Paolo Banchero, a freshman, scored 17 points to lead the Blue Devils (26-2), who took a double-digit lead after the first four minutes. They remained in control the entire game. Duke led by 10 points at halftime, and the lead grew to 20 midway through second half.
The No. 2 seed in the West Region. 5 players scored in double figures for the 2 seed while playing neighboring states. This was backed up by vocal sections from fans who were eager to be a part of Krzyzewski’s six-game run for the title No. 6. Next up: Davidson or Michigan State in Sunday’s second-round.
Damari Milstead scored 12 to lead the 15th-seeded Titans (21.1-11), who missed 15 out of 18 shots to open.
TEXAS TECH 97 MONTANA STATE 62
Terrence Shannon Jr. scored twenty points to set the tone for Texas Tech. Texas Tech defeated Montana State in the first round of the tournament, which was expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
Bryson Williams scored 20 points for Texas Tech (26-9), who shot 66.7% (36) of 54 from the field. They also made 12 of 20 3-pointers. The Red Raiders were heading towards breaking the 1995 Syracuse record of 67.9% (38 out 56) against Southern Illinois. They settled for fourth.
Texas Tech was the No. Texas Tech, the No. In the second round, the Red Raiders will face 11th-seeded Notre Dame.
Xavier Bishop was the Montana State’s leading scorer with 12 points.
NOTRE DAAME 78, ALABAMA64
Cormac Ryan had a career high 29 points including seven 3-pointers. 11th-seeded Notre Dame won a grueling First Four victory and a late-night flight to defeat sixth-seeded Alabama.
Ryan, a senior guard was 10 of 13, and made a career best seven of his nine attempts from beyond the arc for Notre Dame (22-41). The Notre Dame team beat Rutgers in double overtime Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio to win a trip to San Diego.
Blake Wesley scored 18 points, while Paul Atkinson Jr. contributed 13 points and eight boards. The Fighting Irish missed six of their seven first shots, but they went 28 of 47 for the remainder.
Alabama (19-14), led by Keon Ellis (16 points) and Jaden Shackelford (13) Jahvon Quinerly, a junior guard, was injured in the first quarter and did not recover.
SOUTH REGION
OHIO STATE 54 LOYOLA CHIICAGO 41
E.J. E.J.
The Buckeyes (20-11), advanced to Villanova on Sunday, while the Ramblers (25-8), shot 27% (15 out 56) from the floor, were unable to make another March run.
Loyola’s Braden Norris was the star of Loyola, scoring 14 points. However, Lucas Williamson had perhaps his worst game in the season. After reaching the Sweet 16 last year and the Final Four in 2018, Loyola lost in round one. The winner was Braden Norris, who scored four points on 1-of-10 shooting. He also committed three turnovers.
VILLANOVA 80 DELAWARE 60
Justin Moore scored 21 points and Collin Gillespie added 14. Second-seeded Villanova was not too far behind with Delaware (15th).
To turn an eight point deficit into a blowout, the Wildcats (27-7) used a 35-10 surge that spanned the first and second halves.
Delaware (22-13) fought back against its northern neighbor in an early meeting of programs that were separated by 43 miles. This was in addition to the fact that there are many more college basketball players than Delaware.
The Blue Hens were not enough, as Villanova swept them with a series of 3-pointers. This was just the beginning of Villanova’s quest to win its third national championship in seven seasons.
Delaware’s Jyare Davis scored 17 points.
ILLINOIS 54 CHATTANOOGA 53
Alfonso Plummer had 15 points including the go-ahead free shots with 12 seconds left. Fourth-seeded Illinois was able to escape 13th-seeded Chattanooga.
Illini, the Big Ten co-champion (23-9), never led up to the end and was saved by Malachi Smith, Chattanooga’s star in the closing seconds.
On Sunday, Illinois will face either Houston (5th) or UAB (12th).
Kofi Cockburn, an Illinois All-America centre, had 17 points and 13 rebounds. He also had four blocks. With 48 seconds remaining, the Illini were leading 52-51. Smith, the Southern Conference Player-of-the Year, responded with a pair free throws that put Chattanooga back on top.
Plummer, who made three 3-pointers to help Illinois recover from an 11 point second-half deficit (11 points in the second half), drove the left sideline and was fouled. Both shots were made.
ARIZONA 87 WRIGHT STATE 70
Christian Koloko had 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. He was the key to a huge second-half surge by top-seeded Arizona which beat Wright State.
Bennedict Mathurin had 18 points, while Dalen Terry had 16. The Wildcats were 32-3. Arizona won its seventh consecutive game, and it earned its first NCAA Tournament victory since beating Saint Mary’s University in the second round of 2017. Arizona is now in the NCAAs, its first appearance since 2018. Tommy Lloyd, the long-serving assistant at Gonzaga has been Arizona’s coach for the first year.
Arizona will face No. 8 Seton Hall and 9 TCU. 9 TCU.
Grant Basile scored 21 and Trey Calvin 16 points for Wright State (22-14).
EAST REGION
PURDUE 56
Jaden Ivey ran his way to 22 points, while Zach Edey controlled inside action, helping Purdue defeat Yale.
Ivey, a college basketball player who is one of the most efficient, was 3 for 6 from the 3-point line and 7 for 9 at free-throw in just 27 minutes. Edey, who is 7 feet 4 inches tall, made the most out of his size advantage to beat the Ivy League champion Bulldogs. He finished with 16 points and nine boards in 19 minutes.
No. No. 3 seed Purdue (28-7), won its NCAA opener for fourth time in five tournaments. Texas will play Texas in the second round, which takes place on Sunday.
Yale (19-12): Azar Swain scored 18 on an 8-for-19 shoot for Yale (19-12), who had won 11 of 13.
TEXAS 81 VIRGINIA TECH 73
Andrew Jones scored 21 points and Marcus Carr beat the buzzer at the halftime with a shot well beyond the halfcourt to give Texas the lead. The Longhorns defeated Virginia Tech.
The sixth-seeded Longhorns (22-11) won the first tournament game since 2014.
Texas capitalized on Carr’s impossible basket to lead 17 minutes remaining.
Carr scored 15 points, and Timmy Allen added 14. Texas was 10 of 19 in 3-point range, ending a losing streak of five games.
Sean Padulla scored 19 for Virginia Tech (23-13), with 13 of those points coming in the final 4 1/2 minutes.
MIDWEST REGION
AUBURN 80 JACKSONVILLE STATE 6
Jabari Smith, a freshman, had 20 points and 14 boards as Auburn defeated Jacksonville State in the second half.
Walker Kessler was Smith’s partner in paint and finished the game with 13 points, 10 boards, and nine blocks. The Tigers (28-5), won their 10th consecutive NCAA opener. They will now face Miami on Sunday to secure a spot in Sweet 16.
K.D. K.D. Johnson ended his shooting slump, he was 0-for-14 during a quarterfinal loss to Texas A&M in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. He had 10 points and a few 3s during a 17-3 run that gave the Tigers control.
Jalen Gibbs made four 3s, and led the Gamecocks (21-11), with 20 points.
MIAMI 68; SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 66
Charlie Moore was able to make two free throws in 3 seconds and finish with 16 points, lifting Miami 10th over No. 7th seed Southern California.
Moore drove down the lane during the last moments of the game and it appeared that he was having his layup blocked from Chavez Goodwin. Moore was fouled and got the free throws.
Miami (24-1010) won its first tournament in six years.
Isaiah Wong, Miami’s leading scorer with 22 points, fouled out at 2:07 with his team ahead 59–58. With 44 seconds remaining, the Hurricanes extended their lead to 65-58, but Drew Peterson, who was leading the Trojans (26-8 with 17 points) hit consecutive 3s, and his inside basket tied the score.
Miami led 29-16 at the end of the first half. But the Trojans started the second half with a 17-2 run. They were able to take control and make it a close race to the finish.
