Best moments, highlights and updates from NCAA tournament action
Zakai Zeigler absorbs contact and gets a layup to fall in the midst of a 13-0 Tennessee run to end the first half. (0:19)
March Madness 2022 is here, and we are firmly on the road to the Final Four in New Orleans. The NCAA tournament starts in earnest Thursday after Texas Southern, Indiana, Wright State and Notre Dame won their First Four matchups.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs, Kansas Jayhawks, Baylor Bears and Arizona Wildcats are the No. 1 seeds. Baylor and Gonzaga met in last year’s national title game, with the Bears crushing the Zags. However, Caesars Sportsbook has Gonzaga (7-2) and Arizona (6-1) as the betting favorites.
6:50 p.m.: 12 New Mexico State Aggies vs. 5 Connecticut Huskies
7:10 p.m.: 15 Saint Peter’s Peacocks vs. 2 Kentucky Wildcats
7:20 p.m.: 12 Indiana Hoosiers vs. 5 Saint Mary’s Gaels
7:27 p.m.: 9 Creighton Bluejays vs. 8 San Diego State Aztecs
9:20 p.m.: 13 Vermont Catamounts vs. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks
9:40 p.m.: 10 San Francisco Dons vs. 7 Murray State Racers
9:50 p.m.: 13 Akron Zips vs. 4 UCLA Bruins
9:57 p.m.: 16 Texas Southern Tigers vs. 1 Kansas Jayhawks
3️⃣0️⃣-piece for Drew Timme 😤@ZagMBB is rollling #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/rN2aUzFU24
With 13:10 remaining in the second half, No. 16 Georgia State went up 54-52 on No. 1 Gonzaga and it looked like things were about to get awful exciting. Then Gonzaga scored seven unanswered points, and the rout was on, with the final score ending up 93-72. Drew Timme had a game, with 32 points and 13 rebounds, while Bulldogs center Chet Holmgren also put on a clinic, with 19 points, 17 rebounds and 7 blocks.
Never will. https://t.co/xIhJN70tyX
CLUTCH AND-1! RICHMOND IS UP 6 WITH 30 SECONDS LEFT! 😱@SpiderMBB #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/qrorI9S0fk
Richmond entered the Atlantic 10 tournament with a 3-4 record in its previous seven games and two weeks removed from a 20-point loss at VCU. March, man. March.
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🄶🄸🄰🄽🅃
🄺🄸🄻🄻🄴🅁🅂
🕷🕷🕷🕷🕷🕷#OneRichmond #TheOriginal #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/3CN8oGC45C
Welcome to the Spiders’ web, Iowa.
After limping into the A-10 tournament, Richmond has the first major upset of the NCAA tournament, taking out the Big Ten champion Hawkeyes.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, this is just the third time that the Big Ten tournament champion has lost its opening game in the NCAA tournament. Michigan State lost its NCAA tourney opener in 2016.
Tennessee, the No. 3 seed in the South Region, came out hot and never relented in a big win over Longwood. The Volunteers scored 54 points in the first half. According to ESPN Stats & Information, that’s their most points in any half this season and the most in the first half of a tournament game since 2007.
Led by Santiago Vescovi‘s 18 points, Tennessee had five players score in double figures.
A I R F U L K Y ✈️#MarchMadness @Vol_Hoops pic.twitter.com/2lYfifvEJD
Statement win for @Vol_Hoops 👀
They advance to the Second Round of #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/Vja9aurge7
DREW TIMME AND-1 TO START THINGS OFF FOR GONZAGA 😱#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/TUNhwHFWRB
Gonzaga, the No. 1 overall seed, faces Georgia State. The Zags are trying to make it to the Final Four for the second consecutive season.
Emoni Bates checks in for the first time since January and knocks down a three 👌#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/I4wKkKQ1un
.@Memphis_MBB earns its first NCAA Tournament win since 2014.
The Tigers are movin’ on. pic.twitter.com/sVbT7Yn236
Memphis’ freshman star had been sidelined since January with a back injury; this was Bates’ only score of the game for Memphis. The Tigers got 14 points from DeAndre Williams to take out Boise State 64-53. The win gives Tigers coach Penny Hardaway his first NCAA tournament win as a coach.
If you had South Dakota State pulling the upset then your hopes of maintaining a perfect bracket have been thwarted. The Friars secured the win on the heels of Al Durham. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the guard is just the second Providence player with at least 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in an NCAA tournament game since assists became an official stat in 1984 (Bryce Cotton in 2014).
Durham scored or assisted on 29 of the Friars’ 66 points on Thursday (44%).
No upset today for @PCFriarsmbb!
Providence is moving on to the second round 💪 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/hyeftD85yx
Can we get a go blue? The Michigan Wolverines become the first team to secure a spot in the second round — and the first to complete a 15-point comeback in the NCAA tournament since Nevada in 2018 (h/t ESPN Stats & Information) — with their win over the Colorado State Rams.
#GoBlue@umichbball becomes the first team to book their place in the Second Round #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/RrICWcRpVJ
Big East stand up. The Friars are on a roll as they extend their second-half lead. Six different Providence players have made a 3-pointer so far, which is a school record for an NCAA tournament game per ESPN Stats & Information data.
Providence is HEATING UP 🔥
The Friars lead 43-29 early in the second half@PCFriarsmbb #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/eMPfG74c7t
Jalen Rose is all Michigan fans right now. The Wolverines stormed back to erase their first-half deficit — much to the delight of one of their esteemed alumni in attendance.
.@JalenRose is HYPED 〽️#MarchMadness @umichbball pic.twitter.com/TTEGsIjdNZ
Entering Thursday’s game, Colorado State is 18-1 when leading at the half this season. As for Michigan? It is 3-9 when trailing at the half this season. But nobody needs to tell Rose.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, a Michigan win from 15 points down would be the largest NCAA tournament comeback since Nevada overcame a 22-point deficit against Cincinnati in the 2018 round of 32.
Baylor Scheierman made that look too easy.
Baylor Scheierman with the wild behind-the-back pass for @GoJacksMBB 🤯#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/LmfhfIboPT
In the first half, Scheierman and Douglas Wilson combined for 18 points (8-17 FG) and four assists. Meanwhile, the rest of the Jackrabbits’ roster combined for five points (2-10 FG) and two assists.
Chandler Jacobs has ups, can confirm. The CSU guard came through with the steal and the stuff as the Rams lead the Wolverines late in the first half.
Chandler Jacobs gets the steal + the slam 💪#MarchMadness | @CSUMBasketball pic.twitter.com/P3yBe0BgqG
Despite the current score, history favors Michigan fans: The Big Ten is 7-1 all time against the Mountain West in the NCAA tournament.
Howdy y’all, it’s time for a Texas roll call! 🤠#GoJays pic.twitter.com/ELTeRn6kKC
Visited @NiagaraFallsUSA with @RazorbackMBB before practice today! pic.twitter.com/k70lwpI3X5
Red is the new blue 🔴
The West Region is painted red. #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/PcZ7LIdoiB