The matchup of Ball State and Central Michigan was one of contrasting styles. In the end, the athletic and guard-oriented Cardinals came out on top in overtime.
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Georgia Tech’s Hard Work Pays Off at Last
Georgia Tech has had a difficult season, with a lot of injuries and tough losses. They never stopped working, and they got a good reward for it all on Thursday when they knocked off Clemson in the opening round of the ACC Tournament.
Majerus Not a Fan of Post Season Tournaments
The highlight of the first day of the Atlantic 10 Tournament came from Rick Majerus as he opined on conference tournaments. We have that, and a few quick hitter notes.
Defense, Playing Loose Lead Virginia Tech Past Miami
Virginia Tech chose a good time to show what they are capable of. The Hokies used a great defensive effort to pick up a 65-47 win over Miami in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
Atlantic 10: Duquesne Springs First Upset, Xavier, Dayton and Temple Move On
No. 1 Xavier held No. 9 St. Louis to less than 50 points for the second time this season in a 66-47 quarterfinal victory. No. 4 Temple beat cross-town rival No. 5 Saint Joseph’s for a third time this season, winning 79-65. Despite giving up 20 offensive rebounds and missing 11-of-23 free throws, No. 7 Duquesne found a way to beat No. 2 Rhode Island 78-74. No. 3 Dayton beat No. 6 Richmond 69-64 thanks to its advantage in the post and solid shooting from junior guard Marcus Johnson, who led the Flyers with 15 points.
Big 12: Baylor and Oklahoma State Take Down Top 2 Seeds
No. 7 Oklahoma State sophomore guard James Anderson drained two free throws with two seconds to go, giving the Cowboys a 71-70 win against No. 2 Oklahoma. No. 9 Baylor kept its season alive with a 71-64 upset of No. 1 Kansas. Neither team led by more than six points, and senior guard A.J. Abrams hit a tie-breaking three-pointer with two minutes remaining to help give No. 5 Texas a 61-58 victory against No. 4 Kansas State. No. 3 Missouri derailed the Mike Singletary show in the second half of the Tigers’ 81-60 win against No. 11 Texas Tech.
Big East: West Virginia Looks to Improve NCAA Seeding With Big Win Over Pitt
No. 7 West Virginia proved it can go toe to toe with anyone in the country by beating No. 2 Pittsburgh 74-60. No. 1 Louisville might have popped No. 8 Providence’s bubble in a 73-55 romp in the quarterfinals. Senior forward Dwayne Anderson made his only basket of the game on a layup that hit every part of the rim with nearly no time remaining to give No. 4 Villanova a 76-75 against No. 5 Marquette.
Big Ten: Northwestern Emerges as Biggest Loser on Day One of Tourney
No. 8 Minnesota’s balance beat No. 9 Northwestern’s dominant shooter in a 66-53 win that might leave the Wildcats outside the NCAA Tournament once again. Meanwhile, No. 7 Michigan looked like an NCAA Tournament in pasting No. 10 Iowa 73-45. No. 6 Penn State avoided a potentially devastating loss to No. 11 Indiana in a 66-51 victory.
Big West: Pacific and Santa Barbara Handle Underdogs
No. 3 Pacific senior forward Bryan LeDuc shot 70 percent from the field to lead the Tigers to a 67-60 win against No. 8 UC Davis. No. 4 Santa Barbara won a foul-filled affair against No. 7 Cal State Fullerton 73-64 to move into the semifinals against No. 1 Cal State Northridge.
Conference USA: Golden Hurricane Rain 10 3-Pointers on Owls
No. 2 Tulsa blew away No. 10 Rice 73-51 with exceptional three-point shooting and suffocating defense. Senior guard Paul Delaney refused to let No. 3 UAB lose to No. 11 Southern Miss, hitting two clutch shots to give the Blazers a 74-73 overtime win. No. 1 Memphis remained perfect in Conference USA with a 51-41 victory against No. 8 Tulane. Senior guard Stefon Jackson did all he could to put No. 4 UTEP into the semifinals, finishing with 38 points in an 89-85 loss to No. 5 Houston.
