Tennessee entered Friday because the fourth and ultimate projected No. 1 seed in Jerry Palm’s newest bracket, however the insanity of March and the slim margin of error this late within the season could have tipped the scales in another person’s favor after a wild spherical of convention match motion main into the weekend. The mix of the Volunteers’ blowout loss to Mississippi State, Arizona’s surprising loss to Oregon and North Carolina’s win over Pitt to advance to the ACC Event title sport now has the Tar Heels supplanting Tennessee because the fourth No. 1 seed, becoming a member of Houston, Purdue and UConn on the highest line.
“Tennessee’s loss, mixed with North Carolina’s win and Arizona’s loss has the Tar Heels within the driver’s seat for the fourth No. 1 seed,” stated Palm. “North Carolina will go for the ACC title on Saturday and put the ultimate touches on a high seed match résumé.”
UNC’s win not solely afforded it yet another probability to safe a win for the committee to think about, however losses by Tennessee and Arizona earlier than their respective title video games ensured they’d miss on an opportunity so as to add two Quadrant 1 wins main into Choice Sunday. That is a number of wins in a single day for the Carolina blue. That is why, as you may think, they’re our main winner in our roundup of the day’s winners and losers from convention match motion throughout the nation.
Beneath are the remainder.
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Winner: Purdue dodges catastrophe
When Purdue guard Braden Smith crashed to the ground within the second half of the Boilermakers’ 67-62 win over Michigan State within the Massive Ten Event quarterfinals, it regarded doubtlessly catastrophic. The 6-foot sophomore guard has emerged as Purdue’s second-leading scorer this yr and is among the many nation’s high distributors. As he lay on the ground writhing in ache, Purdue’s path to NCAA Event redemption appeared to be hanging within the steadiness. But it surely wasn’t as disastrous because it initially appeared, and Smith was capable of return. — David Cobb
Loser: Tennessee limps into NCAA Event
Tennessee entered the SEC Event with reliable aspirations of accomplishing this system’s first-ever No. 1 seed for the NCAA Event. These hopes could have pale in a disastrous 73-56 quarterfinal loss to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs improved to 2-0 in opposition to the Volunteers on the season and solidified their very own case to make the Massive Dance after starting the day as one of many “Final 4 In” the projected area in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology. Tennessee will enter Choice Sunday on its first two-game dropping streak since November and reeling beneath the burden of its worst efficiency of the season. The Vols shot a season-worst 30.6% from the ground. — Cobb
Winner: Madison Sq. BackyardÂ
My what a day it was to be Madison Sq. Backyard. The long-lasting venue performed host to one of the crucial environment friendly offensive shootouts of the season – No. 1 seed UConn took down No. 5 seed St. John’s within the Massive East Event semis – and it was the scene of an intense crowd, too. Simply hearken to the roars within the background right here as Rick Pitino – then Dan Hurley – each obtained technical fouls on the identical spot within the first half.
Epic. MSG additionally got here away a winner separate from the video games themselves; Massive East Commissioner Val Ackerman introduced earlier within the day that The Backyard would be the host of the league’s postseason match via 2032 – a four-year extension from the earlier settlement in place. — Kyle Boone
Winner: Auburn makes a press releaseÂ
Auburn is heading into the semifinals of the SEC Event after a fourth consecutive double-digit victory. The Tigers walloped South Carolina 86-55 in quarterfinals motion to convey their mixed margin of victory in two video games in opposition to the Gamecocks to 69 factors. An uneven stretch of February motion knocked Auburn out of SEC regular-season title competition, however coach Bruce Pearl’s membership seems to be like a drive to be reckoned with in Nashville, Tennessee, this week. With a comparatively straightforward victory of their opening sport of the match, the already-deep Tigers have been capable of relaxation their greatest gamers and can have recent legs for Saturday’s sport in opposition to a Mississippi State workforce that shall be taking part in its third sport in three days. — Cobb
Loser: Ohio State‘s magic runs out
When Ohio State fired coach Chris Holtmann on Valentine’s Day with the Buckeyes sitting at 14-11 (4-10 Massive Ten), the concept of this workforce making an NCAA Event push appeared ludicrous. Its subsequent sport was in opposition to Purdue, and nothing concerning the earlier 5 weeks indicated Ohio State would discover its approach to the bubble. However a shocking upset of the Boilermakers started a stretch of six wins in seven video games for the Buckeyes beneath interim coach Jake Diebler. The spurt introduced the Buckeyes all the best way to “First 4 Out” territory in Jerry Palm’s NCAA Event Bracketology getting into a Massive Ten Event quarterfinal showdown with No. 2 seed Illinois. Then, Ohio State ran out of fuel. — Cobb
Winner: UConn stays sizzling, reaches 30 wins
On the heels of a magical 31-win season that resulted in a nationwide championship, it could have been acceptable — heck, perhaps even anticipated — for UConn to have a just-OK season and skate by with 25 wins. Nuh uh. The No. 2 Huskies have been sizzling all yr and stayed sizzling on Friday in downing a frisky St. John’s workforce within the Massive East semis, 95-90. The win helped them to their thirtieth on the season — their eleventh 30-win season in program historical past and seventh for the reason that flip of the century. — Boone
Winner: Houston continues Massive 12 dominance
No. 1 Houston 82, No. 25 Texas Tech 59.
No, that is not a typo. Sure, Houston actually beat a Texas Tech workforce that’s ranked and has been red-hot by 23 (!!!) factors in Kansas Metropolis.Â
Houston’s already gained the outright Massive 12 regular-season title in its first season with the league and is on the cusp of profitable the Massive 12 Event, too, with the win shifting it to Saturday’s tourney finale. The Cougars’ protection utterly froze Tech’s offense, and their offense was as deadly as ever, making 12 3s and capturing practically 50% from the sector within the win. — Boone
Loser: Arizona falls wanting three-peat in stunner
The highest-seeded Arizona Wildcats took a tumble within the Pac-12 Event semifinals, falling 67-59 to No. 4 seed Oregon and stopping them wanting their probability to three-peat as Pac-12 tourney champions. The Wildcats led by as many as 14 within the first half and took a 10-point lead into the break however struggled defensively to gradual the red-hot Geese within the second half. Oregon outscored the Wildcats 44-26 within the ultimate 20 minutes and hit six of its 11 3-point makes an attempt. —Â Boone
Winner: Saint Peter’s dramatic win
The Peacocks of Saint Peter’s are one win away from their second NCAA Event look in three seasons after downing No. 1 seed Quinnipiac within the MAAC Event semifinals. Peacocks ahead Mouhamed Sow had a team-high 15 factors however none larger than his final two, which got here simply earlier than the ultimate horn to seal the win. Saint Peter’s famously made the Elite Eight two seasons in the past beneath Shaheen Holloway as a No. 15 seed, downing within the course of No. 2 seed Kentucky, No. 7 seed Murray State and No. 3 seed Purdue. A possible Cinderella story is as soon as once more brewing. — Boone
Loser: Pitt’s tourney hopes take a flip
Pitt was the ultimate workforce within the bracket getting into Friday for Palm and missed a possibility to solidify its standing as an NCAA Event workforce with a 72-65 loss to North Carolina within the ACC Event semifinals. The Panthers have gained 10 of their final 13 video games and regarded like a workforce worthy of an at-large bid, however their résumé has them proper on the lower line forward of Choice Sunday. A win would possibly’ve put them into the sector, however now it could be a protracted couple of days of ready to see what occurs when the bracket is revealed. — Boone
Winner: North Carolina reaches ACC title sport
Prime-seeded North Carolina is into the ACC Event title sport, heading off a valiant effort from 4-seed Pittsburgh, 72-65. It is the Tar Heels’ first look within the match ultimate since 2018 once they misplaced to Virginia.
Pitt’s Jaland Lowe okaynotted the sport at 62 with 4:23 left, however the Tar Heels responded with a 7-0 spurt fueled by two RJ Davis 3-pointers. The ACC Participant of the 12 months completed with a team-high 25 factors, and Armando Bacot added 19 factors and 11 rebounds. General, 31 of the senior duo’s 44 factors got here within the second half after Pitt led 35-33 at halftime. — Zach Pereles