🏀Takeaways from Friday's NCAA tournament games👀
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theScore runs down the top storylines and developments from Thursday's NCAA Tournament games and what it all could mean moving forward.
Xavier held the Owls for over six minutes without scoring during a 15-0 run, and kept the Atlantic Sun champions to just two made field goals in the final 10 minutes. The Owls managed only 24 points total in the second half after putting up a whopping 43 in the opening frame. That defense allowed the comeback victory despite the fact Sean Miller's program only scored 72 points in the contest. That marks the first time this season that Xavier has won a game in which it scored less than 73 points.
The Huskies entered the tournament in a weird situation - seeded on the four line, but being ranked No. 4 overall on KenPom. On Friday, they showed the dominant ability that analytic sites love down the stretch, and the talented rotation that saw them ranked as high as No. 2 in the AP Poll back in December. However, they also demonstrated their inconsistency by trailing the overmatched Gaels at half. It's always a question of which version of the Huskies shows up, but their best is as good as anyone in the field.
Shockingly, Kolek was the only member of Marquette's starting lineup that didn't reach double figures, scoring just eight points with a team-high three turnovers. Given that, coach Shaka Smart and Co. should be pretty happy with such positive result. Awaiting the Golden Eagles is No. 7 Michigan State, which will be far from a walk in the park, especially considering Marquette is 0-2 against the Big Ten this season.
Pitt didn't exactly torch the nets on the other end, making just 34% of its shots, but that was more than enough to secure the victory. The Panthers now advance to the next round to face No. 3 Xavier - a tasty matchup against coach Sean Miller, who played at Pitt from 1987-92.
Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images Sport / Getty
On an afternoon when the typically hot Creighton shooters couldn't buy a bucket from the outside, big man Ryan Kalkbrenner stepped up in a giant way to lift his team to a 72-63 victory over 11-seed NC State. Kalkbrenner scored 31 points, topping his previous career-high by seven, and went an ultra-efficient 11-for-14 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. He even made a rare 3-pointer, one of only three made by the Bluejays in the contest. Not to be outdone on the other side, Wolfpack star Terquavion Smith scored 32 points of his own, but took 27 shots to get there.
It wasn't an overly inspiring performance from the Big East squad, but thanks to 15 assists and solid 3-point defense, six-seeded Creighton will play No. 3 Baylor and its dynamic perimeter on Sunday. Kalkbrenner will be primed for another big performance against the Bears' weak frontline, but its guards will have to be more efficient scoring the ball if the Bluejays want to keep dancing.
It was a second straight Round of 64 exit for USC. Outside of the school's Elite Eight run in 2021, the school has just two wins in the Big Dance during Andy Enfield's decade at the helm.
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TheGx sports betting forum copy and paste machines reporting:
theScore runs down the top storylines and developments from Thursday's NCAA Tournament games and what it all could mean moving forward.
Xavier saved by defense
It didn't look pretty midway through the second half for Xavier as the No. 3 seed in the Midwest trailed No. 14 Kennesaw State by 13 points. The Musketeers clawed back into the contest using elite defense, eventually sealing the win with a remarkable block by Jack Nunge in the dying seconds.Xavier held the Owls for over six minutes without scoring during a 15-0 run, and kept the Atlantic Sun champions to just two made field goals in the final 10 minutes. The Owls managed only 24 points total in the second half after putting up a whopping 43 in the opening frame. That defense allowed the comeback victory despite the fact Sean Miller's program only scored 72 points in the contest. That marks the first time this season that Xavier has won a game in which it scored less than 73 points.
UConn, Sanogo take control in 2nd half
Though UConn fans were sweating at halftime, they could breathe easy after their four-seeded Huskies dominated No. 13 Iona in the second frame en route to a 87-63 victory. The Gaels led 39-37 at the break thanks to red-hot shooting, but they cooled off significantly down the stretch, and were completely dominated down low by UConn big man Adama Sanogo, who dropped a second half double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds on 10-of-12 shooting.The Huskies entered the tournament in a weird situation - seeded on the four line, but being ranked No. 4 overall on KenPom. On Friday, they showed the dominant ability that analytic sites love down the stretch, and the talented rotation that saw them ranked as high as No. 2 in the AP Poll back in December. However, they also demonstrated their inconsistency by trailing the overmatched Gaels at half. It's always a question of which version of the Huskies shows up, but their best is as good as anyone in the field.
Jones' scoring streak sparks Marquette
Thanks to a remarkable streak of 18 straight points for Marquette guard Kam Jones, the two-seeded Golden Eagles rolled to a 78-61 victory over No. 15 Vermont. Things were a bit dicey, with Marquette up by just five in the second half before Jones' one-man heroics put the game out of reach. For the game, the sophomore finished with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Although fellow backcourt member Tyler Kolek was named the Big East Player of the Year, it's Jones who leads the team in scoring, and he showed it on Friday.Shockingly, Kolek was the only member of Marquette's starting lineup that didn't reach double figures, scoring just eight points with a team-high three turnovers. Given that, coach Shaka Smart and Co. should be pretty happy with such positive result. Awaiting the Golden Eagles is No. 7 Michigan State, which will be far from a walk in the park, especially considering Marquette is 0-2 against the Big Ten this season.
Iowa State's historically bad day
It's safe to say nobody had a worse day at the tournament on Friday than Iowa State. The No. 6 Cyclones immediately fell behind No. 11 Pitt by a whopping 22-2 margin to start the game and finished with just 41 total points in an opening-round loss. Iowa State made just 14-of-60 shots from the floor over the course of the contest - a 23% clip that is the fifth-worst figure in the history of the modern NCAA Tournament. The Big 12 program is certainly not known to be an offensive juggernaut, but the 23% number is well below the 45% total they shoot on the season.Pitt didn't exactly torch the nets on the other end, making just 34% of its shots, but that was more than enough to secure the victory. The Panthers now advance to the next round to face No. 3 Xavier - a tasty matchup against coach Sean Miller, who played at Pitt from 1987-92.
Creighton rides Kalkbrenner's career-high
On an afternoon when the typically hot Creighton shooters couldn't buy a bucket from the outside, big man Ryan Kalkbrenner stepped up in a giant way to lift his team to a 72-63 victory over 11-seed NC State. Kalkbrenner scored 31 points, topping his previous career-high by seven, and went an ultra-efficient 11-for-14 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. He even made a rare 3-pointer, one of only three made by the Bluejays in the contest. Not to be outdone on the other side, Wolfpack star Terquavion Smith scored 32 points of his own, but took 27 shots to get there.
It wasn't an overly inspiring performance from the Big East squad, but thanks to 15 assists and solid 3-point defense, six-seeded Creighton will play No. 3 Baylor and its dynamic perimeter on Sunday. Kalkbrenner will be primed for another big performance against the Bears' weak frontline, but its guards will have to be more efficient scoring the ball if the Bluejays want to keep dancing.
Michigan State's physicality flusters USC
Michigan State's physicality keyed its first-round victory over USC. The Spartans generated 16 points off 11 Trojan turnovers and had a 32-10 advantage in points in the paint. Jaden Akins and Tyson Walker stifled Boogie Ellis all afternoon. The backcourt duo tallied a combined four steals and limited the All-Pac-12 first-team selection to just six points on 3-of-12 shooting to go along with three turnovers. The Trojans star came into Friday's contest averaging 24.3 points and shooting 46.7% from deep over his last seven games, but couldn't establish any sort of rhythm against Michigan State.It was a second straight Round of 64 exit for USC. Outside of the school's Elite Eight run in 2021, the school has just two wins in the Big Dance during Andy Enfield's decade at the helm.
Baylor locks down UC Santa Barbara's upset bid
This year's Baylor outfit is an elite offensive unit that ranks outside the top 100 in the nation in KenPom's defensive efficiency ranking. A usual victory plan for the No. 3 Bears rarely sees them rely on a lock-down performance at the defensive end, but that's exactly what they delivered on Friday against No. 14 UC Santa Barbara. The underdog Gauchos actually led by one at the half, but the Bears held their opponent to just 20 points total in the second half en route to a 18-point victory. UC Santa Barbara made just seven total field goals in the second, including just two from beyond the arc. With the electric backcourt trio of Adam Flagler, LJ Cryer and Keyonte George, Baylor's offense is as close to a sure thing as there is in the tournament. If it's going to repeat Friday's performance on the defensive end, it could be a very successful tournament for Scott Drew's program.Saxen's all-round play lifts Saint Mary's past VCU
Mitchell Saxen's two-way performance made up for Aidan Mahaney's struggles in the latter's NCAA Tournament debut. The 6-foot-10 center provided Saint Mary's with a physical interior presence and some much-needed playmaking. The Gaels continually fed Saxen in the post, where they found great success all game. Saxen was responsible for half of the team's production in the paint, scoring 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting with all of his field goals coming via a layup or dunk. With Mahaney in constant foul trouble, Saxen's passing ability was leaned on a bit more than usual, and the junior rose to the occasion with four assists. Saxen was also a force on the defensive end, blocking a season-high four shots and contesting countless other attempts at the rim.Sports gambling forum www.thegx.ca/forum copied and pasted this from the web🍻