A sequence of elite particular person performances highlighted first-round NCAA Match motion on Thursday because the Huge Dance started with a bang. There have been upsets, comebacks and heroics all through the day because the bracket shortly devolved into chaos.
Oakland guard Jack Gohlke stole the present together with his 32-point efficiency within the No. 14 seed Grizzlies’ beautiful 80-76 win over No. 3 seed Kentucky, however he wasn’t the day’s solely celebrity. Jermaine Couisinard scored a career-high 40 factors for No. 11 seed Oregon in its 87-73 victory over No. 6 seed South Carolina.
Illinois wing Marcus Domask grew to become the primary participant since Ja Morant in 2019 to put up a triple-double in an NCAA Match recreation through the No. 3 seed Illini’s 85-69 win over No. 14 seed Morehead State. Gonzaga ahead Anton Watson got here one help in need of posting his personal triple-double later within the day because the No. 5 seed Bulldogs crushed No. 12 seed McNeese.
These particular person performances stood out in a great way. However there was additionally some ache and agony, significantly for groups like Kentucky. It is March, and for each little bit of elation there may be an equal if not larger response of despair. With that, listed below are the winners and losers from Thursday’s motion.
Loser: Kentucky falters once more
It has been 5 years since Kentucky performed past the primary weekend of the NCAA Match, and the Wildcats are exiting early as soon as once more. No. 14 seed Oakland shocked No. 3 seed UK 80-76 behind a career-high 32 factors from 3-point marksman Jack Gohlke. The Wildcats struggled defensively all season, and their freshman-laden roster clearly tightened up when confronted with a tense postseason scenario. Star guards Robert Dillingham and Reed Sheppard mixed to make simply 3 of 14 pictures from the ground after standing out for his or her offensive brilliance all season. It made for an additional beautiful exit from the Huge Dance for the Wildcats, and it’ll solely ratchet up the warmth on coach John Calipari, who has been falling in need of the usual he set within the early years of his tenure at one of many sport’s prime jobs. — David Cobb
Winner: Duquesne, Dambrot’s are nonetheless aliveÂ
Earlier this week, Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot introduced his plans to retire after the season. LeBron James’ former highschool coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary Excessive College guided Duquesne to its first Atlantic 10 title since 1977 final weekend, and on Thursday, he helped prolong his teaching profession for at the least 40 extra minutes. No. 11 seed Duquesne upset No. 6 seed BYU 71-67 for this system’s first NCAA Match victory in 55 years. It has been a magical ultimate season for Dambrot and firm. — Cameron Salerno
Loser: SEC begins gradual
The SEC tied with the Huge 12 for many NCAA Match groups with eight. However its contingent dwindled significantly on Thursday. No. 8 seed Mississippi State’s 69-51 loss to No. 9 seed Michigan State marked an anticlimactic finish for the Bulldogs, who throttled Tennessee simply six days earlier in a powerful SEC Match quarterfinal efficiency. No. 6 seed South Carolina regarded equally feeble in an 87-73 loss to No. 11 seed Oregon. The Gamecocks prided themselves on protection and physicality throughout an in any other case wonderful season however allowed the Geese to shoot 59.6% from the ground. Then, there was Kentucky. Woof. It was not a banner day for the SEC. — Cobb
Winner: Pac-12 improves to 3-0 within the NCAA Match
In a couple of brief months, membership throughout the Pac-12 will shrink from 12 to 2. It is arduous to think about the NCAA Match with out the “Convention of Champions” however it seems the Pac-12 could possibly be due for yet another thrilling match run. Colorado opened issues up yesterday with a win over Boise State within the First 4, and the great vibes continued on Thursday with Arizona recording an 85-65 win over Lengthy Seashore State. Oregon defeated South Carolina 87-73 later within the day. Washington State is in motion late towards Drake, whereas Colorado faces Florida on Friday. —Â Salerno
Winner: Gonzaga goes off
McNeese emerged as one of many trendiest upset picks within the bracket after profitable the Southland Convention in coach Will Wade’s first season on the job. However the No. 12 seed Cowboys have been no match for No. 5 seed Gonzaga because the Bulldogs started the Huge Dance with an 86-65 win. 5 completely different gamers reached double figures for the Zags, who are actually one victory away from reaching the Candy 16 in 9 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. — Cobb
Winner: Michigan State in March
No. 9 seed Michigan State entered the NCAA Match with fewer wins (19) and extra losses (14) than some other at-large group. The Spartans had additionally dropped 5 of their final seven video games getting into the Huge Dance. Naturally, they turned in considered one of their most full performances of the season in a 69-51 win over No. 8 seed Mississippi State. The Spartans shot 50% from the ground and scored 29 factors off turnovers whereas marching on for an enormous second spherical conflict with No. 1 seed North Carolina. It is March and it is Michigan State. What extra must be mentioned? — Cobb
Loser:Â BYUÂ died with the 3-pointer
No. 6 seed BYU ranked second nationally in made 3-pointers per recreation at 11.2 getting into the NCAA Match. In a 71-67 loss to No. 11 seed Duquesne, the Cougars hit simply 8 of 24 makes an attempt from past the arc because the Dukes took away BYU’s lifeblood. The Cougars have been 10-0 this season when making 14 or extra 3-pointers. On Thursday, they fell to 3-7 when making eight or fewer. This group lived by the 3-point shot, and towards Duquesne, they died by it as nicely. — Cobb
Winner: South Carolina’s Couisnard buries his outdated group
Former South Carolina guard Jermaine Couisnard went off for a career-high 40 factors to guide No. 11 seed Oregon in its 87-73 win over the No. 6 seed Gamecocks. Couisnard grew to become the primary participant from a double-digit seed to attain 40 factors in an NCAA Match victory since Stephen Curry did for Davidson towards Gonzaga in 2008. The truth that he did it towards his old-fashioned solely made the efficiency extra unbelievable. The Geese led simply 34-29 at halftime. Couisnard scored 26 after the break to hold his group right into a second spherical recreation towards No. 3 seed Creighton. — Cobb
Loser: Nevada falls aside late
No. 10 seed Nevada took a 56-39 lead on No. 7 seed Dayton with 7:39 remaining and regarded able to cruise into the second spherical. Then, it let Dayton discover life. The Flyers flew again with a 24-4 run to shut the sport to safe a surprising 63-60 victory. This one will hang-out Nevada for some time, each due to what occurred within the second half and due to the promise this group confirmed. Coach Steve Alford’s membership entered the NCAA Match having gained 10 of its earlier 12 video games whereas navigating a difficult Mountain West. But when adopted 33 nice minutes with a a 7-minute, and its season is over in consequence. — Cobb
Winner: Illinois’ Domask joins elite firm
Illinois wing Marcus Domask grew to become the primary participant since Ja Morant in 2019 to put up a triple-double in an NCAA Match recreation as he stuffed the stat sheet within the No. 3 seed Illini’s 85-69 win over No. 14 seed Morehead State. The 6-foot-6 senior completed with 12 factors, 11 rebound and 10 assists. It was simply the tenth triple-double in Huge Dance historical past and put Domask within the firm of gamers like Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade and Draymond Inexperienced. The rebounds and assists have been the simple half for Domask. However he did not attain 10 factors till drilling a 3-pointer with underneath three minutes remaining. Â — Cobb
Loser: Mountain West limps out of the gate
The Mountain West acquired six groups into the NCAA Match, however MWC proponents nonetheless argued the league was disrespected due to how unfavorably these six groups have been seeded. By someday of first spherical motion, the league has achieved nothing to bolster its popularity. No. 10 seed Colorado State misplaced 56-44 towards No. 7 seed Texas whereas taking pictures simply 29.3% from the ground, and No. 10 seed Nevada blew a 17-point lead within the ultimate eight minutes of a 63-60 loss to No. 7 seed Dayton. These performances adopted Boise State’s loss to Colorado in a First 4 recreation on Wednesday night time. It will likely be as much as No. 5 seed San Diego State, No. 8 seed Utah State and No. 11 seed New Mexico to salvage some dignity for the Mountain West on Friday. — Cobb
Winner: Monson goes out with dignity
Simply over one week in the past, Lengthy Seashore State moved to half methods with long-time coach Dan Monson proper earlier than reeling off three wins in three days to assert the Huge West Match and an NCAA Match look. What’s adopted the final week has been nothing in need of awkward, with a lame duck coach enjoying out the string for a group that unexpectedly made the tourney. However whether or not it was making quips about him feeling like he was in a Seinfield episode or exhibiting his actual feelings on a extra severe observe, he appears to have gained some folks over together with his dealing with of a tricky scenario – even when his Seashore have been bounced huge in Spherical 1.Â
“It was emotional within the locker room, however I made ’em look me within the eye as a result of there isn’t any heads down as a result of I can not be extra proud,” he mentioned postgame. “This group wants their heads up excessive. I need to thank them for the trip.
Monson does not have a job he is had for almost twenty years anymore however he is going out with dignity and there is a lot to respect for a way he is traversed a difficult scenario. — Kyle Boone