Welcome to the Madness!
The 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament kicks into greater gear Thursday in what is the most fascinating day of the year on the college basketball calander.
The action kicked off with an eight vs. 9 matchup in the South Location, as Jahmir Young and the Maryland Terrapins pulled off a monster comeback to take down West Virginia, and No. 13 Furman stunned No. 4 Virginia with a final-second bucket.
Elsewhere, South Location action continues with No. 1 Alabama is in action against No. 16 Texas A&M-CC on CBS, and No. 12 Charleston battling No. 5 San Diego State on TruTV.
Meanwhile, on TNT, two-seed Arizona faces 15-seed Princeton, despite the fact that the West Location calls for center stage on TBS with an further eight vs. 9 matchup, as Arkansas calls for on Illinois.
Only six.45% of official NCAA brackets remain very best straight away right after the day’s really initially four games.
We’ve got you covered with all the important highlights from an action-packed day of college hoops!
two. Arizona vs. 15. Princeton
Locating a rhythm
Arizona stars Oumar Ballo and Azuolas Tubelis got points started against Princeton, which kept points close early.
1. Alabama vs. 16. Texas A&M-CC
All gas, no brakes
Alabama jumped out to a 9- lead extra than Texas A&M-CC in the really initially half, setting the tone early. The Tide continued to pour it on as the really initially half winded down, grabbing a 20-point lead, 54-34, at halftime.
5. San Diego State vs. 12. Charleston
Not so promptly!
Products in in between Charleston and San Diego State began as a defensive standoff, as each and every teams kept points close. SDSU was really initially to strike, but Charleston roared back late in the frame to knot points up, 24-24, with 4:20 to play ahead of halftime.
The Aztecs took a three-point lead, 32-29, into the break.
Preserve tuned for updates!
1. Kansas 96, 16. Howard 68
Creating a statement
It was a back-and-forth battle in in between these two teams to start out off, to the surprise of several. Howard did not let Kansas get additional than six points ahead in the really initially half ahead of tying points up at 24-24.
Seeing stars
Jayhawks star forward KJ Adams Jr. set the tone for his group later in the frame, coming down with a jaw-dropping dunk.
Kansas led 50-37 at the break and continued to dominate in the second half en route to a double-digit victory, 96-68. With the win, their 16th straight, the Jayhawks enhanced to 35-two all-time in the Round of 64.
7. Missouri 76, ten. Utah State 65
Hot start out off
Every single squads have been firing on all cylinders early, but it was Missouri that kept a compact advantage from the jump.
As properly smooth
Missouri commanded the court with a single smooth basket straight away right after an further, extending its lead at the really initially half winded down.
The Tigers led 35-31 at halftime.
Full speed ahead
Missouri got the quick bucket to retake the lead extra than Utah State early in the second half ahead of the Tigers’ lead has ballooned to nine points, 62-53, as the final couple of minutes approached.
Missouri continued to build on its lead all the way till the finish, operating away with a 76-65 win and cashing in for its really initially NCAA tournament win provided that 2010, possessing lost in the Round of 64 in five straight earlier appearances.
Missouri’s win left considerably significantly less than 7% of official NCAA brackets intact.
13. Furman 68, 4. Virginia 67
Star power
Virginia’s defense settled into a rhythm early against Furman, which fell into an eight- hole early in the really initially half.
As points continued, Furman forward Jalen Slawson came up massive for the Paladins, which progressively began closing the gap.
Heating up
The Cavaliers had a couple of tricks up their sleeve, as Reece Beekman came up with a single massive play straight away right after an further to retain Furman at arm’s length. Virginia carried a five-point lead, 32-27, into the half.
Neck and neck
To start out off the second half, Virginia opened the largest lead of the game, 38-27, but Furman did not let it final extended.
The Paladins pulled inside four points midway by signifies of the frame ahead of going on to tie points up with a monster 3-pointer from Slawson with 5:42 to play. Then, Slawson added a layup and totally absolutely free throw to location Furman ahead by three points, 57-54.
Chaos!
Furman got a steal and sophomore JP Pegus drilled a 3-pointer with two.two seconds remaining as the Paladins stunned the Cavaliers with a 68-67 win in the opening round of the tournament.
It was just the ninth time in the final 13 tournaments that a 13-seed defeated a 4-seed. With that upset, just ten.67% of official NCAA brackets remained very best.
eight. Maryland 67, 9. West Virginia 65
And we’re off!
WVU was the really initially to strike in this a single, which sparked an early 14-0 run for the Mountaineers.
Midway by signifies of the really initially half, Maryland broke its scoring drought, but that did not faze West Virginia a fantastic deal. Exhibit A:
Clawing back!
West Virginia squandered a 13-point lead late in the really initially half straight away right after letting Maryland pull inside a couple of points straight away right after a 16-2 run en route to taking the lead, 22-21, with six:ten to play ahead of halftime.
Every single teams went back and forth and traded the lead two additional situations ahead of the break, which ended with Maryland ahead by two points, 32-30.
Madness!
The second half was a wild ride for each and every squads. WVU jumped out to a nine-point lead, 47-38, in the really initially couple of minutes …
… but Maryland went on a clutch run to knot points up, right after as soon as once more.
In the finish, Maryland came up with a single big-time sequence straight away right after an further to protected the two-point win, 67-65. It marked Maryland’s third consecutive win when appearing in the Round of 64 (2023, 2021, 2019).
COMING UP:
eight. Iowa vs. 9. Auburn
9
Auburn Tigers
AUB
-1.
-143
o152.5
eight
Iowa Hawkeyes
IOWA
+1.
+105
u152.5
5. Duke vs. 12. Oral Roberts
12
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
ORU
+six.5
+188
o145.5
5
Duke Blue Devils
DUKE
-six.5
-278
u145.5
two. Texas vs. 15. Colgate
15
Colgate Raiders
COLG
+13.5
+475
o147.5
two
Texas Longhorns
TEX
-13.5
-1000
u147.5
7. Northwestern vs. ten. Boise State
ten
Boise State Broncos
BSU
-1.
+105
o128.5
7
Northwestern Wildcats
NW
+1.
-143
u128.5
1. Houston vs. 16. Northern Kentucky
16
Northern Kentucky Norse
NKU
+20.
+800
o122
1
Houston Cougars
HOU
-20.
-3333
u122
4. Tennessee vs. 13. Louisiana
13
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns
ULL
+ten.5
+400
o136.5
4
Tennessee Volunteers
TENN
-ten.5
-714
u136.5
7. Texas A&M vs. ten. Penn State
ten
Penn State Nittany Lions
PSU
+3.
+115
o134
7
Texas A&M Aggies
TXAM
-3.
-161
u134
two. UCLA vs. 15. UNC Asheville
15
UNC Asheville Bulldogs
UNCA
+18.5
+700
o134.5
two
UCLA Bruins
UCLA
-18.5
-2000
u134.5
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