NCAA Tournament 2015: B/R Expert Predictions, Updated Results for Round of 64
The second round of the 2015 edition of March Madness is in the books.
Day 1 started off with a bang, as favorites like Iowa State, SMU, VCU and Baylor were all knocked off and contenders like North Carolina were pushed to the limit.
On Friday, the bracket behaved in a more methodical fashion, with the only upset being No. 11 Dayton's late-night defeat of sixth-seeded Providence.
As the third round tips off on Saturday, 68 teams have already been cut to 32. Will the favorites continue to prevail, or will we see more drama this weekend before the Sweet 16 is named?
Kansas 75, New Mexico State 56
1 of 32
The second-seeded Jayhawks (27-8) never trailed in comfortably beating No. 15 New Mexico State (23-11), 75-56, leading by as many as 22 points in the second half.
Kansas used runs of 11-3 and 10-0 in the first half to create a cushion, taking a 36-23 halftime lead thanks to nine first-half points from Perry Ellis as the junior battled a knee injury. The Jayhawks shot 54 percent and made nine of 13 three pointers, holding New Mexico State to 35.7 percent shooting.
New Mexico State was making its fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance and fifth in the past six seasons, but the Aggies haven't won in the tourney since 1993.
Top Performers
Frank Mason III led all scorers with 17 points for Kansas, hitting six of seven shots and both three-pointers while also notching nine rebounds and four assists.
X-Factor
Kansas' nine made three-pointers were more than it had in its previous three games, when the Jayhawks were just 8-of-32 from outside.
Next Round
Kansas will play Sunday in Omaha, Nebraska, in the Midwest Region's third round against No. 7 Wichita State.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Michigan State 70, Georgia 63
2 of 32The seventh-seeded Spartans (24-11) used a 15-4 run midway through the second half to hold off pesky No. 10 Georgia (21-12) to reach the round of 32 for the fourth straight year.
Branden Dawson shook off a scoreless first half to finish with 14 points, scoring eight during the game-clinching run including three-point plays on back-to-back possessions.
Georgia pulled within two points with 14:09 left before Michigan State extended to a 52-41 lead with 9:26 left. The Bulldogs made a last-ditch effort, getting within three points at 66-63 with 20.9 seconds left, but MSU got two free throws from Denzel Valentine, and then Charles Mann missed a layup for Georgia on the other end.
Top Performers
Mann led all scorers with 19 points, hitting 6-of-14 from the field, while Valentine was one of four MSU players in double figures with 16. Travis Trice (15), Dawson (14) and Bryn Forbes (14) joined Valentine to combine for 59 of the Spartans' 70 points.
X-Factor
Michigan State was just 11-of-19 from the foul line, but Valentine made all six of his free throws in the final 27 seconds to hold off Georgia. The Bulldogs were 21-of-26, but three of those misses were in the final 2:48.
Next Round
Michigan State will play Sunday in the third round of the East Region at Charlotte against No. 2 Virginia.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Northern Iowa 71, Wyoming 54
3 of 32
The fifth-seeded Panthers (31-3) never allowed Wyoming a true chance to challenge for one of the 5-12 upsets that are so common in the NCAA tournament, using strong outside shooting and quick hands to hold off the 12th-seeded Cowboys, 71-54.
Northern Iowa led by as many as 21 points in the second half, though Wyoming (25-10) did make a game of it for a while with an 11-0 run to pull within 50-40 with 11:49 left. The Cowboys got as close as 57-48 with 6:55 remaining but couldn't contain the Panthers offense.
UNI shot 46 percent from the field and was 9-of-18 from three-point range. Wyoming also shot well, hitting 45.7 percent overall and making nine of 22 threes, but the Cowboys turned it over 12 times.
Top Performers
The Panthers had five players in double-figures, led by Paul Jespersen's 16 off the bench that included three three-pointers.
X-Factor
Northern Iowa had a huge bench-scoring advantage, getting 41 points from four players while Wyoming's reserves managed only two points.
Next Round
Northern Iowa will play Sunday in the East Region's third round in Seattle against No. 4 Louisville.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
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West Virginia 68, Buffalo 62
4 of 32
The fifth-seeded Mountaineers got a huge play from reserve Tarik Phillip in the final 30 seconds, as he nailed a three-pointer as the shot clock expired to hold off No. 12 Buffalo.
Phillip, who had nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, fired in the three on a pass from Juwan Staten to give West Virginia (24-9) a 67-62 lead with 29 seconds left. Gary Browne then pulled down Shannon Evans' missed three on the other end, then Browne drew a foul and made one of two free throws to ice the game.
West Virginia scored the game's final six points, breaking a tie with two free throws from Devin Williams with 2:10 remaining.
Buffalo (23-10) trailed by 11 with 11:16 left before going on an 18-7 run to tie it, but the Bulls missed several layups and turned it over 17 times.
Top Performers
Williams had 17 points and nine rebounds for West Virginia, making five of six shots and going 7-of-9 from the line.
X-Factor
Staten, who missed West Virginia's previous four games with a knee injury, had 15 points and seven assists while making five of nine shots.
Next Round
West Virginia will play Sunday in the Midwest Region third round in Columbus, Ohio, against No. 4 Maryland.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Wichita State 81, Indiana 76
5 of 32
Ron Baker shook off a poor day from the field with a near-perfect performance at the line, hitting seven of eight foul shots in the final minute and 58 seconds to give the seventh-seeded Shockers the win.
Baker was just 3-of-13 on field goals but made nine of 10 from the stripe for 15 points to go with five rebounds and five steals. The last of those swipes came with nine seconds left, with Wichita State (29-4) holding a four-point lead.
Indiana (20-14) kept itself in the game by making 11 of 22 three-pointers, with Yogi Ferrell hitting four and Collin Hartman draining three. Ferrell's three with 2:26 left pulled the Hoosiers within 72-71 before Baker took over at the line.
Top Performers
With Baker struggling, Wichita State's Fred VanVleet tied his career high with 27 points, hitting nine of 18 from the field and making nine of 10 from the line. Ferrell scored 24 for Indiana, going 4-of-6 from three-point range.
X-Factor
Wichita State made 29 of 34 foul shots, including 16 of 18 in the second half.
Next Round
Wichita State moves on to Sunday's third round in Omaha, where it will face No. 2 Kansas in a Midwest Region game.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Virginia 79, Belmont 67
6 of 32
The second-seeded Cavaliers (30-3) had to weather numerous hot-shooting barrages from Belmont (22-11), but they pulled away down the stretch with a 9-0 run after the No. 15 seed Bruins clawed their way within two points with four minutes and 36 seconds left.
A three-pointer by Craig Bradshaw—his fifth of the game—got Belmont as close as 62-60, but then it failed to score on its next five possessions as Virginia scored inside and at the line. Anthony Gill scored five straight points to put the Cavaliers up by nine, hitting a pair of free throws and then converting a three-point play.
Belmont made eight of its first 12 shots to lead 20-17, but after that, the Bruins shot 42.2 percent from the field.
Virginia has matched its school record for wins in a season.
Top Performers
Bradshaw led all scorers with 25 points, making 10 of 19 shots that included 5-of-9 from the three-point line. Virginia got 22 points from Malcolm Brogdon, who made four three-pointers despite only hitting six of 17 shots overall.
X-Factor
Virginia had more than four times as many foul shots as Belmont, making 21 of 25 compared to the Bruins' five makes in six attempts.
Next Round
Virginia will play Sunday in Charlotte in an East Region third-round game against No. 7 Michigan State.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Louisville 57, UC Irvine 55
7 of 32
Quentin Snider made two free throws with 9.7 seconds left, then Terry Rozier forced a turnover with two seconds left to keep the fourth-seeded Cardinals from getting upset by No. 13 seed UC Irvine.
Snider was fouled going for a loose ball in the corner after UC Irvine's Luke Nelson missed a long three-point attempt that would have broken a 55-55 tie. Nelson had given the Anteaters a 55-53 lead with 1:02 left on a drive to the basket before Wayne Blackshear knotted it up again with his own drive on the other end.
Montrezl Harrell, the team's leading scorer all season, was just 3-of-8 from the field and only attempted one shot in the second half as Louisville got 47 points from its guards.
Top Performers
Blackshear led all scorers with 19 points, though he needed 20 shots to get there, while also contributing seven rebounds. Snider had 16 points and was 2-of-3 on three-pointers.
X-Factor
Though it came in a losing effort, 7'6” Irvine center Mamadou Ndiaye played a major role with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting while neutralizing Louisville's big men.
Next Round
Louisville plays Sunday in the East Region's third round in Seattle against No. 5 seed Northern Iowa.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Maryland 65, Valparaiso 62
8 of 32
The fourth-seeded Terrapins (28-6) stripped the ball on a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds to hold off Valparaiso.
Evan Smotrycz stole it from Valpo's Keith Carter as he went up for the shot from the left corner, preserving a win in which Maryland didn't lead by more than six points over the final 15 minutes.
The 13th-seeded Crusaders (28-6) tied the game at 49 on a three-pointer by E. Victor Nickerson, who had two of Valpo's 12 made threes on 26 attempts. But Nickerson fouled out a few minutes later, and down the stretch Valpo made only three baskets in the final six minutes.
Maryland held the Crusaders to 36.4 percent shooting overall and overcame the loss of two starters (Damonte Dodd and Jake Layman) to foul-fueled disqualification.
Top Performers
Guards Melo Trimble, Jared Nickens and Dez Wells each had 14 points for Maryland, with Nickens hitting four three-pointers and Trimble adding 10 rebounds.
X-Factor
Wells was 5-of-9 from the field, his last shot resulting in a three-point play that gave Maryland a 65-61 lead with 1:26 left.
Next Round
Maryland moves on to face No. 5 seed West Virginia on Sunday in a Midwest Region third-round game in Columbus.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Oregon 79, Oklahoma State 73
9 of 32
The game was closer than expected, but a dominating mid-game performance by Oregon’s Joseph Young led the eighth-seeded Ducks (26-9) to a 79-73 win over No. 9 Oklahoma State (18-14) on Friday in Omaha.
With Oregon trailing by eight points with 4:55 remaining in the first half, senior guard Young closed out the frame by scoring all 15 points in a 15-3 run, giving the Ducks a four-point lead at halftime.
Oklahoma State continued to challenge in the second half, keeping it close and even taking the lead for a short time, but Oregon’s powerful offense proved to be too much to handle on this day.
After dropping an 80-52 decision to Arizona in the Pac-12 championship game, Oregon is back on track and a force to be reckoned with going forward.
Top Performers
Pac-12 Player of the Year Joseph Young was the difference-maker for Oregon, scoring a game-high 27 points. Senior Le'Bryan Nash led the way with 18 points for Oklahoma State.
X-Factor
Young’s amazing run up to halftime was the difference in the game. His final stat line was 8-of-15 from the field, with 3-of-6 shooting from downtown and a perfect 8-of-8 conversion rate at the free-throw line. He cooled off after the five-minute mark of the second half, but he had done enough by then to set the Ducks up for the win.
Next Round
Oregon will play Sunday in Omaha, Nebraska, in the West Region's third round against Wisconsin.
Updated by Carol Schram
Duke 85, Robert Morris 56
10 of 32
A No. 16 seed has never beaten a top seed in the NCAA tournament. That record held solid as South Region No. 1 Duke danced to a comfortable 85-56 win over Robert Morris on Friday in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Entering their 20th-straight NCAA tournament under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils acted every inch the veteran with a workmanlike performance, bouncing back from their loss to Notre Dame in the ACC tournament semifinal on March 13.
Duke outshot Robert Morris 63 percent to 36.4 percent and also dominated on the boards, 40-28.
Top Performers
Rodney Pryor of Robert Morris was the game’s top scorer with 23 points. Five Blue Devils hit double figures, led by senior guard Quinn Cook’s 22 points.
X-Factor
Sharp shooting was the order of the day for the Blue Devils, with six players going at least 50 percent from the field.
Next Round
Duke will play Sunday in Charlotte in the South Region's third round against San Diego State.
Updated by Carol Schram
Iowa 83, Davidson 52
11 of 32
Iowa’s senior forward Aaron White scored the first five points of this second-round South Region matchup and didn’t let up, leading his seventh-seeded Hawkeyes to a comfortable 83-52 win over Davidson on Friday at KeyArena in Seattle.
Known as a strong three-point shooting team, Davidson went just 6-of-28 while also being outhustled, losing the rebound, steal and blocked shot battles.
The Hawkeyes bounced back nicely from their Big 10 tournament collapse against Penn State one week ago and look poised to challenge in their portion of the March Madness bracket.
Top Performers
Aaron White finished the game shooting 11-of-14 from the field, 1-of-2 from beyond the arc and 3-of-3 from the foul line for 26 points. He sat on the bench with an ice pack on his calf in the game’s final minutes, readying himself for Iowa’s third-round matchup.
X-Factor
Iowa mercilessly outrebounded Davidson 46-30.
Next Round
Iowa will play Sunday in Seattle in the South Region's third round against Gonzaga.
Updated by Carol Schram
Oklahoma 69, Albany 60
12 of 32
TaShawn Thomas and Buddy Hield led the Oklahoma Sooners (23-10) to a 69-60 win over the Albany Great Danes on Friday in Columbus.
The win is the Sooners’ first in March Madness since 2009.
Albany, which had a win in the 2014 First Four against Mount St. Mary's, was looking for its first-ever win in the NCAA's tournament's main draw.
Top Performers
Thomas led the way for Oklahoma with 18 points. Peter Hooley, who hit the game-winning three-pointer for Albany in its win over Stony Brook in the American East tournament, was the Great Danes’ leading scorer with 15 points.
X-Factor
The Sooners easily topped the Great Danes in blocks with six, led by four blocks from Thomas.
Next Round
Oklahoma will next play Sunday in Columbus in the East Region's third round against Dayton.
Updated by Carol Schram
Wisconsin 86, Coastal Carolina 72
13 of 32
After a Final Four appearance in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, No. 1 seed Wisconsin cruised past Coastal Carolina on Friday by a score of 86-72.
In its 17th consecutive NCAA appearance, Wisconsin got a dominant performance from senior forward Frank Kaminsky, who had 27 points and 12 rebounds. Coastal Carolina flirted with a second-round upset over Virginia at the 2014 NCAA tournament but had no chance to entertain similar fantasies this year.
Top Performers
Kaminsky is the engine that drives the train for Wisconsin, as he went 10-of-14 from the field. The Badgers' Sam Dekker supported Kaminsky with an additional 20 points, while Warren Gillis led the way with 22 points for Coastal Carolina.
X-Factor
Though the Chanticleers ranked fourth in the NCAA in rebounding margin, they were handily outrebounded by Wisconsin by a 34-24 margin.
Next Round
Wisconsin will play Oregon on Sunday in the West Region's third round.
Updated by Carol Schram
San Diego State 76, St. John's 64
14 of 32
After reaching the Sweet 16 in 2014, San Diego State started off its NCAA tournament on the right foot with a 76-64 win over St. John’s on Friday in Charlotte.
Dwayne Polee and Matt Shrigley led an assault from the outside with 9-of-22 three-point shooting as the defensively strong Aztecs held the Red Storm to just 3-of-17 shooting from beyond the arc.
For its part, San Diego State shared the scoring, with four players reaching double digits.
Top Performers
Senior forward JJ O'Brien led the way for the Aztecs with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. For St. John's, Sir'Dominic Pointer had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
X-Factor
The fortunes of St. John's may have been different if the team had been operating at full capacity. Junior forward Chris Obekpa was suspended for two weeks days before the tournament began for violating team rules.
Next Round
The road gets tougher as San Diego State faces No. 1 seed Duke in the South Region's third round on Sunday.
Updated by Carol Schram
Gonzaga 86, North Dakota State 76
15 of 32
For a 15th seed, North Dakota State put up a good fight but was ultimately no match for No. 2 seed Gonzaga in the South Region’s second round on Friday, falling by a score of 86-76.
The Bisons got 22 points from Dexter Werner and 19 from Summit League Player of the Year Lawrence Alexander, but it wasn’t enough to match the four starters from Gonzaga who all rang up double-digit nights, led by 23 points from Kyle Wiltjer.
Top Performers
A transfer from Kentucky, Wiltjer led the way offensively with 8-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-3 from behind the arc and a perfect 5-of-5 from the line.
X-Factor
The disciplined Bulldogs had just 13 personal fouls in the game, compared to 22 for the Bisons. That difference ultimately led to an additional 16 free-throw attempts for Gonzaga and 11 extra points from the foul line.
Next Round
On Sunday, Gonzaga will face Iowa in the third round of the South Region in Seattle.
Updated by Carol Schram
Dayton 66, Providence 53
16 of 32
In a rare Friday upset, No. 11 Dayton held on to defeat No. 6 Providence by a score of 66-53 in a second-round East Region matchup in front of a partisan crowd in Columbus, Ohio.
Dayton recovered well from its late comeback win against Boise State on Wednesday, and the smaller, quicker Flyers played an impressive defensive game in limiting the Friars to just 53 points.
Last year’s Flyers strung together three upset victories in the NCAA tournament before ultimately falling to top-seeded Florida in the Elite Eight. They’re well on their way to another Cinderella run in 2015.
Top Performers
In a low-scoring affair, Dyshawn Pierre led the way with 20 points and nine boards for Dayton. Pesky Kris Dunn was essentially neutralized for the Friars, finishing the night with 11 points, four assists and seven turnovers.
X-Factor
Dayton hustled hard for their win, picking up eight steals to Providence's four. Tenacious Flyers guard Kyle Davis led his team with five pick-offs.
Next Round
Dayton moves on to play Oklahoma in the East Region third round on Sunday in Columbus.
Updated by Carol Schram
Notre Dame 69, Northeastern 65
17 of 32
Third-seeded Notre Dame (30-5) faced a far tougher challenge in its opening NCAA tournament game than most expected, needing a late steal from Jerian Grant to avoid being on the losing end of a major upset.
Early foul trouble and poor interior defense limited the Fighting Irish to only a four-point halftime lead. After ramping up the game speed to start the second half, even more defensive breakdowns enabled No. 14 Northeastern (23-12) to whittle away at a 10-point deficit during the final five minutes.
Northeastern pulled within 67-65 on a putback basket by Scott Eatherton with 37 seconds left. The Huskies then had a chance to tie or take the lead after a Notre Dame turnover, but Grant stripped Quincy Ford with three seconds left, and Zach Auguste iced the game with two foul shots.
Aside from that final possession, Notre Dame struggled mightily with its defense, allowing Northeastern to shoot 49.1 percent and pull down 13 offensive rebounds.
Notre Dame shot 57.4 percent but only attempted six three-pointers (after averaging more than 21 tries coming in), relying more on drives to the basket from Grant and Demetrius Jackson along with dump-offs inside to Auguste.
Top Performers
Auguste didn't play much in the first half after picking up two early fouls, but when he was in there he was masterful. The 6'10" junior scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting while hitting five of seven free throws, including two critical makes with 1.9 seconds remaining.
X-Factor
Notre Dame only turned the ball over seven times and assisted on 19 of its 27 made field goals.
Next Round
The Irish will face No. 6 Butler on Saturday in a third-round Midwest Region game in Pittsburgh.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
UAB 60, Iowa State 59
18 of 32UAB provided us with the first upset of the 2015 NCAA tournament, and it was a doozy, as the 14th-seeded Blazers took down the Big 12 tournament champions in a low-scoring game that went completely against Iowa State's uptempo approach.
The Blazers (20-15) got a jumper from freshman William Lee with 26 seconds left to take a 58-57 lead, and then Lee hit a pair of free throws with 12 seconds remaining to help secure the program's first NCAA victory since 2005.
Third-seeded Iowa State (25-9) had a chance to tie in the final seconds, but Naz Long's wide-open three-point attempt clanged off the front rim. Monte Morris tipped in the miss with 0.4 seconds left to pull the Cyclones within one, but once UAB inbounded the ball, the upset was complete.
UAB held Iowa State to 36.9 percent shooting and dominated the Cyclones on the glass, holding a 52-37 edge that included 19 offensive rebounds.
Top Performers
UAB's Robert Brown scored a game-high 21 points, making just seven of 19 shots but hitting a key three-pointer that gave the Blazers a 56-55 lead with 52 seconds left. Lee had 14 points and 12 rebounds.
X-Factor
Iowa State standout Georges Niang had one of the worst games of his career, making just four of 15 shots for 11 points. His final attempt, with 13 seconds remaining and ISU down by one point, was blocked along the baseline by Lee.
Next Round
UAB will play in Saturday's third round in the South Region against No. 11 UCLA in Louisville.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Georgia State 57, Baylor 56
19 of 32Leave it to the coach's son to trigger one of the greatest late-game comebacks in NCAA tournament history, as well as one of the biggest upsets of the past few seasons.
R.J. Hunter scored 12 of Georgia State's final 13 points over the last 2:39, including a deep three-pointer with 2.6 seconds left, to give the 14th-seeded Panthers (25-9) their second tourney victory in school history. Hunter made his last four shots after starting the game 1-of-8 from the field, finishing with 16 points.
Third-seeded Baylor (24-10) held a 56-44 lead after Rico Gathers hit two free throws with 2:54 left, but the Bears never scored again. They missed all four field goal attempts, turned the ball over four times and missed the front end of a one-and-one with 15 seconds left, setting up Hunter's game-winning shot.
R.J. Hunter is the son of Georgia State coach Ron Hunter, who had to sit in a mobile seat during the game because of a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in the postgame celebration after his team won the Sun Belt tournament title on Sunday.
Top Performers
Hunter's run down the stretch began with two foul shots, then seven points in a 16-second span that included a basket off a steal he made in the middle of the court to pull Georgia State within three with 1:20 left.
X-Factor
Baylor turned the ball over 21 times, completely negating a 40-23 rebounding advantage and a tremendous performance off the bench from Taurean Prince, who had 18 points and 15 rebounds.
Next Round
Georgia State moves on to face No. 6 Xavier on Saturday in a Midwest Region third-round game in Jacksonville.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Arizona 93, Texas Southern 72
20 of 32
Arizona 93, Texas Southern 72
The No. 2 Wildcats (32-3) avoided any of the drama that befell other top-seeded teams in early Thursday action, building a large lead early and then keeping the edge throughout against No. 15 Texas Southern (22-13).
Arizona led 54-33 at halftime, shooting 69 percent in the first 20 minutes, and shot 60.4 for the game as all five starters had at least 12 points. The Wildcats dominated on the boards, out-rebounding the Tigers 35-19 while also blocking three shots and recording eight steals.
Top Performers
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting along with 10 rebounds while making nine of 10 from the free-throw line. Stanley Johnson added 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
X-Factor
The Wildcats were money at the foul line, making 24 of 27 free throws compared to 19 of 30 for Texas Southern.
Next Round
Arizona will play Saturday in the third round against either No. 7 VCU or No. 10 Ohio State in a West Region game in Portland.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Butler 56, Texas 48
21 of 32
The Bulldogs (23-10) overcame an injury to standout Roosevelt Jones to win a defensive slugfest, holding off 11th-seeded Texas.
Jones hurt his leg early in the second half, yet No. 6 Butler managed to go from trailing 28-27 to leading 42-37 during his absence. The junior forward finished with just six points on 3-of-10 shooting, but that included a layup with 4:53 left to put the Bulldogs up by seven.
Texas (20-14) pulled within 44-43 with 2:44 remaining on a jumper by Isaiah Taylor, the last of his eight straight points for the Longhorns. But after that Texas made just two of six shots.
Top Performers
With Jones hurt, leading scorer Kellen Dunham filled the void and finished with a game-high 20 points despite only hitting five of 14 shots. He was 8-of-11 from the foul line.
X-Factor
Butler only shot 33.3 percent but made 20 of 28 free throws, going 9-of-12 in the final 1:59 of play.
Next Round
Butler will face third-seeded Notre Dame in a Midwest Region third-round game Saturday in Pittsburgh.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
UCLA 60, SMU 59
22 of 32SMU's Yanick Moreira was called for goaltending on a three-point shot from UCLA's Bryce Alford with 10.9 seconds left, which gave the 11th-seeded Bruins a come-from-behind victory.
UCLA (21-13) trailed 59-52 with 1:26 left before ending the game on an 8-0 run, forcing a pair of turnovers while Alford hit two threes—including the one that goaltending was called on—on either side of two Norman Powell free throws.
No. 6 SMU (27-7) had two chances to win in the final seconds, but neither shot attempt by Nic Moore fell.
The Mustangs used a 19-0 run midway through the second half to turn a 10-point deficit into a nine-point lead before UCLA rallied down the stretch.
Top Performers
Alford scored 27 points, hitting 9-of-11 three pointers, while Moore scored 24 and was 6-of-11 from outside for the Mustangs
X-Factor
Officials were unable to review the goaltending call, having to stay with the live call, but replays showed that Moreira's fingers grazed the ball just before it would have hit the rim.
Next Round
UCLA will move on to face No. 14 UAB on Saturday in a third-round South Region game in Louisville.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Xavier 76, Ole Miss 57
23 of 32
The sixth-seeded Muskeeters stifled Ole Miss' up-tempo attack, holding the Rebels (21-13) to 32.9 percent shooting while hitting 46.4 percent of their own shots.
Xavier (22-13) held Ole Miss scorers Stefan Moody—who had 26 points in Tuesday's comeback win over BYU in the First Four—and Jarvis Summers to a combined 5-of-26 shooting. Summers went scoreless, missing all eight of his shots.
Offensively, center Matt Stainbrook and guard Dee Davis did most of the damage, though as a team the Musketeeers had 10 three-pointers from five different players.
Top Performers
The Xavier duo of Stainbrook and Davis combined for 37 points on 13-of-20 shooting, with Stainbrook doing his work inside and Davis hitting 4 of 9 three-pointers.
X-Factor
Xavier only allowed Ole Miss to get to the line for five free throws, compared to 21 times for the Musketeers.
Next Round
Xavier will face No. 14 Georgia State on Saturday in a West Region third-round game in Jacksonville.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Ohio State 75, VCU 72 (OT)
24 of 32The 10th-seeded Buckeyes overcame a double-digit deficit in the first half to force overtime, riding freshman D'Angelo Russell's heroics throughout to knock off No. 7 VCU.
Ohio State (24-10) trailed 25-13 with 6:36 left before halftime then went on a 16-5 run to trail by only one at the break. The Buckeyes went up 38-37 with 17:22 left on a three-pointer from Russell, then the teams went back and forth for the rest of regulation.
VCU's Doug Brooks hit four threes in the second half, including three on consecutive possessions at one point.
OSU forced OT with a dunk from Amir Williams with 1:17 remaining, then VCU (26-10) missed three shots in the final 61 seconds.
In the extra session, Keita Bates-Diop gave OSU the lead for good at 71-68 with 2:34 remaining, hitting a three that was just his second attempt (and make) of the game.
Top Performers
Russell led all scorers with 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting, hitting 4-of-7 three-pointers.
X-Factor
Russell had to briefly leave the game late in the second half after taking an elbow to the face while defending a transition basket, causing him to bleed from a cut next to his eye. The time officials needed to determine that VCU's Brooks had committed a flagrant foul allowed him to miss no game time, however.
Next Round
Ohio State will take on No. 2 Arizona on Saturday in a West Region third-round game in Portland.
Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
Villanova 93, Lafayette 52
25 of 32
The initial No. 1 vs. No. 16 seed matchup Thursday didn't make history. Far from it. Villanova ran away with the game early in the first half and held on for a 93-52 win over Lafayette (20-13).
The Wildcats (33-2) jumped out to a 34-13 lead in the first half and never trailed during the rout.
Nova got scoring from myriad players while dominating the boards to limit the Lafayette offense. The rout helps build momentum for a tough East Region that the Wildcats will have to navigate through en route to a potential Final Four.
Top Performers
Nearly every player on the Villanova roster got in on the scoring, but it was Ryan Arcidiacono who stood out with 13 points and six assists. Dylan Ennis had a team-high 16 points while Daniel Ochefu nearly had a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds.
X-Factor
Villanova's bench outscored Lafayette's reserves 26-13. Josh Hart came off the pine and grabbed eight boards to help win the rebounding battle, 33-25, to put the Leopards away.
Next Round
By virtue of the win, the Wildcats will face the winner of No. 8 N.C. State vs No. 9 Purdue on Saturday in Pittsburgh.
Updated by R. Cory Smith
Cincinnati 66, Purdue 65
26 of 32After a two-year absence from the NCAA tournament, ninth-seeded Purdue was looking to make a statement with a win in the second round. However, eighth-seeded Cincinnati had a different plan as it came back late to win in overtime, 66-65.
The two programs traded off six different lead changes in the first half before the Boilermakers took a 29-26 advantage into the locker room. Purdue then used forwards A.J. Hammons and Vince Edwards to dominate down low with a combined 31 points.
Their production wouldn't be enough, as Cincinnati's Troy Caupain made a huge layup to tie the game after a turnover on the previous possession. Farad Cobb then hit a layup of his own to seal the victory in overtime.
Top Performers
Three players finished in double digits for the Bearcats, but it was Cobb's production late that completed the come-from-behind win. He finished with 14 points.
X-Factor
Cincinnati's defense wasn't able to handle Hammons and Edwards, but the perimeter defense was excellent, holding the Boilermakers to 4-of-26 from behind the arc.
Next Round
Cincinnati's prize for winning is a game against the victor between No. 1 Kentucky and No. 16 Hampton on Saturday.
Updated by R. Cory Smith
North Carolina 67, Harvard 65
27 of 32
Fourth-seeded North Carolina (25-11) survived a huge upset scare when No. 13 seed Harvard's multiple attempts at a game-winning three-pointer fell short. The Crimson (22-8) heaved up long-range shots on three straight possessions before falling by two points.
Justin Jackson had the game-clinching dunk after hitting a jumper to tie the game. Those shots went down in the game's final 48 seconds as Harvard was unable to do anything after a huge four-point play from Siyani Chambers.
Wesley Saunders finished with 26 points, but it wasn't enough to earn Harvard another upset win in the tournament. UNC continues to play well in March after coming up just short in the ACC championship against Notre Dame.
Top Performers
Both Kennedy Meeks and Justin Jackson were great in the paint for the Heels. However, it was Jackson's last two buckets that sealed the win and gave him a team-high 14 points.
X-Factor
Though they didn't take many, the Tar Heels hit three-pointers with great efficiency, finishing 5-of-7 from long range. Marcus Paige and Jackson both finished with two apiece from behind the arc.
Next Round
Carolina will play the winner of No. 5 Arkansas vs. No. 12 Wofford in the third round on Saturday.
Updated by R. Cory Smith
Utah 57, Stephen F. Austin 50
28 of 32
Not this season, Stephen F. Austin. It's been just under a year since the Lumberjacks upset VCU in the second round, 77-75. This time around, fifth-seeded Utah (25-8) cut Stephen F. Austin (29-5) down to size, 57-50, to advance to the third round.
Utah's Delon Wright was noticeably off his game, finishing 2-of-7 from the field (11 points), but was picked up by his teammates. Though he didn't contribute much, Wright still hit two late free throws, and Isaiah Wright helped maintain the lead with three connections from the charity stripe.
Cinderella's slipper didn't fit for the lumberjacks this year, but Thomas Walkup had a strong game with 12 points and nine rebounds. Jacob Parker's career ended with a forgettable 3-of-14 performance, but the senior helped turn the program around.
Top Performers
Wright has been the trigger man for the Utes all season, but it was Jakob Poeltl who stood out with 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting and eight rebounds.
X-Factor
The Utes shot 47.4 percent from the field and 38.5 from behind the arc compared to 33.3 and 19.2 percent, respectively, for the Lumberjacks.
Next Round
Utah's victory earns it a matchup with the winner of the No. 4 Georgetown and No. 13 Eastern Washington matchup.
Updated by R. Cory Smith
NC State 66, LSU 65
29 of 32A year after imploding against Saint Louis, NC State got some vindication in the tournament opener on Thursday. The eighth-seeded Wolfpack (21-13) knocked off No. 9 seed LSU (22-11) on a last-second tip-in from BeeJay Anya to seal the come-from behind, 66-65 win.
NC State trailed by 14 points at the half but clawed all the way back in the second. Tim Quarterman was huge for the Tigers, but his inability to hit free throws along with teammate Jordan Mickey gave NC State a chance to win late.
After holding a 65-60 lead with 3:59 remaining, the Tigers missed six straight from the charity stripe. The Pack responded with six points down the stretch, the final four coming from Anya on the last two possessions.
It was a heartbreaking way for LSU to go out but one that NC State fans knows all too well.
Top Performers
As he has in nearly every game down the stretch, Anthony "Cat" Barber was phenomenal for NC State, finishing with 17 points and five rebounds.
X-Factor
Kyle Washington's effectiveness in the second half—seven points and four rebounds—led the Pack back into the game. After being forced to the bench to close the season, Washington responded in a big way.
Next Round
The Wolfpack will now take on No. 1 Villanova in the third round in Pittsburgh on Saturday in East Regional action.
Updated by R. Cory Smith
Kentucky 79, Hampton 56
30 of 32
Hampton put on a valiant effort in the first half, but the MEAC tournament champion simply didn't have enough firepower to keep up with Kentucky. The Wildcats (35-0) remained perfect while the Pirates (17-18) head home on a sour note after a memorable March.
Kentucky's size and athleticism in the paint wore down Hampton while Andrew Harrison ignited the 'Cats from outside. After going unblemished all season, Thursday served as another reminder that ousting Kentucky is going to take a flawless effort from its opponent.
Top Performers
Karl-Anthony Towns continued his sensational season to lead the Wildcats with a double-double at 21 points and 11 rebounds.
X-Factor
Kentucky's defense was, as it has been all year, nearly flawless. Hampton was held to shooting just 28.8 percent from the field while Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein combined for five blocks.
Next Round
The Wildcats will face Cincinnati in the third round of play on Saturday in Louisville.
Updated by R. Cory Smith
Arkansas 56, Wofford 53
31 of 32
Despite a resounding effort from Wofford, the Terriers couldn't do enough late in the game to defeat Arkansas. The Razorbacks (27-8) ousted Wofford (28-7) thanks to a dominant effort from Michael Qualls.
The junior had a nearly perfect night, finishing 8-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from three-point range. Qualls set the stage, but Alandise Harris closed the curtains. Harris had just eight points on the night, but made a jumper to take the lead and hit a free throw to secure the win.
Wofford missed three shots from behind the arc in the final minute and 18 seconds that derailed the comeback effort. Neither team led by more than three points in the second half, making it one of the most tightly-contested matchups of the second round.
Top Performers
Qualls' 20 points on Thursday continued a stretch of standout games in March. He's averaged 17.7 points per contest over that six-game stretch.
X-Factor
The only advantage Arkansas had on the night was its ability to distribute the ball, winning the assists battle, 13-7, while limiting turnovers down the stretch. In the last 7:16, the Razorbacks didn't turn the ball over once after losing possession 10 times before that point.
Next Round
Arkansas' triumph means it will match up with No. 4 North Carolina on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.
Updated by R. Cory Smith
Georgetown 84, Eastern Washington 74
32 of 32
So much for that guaranteed win.
Georgetown (22-10) easily took care of Eastern Washington (26-9) to advance to the third round. That victory came after Eastern Washington coach Jim Hayford predicted a win for his Eagles earlier this week on The Jim Rome Show.
D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera did everything in his power to prove Hayford wrong, finishing as the leading scorer for the Hoyas. The Eagles packed plenty of punch offensively but couldn't quite get the stops necessary to take down Georgetown.
Venky Jois and Tyler Harvey finished the season on a high note with a combined 46 points and 10 rebounds. That effort would not be enough, but both players still have another year together to make a run.
Top Performers
Smith-Rivera led the Hoyas with 25 points while going 4-of-7 from three-point range along with seven rebounds. Mikael Hopkins nearly had a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
X-Factor
Speaking of the bench, Georgetown's reserves were special on Thursday. All five players outscored three starters with at least eight points. Georgetown's bench outscored Eastern Washington's bench 45-21.
Next Round
Following their win, the Hoyas will take on No. 5 seed Utah in the round of 32 on Saturday.
Updated by R. Cory Smith
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