(6) USC 85, (3) Kansas 51
Isaiah Mobley hit four 3-pointers and scored 17 points, All-American little brother Evan added 10 points and 13 rebounds, and sixth-seeded USC rolled to an 85-51 victory Monday night inside Hinkle Fieldhouse — more than doubling the worst margin of defeat for the Jayhawks in 49 trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Isaiah White contributed 13 points, Tahj Eaddy had 12 and Chevez Goodwin 10 for the red-hot Trojans (24-7), who went 11 of 18 from the 3-point arc, shot 57% from the field overall and nearly doubled up the Jayhawks on the glass.
“Everyone contributed tonight, whether it showed up on the stat sheet or not, and that’s why we won by the margin we did,” Isaiah Mobley said. “When we’re confident, I believe in our team, that we can go up against anybody.”
Marcus Garrett had 15 points for Kansas (21-9), which had never lost an NCAA tourney game by more than 16 points.
Next round: vs. (7) Oregon, Sunday, March 28 - 9:45 p.m. (TBS)
Credit: Mark Humphrey
Credit: Mark Humphrey
(2) Alabama 96, (10) Maryland 77
Jaden Shackelford and Alabama stuck with what got them to the NCAA Tournament, torching Maryland with 3-point shooting in a 96-77 second-round rout on Monday night.
Shackelford scored 21 points and made five of Alabama’s 16 3-pointers as the second-seeded Crimson Tide advanced to their first Sweet 16 since 2004. Nate Oats, the second-year coach who made Buffalo a must-watch team before moving up to the Southeastern Conference, will bring his high-energy style to a regional semifinal for the first time.
Aggressive play on the boards was critical for the Crimson Tide, who outrebounded Maryland 40-19. They they made sure to cash in those transition opportunities, especially from beyond the arc.
Aaron Wiggins scored 27 points and Eric Ayala had 13 for Maryland (17-14), which was seeking its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2015 and 15th overall. The Terps’ loss left Michigan as the only Big Ten team to survive the opening weekend after the conference earned nine NCAA bids.
Next round: vs. (11) UCLA, Sunday, March 28 - 7:15 p.m. (TBS)
Credit: Charles Rex Arbogast
Credit: Charles Rex Arbogast
(4) Florida State 71, (5) Colorado 53
Florida State barely reveled in its return to the Sweet 16 — exactly as Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton wanted.
Anthony Polite scored a career-high 22 points and No. 4 seed Florida State (18-6) pulled away in the second half to beat Colorado 71-53 Monday night and advance to the regional semifinal for the third straight NCAA Tournament.
Polite had never scored more than 15 points in a game, but the junior made 8 of 12 shots, including 4 of 7 3-pointers.
D’Shawn Schwartz scored 13 points for fifth-seeded Colorado (23-9), which shot 36% overall. McKinley Wright IV, Colorado’s leading scorer for the season with more than 15 points per contest, finished with 10 on 4-of-12 shooting.
Colorado was coming off a 96-73 victory over Big East Tournament champion Georgetown and was seeking its first Sweet 16 trip since 1969.
Next round: vs. (1) Michigan, Sunday, March 28 - 5 p.m. (CBS)
Credit: AJ Mast
Credit: AJ Mast
(1) Michigan 86, (8) LSU 78
Longer, taller and deeper than LSU, the top-seeded Wolverines slowly wore down the Tigers. They got 21 points each from Eli Brooks and Chaundee Brown Jr., in a roller-coaster 86-78 victory that salvaged some hope for the hurting conference at the NCAA Tournament.
By the time coach Juwan Howard and Co. had returned to the hotel after their second-round game, Maryland had lost to Alabama, leaving the Wolverines as the only ones remaining of the nation-leading nine Big Ten teams who came to Indy.
And though they can’t undo what’s happened to the rest of the conference, that Big Ten seasoning came in handy in this one — a game Michigan (22-4) trailed in by nine early and had to fight to stay in range.
In a game full of big runs, the Wolverines used the biggest — 14-1 over the decisive stretch midway through the second half — to pull away and save face for a conference that has otherwise tanked these four days in Indianapolis.
Next round: vs. (4) Florida State, Sunday, March 28 - 5 p.m. (CBS)
Credit: Michael Conroy
Credit: Michael Conroy
(5) Creighton 72, (13) Ohio 58
Marcus Zegarowski scored 20 points to help Creighton beat Ohio 72-58 on Monday, securing the program’s first trip to the round of 16 in 47 years.
Damien Jefferson added 15 points for the Bluejays (22-8), the fifth seed in the West Region. They had a cold opening few minutes before the offense — and Zegarowski in particular — got rolling with a strong performance that built a double-digit lead by halftime against an upstart trying to spring a second straight tournament upset.
When it was over, the Bluejays celebrated on the Hinkle Fieldhouse court with high-fives and hugs, then started motioning to their blue-clad fans to get louder and join the victory party. It included Zegarowski standing on a courtside table, and coach Greg McDermott giving a thumbs-up to fans at the other end as he walked off the court.
Next round: vs. (1) Gonzaga, Sunday, March 28 - 2:10 p.m. (CBS)
Credit: Mark Humphrey
Credit: Mark Humphrey
(11) ULCA 84, (14) Abilene Christian 61
UCLA stumbled into the NCAA Tournament on a four-game losing streak, barely making the field of 68, and fell behind by 14 points to Michigan State in the First Four. After all that, the Bruins are rolling into the Sweet 16 — a little weary but still dancing.
Johnny Juzang scored 17 points and 11th-seeded UCLA carefully brushed off pesky Abilene Christian 67-47 Monday to become the fifth team to go from First Four to the round of 16.
The Bruins (20-9) will play in their first regional semifinal appearance since 2017 — and their first with second-year coach Mick Cronin.
After the buzzer sounded, the Bruins gathered in a messy circle near their bench and broke out in something that looked like a combination jig and shuffle. It didn’t last long after three games in five days.
Next round: vs. (2) Alabama, Sunday, March 28 - 7:15 p.m. (TBS)
Credit: Michael Conroy
Credit: Michael Conroy
(1) Gonzaga 87, (8) Oklahoma 71
A No. 1 seed, two No. 2s and two No. 3s have already been eliminated from this tournament. But Gonzaga (28-0) faces higher expectations as it tries to become the first undefeated champion since Indiana 45 years ago. In the 22nd season of his remarkably consistent career, Mark Few is four wins away from his first national title.
The Bulldogs easily dispatched Norfolk State in the first round, but the Sooners were the first power conference opponent for Gonzaga since it embarrassed Virginia in late December.
It didn’t matter all that much. Oklahoma became the 25th straight team the Bulldogs beat by double digits — although the Sooners fought valiantly to keep it from becoming a blowout. Few still had his starters on the floor at the buzzer and screamed at star Jalen Suggs for committing an unnecessary foul with 1:05 left.
Austin Reaves scored 27 points for Oklahoma (16-11), and after trailing by 19 with 12 minutes left, the Sooners pulled within 77-68 on his 3-pointer with 2:37 left. It was the first 3 of the second half for Oklahoma and the first time the deficit was within single digits since late in the first half.
Next round: vs. (5) Creighton, Sunday, March 28 - 2:10 p.m. (CBS)
Credit: Paul Sancya
Credit: Paul Sancya
(7) Oregon 95, (2) Iowa 80
Chris Duarte scored 23 points and Oregon showed no signs of rust after a long layoff, beating No. 2 seed Iowa 95-80 on Monday to reach the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the past five NCAA Tournaments.
The seventh-seeded Ducks (21-6) were put in an unprecedented spot, advancing to the West Region’s second round without playing a game. Virginia Commonwealth’s multiple positive COVID-19 tests took care of that, leaving Oregon with a nine-day break since losing in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals.
The Ducks flowed on the floor and glowed on the scoresheet, shooting 56% and hitting 11 3-pointers. LJ Figueroa hit five 3s while scoring 21 points and Will Richardson added 19 points in an offensive domination.
The Ducks’ sweet offensive movements left the Hawkeyes (22-9) flailing, one game short of the Sweet 16 for the fourth time under Fran McCaffery.
Luka Garza played like a two-time All-American, bulling in for three-point plays, hitting mid-range jumpers and dropping in the occasional 3. He capped his stellar college career by tying the Iowa NCAA Tournament record with 36 points and grabbing nine rebounds before receiving a nice ovation from the limited crowd allowed in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Next round: vs. (6) USC, Sunday, March 28 - 9:45 p.m. (TBS)
Credit: Paul Sancya
Credit: Paul Sancya
(12) Oregon State 80, (4) Oklahoma State 70
Ethan Thompson scored 26 points and No. 12 seed Oregon State neutralized Oklahoma State and star freshman Cade Cunningham, rolling to an 80-70 upset.
Oregon State (19-12) was picked to finish last in the Pac-12 and had to win the conference tournament just to make the NCAA field. The Beavers pulled that off, then cruised past No. 5 seed Tennessee in the first round. They became the third double-digit seed to reach this year’s Sweet 16, joining 15 seed Oral Roberts and Syracuse, an 11.
Maurice Calloo, who transferred from Oklahoma State, scored 15 points and Jarod Lucas also had 15 for the Beavers, who advanced to play eighth-seeded Loyola Chicago in a Midwest Region Sweet 16 matchup that few could have predicted.
Cunningham, a first-team All-American and possible top NBA draft pick, scored 24 points for Oklahoma State (21-9), but the fourth-seeded Cowboys rushed shots down the stretch and at times failed to get him the ball.
Next round: vs. (8) Loyola Chicago, Saturday, March 27 - 2:40 p.m. (CBS)
Credit: Darron Cummings
Credit: Darron Cummings
(5) Villanova 84, (13) North Texas 61
As Villanova rained down 3s on North Texas, it was as if the Wildcats were channeling their recent NCAA championship teams.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl scored 18 points, Jermaine Samuels Jr. had 15 and the Wildcats knocked down 15 3-pointers, emphatically ending the 13th-seeded Mean Green’s bid for a second NCAA Tournament upset with a 84-61 victory Sunday night.
The fifth-seeded Wildcats (18-6) move on to the Sweet 16 to face top-seeded Baylor. Villanova will play the second weekend of the tournament for the third time in the last five. Coach Jay Wright’s team won the whole thing the last two times it got this far in 2016 and ’18.
A stifling defensive performance by the Mean Green got them into the second round, upsetting No. 4-seed Purdue for the first NCAA Tournament victory in school history.
Against Villanova, North Texas seemed to be a step behind the extra pass, scrambling to get a hand into the face of open shooters.
Villanova finished 15 for 30 from 3-point range, with Cole Swider (nine points) and Caleb Daniels (11 points) each hitting three. Eight different Wildcats hit from long range.
Next round: vs. (1) Baylor, Saturday, March 27 - 5:15 p.m. (CBS)
Credit: AJ Mast
Credit: AJ Mast
(15) Oral Roberts 81, (7) Florida 78
Oral Roberts pulled off yet another upset to become just the second No. 15 seed in NCAA Tournament history to advance to the round of 16 with an 81-78 victory over Florida on Sunday night.
Kevin Obanor and Max Abams carried the Golden Eagles out of an 11-point deficit to knock off No. 7 seed Florida. Oral Roberts, which opened the tournament with a stunning upset over No. 2 seed Ohio State, will next try to knock off No. 3 seed Arkansas next weekend.
Obanor scored 28 points and Abmas, the regular season national leading scorer, finished with 26 as the Golden Eagles (18-10) closed the game on a 25-11 run to overcome the 11-point lead Florida held with less than 10 minutes remaining.
Oral Roberts joins Florida Gulf Coast — those guys from Dunk City — as the only No. 15 seeds to reach the round of 16 in tournament history.
Next round: vs. (3) Arkansas, Saturday, March 27 - 7:25 p.m. (TBS)
Credit: Mark Humphrey
Credit: Mark Humphrey
(2) Houston 63, (10) Rutgers 60
Quentin Grimes scored 22 points, Tramon Mark converted a soaring three-point play with 24 seconds left, and Houston beat Rutgers 63-60 on Sunday night to reach the Sweet 16.
DaJon Jarreau overcame a series of bumps and bruises to score a key bucket down the stretch and finished with 17 points for second-seeded Houston (26-3). The Cougars play No. 11 seed Syracuse next weekend for a spot in the Midwest Region finals.
The 10th-seeded Scarlet Knights (16-12) still had a chance after Mark’s free throws, but Geo Baker turned the ball over and Marcus Sasser made two more to extend the lead. Rutgers rushed back up the floor and Ron Harper Jr. let fly a potential tying 3 from the wing that clanked off the side of the rim as the final buzzer sounded.
Baker finished with 14 points for Rutgers but was holding back tears following his late turnover. Montez Mathis also had 10 points for the Scarlet Knights, who failed to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1976.
Next round: vs. (11) Syracuse, Saturday, March 27 - 9:55 p.m. (TBS)
Credit: Michael Conroy
Credit: Michael Conroy
(3) Arkansas 68, (6) Texas Tech 66
Justin Smith had 20 points and played a key role in a final-play defensive stop, helping Arkansas beat Texas Tech 68-66 on Sunday in the NCAA Tournament, securing the program’s first trip to the Sweet 16 in a quarter-century.
In the final seconds of a tense finish, Smith found himself defending Kyler Edwards beyond the 3-point arc. Edwards drove into the paint with Smith on his hip and missed a layup, with Arkansas guard JD Notae snagging the rebound and sprinting up court to run the final seconds out and send Arkansas’ reserves spilling onto the court to celebrate.
Moments later, coach Eric Musselman ripped off his mask as he ran off the court to yell to the Razorbacks fans behind one basket and repeatedly pump his fist in exuberance.
That’s because the South Region’s No. 3 seed is off to the regional semifinals for the first time since 1996 under famed former coach Nolan Richardson.
Star freshman Moses Moody had 11 of his 15 points after halftime for Arkansas (24-6).
Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 20 points for the sixth-seeded Red Raiders (18-11).
Next round: vs. (15) Oral Roberts, Saturday, March 27 - 7:25 p.m. (TBS)
Credit: Darron Cummings
Credit: Darron Cummings
(11) Syracuse 75, (3) West Virginia 72
Jim Boeheim and his Syracuse Orange are going to the Sweet 16.
Buddy Boeheim scored 25 points and Joe Girard added 14 points with seven assists and six rebounds as the 11th-seeded Orange held on to beat third-seeded West Virginia, 75-72 in the Midwest Region on Sunday night.
Boeheim had six of the Orange’s 14 3-pointers.
Sean McNeil led West Virginia with 23 points, hitting seven 3s.
The game featured two of the winningest coaches in Division I history. It was Boeheim’s 982nd career win, 82 more than the Mountaineers’ Bob Huggins.
It will be Boeheim’s 19th trip to the round of 16 in his 45 seasons at his alma mater.
Next round: vs. (2) Houston, Saturday, March 27 - 9:55 p.m. (TBS)
Credit: Michael Conroy
Credit: Michael Conroy
(1) Baylor 76, (9) Wisconsin 63
Matthew Mayer had 17 points and Davion Mitchell added 16 points and eight assists as Baylor took care of business, defeating Wisconsin 76-63 for a spot in the Sweet 16.
The ninth-seeded Badgers were attempting to topple a No. 1 seed in the second round for a third time, joining the 2000 team against Arizona and the 2017 squad against Villanova.
The Badgers hit eight 3-pointers, but so did the Bears, and Wisconsin had 13 turnovers to only four for Baylor and failed to register a steal. Micah Potter had 10 points and 10 boards for Wisconsin.
Next round: vs. (5) Villanova, Saturday, March 27 - 5:15 p.m. (CBS)
Credit: Paul Sancya
Credit: Paul Sancya
(8) Loyola Chicago 71, (1) Illinois 58
The first No. 1 seed is out of the NCAA Tournament. Eighth-seeded Loyola Chicago stunned Illinois, the top seed in the Midwest, 71-58 on Sunday.
Center Cameron Krutwig had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Lucas Williamson chipped in 14 points as the Ramblers led throughout, much of it by double digits.
Illinois’ inside-out duo of center Kofi Cockburn and guard Ayo Dosunmu combined for 30 points, three assists and 11 rebounds, not enough to overcome the pesky Ramblers, who snared 12 steals.
Next round: vs. (12) Oregon State, Saturday, March 27 - 2:40 p.m. (CBS)
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