NCAA Scores 2015: Tournament Results Tracker for Thursday's 2nd-Round Bracket
Although the 2015 NCAA tournament got underway on Tuesday, the madness of March really doesn't kick in until now. The nonstop action that begins in the round of 64 is really what separates the Big Dance from any other event.
The first half of the second round takes place on Thursday. The other 16 games take place on Friday, immediately trimming the field in half. All of the teams that advance will play again this weekend with hope of clinching a berth in the Sweet 16.
Kentucky, the tournament's top overall seed, continues its journey toward a perfect season with an opener against Hampton tonight. Below is all the key information for Thursday's action, which will be updated throughout the day.
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Thursday's Results for Second Round
| 12:15 p.m. | (3) Notre Dame | (14) Northeastern | 69-65, ND |
| 12:40 p.m. | (3) Iowa State | (14) UAB | 60-59, UAB |
| 1:40 p.m. | (3) Baylor | (14) Georgia State | 57-56, GSU |
| 2:10 p.m. | (2) Arizona | (15) Texas Southern | 93-72, ARZ |
| 2:45 p.m. | (6) Butler | (11) Texas | 56-48, BUT |
| 3:10 p.m. | (6) SMU | (11) UCLA | 60-59, UCLA |
| 4:10 p.m. | (6) Xaxier | (11) Ole Miss | 76-57, Xavier |
| 4:40 p.m. | (7) VCU | (10) Ohio State | 75-72 (OT), Ohio State |
| 6:50 p.m. | (1) Villanova | (16) Lafayette | 93-52, Villanova |
| 7:10 p.m. | (8) Cincinnati | (9) Purdue | 66-65 (OT), Cincinnati |
| 7:20 p.m. | (4) North Carolina | (13) Harvard | 67-65, North Carolina |
| 7:27 p.m. | (5) Utah | (12) Stephen F. Austin | 57-50, Utah |
| 9:20 p.m. | (8) NC State | (9) LSU | 66-65, NC State |
| 9:40 p.m. | (1) Kentucky | (16) Hampton | 79-56, Kentucky |
| 9:50 p.m. | (5) Arkansas | (12) Wofford | 56-53, Arkansas |
| 9:57 p.m. | (4) Georgetown | (13) E. Washington | 84-74, Georgetown |
Day 3 Recap
No. 3 Notre Dame 69, No. 14 Northeastern 65 (Midwest)
Notre Dame received an immediate test from Northeastern. The upset-minded Huskies held a two-point lead at the final media timeout of the first half. The Fighting Irish went on a 9-2 run to grab the halftime edge and held off a late comeback bid to advance.
The Irish led by 12 with just six minutes left. Northeastern started slowly chipping away, however, and got the game back within one possession in the final minute. But the Huskies turned the ball over in the final seconds, and Zach Auguste finally sealed it at the free-throw line.
SportsCenter highlighted the escape:
Auguste led the charge for the Irish with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field. Jerian Grant added 17, while Demetrius Jackson chipped in nine points and eight assists. Scott Eatherton had 18 points and eight rebounds in a losing effort for Northeastern.
Notre Dame will play the winner of the clash between Butler and Texas in the next round. The Irish will be happy to advance given the close call, but they also known their level of play needs to improve to make a deep run in the tourney.
No. 14 UAB 60, No. 3 Iowa State 59 (South)
UAB pulled off the first shocker of the tournament by sending Iowa State packing. The Blazers out-rebounded the Cyclones 52-37, played some poised defense and took advantage of a poor shooting day from beyond the arc by the No. 3 seed to keep their March dreams alive.
Iowa State, which was one of the nation's top offensive teams during the regular season, could never find a rhythm. It shot just 37 percent from the field, including a lackluster 6-of-23 mark from beyond the arc. It was part tough defense and part failing to take advantage of good looks.
Myron Medcalf of ESPN summed up the surprising result:
Robert Brown was the driving force for UAB with 21 points. William Lee was the only other player in double figures with 14 to go along with 12 rebounds. It was a poor outing for Cyclones star Georges Niang, who had just 11 points (4-of-15 from the field).
The Blazers surely busted a lot of brackets with the victory. They will play either SMU or UCLA in the next round as they look to make one upset into a potential Cinderella story. Another strong defensive effort will be needed in that contest.
No. 14 Georgia State 57, No. 3 Baylor 56 (West)
Georgia State followed the lead of UAB and sent another No. 3 seed to an early exit. This time it was Baylor. The Bears took a 56-44 lead with just under three minutes to go, and then the Panthers rattled off 13 straight points to stun their more hyped counterparts.
Baylor had numerous chances over the final minutes to halt the comeback bid. Alas, a string of turnovers and missed shots left the door open. R.J. Hunter barged right through it, scoring 12 of the 13 points to spur the remarkable run.
His dad, head coach Ron Hunter, literally fell off the edge of his seat when the shot to give the Panthers the lead went in, as CBS Sports College Basketball highlighted:
The younger Hunter had just four points before that late barrage. He ended up leading the team with 16. Ryann Green and Markus Crider also hit double digits in the point column for the underdogs. Nobody in Baylor's starting lineup scored more than nine points.
Georgia State can't expect its next opponent to go ice-cold like Baylor did down the stretch. But during March Madness, it all comes down to the phrase "survive and advance." That's exactly what the No. 14 seed did on Thursday afternoon.
No. 2 Arizona 93, No. 15 Texas Southern 72 (West)
Arizona had no interest in allowing the upset bug to hit it, too. The Wildcats, one of the tournament's top championship contenders, scored 54 points in the first half. They were on cruise control from there to reach the third round at the expense of Texas Southern.
The Tigers simply didn't have an answer for the Wildcats' multifaceted attack. Arizona was able to get open looks seemingly at will for most of the contest and took full advantage of those chances. The result was never in doubt.
Head coach Sean Miller wasn't totally pleased, however. Anthony Gimino of Fox Sports Arizona noted his concerns about the defense:
He's right. As the Wildcats progress in the tourney they will need to improve on that end of the floor. But with all five starters scoring at least 12 points, led by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson with 23, the outlook remains positive. Madarious Gibbs had 15 to lead Texas Southern.
Arizona moves on take on either VCU or Ohio State, one of the most intriguing matchups of the Round of 64. Either of those squads will pose a better test than the one it received on Thursday. The Wildcats will still be the favorite to reach the second week, though.
No. 6 Butler 56, No. 11 Texas 48 (Midwest)
One of the more popular upset selections for the Round of 64 didn't come through as Butler thwarted off Texas. It was a close contest throughout, but the Longhorns just weren't able to come up with the clutch baskets when they needed them down the stretch.
Texas was within one with just over two minutes to play. Isaiah Taylor tried to take control. A couple misses and a turnover later and Butler was in firm control, though. The Bulldogs were able to make their free throws to close it out.
Darren Rovell of ESPN highlighted their recent run of tournament success:
Kellen Dunham came up big for Butler with 20 points. Kameron Woods came up just shy of a double-double with nine points and nine boards. Jonathan Holmes had 15 for Texas but Myles Turner had just two points for Texas.
The Bulldogs will face Notre Dame in the third round. They are going to need a more efficient performance on the offensive end of the floor to keep pace with the Fighting Irish. But both sides are coming off close calls.
No. 11 UCLA 60, No. 6 SMU 59 (South)
Bryce Alford made nine of his 11 attempts from three-point range as UCLA stormed back in the final minutes to score an upset of SMU. A controversial goaltending call with less than 15 seconds left was the deciding factor.
The Mustangs had erased a 10-point deficit to lead by seven with just 1:26 left. An Alford three and a pair of Norman Powell free throws later the Bruins were back within two. That's when Alford threw up a three that looked like it was going to miss but goaltending was called when Yanick Moreira touched it.
Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times recapped the call:
The sharpshooting from Alford is the only reason the Bruins are moving on. They made just 10 of their 27 attempts from inside the arc, turned the ball over 18 times and assisted on just 10 buckets. But he put them over the top.
UCLA has a legitimate chance to reach the Sweet 16, too. The Bruins will next face off with UAB, which upset Iowa State earlier in the day and begin the manic Thursday. That's what March Madness is all about: the unexpected.
No. 6 Xavier 76, No. 11 Ole Miss 57 (West)
The Musketeers were indeed too strong for the Rebels to handle, putting the clamps down on defense as Ole Miss shot a meager 32.9 percent from the field.
ESPN Stats & Info alluded to how cold the Rebels went on offense, which was a stark contrast to the finish of their first-round victory over BYU:
Senior center Matt Stainbrook led Xavier and all scorers with 20 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting, also adding nine rebounds, five assists and two steals in a strong all-around game.
RJ Bell of ESPN highlighted how the Musketeers became the first favorite of the tournament to truly do the selection committee's seeding some justice:
Now Xavier finds itself in prime position to advance even further in the Big Dance. Georgia State was one of two 14th seeds to pull off stunning upsets during Thursday's action, defeating No. 3 Baylor 57-56.
Although the Panthers can't exactly be discounted anymore after knocking off Baylor, they will be facing an exceptional Musketeers defense and must get hot from the perimeter to have any chance. Otherwise, Xavier can expect to get through to the regional semifinals with relative ease.
No. 10 Ohio State 75, No. 7 VCU 72 (OT; West)
It was the D'Angelo Russell show in the first overtime game of the 2015 NCAA tournament.
The Buckeyes' freshman phenom lit up the Rams for 28 points, as he and point guard Shannon Scott (10 assists) had a strong rapport to drive OSU's victory.
An unexpected hero emerged for the victors in first-year forward Keita Bates-Diop. He broke a 68-all tie in overtime with a three-pointer, adding to the momentous shot he drained from beyond the arc to put the Buckeyes up 62-60 late in regulation.
Treveon Graham was one of four VCU players to score in double figures, but he's usually the leading scorer for the Rams and missed nine of his 12 shots from the field. Clutch three-pointers by Doug Brooks kept VCU close, but a better game by Graham may have allowed VCU to advance.
But it was more about Russell's brilliance than anything else. ESPN's Chad Ford weighed in on Russell's stupendous performance and looked ahead to the next game on Ohio State's schedule:
The round of 32 will present a considerable test against second-seeded Arizona and its stout defense. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is often tasked with guarding the opposition's best player, so he'll likely draw Russell as his latest assignment.
Arizona has a great freshman of its own in Stanley Johnson. Seeing Russell and Johnson go head-to-head should be fascinating not only for March Madness, but also big for them as individuals presuming they both declare for the NBA draft.
No. 1 Villanova 93, No. 16 Lafayette 52 (East)
For all the excitement that defined Thursday's second-round schedule, Villanova took care of business and then some against Lafayette.
Every Wildcats starter scored in double digits, led by Dylan Ennis' 16. The junior guard also dished out five assists to help his squad in the blowout.
CSNPhilly.com's Reuben Frank praised Villanova's balance in the early going:
There wasn't much more to say for this game. Villanova shot 63.2 percent from the field and committed only eight turnovers, so the Leopards never really had a chance to pull off the first-ever upset over a No. 1 seed.
The East figures to be a lot tougher for the Wildcats the rest of the way, so it had to be nice to have this easy of an NCAA tourney opener to gain some confidence. They await NC State, whose lockdown defense against LSU late makes it a threat to knock Villanova out early.
But coach Jay Wright's juggernaut has now won 33 consecutive games, so it's unwise to bet against the Wildcats even with the numerous surprises Thursday's action fostered.
No. 8 Cincinnati 66, No. 9 Purdue 65 (OT; Midwest)
That sports cliche, the "back-and-forth affair?" It applies to what transpired between these two Midwest teams.
ESPN Stats & Info describes the trend of a game that was arguably the most memorable of all on this day:
A seemingly impossible buzzer-beating runner at the rim by Cincinnati's Troy Caupain forced the extra period:
Brian Bennett of ESPN logged what Bearcats guard Kevin Johnson said about what lies ahead for Cincinnati:
The mighty Kentucky Wildcats are on tap for Cincinnati after predictably avoiding a cataclysmic meltdown and defeated Hampton in the round of 64.
Kentucky seems like a lock to at least get through the Midwest and to Indianapolis for the Final Four. It would take an extraordinary performance from Cincinnati to stay close for more than a half.
No. 4 North Carolina 67, No. 13 Harvard 65
The Tar Heels led by as many as 16 points but let Harvard crawl back into it slowly but surely. Thankfully for UNC fans, the inconsistent but more talented squad hung on to get to the round of 32.
Crimson senior stud Wesley Saunders missed a three-pointer with seconds remaining that would've given Harvard the win. He had a fine closing college performance with 26 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Following the game, UNC coach Roy Williams told reporters he felt fortunate to escape with a win, via The Charlotte Observer's Joe Person:
Siyani Chambers had a four-point play to give Harvard its first lead at 65-63, but the Tar Heels responded. Forward Justin Jackson led North Carolina with 14 points, including the two biggest ones, courtesy of GoHeels TV:
Arkansas will take on the Tar Heels next in the West. Although North Carolina still has a strong chance to advance to the Sweet 16, Williams was right to express displeasure with how his team played down the stretch afterwards.
If the Tar Heels don't play with more urgency in the third round, they'll likely be heading home earlier than expected. What does help is that the players overcame adversity against a fundamentally sound Harvard and can use the victory as a springboard forward.
No. 5 Utah 57, No. 12 Stephen F. Austin 50
A tremendous defensive effort by the Utes held one of the country's most high-octane offenses in check for most of Thursday's contest.
The Lumberjacks were a trendy upset pick, but ran into a determined Utah squad who lived up to its seeding and staved off a late Stephen F. Austin rally to advance.
Entering with a 38.6 shooting percentage from beyond the arc, the lower seeds made just five of 26 three-point shots. That's what cost Stephen F. Austin the chance to pull off the upset above all else.
Utah big man Jakob Poeltl gave the Lumberjacks fits inside, sinking all seven of his field-goal attempts to net a game-best 18 points. Turner Sports' Matt Winer applauded Poeltl's performance:
With solid scoring ability of its own in averaging 72.1 points per contest prior to the NCAA tournament, the Utes have the ingredients to go deep in the Big Dance.
The winner of Thursday's nightcap between No. 4 Georgetown and underdog upstart Eastern Washington will take on the Utes next. It should be a highly competitive South region overall, but Utah and others have tremendous work to do to upend top seed Duke.
No. 8 NC State 66, No. 9 LSU 65 (East)
The Wolfpack made history by becoming the unprecedented fifth one-point winner in a single NCAA tournament day, per CBS Sports.
Beejay Anya's game-winning jumper with four seconds remaining proved to be the difference. NC State guard Anthony Barber led the victors with 17 points and helped spark a huge comeback.
In more general terms, though, it was NC State's defense toward the end that helped it overcome a 40-26 halftime hole, as NCAA March Madness highlighted:
An even tougher test looms for the Wolfpack as they prepare to take on the top-seeded Villanova Wildcats in the round of 32. Based on how well NC State put the clamps on LSU, there's reason to believe an upset could be brewing.
However, Villanova is deep and can score in so many different ways.
Superior shooting from the perimeter may help the Wildcats avert an early exit, but the Wolfpack crash the boards a bit better, which could be an equalizer in what ought to be a compelling third-round clash.
No. 1 Kentucky 79, No. 16 Hampton 56 (Midwest)
The tournament's overall seed wasn't going to let Hampton entertain the vaguest notion of an upset.
Kentucky didn't play its best basketball, but it did enough to put together a comfortable margin of victory and advance without much of a thought. Freshman star Karl-Anthony Towns was great in posting 21 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio felt the Wildcats didn't play to their gaudy standards:
ESPN.com's Eamonn Brennan made light of the post-game testimony given by Wildcats coach John Calipari:
This is hardly surprising, because Calipari refuses to let his undefeated team get complacent. Kentucky is arguably the best defensive squad in the country and have multiple go-to options on offense. Cold shooting is thus not as harmful to the Wildcats.
On deck in the round of 32 is Cincinnati, who had to hit a buzzer-beating shot to force overtime and ultimately get past Purdue. The Bearcats have rather balanced scoring output, but nowhere near the depth of talent to seriously threaten the Midwest's No. 1 seed.
No. 5 Arkansas 56, No. 12 Wofford 53 (West)
Two clean looks from beyond the arc went begging for Wafford in the waning seconds, as the Razorbacks managed to escape and push through to the third round.
The Big Lead's Jason McIntyre weighed in on the thrilling finish:
Seth Davis of CBS Sports referenced how the Terriers dictated the pace of the game to remain within striking distance for the upset:
ESPN Stats & Info added more context to how tight one of the day's final games was:
Arkansas has the North Carolina Tar Heels standing between it and a trip to the Sweet 16. UNC was inconsistent and nearly led Harvard come all the way back in its tight second-round win, so there's reason to believe the Razorbacks can pull off the slight upset.
On the other hand, two of the NCAA tourney's No. 1 seeds accounted for three of the Tar Heels' 11 losses this season. Among the others, both Notre Dame and Butler advanced to the third round on Thursday.
North Carolina is well accustomed to raising its game against college basketball's best and should thus be considered the solid favorite versus the Razorbacks.
No. 4 Georgetown 84, No. 13 Eastern Washington 74 (South)
The Eagles did all they could to punch back, only to be held off by the superior Hoyas in the end.
Georgetown's bench scored 45 points—just one fewer than the star Eastern Washington tandem of Tyler Harvey and Venky Jois combined for.
NBC News' Luke Russert had a fitting summary on Twitter regarding those who counted the favorites out:
The Hoyas have been rightfully discounted ahead of this year's NCAA tournament because of recent shortcomings. They responded in a big way in Thursday's finale by dominating their lesser competition for much of the night.
At least for one March Madness moment, Georgetown gets the last laugh over all the critics. It can carry plenty of momentum forward into a third-round showdown with Utah, too.
On the strength of holding Stephen F. Austin to 50 points on Thursday and a strong effort on the season, the Utes rank seventh in KenPom.com's defensive efficiency rankings. Coach John Thompson III's Hoyas are 23rd in that category, so expect these two squads to claw away in a physical game to determine one of the South's regional semifinalists.
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