NCAA Basketball Tournament Report: VCU and Colorado Only Surprise Winners Thus Far
Higher-seeded teams won all but two games during Thursday’s play in the second round of the NCAA basketball tournament. VCU and Colorado were the only lower-seeded teams to record victories. Here’s a recap of all of the day’s action in the NCAA tournament:
East
Kansas State 70 — Southern Miss. 64
Angel Rodriguez made a clutch basket late, as Kansas State beat Southern Miss, 70-64, in the second round of the East Regional in Pittsburgh. With the victory, the eighth-seeded Wildcats (22-10) advanced to play Syracuse on Saturday. Kansas State’s Rodney McGruder led all scorers with 30 points, while Neil Watson paced the ninth-seeded Golden Eagles (25-9) with 16 points. The appearance by Southern Mississippi in the NCAA tournament was the school’s first in 21 years.
Wisconsin 73 — Montana 49
Jordan Taylor had 17 points, six assists and eight rebounds as Wisconsin routed Montana, 73-49, in the second round of the East Regional in Albuquerque on Thursday. Ryan Evans added 18 points and eight rebounds for the fourth-seeded Badgers (25-9), who advanced to play Vanderbilt on Saturday. Art Steward scored 18 points for the 13th-seeded Grizzles (25-7), whose 14-game winning streak ended with the loss.
Syracuse 72 — UNC-Asheville 65
James Southerland had 15 points and eight rebounds as top-seeded Syracuse rallied to beat UNC-Asheville, 72-65, in the second round of the East Regional in Pittsburgh on Thursday. With the win, the Orange (32-2) advanced to play Kansas State on Saturday and kept from becoming the first No. 1 seed ever to lose to a No. 16 seed. J.P. Primm had 18 points for the Bulldogs (24-10), who had the lead in the second half but were unable to secure the historic victory.
Vanderbilt 79 — Harvard 70
John Jenkins scored 27 points, including six late free throws, and Vanderbilt beat Harvard, 79-70, in the second round of the East Regional in Albuquerque. As a result of the victory, the fifth-seeded Commodores (25-10) advanced to play Wisconsin on Saturday. Twelfth-seeded Harvard (26-5), which was making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1946, was led by Laurent Rivard’s 20 points.
Gonzaga 77 — West Virginia 54
Robert Sacre and Gary Bell Jr. each scored 14 points, and Gonzaga soundly beat West Virginia, 77-54, in the second round of the East Regional in Pittsburgh. The seventh-seeded Bulldogs (26-6) advanced to play Ohio State in the third round on Saturday. The 10th-seeded Mountaineers (19-14) were paced in scoring by reserve Gary Browne’s 15 points. The loss was the worst suffered by West Virginia in the NCAA tournament since 1984.
Ohio State 78 — Loyola (Md.) 59
Deshaun Thomas scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Ohio State beat Loyola (Md.), 78-59, in the second round of the East Regional in Pittsburgh. Jared Sullinger added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the second-seeded Buckeyes (28-7), who advanced to play Gonzaga in Saturday’s third round. Erik Etherly had 19 points and nine rebounds for the 15th-seeded Greyhounds (24-9).
South
Kentucky 81 — Western Kentucky 66
Terrence Jones had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Kentucky handily beat Western Kentucky, 81-66, in the second round of the South Regional in Louisville. The top-seeded Wildcats (33-2) advanced to play Iowa State on Saturday, while the 16th-seeded Hilltoppers’ season ended with a 16-19 record. Western Kentucky, which was led in scoring by freshman T.J. Price’s 21 points, had advanced to the second round after a 59-58 win over Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday.
Iowa State 77 — Connecticut 64
Royce White had 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Iowa State beat defending national champion Connecticut, 77-64, in the second round of the South Regional in Louisville. Scott Christopherson added 15 points for the eighth-seeded Cyclones (23-10), who led by as many as 22 points in the first half before coasting to the victory. With the win, Iowa State advanced to play Kentucky on Saturday. Shabazz Napier led the ninth-seeded Huskies (20-14) with 22 points, while teammate Jeremy Lamb added 19. The loss was the first by a defending champ in its opening game since UCLA was defeated by Princeton in 1996.
VCU 62 — Wichita State 59
Bradford Burgess scored 16 points, including a key 3-pointer, as VCU beat Wichita State, 62-59, in the second-round of the South Regional in Portland. The 12th-seeded Rams had a double-digit advantage early in the second half, but the fifth-seeded Shockers came back to take a 59-57 lead before Burgess’ 3-pointer with 1:33 to play gave VCU the lead for good. The Rams (29-6), who were a Final Four team in 2011, advanced to play Indiana on Saturday. Joe Ragland led Wichita State (27-6) with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
Indiana 79 — New Mexico State 66
Jordan Hulls tossed in 22 points, and Indiana beat New Mexico State, 79-66, in the second-round of the South Regional in Portland. Making their first NCAA tournament appearance in four years, the fourth-seeded Hoosiers (26-8) advanced to play VCU on Saturday. Wendell McKines led the 13th-seeded Aggies (26-10) with 15 points and nine rebounds.
Baylor 68 — South Dakota St. 60
Pierre Jackson scored 18 points to help rally Baylor to a 68-60 victory over South Dakota State in the second round of the South Regional in Albuquerque. After trailing by 12 early in the first half, the third-seeded Bears (28-7) rallied to advance to a third-round game with Colorado on Saturday. Nate Wolters had 19 points to lead the 14th-seeded Jackrabbits, who finished the season at 27-8, while also making their first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament.
Colorado 68 — UNLV 64
Freshman Askia Booker scored 16 points, and Colorado upset UNLV, 68-64, in the second round of the South Regional in Albuquerque. The 11th-seeded Buffaloes (24-11) zoomed out to a 20-point lead in the first half, and withstood a frantic rally by the sixth-seeded Runnin’ Rebels (26-9), who cut the lead to two with under five minutes to play. Andre Roberson added 12 points and 16 rebounds for Colorado, which plays Baylor on Saturday. Anthony Marshall led UNLV with 15 points.
West
Murray State 58 — Colorado State 41
Isaiah Canaan scored 15 points and Donte Poole chipped in 13, as Murray State beat Colorado State 58-41 in the second round of the West Regional in Louisville. As a result of the win, the sixth-seeded Racers (31-1) advanced to play Marquette on Saturday. Pierce Hornung led the 11th-seeded Rams (20-12) with 12 points and 17 rebounds.
Louisville 69 — Davidson 62
Peyton Siva scored 17 points, and Louisville beat Davidson, 69-62, in the second round of the West Regional in Portland. With the victory, which was the Cardinals’ first win in an NCAA tournament since 2009, fourth-seeded Louisville (27-9) advanced to play New Mexico on Saturday. Jake Cohen had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the 13th-seeded Wildcats, who saw their season come to an end with a 25-8 record.
Marquette 88 — Brigham Young 68
Jae Crowder had 25 points and 16 rebounds, and Marquette beat BYU, 88-68, in the second round of the West Regional in Louisville. The win allowed the third-seeded Golden Eagles (28-5) to advance to play Murray State in the third round on Saturday. Brandon Davies had 19 points and 12 rebounds for 14th-seeded BYU (26-9), who could not replicate the performance it gave in overcoming a 25-point deficit to defeat Iona, 78-72, in a First Four game on Tuesday.
New Mexico 75 — Long Beach St. 68
Kendall Williams scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, and New Mexico beat Long Beach State 75-68 in the second round of the West Regional in Portland. Drew Gordon pitched in 18 points and 13 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Lobos (28-6), who advanced to play Louisville on Saturday. Casper Ware led the 12th-seeded 49ers (25-9) in scoring with 17 points. T.J. Robinson added 12 points and 14 rebounds for Long Beach State.