NCAA Scores 2017: First Four Day 1 Results, Updated Bracket and Schedule

On Tuesday, the First Four tipped off with Mount St. Mary's and New Orleans. The winner would travel to Buffalo for a matchup against the defending champions and overall No. 1 seed, Villanova.

Wake Forest and Kansas State capped the First Four doubleheader, with No. 6 Cincinnati waiting for the outcome.

Both games brought excitement in a different fashion. The Mountaineers beat the Privateers in a tight game. The smallest man on the court, Junior Robinson, led Mount St. Mary's to victory.

Kansas State's defense and high field-goal percentage put Wake Forest in an early hole, which prevented a comeback victory for the Demon Deacons.

Game	Team	Score	Team	Score
1	Mount St. Mary's	67	New Orleans	66
2	Kansas State	95	Wake Forest	88

The bracket below reflects Tuesday's outcomes:

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)
March 16	No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 16 Mount St. Mary's	7:10 p.m.
March 17	No. 6 Cincinnati vs. No. 11 Kansas State	7:27 p.m.

Mount St. Mary's 67, New Orleans 66

New Orleans and Mount St. Mary's started slowly but soon picked up the pace, and the game ended with a tight finish. The Mountaineers jumped out to an early lead with their sharpshooters showing no fear on the big stage. Despite their reliance on perimeter shots, the Mountaineers outhustled their opponents on the boards.

Mount St. Mary's controlled the tempo for most of the contest, but the Privateers finished the first half with a 10-2 run to combat an early 11-point deficit.

Guards Miles Wilson and Robinson led the Mountaineers throughout the contest. They shot a combined 6-of-10 from three-point range and scored 40 of the team's 67 points.

The Privateers didn't meddle too much with the three-point shot, only hitting 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Nonetheless, senior guard Nate Frye's 18 points and tenacious defense kept New Orleans in the contest.

Late in the second half, the Privateers exhibited too much intensity when junior forward Travin Thibodeaux wrapped his hands around teammate Christavious Gill's neck following a timeout. The coaches decided to sit Thibodeaux for the remainder of the game; he finished with 11 points.

In the final seconds of the fourth quarter, Privateers coach Mark Slessinger decided not to foul, which brought the game down to a final possession in a one-point contest. Unfortunately, New Orleans didn't even attempt a final shot before the buzzer.

In Thursday's matchup, Villanova must focus on Robinson, a 5'5" guard with range on his shot:

A No. 16 seed has never beat a No. 1 seed, and Villanova holds the series edge over Mount St. Marys:

So, you're saying there's a chance? 

Don't add the Mountaineers to your bracket-buster column, but Wilson and Robinson will put forth their best efforts against a Goliath in Villanova. Mountaineers guard Elijah Long didn't have his best game, but he'll need to put up 20 points or more alongside Robinson and Wilson to take down the Wildcats.

Kansas State 95, Wake Forest 88

Many analysts pegged Wake Forest forward John Collins as the best player on the court, but he looked average against a swarming Kansas State defense.

While many expected the Deacons to play an up-tempo style, the Wildcats scored in bunches during the first half. Senior forward Wesley Iwundu stood out as the marquee player in this contest.

The Wildcats started the second half aggressively. When shooting from three-point land, guard Kamau Stokes benefited from soft bounces on the rim. He finished with five three-pointers, which ultimately kept his team ahead on the scoreboard.

The Deacons didn't fade easily. Collins started to flash as a solid defender and highlight-reel player in the paint:

Wake Forest forward Austin Arians left his mark on the game with four three-pointers. However, Bryant Crawford's careless Flagrant 1 foul put a damper on the Deacons' comeback attempt. The Wildcats capitalized with two free throws and a score on the following possession.

Kansas State shot an astonishing 66 percent from the field, and Wake Forest struggled to defend Stokes on the perimeter:

"

Wildcats win!

Kansas State shoots a season-high 66% to beat Wake Forest in the First Four. Next up: Cincinnati. pic.twitter.com/LXr82nxlrq

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) March 15, 2017"

Wildcats forward D.J. Johnson lived in the paint and went 8-of-9 from the field. He cleaned up shots close to the rim and rolled to the basket for easy points throughout the contest. 

Now, the Wildcats travel to Sacramento for a matchup against No. 6 Cincinnati. As long as they're alive in the tournament, Iwundu will continue to raise his NBA draft stock. On Tuesday, the Kansas State senior put all his skills on display with a box-score stuffer. He finished with 24 points, six rebounds and seven assists.

Cincinnati must force Kansas State into uncomfortable spots on the court. Defenders must chase Stokes off the three-point line and battle with Johnson on the boards. If Iwundu comes close to another triple-double, the Wildcats will celebrate an upset on Friday. 

Stats provided by Sports Reference, unless otherwise noted.