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
[FONT="]Rhode Island pulled off one of the more thrilling victories in the first full day of action in the NCAA Tournament and they have a chance for their first Sweet 16 berth in 20 years. To get there, the seventh-seeded Rams will need to find a way to slow down No. 2 seed Duke and standout freshman Marvin Bagley III when the teams meet in the second round of the Midwest Region on Saturday in Pittsburgh.
[FONT="]The Rams squeaked past Oklahoma 83-78 in overtime on Thursday behind E.C. Matthews (16 points), Jared Terrell (13, five assists) and clutch defense to win a tournament game for the second straight season under coach Dan Hurley. "Our program is built around defense and making our opponent uncomfortable," Hurley - whose brother, Bobby, starred at Duke under coach Mike Krzyzewski - told reporters after the victory. "You win championships, you advance in this tournament, you build programs around being a good-to-great defensive team and by being one of the hardest-playing teams in the country." Not many teams have made Bagley feel uncomfortable and the likely one-and-done forward had no issue slicing up Iona on Thursday, recording 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting to lead the Blue Devils to an 89-67 rout. Three others scored at least 16 points for Duke, which shot 53.7 percent from the floor while opening the tourney with a win for the fourth straight time.[/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 2:40 p.m. ET, CBS[/FONT]
ABOUT RHODE ISLAND (26-7): [FONT="]Fatts Russell came off the bench to shine opposite fellow freshman Trae Young, the Sooners star who led the nation in scoring and assists, while finishing with 15 points in 21 minutes. "I told him when I recruited him: The only point guard I saw better than him at the Peach Jam last year was Trae Young, and he told me I was wrong about that and he was going to prove me wrong today," Hurley said of Russell. "And he put on a show." Cyril Langevine posted his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Terrell - who averaged 13.5 points and three steals in two tourney games last season - played 39 turnover-free minutes.[/FONT]
ABOUT DUKE (27-7): [FONT="]Bagley has often shared the freshman spotlight with fellow forward Wendell Carter Jr., who had nine points and eight boards but has been bothered by a sore Achilles since the ACC Tournament. Guard Trevon Duval, another of the Blue Devils' heralded freshmen, chipped in 19 points and eight assists as he wrestles with an ankle ailment, but any number of maladies can be rendered moot when Bagley dominates the way he did. "I woke up and felt a little anxious," Bagley told the media. "I was just anxious to play. When the first game came on, I was watching it a little bit until we left the hotel. From there it was time to lock in."[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. Rhode Island shot 12-of-20 from the free-throw line in the first round, while Duke was just 4-of-8.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Blue Devils G Grayson Allen had 16 points and nine assists Thursday and is averaging 20.7 points over his last six NCAA Tournament games.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3. Duke has won each of the previous four meetings, including twice in the tournament in 1978 and 1988, and a 75-65 win in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament last season despite 22 points by Terrell.[/FONT][/FONT]
[h=1]Preview: Buffalo vs Kentucky[/h]When: 5:15 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: Taco Bell Arena, Boise, Idaho
[FONT="]Two days after recording its biggest win in program history, No. 13 seed Buffalo looks to upset another perennial power Saturday when the Bulls face No. 5 seed Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament South Regional in Boise, Idaho. Buffalo stunned fourth-seeded Arizona 89-68 on Thursday while Kentucky advanced with a 78-73 victory over 12th-seeded Davidson.
[FONT="]Buffalo hardly looked overwhelmed against national player of the year candidate freshman Deandre Ayton and Arizona, which had a huge size advantage but was outrebounded by one and failed to contain the Bulls’ perimeter game. Senior guard Wes Clark scored a team-high 25 points to lead the Bulls, who made 15-of-30 three-point shots and shot 54.8 percent overall. “We got a lot of blue-collar guys, guys who come to work every day,” forward Nick Perkins told reporters. “Not that we’re the most skilled guys or guys who are first in the NBA draft or stuff like that. We just got guys who come to work every day and are consistent in what they do.” The Bulls will look for a repeat performance against Kentucky, which defeated Tennessee in the SEC Tournament championship game and scored 36 points in the paint against Davidson. [/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS[/FONT]
ABOUT BUFFALO (27-8): [FONT="]Perkins has averaged 19.3 points off the bench over his last 11 games for the Bulls, who rank sixth in the country in scoring at 84.9 points per game. The Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament champions are riding a seven-game winning streak and boast a veteran trio of proven scorers in Clark (15.0 points per game), Jeremy Harris (15.6) and CJ Massinburg (16.9) to go along with Perkins (16.9). The three guards combined for 67 points in the win over Arizona and helped limit the Wildcats to 2-of-18 shooting from beyond the arc. [/FONT]
ABOUT KENTUCKY (25-10): [FONT="]Point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 19 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals in the win over Davidson and has 27 assists against seven turnovers in his last four games. The Wildcats were held without a 3-pointer for the first time since 1988 and instead focused on the interior, where forward Kevin Knox took control with 25 points and six rebounds while shooting 9-of-11 from the foul line. Freshman forward PJ Washington averages 10.6 points on 51.2 percent shooting for the Wildcats, who have held their last four opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field.[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. The winner advances to face either No. 1 Virginia/No. 16 UMBC or No. 18 Creighton/No. 9 Kansas State in the Sweet 16. [/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Clark faced Kentucky four times as player at Missouri from 2013-16, losing all four meetings by an average of 26 points. [/FONT]
[FONT="]3. Kentucky is 232-5 under coach John Calipari when leading by at least 10 points at any time in the game.[/FONT][/FONT]
Where: Taco Bell Arena, Boise, Idaho
[FONT="]Two days after recording its biggest win in program history, No. 13 seed Buffalo looks to upset another perennial power Saturday when the Bulls face No. 5 seed Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament South Regional in Boise, Idaho. Buffalo stunned fourth-seeded Arizona 89-68 on Thursday while Kentucky advanced with a 78-73 victory over 12th-seeded Davidson.
[FONT="]Buffalo hardly looked overwhelmed against national player of the year candidate freshman Deandre Ayton and Arizona, which had a huge size advantage but was outrebounded by one and failed to contain the Bulls’ perimeter game. Senior guard Wes Clark scored a team-high 25 points to lead the Bulls, who made 15-of-30 three-point shots and shot 54.8 percent overall. “We got a lot of blue-collar guys, guys who come to work every day,” forward Nick Perkins told reporters. “Not that we’re the most skilled guys or guys who are first in the NBA draft or stuff like that. We just got guys who come to work every day and are consistent in what they do.” The Bulls will look for a repeat performance against Kentucky, which defeated Tennessee in the SEC Tournament championship game and scored 36 points in the paint against Davidson. [/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS[/FONT]
ABOUT BUFFALO (27-8): [FONT="]Perkins has averaged 19.3 points off the bench over his last 11 games for the Bulls, who rank sixth in the country in scoring at 84.9 points per game. The Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament champions are riding a seven-game winning streak and boast a veteran trio of proven scorers in Clark (15.0 points per game), Jeremy Harris (15.6) and CJ Massinburg (16.9) to go along with Perkins (16.9). The three guards combined for 67 points in the win over Arizona and helped limit the Wildcats to 2-of-18 shooting from beyond the arc. [/FONT]
ABOUT KENTUCKY (25-10): [FONT="]Point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 19 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals in the win over Davidson and has 27 assists against seven turnovers in his last four games. The Wildcats were held without a 3-pointer for the first time since 1988 and instead focused on the interior, where forward Kevin Knox took control with 25 points and six rebounds while shooting 9-of-11 from the foul line. Freshman forward PJ Washington averages 10.6 points on 51.2 percent shooting for the Wildcats, who have held their last four opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field.[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. The winner advances to face either No. 1 Virginia/No. 16 UMBC or No. 18 Creighton/No. 9 Kansas State in the Sweet 16. [/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Clark faced Kentucky four times as player at Missouri from 2013-16, losing all four meetings by an average of 26 points. [/FONT]
[FONT="]3. Kentucky is 232-5 under coach John Calipari when leading by at least 10 points at any time in the game.[/FONT][/FONT]
[h=1]Preview: Seton Hall vs Kansas[/h]When: 7:10 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
[FONT="]Top-seeded Kansas was forced to fight through a difficult first-round game and hopes to use that experience to get off to a better start when it takes on No. 8 seed Seton Hall on Saturday in the Midwest Region quarterfinal at Wichita, Kan. The Jayhawks trailed by as much as 10 in the first half Thursday and grinded out a 76-60 victory over Pennsylvania to survive and advance.
[FONT="]“There’s always that pressure like, ‘You can’t lose to a 16 seed,” Kansas senior guard Devonte’ Graham told reporters after scoring 29 points. “So instead of just going out and playing loose, you’re going out and playing not to lose to the 16 seed. I feel we came out the first 10 minutes doing that. … Coach always says that’s the hardest game. You can’t win two without winning the first one.” The Jayhawks have won nine of their last 10 and things will get more difficult against the experienced Pirates, who outlasted North Carolina State 94-83 in the first round Thursday. Seton Hall matches Kansas with four players averaging at least 13 points and its seniors have won 84 games, including their first in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday after losing in the previous two opening rounds. “Our main focus was staying focused,” Pirates senior guard Khadeen Carrington told reporters. “I know that sounds funny, but the last two years we came here, the guys were kind of drained mentally. We couldn’t get over the hump. Guys came in real focused, real businesslike, and we’re not done yet.”[/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS[/FONT]
ABOUT SETON HALL (22-11):[FONT="] Carrington led the way with 26 points in the victory over N.C State and is averaging 23 over the last six games to push his season mark to 15.2 - third on the team. Senior forward Desi Rodriguez added 20 on Thursday and leads the team in scoring overall (17.9) while sophomore Myles Powell (15.5) added 19 points and nine rebounds in the first round. Senior center Angel Delgado, who averages 13.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 50.1 percent shooting, will be key inside for the Pirates.[/FONT]
ABOUT KANSAS (28-7):[FONT="] The Jayhawks hope to get more out of sophomore center Udoka Azubuike (13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 77.4 percent field goal shooting) in the second round after the 7-foot Nigerian missed the Big 12 Tournament with a knee injury and played only three minutes on Thursday. His presence inside opens up the outside for Graham (17.6 points, 7.4 assists) and senior guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (15.0), who have combined to make 209 from 3-point range. Sophomore guard Malik Newman averaged 24 points in the Big 12 Tournament but had just 10 versus Penn.[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. Carrington is eighth on the program’s all-time scoring list (1,818) and Rodriguez is tied for 12th (1,651).[/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Kansas, which has made 29 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, is 5-0 all-time in the event at Wichita.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3. The teams have split two previous meetings with the last in 2001 at the Maui Invitational when the Jayhawks earned an 80-62 victory.[/FONT][/FONT]
Where: Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
[FONT="]Top-seeded Kansas was forced to fight through a difficult first-round game and hopes to use that experience to get off to a better start when it takes on No. 8 seed Seton Hall on Saturday in the Midwest Region quarterfinal at Wichita, Kan. The Jayhawks trailed by as much as 10 in the first half Thursday and grinded out a 76-60 victory over Pennsylvania to survive and advance.
[FONT="]“There’s always that pressure like, ‘You can’t lose to a 16 seed,” Kansas senior guard Devonte’ Graham told reporters after scoring 29 points. “So instead of just going out and playing loose, you’re going out and playing not to lose to the 16 seed. I feel we came out the first 10 minutes doing that. … Coach always says that’s the hardest game. You can’t win two without winning the first one.” The Jayhawks have won nine of their last 10 and things will get more difficult against the experienced Pirates, who outlasted North Carolina State 94-83 in the first round Thursday. Seton Hall matches Kansas with four players averaging at least 13 points and its seniors have won 84 games, including their first in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday after losing in the previous two opening rounds. “Our main focus was staying focused,” Pirates senior guard Khadeen Carrington told reporters. “I know that sounds funny, but the last two years we came here, the guys were kind of drained mentally. We couldn’t get over the hump. Guys came in real focused, real businesslike, and we’re not done yet.”[/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS[/FONT]
ABOUT SETON HALL (22-11):[FONT="] Carrington led the way with 26 points in the victory over N.C State and is averaging 23 over the last six games to push his season mark to 15.2 - third on the team. Senior forward Desi Rodriguez added 20 on Thursday and leads the team in scoring overall (17.9) while sophomore Myles Powell (15.5) added 19 points and nine rebounds in the first round. Senior center Angel Delgado, who averages 13.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 50.1 percent shooting, will be key inside for the Pirates.[/FONT]
ABOUT KANSAS (28-7):[FONT="] The Jayhawks hope to get more out of sophomore center Udoka Azubuike (13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 77.4 percent field goal shooting) in the second round after the 7-foot Nigerian missed the Big 12 Tournament with a knee injury and played only three minutes on Thursday. His presence inside opens up the outside for Graham (17.6 points, 7.4 assists) and senior guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (15.0), who have combined to make 209 from 3-point range. Sophomore guard Malik Newman averaged 24 points in the Big 12 Tournament but had just 10 versus Penn.[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. Carrington is eighth on the program’s all-time scoring list (1,818) and Rodriguez is tied for 12th (1,651).[/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Kansas, which has made 29 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, is 5-0 all-time in the event at Wichita.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3. The teams have split two previous meetings with the last in 2001 at the Maui Invitational when the Jayhawks earned an 80-62 victory.[/FONT][/FONT]
Preview: Ohio St. vs Gonzaga
When: 7:45 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: Taco Bell Arena, Boise, Idaho
Gonzaga and Ohio State passed their tough tests Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Now they go head-to-head Saturday night in Boise, Idaho, with a West Regional Sweet 16 berth on the line.
Against UNC Greensboro, the fourth-seeded Bulldogs squandered a 12-point second-half lead and trailed 64-62 with 1:48 remaining. But guard Josh Perkins knotted things up with a long jumper and then redshirt freshman Zach Norvell Jr. drilled a go-ahead 3-pointer with 20.8 seconds left to secure Gonzaga’s 10th straight first-round NCAA tourney win and its 15th straight victory overall. In the following game Thursday at Taco Bell Arena, the fifth-seeded Buckeyes also saw a double-digit lead (13 points) slip away in the second half against a formidable South Dakota State squad. But after the Jackrabbits had pulled even at 70 with 1:53 remaining, Ohio State senior guard Kam Williams scored the game’s next seven points, starting with a go-ahead 3-pointer, to help secure the Buckeyes’ first Big Dance victory since 2015.
TV: 7:45 p.m. ET, CBS
ABOUT OHIO STATE (25-8): The Buckeyes continue to impress under first-year coach Chris Holtmann as they seek their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2013. Williams, fellow guard C.J. Jackson and forward Keita Bates-Diop, the Big Ten Player of the Year, combined for 66 of the team’s 81 points against South Dakota State, and added 26 rebounds, eight assists and four steals as Ohio State grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, leading to 19 second-chance points. After his 24-point, 12-rebound showing Saturday in his NCAA tourney debut, the 6-7 Bates-Diop is averaging 19.5 points and 8.9 boards overall, and the Buckeyes are 12-1 when the junior notches a double-double.
ABOUT GONZAGA (31-4): The Bulldogs also benefited from an individual double-double Thursday as senior forward Johnathan Williams notched his fourth straight with 19 points and 13 rebounds on 8-of-12 shooting. Perkins (16 points) and Norvell (15) also scored in double figures against UNC Greensboro, helping Gonzaga overcome poor shooting outings from 3-point range (5-of-23) and the free-throw stripe (13-of-25). The Bulldogs’ 68 points matched their lowest total in a game this season, and they rank 12th nationally with 84.0 points per outing with six players averaging at least 9.4, led by Williams (13.7), forward Killian Tillie (13.1) and Perkins (12.5).
TIP-INS
1. This will be the third meeting between the programs, and the second came earlier this season when Gonzaga cruised to an 86-59 win at the PK80 Invitational in Portland on Nov. 23.
2. Williams (21) and Perkins (20) both topped 20 points in the November win as the Bulldogs shot 58.5 percent, including making 12-of-25 3-pointers, while the Buckeyes shot a season-low 34.5 percent in absorbing their most lopsided loss of the year.
3. The only other meeting in the series came in the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament in Pittsburgh, where second-seeded Ohio State beat seventh-seeded Gonzaga 73-67.
When: 7:45 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: Taco Bell Arena, Boise, Idaho
Gonzaga and Ohio State passed their tough tests Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Now they go head-to-head Saturday night in Boise, Idaho, with a West Regional Sweet 16 berth on the line.
Against UNC Greensboro, the fourth-seeded Bulldogs squandered a 12-point second-half lead and trailed 64-62 with 1:48 remaining. But guard Josh Perkins knotted things up with a long jumper and then redshirt freshman Zach Norvell Jr. drilled a go-ahead 3-pointer with 20.8 seconds left to secure Gonzaga’s 10th straight first-round NCAA tourney win and its 15th straight victory overall. In the following game Thursday at Taco Bell Arena, the fifth-seeded Buckeyes also saw a double-digit lead (13 points) slip away in the second half against a formidable South Dakota State squad. But after the Jackrabbits had pulled even at 70 with 1:53 remaining, Ohio State senior guard Kam Williams scored the game’s next seven points, starting with a go-ahead 3-pointer, to help secure the Buckeyes’ first Big Dance victory since 2015.
TV: 7:45 p.m. ET, CBS
ABOUT OHIO STATE (25-8): The Buckeyes continue to impress under first-year coach Chris Holtmann as they seek their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2013. Williams, fellow guard C.J. Jackson and forward Keita Bates-Diop, the Big Ten Player of the Year, combined for 66 of the team’s 81 points against South Dakota State, and added 26 rebounds, eight assists and four steals as Ohio State grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, leading to 19 second-chance points. After his 24-point, 12-rebound showing Saturday in his NCAA tourney debut, the 6-7 Bates-Diop is averaging 19.5 points and 8.9 boards overall, and the Buckeyes are 12-1 when the junior notches a double-double.
ABOUT GONZAGA (31-4): The Bulldogs also benefited from an individual double-double Thursday as senior forward Johnathan Williams notched his fourth straight with 19 points and 13 rebounds on 8-of-12 shooting. Perkins (16 points) and Norvell (15) also scored in double figures against UNC Greensboro, helping Gonzaga overcome poor shooting outings from 3-point range (5-of-23) and the free-throw stripe (13-of-25). The Bulldogs’ 68 points matched their lowest total in a game this season, and they rank 12th nationally with 84.0 points per outing with six players averaging at least 9.4, led by Williams (13.7), forward Killian Tillie (13.1) and Perkins (12.5).
TIP-INS
1. This will be the third meeting between the programs, and the second came earlier this season when Gonzaga cruised to an 86-59 win at the PK80 Invitational in Portland on Nov. 23.
2. Williams (21) and Perkins (20) both topped 20 points in the November win as the Bulldogs shot 58.5 percent, including making 12-of-25 3-pointers, while the Buckeyes shot a season-low 34.5 percent in absorbing their most lopsided loss of the year.
3. The only other meeting in the series came in the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament in Pittsburgh, where second-seeded Ohio State beat seventh-seeded Gonzaga 73-67.
Preview: Florida vs Texas Tech
When: 8:40 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Sixth-seeded Florida will need another strong defensive performance in the NCAA Tournament when it faces third-seeded Texas Tech on Saturday in the second round of the East Region in Dallas. The Red Raiders will have plenty of offense, a tough defense and a home atmosphere as they play just five hours from their campus.
The Gators scored 25 points off 18 turnovers - including five quick miscues to start the second half - en route to a 77-62 first-round triumph over St. Bonaventure on Thursday. "That's what got us going," senior guard Chris Chiozza told reporters. "We got some stops early in the second half and we got out running and got some easy baskets in transition, and we just kind of built momentum from there and was able to maintain it for most of the second half." Chiozza and junior guard KeVaughn Allen were credited for slowing the Bonnies' talented guards and will have another test against Texas Tech senior guard Keenan Evans and company. The Red Raiders have scored at least 70 points in 13 of their last 15 games after rallying past Stephen F. Austin 70-60 in their Tournament opener.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT FLORIDA (21-12): Junior guard Jalen Hudson leads four Gators in double figures with 15.3 points while graduate transfer Egor Koulechov adds 13.8 and a team-high 6.5 rebounds. Chiozza (11.1 points) recorded 11 assists on Thursday to push his season average to 6.2 and leads the team with 1.9 steals. Allen also averages 11.1 points for the Gators, who ranked seventh nationally as of Thursday with 9.8 turnovers lost.
ABOUT TEXAS TECH (25-9): Evans leads the Red Raiders with 17.7 points and 3.2 assists, and has scored at least 20 in three of his last four games. Freshmen Jarrett Culver (11.5 points) and Zhaire Smith (11.1) and senior Niem Stevenson (7.5) add to the team's balanced attack. The Red Raiders (plus-4.4 rebound margin) have eight players averaging at least three rebounds and force 15.1 turnovers.
TIP-INS
1. Texas Tech is 12-1 this season when Evans scores at least 20 points.
2. Chiozza (205) became the second Florida player with more than 200 assists in a season on Thursday, joining Nick Calathes (221 in 2007-08 and 231 in 2008-09).
3. Texas Tech is trying to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005. Florida has won two national championships while making seven trips to the Elite Eight in that span.
When: 8:40 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Sixth-seeded Florida will need another strong defensive performance in the NCAA Tournament when it faces third-seeded Texas Tech on Saturday in the second round of the East Region in Dallas. The Red Raiders will have plenty of offense, a tough defense and a home atmosphere as they play just five hours from their campus.
The Gators scored 25 points off 18 turnovers - including five quick miscues to start the second half - en route to a 77-62 first-round triumph over St. Bonaventure on Thursday. "That's what got us going," senior guard Chris Chiozza told reporters. "We got some stops early in the second half and we got out running and got some easy baskets in transition, and we just kind of built momentum from there and was able to maintain it for most of the second half." Chiozza and junior guard KeVaughn Allen were credited for slowing the Bonnies' talented guards and will have another test against Texas Tech senior guard Keenan Evans and company. The Red Raiders have scored at least 70 points in 13 of their last 15 games after rallying past Stephen F. Austin 70-60 in their Tournament opener.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT FLORIDA (21-12): Junior guard Jalen Hudson leads four Gators in double figures with 15.3 points while graduate transfer Egor Koulechov adds 13.8 and a team-high 6.5 rebounds. Chiozza (11.1 points) recorded 11 assists on Thursday to push his season average to 6.2 and leads the team with 1.9 steals. Allen also averages 11.1 points for the Gators, who ranked seventh nationally as of Thursday with 9.8 turnovers lost.
ABOUT TEXAS TECH (25-9): Evans leads the Red Raiders with 17.7 points and 3.2 assists, and has scored at least 20 in three of his last four games. Freshmen Jarrett Culver (11.5 points) and Zhaire Smith (11.1) and senior Niem Stevenson (7.5) add to the team's balanced attack. The Red Raiders (plus-4.4 rebound margin) have eight players averaging at least three rebounds and force 15.1 turnovers.
TIP-INS
1. Texas Tech is 12-1 this season when Evans scores at least 20 points.
2. Chiozza (205) became the second Florida player with more than 200 assists in a season on Thursday, joining Nick Calathes (221 in 2007-08 and 231 in 2008-09).
3. Texas Tech is trying to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005. Florida has won two national championships while making seven trips to the Elite Eight in that span.
[h=1]Preview: Houston vs Michigan[/h]When: 9:40 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
[FONT="]Third-seeded Michigan looks to shut down No. 6 seed Houston in the second round of the West Regional on Saturday in Wichita, Kan. The Wolverines allowed the third-fewest points in their NCAA Tournament history in the 61-47 win over No. 14 seed Montana on Thursday and hope to reach 30 wins for the first time since 2012-13 by putting the defensive clamps on the Cougars, who have scored at least 80 points in five of their last nine outings.
[FONT="]"I'm happy we got the first one down," Michigan forward Moritz Wagner told reporters Thursday. "The show goes on, and Houston is a really good team… so it's going to be a heck of a challenge." Houston rode Rob Gray's hot hand to a thrilling 67-65 win against 11th-seeded San Diego State on Thursday to earn their first NCAA Tournament victory in 34 years. Gray exploded for a career-high 39 points against the Aztecs, including the go-ahead layup with 1.1 seconds remaining in the game, and hopes to lead the Cougars to their first Sweet 16 appearance since the days of Phi Slamma Jamma in 1983-84. "I just wanted to come through for us," Gray told reporters. "I was thinking to myself, 'I'm a senior, I've never been in March Madness and this is what I live for.'"[/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 9:40 p.m. ET, TBS[/FONT]
ABOUT HOUSTON (27-7):[FONT="] Gray went 4-of-6 from 3-point range en route to his career high in points and pulled down eight rebounds to finish as the lone Houston player in double figures against San Diego State. Devin Davis flirted with a double-double as he added nine points and nine rebounds while Corey Davis Jr. also scored nine points in the win against the Aztecs. "It means a lot to our program, especially sitting next to Coach (Kelvin) Sampson," Davis said. He's a big part of why I'm here and Rob's a big part too and we survived to play another day."[/FONT]
ABOUT MICHIGAN (29-7):[FONT="] Charles Matthews, who has been battling consistency issues for the last two months, led the way with 20 points and matched his career high with 11 rebounds in the win against Montana to notch his fourth double-double of the season. Muhammad-Ali Abdur Rahkman overcame a sluggish start to finish with 11 points, five rebounds and two steals as the Wolverines held the Grizzlies to 32.1 percent shooting. Wagner, who leads the team in scoring (14.3 per game), was limited to five points on 2-of-6 shooting while Jaaron Simmons tallied six points deputizing for Zavier Simpson, who was plagued by foul trouble in the first half.[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. Michigan has won 10 straight games overall. [/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Gray has scored at least 30 points in three of his last five games.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3. The Wolverines have advanced to the Sweet 16 in three of their previous four tournament appearances.[/FONT][/FONT]
Where: Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
[FONT="]Third-seeded Michigan looks to shut down No. 6 seed Houston in the second round of the West Regional on Saturday in Wichita, Kan. The Wolverines allowed the third-fewest points in their NCAA Tournament history in the 61-47 win over No. 14 seed Montana on Thursday and hope to reach 30 wins for the first time since 2012-13 by putting the defensive clamps on the Cougars, who have scored at least 80 points in five of their last nine outings.
[FONT="]"I'm happy we got the first one down," Michigan forward Moritz Wagner told reporters Thursday. "The show goes on, and Houston is a really good team… so it's going to be a heck of a challenge." Houston rode Rob Gray's hot hand to a thrilling 67-65 win against 11th-seeded San Diego State on Thursday to earn their first NCAA Tournament victory in 34 years. Gray exploded for a career-high 39 points against the Aztecs, including the go-ahead layup with 1.1 seconds remaining in the game, and hopes to lead the Cougars to their first Sweet 16 appearance since the days of Phi Slamma Jamma in 1983-84. "I just wanted to come through for us," Gray told reporters. "I was thinking to myself, 'I'm a senior, I've never been in March Madness and this is what I live for.'"[/FONT]
TV:[FONT="] 9:40 p.m. ET, TBS[/FONT]
ABOUT HOUSTON (27-7):[FONT="] Gray went 4-of-6 from 3-point range en route to his career high in points and pulled down eight rebounds to finish as the lone Houston player in double figures against San Diego State. Devin Davis flirted with a double-double as he added nine points and nine rebounds while Corey Davis Jr. also scored nine points in the win against the Aztecs. "It means a lot to our program, especially sitting next to Coach (Kelvin) Sampson," Davis said. He's a big part of why I'm here and Rob's a big part too and we survived to play another day."[/FONT]
ABOUT MICHIGAN (29-7):[FONT="] Charles Matthews, who has been battling consistency issues for the last two months, led the way with 20 points and matched his career high with 11 rebounds in the win against Montana to notch his fourth double-double of the season. Muhammad-Ali Abdur Rahkman overcame a sluggish start to finish with 11 points, five rebounds and two steals as the Wolverines held the Grizzlies to 32.1 percent shooting. Wagner, who leads the team in scoring (14.3 per game), was limited to five points on 2-of-6 shooting while Jaaron Simmons tallied six points deputizing for Zavier Simpson, who was plagued by foul trouble in the first half.[/FONT]
TIP-INS
[FONT="]1. Michigan has won 10 straight games overall. [/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Gray has scored at least 30 points in three of his last five games.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3. The Wolverines have advanced to the Sweet 16 in three of their previous four tournament appearances.[/FONT][/FONT]
Preview: Loyola-Chicago vs Tennessee
When: 6:10 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Waiting on the preview.
When: 6:10 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2018
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Waiting on the preview.
