The first 3 days of the tournament brought highs and lows. The first day was full of excitement and surprise, day 2 was chalked up to the higher seeds and day 3 was a mix of both but the last day of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament brought some of the best programs down and out of the tournament and now we know the set up for the Sweet 16.
EAST REGION (7) Michigan State Spartans defeat (2) Virginia Cavaliers 60-54
Travis Trice scored 23 points to help Michigan State knock second-seeded Virginia out of the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. Branden Dawson added 15 points and nine rebounds.
The Cavaliers are the first ACC team to lose after the conference had a 9-0 start in the tournament. They were led by Anthony Gill’s 11 points and Darion Atkins’ 10 points and 14 rebounds.
Spartans advanced to the Sweet 16 for the seventh time in the past eight seasons under coach Tom Izzo.
SOUTH REGION (1) Duke Blue Devils defeat (8) San Diego State Aztecs 68-49
Okafor scored 18 of his 26 points in a dominant Duke first half, he also grabbed 6 rebounds and blocked 3 shots. Freshman Justise Winslow added 13 points and 12 rebounds for Duke and the senior leader Quinn Cook scored 15 points with 5 rebounds. Duke shot 55 percent against the Aztecs, two days after shooting 63 percent against 16th-seeded Robert Morris.
Winston Shepard led the Aztecs scoring 13 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.
MIDWEST REGION (7) Wichita State Shockers defeat (2) Kansas Jayhawks 78-65
In an interstate matchup that hasn’t happened since 1993, the ‘underdog’ Wichita State Shockers pulled off the win. Tekele Cotton scored 19 points for the Shockers, Fred VanVleet finished with 17 and Evan Wessel hit four 3-pointers to score 12 points.
Devonte’ Graham and Perry Ellis had 17 points each, and Frank Mason added 16 for the Jayhawks.
EAST REGION (3) Oklahoma Sooners defeat (11) Dayton Flyers 72-66
Jordan Woodard had 16 points, including seven free throws in the final minute to go along with 4 steals. Buddy Hield scored 15 points for the Sooners and Frank Booker came off the bench for 12 points.
Scoochie Smith led Dayton with 16 points on the night, Darrell Davis came off the bench for 15 points and Kendall Pollard scored 13 points with 5 rebounds.
The Sooners are in the Sweet 16 since Blake Griffin led them to the Elite Eight in 2009.
SOUTH REGION (2) Gonzaga Bulldogs defeat (7) Iowa Hawkeyes 87-68
Kyle Wiltjer scored 13 of his 24 points during Gonzaga’s fantastic first half and he also grabbed 7 rebounds on the day. Kevin Pangos scored 16 points and Domantas Sabonis, son of NBA great Advydas Sabonis, added 18 points and the Bulldogs advanced to the round of 16 for the first time since 2009.
Jarrod Uthoff led Iowa with 20 and Aaron White added 19.
Waiting in Houston on Friday night for their Sweet 16 matchup is UCLA, the same Bruins program Gonzaga fell short against in the round of 16 in 2006 in Adam Morrison’s final game with the Bulldogs.
WEST REGION (1) Wisconsin Badgers defeat (8) Oregon Ducks 72-65
Sam Dekker scored 17 points, hitting a couple big baskets after Oregon had tied it late in the game. Kaminsky scored 16 points with 7 rebounds. Nigel Hayes had 14 points and Bronson Koenig added 12 as the Badgers are going back to the Sweet 16.
Pac-12 Player of the Year Joseph Young had 30 against the Badgers after scoring 27 points in a win over Oklahoma State on Friday. Jalil Abdul-Bassit scored 12 points for the Ducks.
MIDWEST REGION (5) West Virginia Mountaineers defeat (4) Maryland Terrapins 69-59
Devin Williams had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Gary Browne scored 14 points, Daxter Miles Jr. had 12 and Jonathan Holton also scored 12 for West Virginia.
Melo Trimble had 15 points for Maryland, but sat on the bench for the final 8:25 after he was hurt for the third time in the game due to a head injury that sidelined him for the game. Jake Layman dropped 10 points on the night for the Terrapins.
The Mountaineers advanced to the second weekend of the tournament for the first time since 2010, when it went all the way to the Final Four.
EAST REGION (4) Louisville Cardinals defeat (5) Northern Iowa Panthers 66-53
Terry Rozier had 25 points and seven assists to lead the Cardinals. Montrezl Harrell scored 14 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, Quentin Snider and Wayne Blackshear scored 10 points each with Blackshear grabbing 6 rebounds.
Rick Pitino’s harassing 2/3 defense made life rough on the Panthers best player, Seth Tuttle, holding him to seven shots and 14 points that were tough to come by. Nate Buss came off the bench for 11 points and Paul Jesperson joined him off the bench scoring 10.
You can check out all the schedules for the Sweet 16, stats and more at CBS Sports!
