NCAA Tournament 2017: B/R Expert Predictions, Updated Results for First Round
So maybe there weren't that many upsets in the first round of the 2017 NCAA tournament, but are you saying you weren't entertained?
Only a handful of double-digits seeds are still alive after Thursday and Friday's action, though that means all of this weekend's second-round pairings should be doozies. How did we get to those matchups? Check out our recaps of all of the first-round games to find out.
Advanced statistics courtesy of KenPom.com, Sports-Reference.com and WarrenNolan.com. Odds provided by OddsShark.
No. 7 Michigan vs. No. 10 Oklahoma State
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Michigan needed every bit of its second-half explosion to hold off Oklahoma State 92-91.
The Wolverines knocked down 11 of their 15 three-point attempts after halftime and buried four free throws in the final 10 seconds to clip the Cowboys. Both teams scored 51 points in the second stanza, but Michigan’s one-point halftime edge held up.
Oklahoma State shot 54.7 percent from the floor but only forced four turnovers.
Top Performers
Derrick Walton Jr. stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, while D.J. Wilson tallied 19 points and four blocks. Jawun Evans registered 23 points and 12 assists to lead Oklahoma State, and Jeffrey Carroll netted 19.
X-Factor
Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman knocked down three triples for the first time since late January. He finished the victory with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, also dishing four assists.
Next Round
Michigan will take on No. 2 Louisville in the round of 32 on Sunday.
—Updated by David Kenyon
No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 New Mexico State
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Baylor star Johnathan Motley picked up two early fouls, but the bench responded with a dominant performance to lift the Bears past New Mexico State 91-73.
Al Freeman and Terry Maston combined for 40 points on 15-of-22 shooting, adding 14 rebounds. The duo outscored the Aggies’ reserves by 24.
New Mexico State held a two-point lead at halftime thanks to six three-pointers, but the Aggies went cold in the second half and finished just 36.4 percent from long distance.
Top Performers
Freeman's season-high 21 points led Baylor, and Maston registered 19 points. Three more players reached double figures, including Motley at 15. Ian Baker and Braxton Huggins both scored 19 points for New Mexico State, and Eli Chuha managed 11.
X-Factor
Though New Mexico State is a great offensive rebounding team, Baylor limited the Aggies to just one after halftime. They scored 11 second-chance points in the first half, but the Bears steadily pulled away once the defense took control of the glass.
Next Round
Baylor will face No. 11 USC on Sunday after the Trojans defeated SMU in a 66-65 upset.
—Updated by David Kenyon
No. 8 Arkansas vs. No. 9 Seton Hall
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It was an ugly game, but Arkansas pulled out a 77-71 victory over Seton Hall behind a dominant finish and a little boost from the refs.
Trailing by eight points with 8:45 remaining, the Razorbacks proceeded to close the game on a 21-7 run. Jaylen Barford's steal and layup gave them a 72-71 lead, and Arkansas hit five of six free throws down the stretch to close out the win.
But there's no denying a late Flagrant 1 put Seton Hall in an unnecessary hole. Desi Rodriguez did commit a hard intentional foul, but the extra possession allowed the Razorbacks to take a two-possession lead with less than 20 seconds remaining.
Top Performers
Balance carried Arkansas. Moses Kingsley collected 23 points, Barford added 20, Dusty Hannahs scored 14 and Dustin Thomas chipped in 13 more. Khadeen Carrington scored 22 points for Seton Hall, while Angel Delgado posted 12 points and 13 rebounds.
X-Factor
Seton Hall committed 15 turnovers, and those giveaways crushed the Pirates in the second half. Arkansas earned a 13-3 advantage in points off turnovers after the break, and no basket was more important than Barford's go-ahead layup.
Next Round
Arkansas will challenge top-seeded North Carolina in the round of 32 this weekend.
—Updated by David Kenyon
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No. 3 Oregon vs. No. 14 Iona
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Oregon never trailed in its 93-77 triumph against a pesky Iona team Friday afternoon.
Although the Ducks took an 11-point lead around the halfway mark of the opening half, the Gaels quickly cut the deficit to one. Oregon bounced back with a 26-9 run heading into the break, but Iona wasn't quite finished yet.
Despite trailing by 27 early in the second half, the Gaels eventually sliced the lead down to 13. But Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey made sure they came no closer.
Top Performers
Dorsey poured in a game-best 24 points, shooting an impressive 9-of-13 from the floor. Brooks contributed 18 points and four assists, while Jordan Bell notched a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Washington's 22 points paced Iona.
X-Factor
Payton Pritchard made his presence felt all over the court. The freshman guard scored 16 points—hitting four threes—and dished four assists on the offensive end. Defensively, he grabbed three rebounds and nabbed three steals.
Next Round
No. 11 Rhode Island upset No. 6 Creighton for the right to play No. 3 Oregon in the second round.
—Updated by David Kenyon
No. 2 Louisville 78, No. 15 Jacksonville State 63
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It took a little while to get rolling, but once they did, the Louisville Cardinals rode a 40-32 second half to a 78-63 win over Jacksonville State.
Louisville started off ice cold, falling behind 8-0 before finding a shooting groove. But once the Cardinals took the lead on a three-pointer by Deng Adel with 6:40 to play in the first half, there was no looking back.
Rick Pitino’s group showed plenty of hustle, outrebounding the Gamecocks 36-23, including 16-4 on the offensive glass.
Top Performers
Four Cardinals hit double digits in scoring, led by Mangok Mathiang with 18 points. Donovan Mitchell added nine points and 10 rebounds.
Norbertas Giga dominated for Jacksonville State, shooting 11-of-13 and 5-of-5 from three for 30 points.
X-Factor
Long-range shooting could have been an Achilles' heel for Louisville on Friday, but 5-of-15 shooting from three-point range was good enough to secure the win.
Next Round
The Cardinals will face No. 7 Michigan in the second round after the Wolverines squeaked out a 92-91 win over Oklahoma State.
—Updated by Carol Schram
No. 11 USC 66, No. 6 SMU 65
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A three-pointer by Elijah Stewart with 36 seconds left to play gave the USC Trojans a 66-65 upset win over SMU on Friday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Trailing by eight points at halftime, the Trojans narrowed the deficit to five points by the midpoint of the second half, then chipped away down the stretch.
Though USC arrived in the NCAA tournament by virtue of a 75-71 First Four win over Providence on Wednesday, the matchup was a good one for the Trojans, who beat the Mustangs 78-73 back in November.
Top Performers
Stewart led the way for USC with 22 points, including 6-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc. Bennie Boatwright and Chimezie Metu each added 14 points for the Trojans.
The Mustangs were led by Semi Ojeleye, who totaled 24 points and 10 rebounds.
X-Factor
Despite their loss to USC earlier this season, the Mustangs may have underestimated their opponents down the stretch. At least one First Four team has advanced to the round of 32 in each of the seven years since the format was introduced.
Next Round
The Trojans will face No. 3 Baylor in the second round on Sunday. The Bears coasted to an easy 91-73 win over New Mexico State earlier on Friday.
—Updated by Carol Schram
No.1 North Carolina 103, No. 16 Texas Southern 64
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A top seed has never lost to a No. 16 in the NCAA tournament, and the North Carolina Tar Heels kept that streak alive with an easy 103-64 win over Texas Southern on Friday in Greenville.
The Tar Heels outscored the Tigers by 25 points in the first half and by 14 in the second, shot 50.7 percent from the field and doubled up their opponent 54-27 on the boards.
The only cause for concern was starting point guard Joel Berry II, who appeared to injure his right leg early in the second half. He did return to the bench after a trip to the locker room, but finished the game with just three points for the day.
Top Performers
Five Tar Heels hit double digits in scoring, led by 21 points from Justin Jackson. Luke May chipped in 10 points to go along with his nine rebounds.
Kevin Scott went 4-of-8 from three-point territory to lead Texas Southern with 19 points.
X-Factor
Jackson broke out of his shooting slump at an opportune time. After hitting just 33 percent of his shots in his last four games, Jackson picked up 19 points in the first half and finished the day shooting 8-of-13, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Next Round
The Tar Heels will face No. 8 Arkansas in the second round. The Razorbacks defeated Seton Hall 77-71 in their first-round matchup.
—Updated by Carol Schram
No.11 Rhode Island 84, No. 6 Creighton 72
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Stifling defensive play helped the underdog Rhode Island Rams advance to the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament with an 84-72 win over Creighton on Friday in Sacramento, California.
The Rams held the Bluejays to just 26 points in the first half, building a seven-point lead that they were able to grow in the final 20 minutes. In the end, Creighton shot 40 percent and was unable to tap into its powerful three-point game.
Top Performers
Rhode Island relied almost exclusively on its starters, getting just four points off the bench. Jeff Dowtin led the way with 23 points, including perfect 10-for-10 shooting from the free-throw line.
Marcus Foster and Ronnie Harrell Jr. each had 15 points for Creighton, but Foster’s 1-of-7 shooting from three-point territory was a disappointment for the Bluejays.
X-Factor
Normally a 40-percent team from behind the arc, Creighton was held to just 7-of-23 shooting from long range on Friday, a rate of 30.4 percent. The defense-first Rams were a tough matchup for the Bluejays, who came into the tournament off a 74-60 loss to Villanova in the Big East tournament final.
Next Round
The Rams have a tough assignment ahead in Round 2, as they’ll meet No. 3 Oregon. The Ducks beat Iona 93-77 in the early game in Sacramento on Friday.
—Updated by Carol Schram
No. 1 Kansas 100, No. 16 UC Davis 62
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A first-round Big 12 tournament exit meant Kansas had to go seven days between games, which might have led to some early rust that upstart UC Davis used to its advantage. But once the Jayhawks (29-4) shook off the cobwebs, they went from being tied at 13 midway through the first half to up 22 at the break.
Kansas shot exactly 56.3 percent in each half and everyone got into the scoring party. Frank Mason III finished with 22 points, one of five Jayhawks in double figures including Josh Jackson (17), Devonte' Graham (16), Svi Mykhailiuk (16) and Landen Lucas (13).
Chima Moneke had 20 for UC Davis (23-13), which was playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time and beat North Carolina Central in the First Four on Wednesday.
Kansas reached 100 points in an NCAA tourney game for the ninth time in school history and the 38-point margin was its third-largest in the tournament.
Top Performers
Mason had his fourth game this season with at least 20 points and eight assists. Lucas added 11 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double and fifth of the season. Graham was 4-of-7 from three-point range, his ninth game in 2016-17 with at least four triples.
X-Factor
As great as it was on offense, Kansas had one of its best defensive performances of the season. It held UC Davis to 33.9 percent shooting and 4-of-20 on three-pointers.
Next Round
Kansas will face ninth-seeded Michigan State on Sunday in the Midwest Region second round.
— Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 10 Wichita State 64, Dayton 58
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Woefully underseeded after another dominant regular season, Wichita State began its unofficial revenge tour with a hard-fought defensive win over the Flyers by allowing only seven field goals in the second half.
The Shockers (31-4) limited Dayton to 31 percent shooting, but they trailed 29-27 at halftime, a margin made closer by a three-pointer from Rashard Kelly at the buzzer. Dayton (24-8) went up 38-35 with 14:04 left on a three from Scoochie Smith, but it managed only one field goal over the next 10:19, having to settle only for free throws in that span.
Smith had 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting with 15 coming in the first half. The rest of Dayton was 9-of-40 from the field.
Wichita has won at least one NCAA game in five straight tournaments.
Top Performers
Kelly had eight points, 11 rebounds and three blocks off the bench for Wichita, while Zach Brown had 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting including hitting all three of his three-point attempts.
X-Factor
Wichita dominated the boards, winning 48-29 overall and claiming 13 offensive rebounds on 32 missed shots. The Shockers have won the rebounding battle in 27 of 35 games this season.
Next Round
Wichita State takes on No. 2 Kentucky in Sunday's second round South Region game.
— Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 2 Duke 87, No. 15 Troy 65
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Duke (28-8) had to win four games in four days to take the ACC tournament title last weekend, but that doesn't appear to have sapped its energy. The Blue Devils were clicking on all cylinders from the opening tip, scoring 52 first-half points en route to a comfortable first-round win.
The Blue Devils were 10-of-17 from three-point range prior halftime, making 13 from deep overall with four players draining at least two threes apiece. Grayson Allen was 5-of-9 from outside in scoring a team-high 21 points off the bench as one of four Duke players in double figures.
Troy (22-15) couldn't match Duke's perimeter efficiency, shooting 5-of-23 from three, while 17 turnovers also impacted the Trojans in their first NCAA tourney appearance since 2003.
Top Performers
It was quite a tourney debut for Duke's Jayson Tatum, who had 18 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and four steals. He's the first Blue Devils freshman to record a double-double in his first NCAA game since Danny Ferry in 1986, per Luke DeCock of the News & Observer.
X-Factor
Duke recorded 13 steals, tied for its second-most this season, along with eight blocked shots.
Next Round
The Blue Devils will battle No. 7 South Carolina on Sunday in the second round of the East Region.
— Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 6 Cincinnati 75, No. 11 Kansas State 61
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Cincinnati started off hot from the field, making its first eight shots, in cruising to a relatively stress-free first-round win. In doing so, the Bearcats (30-5) prevented the No. 6 seeds from getting swept this year.
The Bearcats shot 65.2 percent in the first half in building a 39-28 lead and finished at 62.8 percent, their second-best efficiency of the season. They shot 31.1 percent in their last game, a 71-56 loss to SMU in Sunday's AAC tournament final.
Kansas State (21-14) wasn't able to carry momentum from its First Four win over Wake Forest on Tuesday, shooting just 38.9 percent. Wesley Iwundu had 19 points and made three three-pointers, but no other Wildcat reached double figures.
Top Performers
Cincinnati's Troy Caupain scored a game-high 23 on 7-of-10 shooting, making all seven foul shots and pulling down seven rebounds. Kyle Washington was 5-of-6 from the field with 16 points, while Gary Clark added 15 points and seven boards.
X-Factor
The Bearcats were able to defend effectively without committing fouls, getting whistled just 12 times. Only twice this season had they fouled fewer times, and this limited Kansas State to only 15 foul shots.
Next Round
Cincinnati gets No. 3 UCLA in the South Region second round on Sunday.
— Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 9 Michigan State 78, No. 8 Miami (Florida) 58
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Down 17-5 early, it looked like an uneven season for Michigan State was going to end far earlier than projected months ago. Then the Spartans remembered it's March and their coach owns that month.
MSU (20-14) scored 20 of the next 22 points and finished the first half on a 30-8 run to go from down 12 to up 11. That 38-27 halftime edge continued to grow as the Spartans rolled to a convincing first-round victory in one of their best performances of the season.
It was the freshmen that paced the entire effort, with Miles Bridges, Josh Langford, Nick Ward and Cassius Winston combining for 57 points, 19 rebounds and nine assists. MSU shot 56.6 percent with that quartet going 23-of-36 from the field.
Miami (21-12) failed to win its first-round game for the first time since 2002 (of the years it qualified) while MSU improved to 14-10 under coach Tom Izzo as the lower-seeded team.
Top Performers
Ward had a monster game with 19 points (on 8-of-9 shooting) and seven rebounds while Bridges had 18 with nine boards and Langford had 13, only his seventh game with double digits all season.
X-Factor
MSU rarely missed in the paint. The Spartans were 24-of-33 on twos. That 72.7 percent rate was way above their 52.4-percent season average.
Next Round
The Spartans will battle top seed Kansas on Sunday in the Midwest Region second round.
— Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 7 South Carolina 93, No. 10 Marquette 73
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How much does having a favorable crowd factor into an NCAA tournament game? Just ask Marquette, which had the bad fortune of getting sent to Greenville, South Carolina, to face the state's biggest college. And when the nearby Gamecocks started to get hot, there was no turning to the fans to help cool them down.
South Carolina (23-10) used a 25-4 run to turn a three-point game with nine minutes left into a blowout and its first NCAA tournament win since 1973. The 93 points were the most the Gamecocks have scored in postseason history and the second-most this season.
Trailing 40-39 at the half, South Carolina erupted for 54 points in the final 20 minutes and shot 52.2 percent for the game. Marquette (19-13) had no answer for that offensive explosion, its defense unable to make a stop and its own normally stellar scoring punch slowing down after making eight three-pointers in the first half.
Top Performers
Sindarius Thornwell, the SEC Player of the Year, had 29 points and 11 rebounds along with two assists, three steals and two blocks. The senior was 10-of-19 from the field and had 10 points during that late run.
X-Factor
In addition to shooting way above its 41.5 percent field-goal rate, worst among NCAA tournament entrants, South Carolina managed to take care of the ball quite well. Its 11 turnovers were tied for its third-fewest since early February.
Next Round
The Gamecocks will look to use the crowd to their advantage again on Sunday in the second round of the East Region against No. 2 Duke.
— Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 3 UCLA 97, No. 14 Kent State 80
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The top-scoring team in the nation lit up the scoreboard but didn't comfortably lead MAC champion Kent State until the final minutes of an up-and-down game.
The Bruins (30-4) shot 62.7 percent overall and were 7-of-14 from three-point range, but they were outrebounded by the smaller Golden Flashes (22-14) and allowed nine threes. That kept things relatively close for a while before UCLA went on a 14-2 run to lead 90-68 with 3:56 to go.
Five UCLA players scored in double figures and each made at least six shots. Kent State got 23 points from Jaylin Walker, while Jimmy Hall went for 20 points and 15 rebounds.
Top Performers
The Bruins freshman duo of TJ Leaf and Lonzo Ball combined for 38 points, 10 rebounds and five assists on 14-of-19 shooting. Ball was 6-of-7 from the field despite missing time after taking a hard fall late in the first half, bruising his hip.
X-Factor
The top shooting team in the country, UCLA was 30-of-45 on two-pointers. It was the fifth time all season the Bruins had at least 30 field goals from inside the three-point line.
Next Round
UCLA clashes with No. 6 Cincinnati on Sunday in the South Region's second round.
— Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 2 Kentucky 79, No. 15 Northern Kentucky 70
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Kentucky (30-5) got a much tougher test from NCAA tournament newbie Northern Kentucky than it expected, the nine-point margin the third-smallest in the first round under coach John Calipari.
The Wildcats led 39-24 but couldn't shake the Norse (24-11) mostly because their perimeter shooting just wasn't there. Malik Monk, hitting 40.3 percent from deep coming in, was 0-of-6 as Kentucky was 3-of-17 from outside. Northern Kentucky was 3-of-17 from three in the first half and 8-of-32 in the game, shooting 35.6 percent overall.
Four Kentucky players scored in double figures with De'Aaron Fox leading the way with 19, while Isaiah Briscoe had 17 points and eight rebounds.
Top Performers
Big man Bam Adebayo had a career-high 18 rebounds for Kentucky to go with 15 points. Adebayo had six offensive boards, the fifth time the freshman has done that.
X-Factor
Getting to the foul line and making those shots enabled Kentucky to keep the Norse at arm's length. The Wildcats were 22-of-28 on free throws compared to 10-of-11 for Northern Kentucky.
Next Round
Kentucky will face No. 10 Wichita State in the South Region second round on Sunday.
— Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 5 Notre Dame 60,. No. 12 Princeton 58
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Welcome to March Madness!
The first game in the round of 64 ended in thrilling fashion. Devin Cannady had a tremendous look at a go-ahead three in the closing seconds, but his shot bounced off the rim, allowing Notre Dame to survive with a 60-58 victory.
Princeton did an excellent job throughout the game responding to every Irish run, never trailing by more than nine points. However, poor long-range shooting doomed the 12th-seeded Tigers.
Top Performers
First-team All-ACC honoree Bonzie Colson collected 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks for Notre Dame. Though he missed a late free throw that led to Cannady's would-be game-winning shot attempt, Matt Farrell tallied 16 points, four assists and two steals. Spencer Weisz led Princeton with 15 points.
X-Factor
The Tigers attempted more than half of their shots from beyond the arc, but they only went 8-of-31 from deep. Cannady, who entered the NCAA tournament sporting an impressive 42 percent clip, was just 2-of-10 on the day.
Next Round
The Irish will take on the No. 4 West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round.
—Updated by David Kenyon
No. 5 Virginia 76, No. 12 UNC Wilmington 71
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Virginia fell behind early but overcame a 14-point first-half deficit to edge a feisty UNC Wilmington team 76-71.
The Seahawks raced out to a 28-14 lead thanks to torrid three-point shooting by Ambrose Mosley and Denzel Ingram. However, Virginia head coach Tony Bennett turned to a five-guard lineup, and the Hoos clawed back to take a 30-29 halftime edge.
UNC Wilmington pulled within two points late in the game, but Marial Shayok's clutch shot to make it 75-71 with 26 seconds remaining saved Virginia.
Top Performers
Shayok exploded for 23 points off the bench, while London Perrantes netted a game-best 24 points. Chris Flemmings paced the Seahawks with 18 points, adding nine rebounds and four assists. Devontae Cacok posted 12 points and 15 rebounds.
X-Factor
Darius Thompson notched 10 points, four blocks and three rebounds. He also knocked down a pair of free throws with 1:08 remaining in the second half to give Virginia a critical four-point edge.
Next Round
Virginia will face No. 4 Florida in the second round on Saturday.
—Updated by David Kenyon
No. 4 Butler 76, No. 13 Winthrop 64
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Butler scored five quick points and never trailed during its tournament-opening 76-64 win over 13th-seeded Winthrop.
Sparked by Avery Woodson's hot start, the Bulldogs held a 41-27 advantage at halftime. The Eagles managed to pull within seven points after the break, but a 14-1 run for Chris Holtmann's fourth-seeded team sealed the victory.
Winthrop surrendered 30 free throws to Butler, which knocked down a modest 20 but still recorded a 15-point edge at the line. The Eagles were just 5-of-10 at the stripe.
Top Performers
Woodson knocked down 6-of-10 three-pointers, which were the only shots he attempted all game. His 18 points led Butler, while Andrew Chrabascz chipped in 12 points. For Winthrop, Xavier Cooks netted a team-high 23 points.
X-Factor
Although Butler only used an eight-man rotation, the bench was superb. The Bulldogs' reserves scored 26 points compared to just nine by Winthrop. Kelan Martin had 10 points and eight rebounds, while Tyler Lewis contributed nine points and eight assists.
Next Round
The Bulldogs will face the No. 12 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the second round on Saturday.
—Updated by David Kenyon
No. 1 Gonzaga 66, No. 16 South Dakota State 46
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For 20 minutes, South Dakota State planted a seed of doubt that the No. 1 seed would retain its perfect record over a 16. The Jacks alternated leads with Gonzaga during the opening half and only trailed 26-22 at the half.
However, the Bulldogs bounced back after the break, opening a 12-point lead within four minutes and eventually winning 66-46.
Gonzaga struggled offensively but held SDSU to a 31 percent clip from the floor and forced 13 turnovers.
Top Performers
Jordan Mathews scored a team-high 16 points, but Gonzaga's defense stole the show. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the 46 points allowed was the fewest in the program's 44-game NCAA tournament history. Mike Daum dropped in 17 points for SDSU.
X-Factor
Daum ended the afternoon a respectable 7-of-16 overall. The rest of the Jackrabbits, though, mustered an 11-of-42 mark, including a brutal 3-of-16 clip beyond the arc.
Next Round
Gonzaga will take on Northwestern in the second round on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
—Updated by David Kenyon
No. 4 West Virginia 86, No. 13 Bucknell 80
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No. 4 West Virginia didn't run away with a victory over No. 13 Bucknell, but the Mountaineers also kept the Bison from making any significant runs in the second half.
Bob Huggins' team went into the locker room with a nine-point advantage over the Patriot League champions, and only saw that lead get trimmed to three on a few occasions in the middle of the second half.
The depth of the Mountaineers proved to be too much for the Bison, as five different players found their way into double digits. Bucknell received great performances from Nana Foulland and Kimbal Mackenzie, but Foulland was thrown out of a rhythm when he hit the four-foul mark. The big man only had one point in the final nine minutes.
Top Performers
Tarik Phillip was the leading scorer for the Mountaineers with 16 points, with Lamont West and Esa Ahmad adding 15 points each for the victorious side. Mackenzie scored 23 points in defeat, with 15 of them coming from beyond the arc.
X-Factor
West Virginia dominated the offensive glass, with a 17-9 advantage over the 13th-seeded Bison. Four of Nathan Adrian's 10 rebounds came on the offensive end. He also added 12 points, three blocks and two assists.
Next Round
The Mountaineers will square off with the No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Buffalo on Saturday.
--Updated by Joe Tansey
No. 4 Florida 80, No. 13 East Tennessee State 65
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Al Horford, Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer didn't walk through the tunnel at Amway Center, but Devin Robinson, Chris Chiozza and Kasey Hill did.
Steve Forbes, the head coach of the No. 13 East Tennessee State Buccaneers, tried to inspire his team with a pregame speech channeling how good the No. 4 Florida Gators used to be. However, the current stars on the Florida roster put the upset-minded Buccaneers away in the second half.
The Gators led by eight on two occasions in the first half, but they let ETSU get back within one point at halftime. A pair of three-pointers from Robinson with just over 15 minutes left in the game helped Florida gain separation, and KeVaughn Allen added to the ETSU misery with a triple of his own to break open an eight-point advantage.
From that point on, ETSU attempted to come back and fit into the role of Cinderella, but the trio of stars on the Gators roster wouldn't allow that.
Top Performers
Robinson led the Gators with 24 points, including an emphatic slam to finish off the contest. Hill and Chiozza both produced 14 points. T.J. Cromer led ETSU with 19 points.
X-Factor
With Allen struggling from the field, Chiozza and Hill picked up the load to complement Robinson. Both guards snagged five rebounds and were a combined 7-of-9 from the free-throw line.
Next Round
The Gators will face the No. 5 Virginia Cavaliers in the second round on Saturday in Orlando.
--Updated by Joe Tansey
No. 12 Middle Tennessee 81, No. 5 Minnesota 72
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On paper, it may seem like the win by the 12th-seeded Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders was an upset, but the Conference USA champions were the dominant side in their victory over the No. 5 Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Richard Pitino's men trimmed a 15-point second-half lead by the Blue Raiders down to four with 6:44 remaining, but Reggie Upshaw responded with seven straight points for MTSU.
The dagger was delivered by JaCorey Williams of the Blue Raiders, who scored a layup with 1:37 left to put Kermit Davis' men up by 11.
The win was the second by MTSU as a double-digit seed in as many years. The Blue Raiders defeated the Michigan State Spartans as a No. 15 seed a year ago.
Top Performers
Upshaw had a terrific second half, putting the Blue Raiders back in the driver's seat. He ended the game with 19 points, while three other Blue Raiders racked up totals in double digits. Amir Coffey led Minnesota with 17 points.
X-Factor
Williams may have driven into the lane a little too early with just under two minutes left, but his layup delivered the final blow to Minnesota. He contributed 13 points, six rebounds and two steals while shooting 5-of-9 from the line.
Next Round
The Blue Raiders will face off with No. 4 Butler in the second round on Saturday.
--Updated by Joe Tansey
No. 8 Northwestern 68, No. 9 Vanderbilt 66
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The first NCAA tournament victory by the No. 8 Northwestern Wildcats will go down in tournament lore for a wild final minute.
The No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores did everything in their power to allow Northwestern to take the victory, starting with a dubious foul by Matthew Fisher-Davis right after they took a 66-65 advantage.
Fisher-Davis' foul with 15 seconds remaining sent Bryant McIntosh to the free-throw line. The Northwestern guard knocked down a pair of foul shots to hand the Wildcats a one-point lead. Vandy had a chance to win it, but Riley LaChance missed a long three-pointer with five seconds left on the clock.
Vanderbilt rallied from a 15-point deficit with just over 13 minutes to play, but the questionable foul by Fisher-Davis and LaChance's poor shot selection is all anyone will remember about the Commodores from this game.
Top Performers
Before he committed the foul no one will stop talking about, Fisher-Davis produced 22 points, including nine from three-point range. McIntosh was the star for the Wildcats, with a game-high 25 points.
X-Factor
Dererk Pardon recorded a double-double for the victorious Wildcats, with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The big man also knocked down a pair of free throws during the unbelievable final minute.
Next Round
The Wildcats have a tall task ahead, facing the No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs in the second round.
--Updated by Joe Tansey
No. 11 Xavier 76, No. 6 Maryland 65
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Trailing by one at halftime and only that close because of some key bench contributions, Xavier (22-13) needed its star player to step up to get past Maryland. Trevon Bluiett obliged, shaking off a forgettable opening 20 minutes to pace the first-round victory.
Bluiett had 18 of his 21 points in the second half, going 6-of-7 after making just one of eight shots in the first half. A good portion of his scoring came during a 21-4 run that turned what had been a close game into one with a comfortable cushion for most of the second half.
Maryland (24-9) had won its previous 12 first-round NCAA tournament games, last falling in its opener in 1997. The Terrapins led 36-35 at halftime thanks to a 6-0 run as freshmen Justin Jackson and Kevin Huerter helped make up for a rough game for junior guard Melo Trimble. Trimble had 13 points on 5-of-15 shooting and was just 1-of-9 from three-point range.
Top Performers
Bluiett's 21 points led all players, but he wasn't Xavier's top scorer until late in the game. Before that it was Sean O'Mara, who came off the bench to score a career-high 18 on 5-of-6 shooting, including 8-of-9 from the foul line.
X-Factor
Freshman Quentin Goodin, who was tasked with taking over the starting point guard spot after Edmond Sumner was injured midway through the season, continued his impressive ball-handling. He had a career-best nine assists along with nine points and five rebounds, and since Feb. 1 he's averaging 5.4 assists per game.
Next Round
Xavier will take on No. 3 Florida State on Saturday in the West Region's second round.
– Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 1 Villanova 76, No. 16 Mount St. Mary's 56
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Defending national champion Villanova (32-3) didn't lead until late in the first half and held just a one-point advantage at halftime. But after giving up a basket to Mount St. Mary's in the opening minute of the second half, it was almost all Wildcats as they made sure No. 1 seeds remained unbeaten in NCAA tournament history against 16th-seeded opponents.
The Wildcats trailed 7-0 early, not scoring until 13:56 remained in the first half as Mount St. Mary's (20-16) came out hot and with plenty of adrenaline. That lasted for a while, with the Mountaineers leading almost the entire opening 20 minutes thanks to freshman guard Miles Wilson's 13 first-half points en route to a game-high 22.
Villanova's first lead came at 26-25 with 1:21 left, and it led 30-29 at the break but came out on fire after halftime by making eight of its first 10 shots. The Wildcats controlled after that point as their defense clamped down and their own shots began to fall.
The Wildcats shot 51.7 percent (31-of-60) from the field and 58.1 percent (25-of-43) on two-pointers.
Top Performers
Villanova isn't known for its bench, but freshman guard Donte DiVincenzo was almost a one-man reserve crew. He scored 21 points with 13 rebounds, the board number a career high that broke his previous mark of eight set in the Wildcats' Big East tournament title game win over Creighton on Saturday.
X-Factor
The Wildcats dominated on the glass, 43-27, with nearly as many offensive rebounds (14) as Mount St. Mary's had of the defensive variety (17). Four of Villanova's five starters have at least five boards in addition to DiVincenzo's 13.
Next Round
Villanova will play either No. 8 Wisconsin on Saturday in the second round of the East Region.
– Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 7 St. Mary's 85, No. 10 VCU 77
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A year after being denied an NCAA bid despite a 27-5 record, Saint Mary's stormed out of the gates with some pent-up postseason angst to build a 15-point halftime lead. The adrenaline waned in the second half, and, combined with the effects of the altitude in Salt Lake City, the Gaels (29-4) nearly gave it away before regrouping late in the second half in their first tournament appearance since 2013.
The Gaels led 46-31 at halftime, but that lead was down to two (56-54) with 10:42 left after VCU's Jonathan Williams made a pair of free throws. That capped a 15-2 run for the Rams (26-9), but they were never able to tie or take the lead.
VCU pressed and fouled to keep the game within reach, causing the second half to drag on. The game featured 52 fouls and 65 free throws, with six clock stoppages in the final 49 seconds because of fouls or timeouts.
Saint Mary's had five players in double figures including Tanner Krebs, who had all 12 of his points off the bench in the first half.
Top Performers
VCU's JeQuan Lewis wasn't willing to let his college career end without a fight. The senior guard had 30 points on 12-of-28 shooting, scoring 22 in the second half, but no other Ram had more than 12 points. Saint Mary's scoring was far more balanced, with junior Jock Landale recording a double-double (18 points, 13 rebounds) on 6-of-8 shooting.
X-Factor
Saint Mary's, one of the better free-throw-shooting teams in the country at 74.8 percent, was 29-of-39 from the line with 13 of those makes in the final 4:56. The Gaels were 6-of-6 from the line in the last minute of play.
Next Round
The Gaels will battle Saturday in the West Region second round against second-seeded Arizona.
– Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 4 Purdue 80, No. 13 Vermont 70
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Big Ten regular-season champion Purdue (26-7) won its first NCAA tournament game since 2012, but it wasn't easy, as 13th-seeded Vermont gave the Boilermakers all they could handle.
The Boilermakers trailed by as many as eight points in the first half but used their considerable size advantage to take a 37-36 halftime lead. Big men Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas continued to assert themselves inside in the second half, both offensively and defensively, though the margin didn't get to double digits until the final two minutes.
Purdue shot 51.7 percent (31-of-60) and was 9-of-20 on three-pointers. Vermont (29-6) hit 10 triples, but it wasn't enough to keep its school-record 21-game win streak from coming to an end. Four Catamounts were in double figures, led by freshman Anthony Lamb, who had 20 points.
Top Performers
Swanigan stuffed the stat sheet like he's been known to do, the sophomore forward finishing with 16 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots for his 27th double-double in 33 games. Per ESPN Stats and Info, that's the most double-doubles by a player from a power conference since Kansas' Thomas Robinson had 27 in 2011-12.
X-Factor
Purdue junior forward Vince Edwards had 21 points on 10-of-16 shooting, making 9 of his 14 two-point tries. He came into the game shooting 49.7 percent from inside the arc, and the nine made twos tied his season high.
Next Round
Purdue will take on No. 5 Iowa State in Saturday's Midwest Region second round.
– Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 3 Florida State 86, No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast 80
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The two most dunk-happy teams in the NCAA tournament didn't disappoint as they combined for a slew of highlight-reel jams. But instead of Florida Gulf Coast tapping into its Dunk City roots to pull off another major upset, it was the Seminoles (26-8) that did more of the high flying.
Florida State shot 55.6 percent and was 28-of-41 on two-point shots, making up for a 2-of-13 performance from three. Sophomore Dwayne Bacon was the biggest beneficiary of this interior dominance, scoring 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting, but nearly every FSU player got into the dunkfest at one point or another.
Florida Gulf Coast (26-8) led on a few occasions in the first half, including going up 31-28 thanks to a 12-0 run, but the Eagles trailed 40-36 at halftime and couldn't get back in front during the final period. Hurting their cause was the loss of senior Demetris Morant, their most frequent dunker, to a right ankle injury in the second half.
Despite having a mostly comfortable lead throughout the second half, FSU didn't ice the game until the final seconds. That's because the Seminoles turned it over 16 times and committed numerous ill-advised fouls in the late stages that enabled FGCU to stay alive.
Top Performers
Bacon made 11 of his 14 two-pointers while adding nine rebounds. In a losing cause, FGCU got 28 points from Brandon Goodwin, but that came on 27 field-goal attempts.
X-Factor
FSU's length across the board enabled it to dominate the glass (a 46-26 rebounding edge) and protect the rim. The Seminoles blocked nine shots with four by Christ Koumadje, three by Jonathan Isaac and two from Michael Ojo.
Next Round
The 'Noles play No. 11 Xavier on Saturday in the second round of the West Region.
– Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 8 Wisconsin 84, No. 9 Virginia Tech 74
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Wisconsin (26-9) won with a formula that hasn't been the case most of the season, using three-pointers and foul shooting instead of paint play and defense to hold off pesky Virginia Tech.
Senior guard Bronson Koenig hit eight threes en route to a career-high 28 points, as the Badgers went 13-of-31 from deep. At the line, Wisconsin shot 76 percent after coming in as the worst free throw-shooting team in the NCAA tourney field at 64.3 percent. Being able to make those shots enabled Wisconsin to hang onto a lead throughout as it was 8-of-9 from the line in the final 2:07.
Virginia Tech (22-11) got 23 points from senior Zach LeDay in its first NCAA tourney game since 2007.
Top Performers
Koenig's eight three-pointers, which came on 17 attempts, set a Wisconsin postseason record, according to ESPN Stats and Info. He came in shooting 38.9 percent from deep with 89 makes, but he hadn't hit more than six in a game before Thursday.
X-Factor
Wisconsin assisted on 19 of its 26 made field goals and outrebounded Virginia Tech 37-25. The Badgers improved to 22-3 when winning the rebounding battle.
Next Round
The Badgers will take on No. 1 seed Wisconsin in an East Region second-round game on Saturday.
– Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 2 Arizona 100, No. 15 North Dakota 82
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Arizona (31-4) put on an offensive display in being the first team of this NCAA tournament to reach triple digits, running away from North Dakota after the upstart Big Sky champs got within seven in the second half.
The Wildcats led 53-37 at the half and were up by more than 10 almost the entire second half save for one stretch when the Fighting Hawks (22-10) made nine of 10 shots to get within 68-61 with 11:18 to go. But a 10-0 run for Arizona bumped the lead back up, and the Pac-12 champs kept the margin wide the rest of the way.
Arizona's play inside was the difference, as it shot 58.1 percent overall and was 32-of-51 on two-pointers.
The 100 points were the most for Arizona in a tourney game since doing so in 2001 against Eastern Illinois. That Wildcats team reached the national final, falling to Duke.
Top Performers
Arizona's Lauri Markkanen and Rawle Alkins each had 20 points, with Markkanen having 16 of those in the first half. Alkins was 8-of-8 from the field and added four rebounds and five assists. North Dakota had 25 points from Quinton Hooker and 20 from Drick Bernstine.
X-Factor
North Dakota couldn't ever get close to Arizona through fouling because the Wildcats were lights out from the line. They made 24 of their 28 free throws.
Next Round
Arizona battles No. 7 Saint Mary's on Saturday in a West Region second-round game.
– Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
No. 5 Iowa State 84, No. 12 Nevada 73
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Fresh off its run to the Big 12 tournament title, Iowa State (24-10) won for the 10th time in 11 games and kept Nevada from pulling off another comeback in a season full of late rallies.
The Cyclones shot 55.6 percent and had five players in double figures. They led 40-27 at halftime before the Wolf Pack (28-7) started to claw their way back. Earlier this season, Nevada won at New Mexico despite trailing by 25 in the second half, and it pulled as close as 55-51 with 9:55 to go. But a 7-0 Iowa State run built the lead back up, and the Cyclones kept it at five or more the rest of the night.
Iowa State made eight three-pointers, with Matt Thomas and Nazareth Mitrou-Long each going 3-of-5 from deep. Nevada's Cameron Oliver had four triples on 10 tries en route to 22 points, while Jordan Caroline tallied 20.
Top Performers
Despite turning the ball over four times—all in the first half—Iowa State senior guard Monte Morris settled down and finished with a team-high 19 points along with eight rebounds and eight assists. The four turnovers tied a career high matched five other times but only once in the 2016-17 season.
X-Factor
Not known as a great free-throw-shooting team, Iowa State was 16-of-18 from the line, with Morris nailing all seven of his. The Cyclones came in shooting 69.6 percent on freebies.
Next Round
Iowa State faces No. 4 Purdue in Saturday's second-round Midwest Region game.
– Updated by Brian J. Pedersen
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