Men's NCAA basketball tournament progress: Teams advancing to the round of 32 thus far.
March Madness Kicks Off With a Bang
The first round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament went down swinging, featuring eight electrifying matches.
Let's dive into the day's highlights:
Upsets, Unpredictability
In a major upset, Fairleigh Dickinson — a 16-seed — knocked out Purdue, a 1-seed, with a narrow 63-58 victory. This historic moment marks only the second time a 16-seed has defeated a 1-seed in the men's tournament history, following UMBC’s 2018 win over Virginia.
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) also made heads turn when they snatched a one-point win against Memphis (66-65). The decisive final seconds belonged to Giancarlo Rosado from FAU, who scored the match-winning free throw.
Top Performers
Notable player performances included Ricky Council IV of Arkansas, who led his team to a 73-63 victory over Illinois with a fiery 16 points.
Meanwhile, Kam Jones shone for Marquette in their resounding 95-63 victory over North Carolina, scoring 18 points.
Another standout was Mike Miles Jr., who drove TCU to a thrilling 72-70 victory over Arizona State, scoring a staggering 26 points.
Other top scorers included Trayce Jackson-Davis from Indiana, who scored 27 points against Kent State, and Jalen Pickett from Penn State, who had a strong showing of 19 points against Texas A&M.
Creighton Holds Its Ground
Creighton put up a formidable display against Louisville, securing an impressive 89-75 victory. Jamiya Neal ruled the court with 29 points and 11 rebounds, while Chucky Hepburn topped the scores for Louisville with 22 points.
In a close call, No. 12 McNeese State edged out No. 5 Clemson in a tense final few minutes (69-67). Brandon Murray's impressive 21 points off the bench dominated the Cowboys' performance, but their exceptional defense demonstrated its true strength with 13 turnovers and 6 blocks.
Wisconsin and Gonzaga Shine
Wisconsin, seeded 3rd, demonstrated their quality against No. 14 Montana, cruising to a comfortable 85-66 win with stellar play from John Blackwell (19 points) and Steven Crowl (18 points).
Gonzaga, meanwhile, powered through to a resounding 89-68 victory over Georgia. The Zags stormed ahead in the early stages, reaching a 27-3 lead before dominating the game.
Stay tuned as the tournament continues, with more exciting matchups on the horizon!
Chucky Hepburn showed his prowess in the match against Louisville, scoring overtake points for Creighton, despite Jamiya Neal's impressive performance with 29 points and 11 rebounds.
Despite some unpredictability in the NCAA tournament, no upset was as significant as the one in 2018 when UMBC broke the mold by defeating Virginia, a feat replicated only recently by Fairleigh Dickinson knocking out Purdue.
In a thrilling showdown, Mike Miles Jr. from TCU managed to overcome strong competition from Arizona State, scoring an impressive 26 assists, demonstrating his ability to assist his team's victory.
