The primary day of March Insanity introduced upsets, blowouts and an action-packed 13 hours of faculty basketball.
Under is your information to all 16 first-round video games from Day 1 of the lads’s 2025 NCAA event, full with evaluation from on-site reporters of how every sport was received, and our specialists’ takes on every winner’s probabilities to advance to the Candy 16.
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Day 1 outcomes, takeaways
Most up-to-date video games listed first.
Remaining: Texas Tech beats UNC Wilmington, 82-72
How Texas Tech received: Lacking third-leading scorer Chance McMillian (higher physique), Texas Tech rode a career-high scoring efficiency from tremendous senior Kerwin Walton to climate a hot-and-cold workforce taking pictures efficiency and maintain off a persistent UNC Wilmington. Walton, a former North Carolina guard, went 8-of-19 from deep to energy a 27-point scoring evening, accounting for almost 75% of the Crimson Raiders’ 13 makes from 3-point vary. Walton’s taking pictures helped raise Texas Tech to a 35-19 first-half benefit, and his 12 second-half factors have been essential in holding the Seahawks at bay whereas the Crimson Raiders offense dragged by the ultimate 20 minutes. Darrion Williams’ 13-point, 9-rebound exhibiting amid a nagging ankle harm is encouraging for Texas Tech, however Grant McCasland and Co. will want McMillian again and extra full performances up forward if the Crimson Raiders have sights on a deep run on this event. — Eli Lederman
Remaining: Michigan beats UC San Diego, 68-65
How Michigan received: The Wolverines tried laborious to not look aggravated when their first-round opponent had turn out to be a stylish upset choose, however Michigan was in the end one shot off the rim on the buzzer from going to extra time in opposition to UC San Diego on Thursday evening. The Wolverines had opened the sport 10-0, led by 14 at halftime and pushed the result in as many 15 factors early within the second half. However alas, Michigan — which led the Huge Ten in turnovers at 14.1 per sport — continued to fumble away the great instances with 14 giveaways that led to fifteen factors for UCSD. The Tritons used a 17-3 run to chop the Wolverines’ result in 45-44 with simply in need of quarter-hour left to play and later tied it at 63 with just below three minutes to go, squeezing Michigan down the stretch earlier than the final gasp bounced away. UCSD’s main scorer of the season, Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, had fouled out with 6:57 to play and simply seven factors. Michigan held UC San Diego to 38.7% taking pictures (24-of-62) general, limiting the Tritons to 7-of-30 from 3. — Jeff Legwold
Remaining: St. John’s beats Omaha, 83-53
How St. John’s received: St. John’s began sluggish, however turned a five-point sport at halftime right into a second-half blowout, defeating Omaha by 30 factors. The Crimson Storm opened the final half on a 17-5 run and by no means regarded again, led by junior ahead RJ Luis Jr., who had a game-high 22 factors and added eight rebounds. They entered the event as a top-three protection nationally, and suffocated the Mavericks, who shot 25.7% from the ground and went 5-of-36 from 3. Because the clock struck midnight in Windfall, the pro-St. John’s crowd chanted Rick Pitino’s identify, saluting the Crimson Storm coach who now seems forward to a matchup in opposition to John Calipari’s No. 10 Arkansas workforce. — Mike Reiss
Remaining: UCLA beat Utah State, 72-47
How UCLA received: Utah State could not muster any offense in opposition to UCLA in a sport that felt each bit as lopsided as the ultimate rating indicated. At one level late within the second half, Utah State was taking pictures 28.6% from the sphere, which is not precisely a successful recipe in March. UCLA wasn’t precisely lights-out on its finish, however the Bruins had six gamers with a minimum of eight factors, together with a team-high 14 factors from junior guard Skyy Clark. All that mentioned, we’ve to provide the Aggies credit score for making it to the NCAA event once more regardless of having their third coach in three years — athletic director Diana Sabau has executed an incredible job handing the baton to high quality coaches. — Ben Child
Remaining: Drake beats Missouri, 67-57
How Drake received: “You’ll be able to solely management what you may management,” Drake guard Mitch Mascari mentioned Wednesday when requested about how the Bulldogs would deal with Missouri’s dimension benefit. Effectively, Drake managed all of it Thursday evening, overpowering Missouri within the paint, the place the Bulldogs outscored the Tigers 38-22. Drake dictated the tempo from begin to end to safe a minimum of yet one more win in a storybook season below first-year coach Ben McCollum. Bennett Stirtz was the metronome, main the Bulldogs with 21 factors on 8-of-11 taking pictures. And fellow junior Tavion Banks joined Stirtz in double figures, however extra importantly, powered the Bulldogs’ dominance on the glass with a game-high 9 rebounds. Chants of “Overrated, S-E-C” rained down from Drake followers because the seconds ran off the clock on this system’s first NCAA event since 2021, sealing the Bulldogs a second-round date with the winner of No. 3 Texas Tech and No. 14 UNC Wilmington. — Eli Lederman
Remaining: Texas A&M beats Yale, 80-71
How Texas A&M received: Texas A&M was just too environment friendly on offense when it mattered, and an excessive amount of of a swarming riddle on protection for Yale to discover a resolution. The Aggies shot 51.7% from the sphere as Pharrel Payne led a balanced group with 25 factors on 10-of-12 taking pictures to go together with his 10 rebounds. They held Yale to 29% taking pictures within the opening half and the Bulldogs spent a lot of the rest of the sport making an attempt to dig out of these troubles. They did shut the hole to 58-52 with just a bit greater than eight minutes to play, however obtained no nearer, with the Aggies pushing the lead again to fifteen three minutes later. Along with Payne’s efforts, Wade Taylor IV added 16 for the Aggies. Texas A&M additionally compelled Yale’s main scorer, John Poulakidas — who averaged 19.2 factors coming into Thursday evening — right into a 7-of-18 taking pictures evening on to strategy to his team-leading 23 factors.— Jeff Legwold
Remaining: Arkansas beats Kansas, 79-72
How Arkansas received: In an exciting sport that got here all the way down to the ultimate three minutes, No. 10 Arkansas discovered its rhythm when it wanted it most to drag away from No. 7 Kansas. After taking pictures 54.3% from the ground within the first half, Kansas’ zone was efficient in slowing the Razorbacks all the way down to 30% taking pictures within the second half — till the ultimate minutes, after they closed it out on a 15-5 run. In line with ESPN Analysis, Kansas performed zone on simply seven possessions this season, so it was a notable change-up. However the Jayhawks, who took a 67-64 lead with simply lower than 5 minutes to play, gave the impression to be impacted by the lack of ahead KJ Adams in crunch time. Adams was helped off the courtroom and brought to the locker room with what seemed to be a big harm. Jonas Aidoo led Arkansas with 22 factors, whereas Johnell Davis had 18, together with a clutch 3-pointer with 1:47 remaining to place the Razorbacks up 71-67. They put it away from there. — Mike Reiss
Remaining: Tennessee beats Wofford, 77-62
How Tennessee received: This was a type of video games the place the expertise discrepancy was obvious from the opening tip. Although Wofford did its finest to hold round and saved Tennessee trustworthy, the Volunteers did not look bothered at any level — and it was laborious for the Terriers to fight the Vols’ plethora of scoring choices. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier scored a game-high 29 factors, the third highest in a NCAA event sport at school historical past. Senior guard Zakai Zeigler had a double-double with 12 factors and 12 assists. Total, it was a powerful exhibiting. By including Lanier final offseason, the North Florida switch may very well be the participant who pushes Tennessee to its first Remaining 4 at school historical past. — Ben Child
Remaining: Gonzaga beats Georgia, 89-68
How Gonzaga received: Working from the much less acquainted function of event sleeper, Gonzaga nonetheless has the look of a workforce that has been right here earlier than. The 8-seed Bulldogs turned 13 turnovers into 25 factors and blitzed Georgia from deep, ending 12-of-20 from 3-point vary to safe an intriguing second-round date with No. 1 seed Houston. Sixth-year guard Khalif Battle led the taking pictures barrage with 4 triples, a part of a game-high 24-point efficiency to go together with eight rebounds. A 20-point, 12-rebound effort from Georgia freshman Asa Newell supplies solely a sliver of solace for Mike White’s Bulldogs, who missed 21 of their 26 3-point makes an attempt within the applications first event sport in a decade. Yet one more notice on Gonzaga: Ryan Nembhard’s eight assists on the day take his help tally to 333 on the yr, drawing the senior guard degree with Avery Johnson (Southern, 1986-87) for fifth all-time among the many NCAA’s single-season help leaders. — Eli Lederman
(11) VCU vs.
(6) BYU
Remaining: BYU beats VCU, 80-71
How BYU received: As VCU head coach Ryan Odom had warned, BYU was certainly a workforce of flurries. The Cougars closed out the primary half on a 12-2 run earlier than opening the second half with a 13-6 push on the best way to a first-round win in Denver. By the point Odom referred to as a timeout three minutes and 15 seconds into the second half, the Cougars had constructed a 52-34 lead, and the Rams didn’t slim the hole to lower than 10 factors till Zeb Jackson hit a 3-pointer to make it 75-66 with 55 seconds to play. The BYU backcourt — Egor Demin and Richie Saunders — mixed for 31 factors because the Cougars shot 50% from the sphere, with Fousseyni Traore including 13. The Rams did have 4 gamers with a minimum of 10 factors, led by Jackson’s 23. — Jeff Legwold
Second spherical opponent: Wisconsin
BYU’s probabilities to advance to the Candy 16: BYU’s offensive efficiency in opposition to VCU bodes effectively transferring ahead for the Cougars. They dealt effectively with the Rams’ stress, obtained into the enamel of their protection time and time once more, crashed the offensive glass — and future first-round choose Egor Demin performed certainly one of his finest video games in a BYU jersey. It is that final half that gives loads of optimism: Demin made three 3s within the tournament-opening win, solely the fifth time since late November he has made a number of pictures from past the arc. It’s price noting Wisconsin is a lot better offensively than VCU, and the Badgers have two gamers in John Tonje and John Blackwell who’ve been terrific currently. One key: BYU has allowed its final 4 opponents to make double-digit 3s; Wisconsin had the very best 3-point price within the Huge Ten play. — Jeff Borzello
Remaining: McNeese beats Clemson, 69-67
How McNeese received: McNeese head coach Will Wade famous the distinction between his workforce getting into this yr’s event in comparison with final yr, saying he felt the Twelfth-seeded Cowboys have been “extra about enterprise” after merely being completely satisfied to be there final yr. They took care of their enterprise in spectacular trend in opposition to fifth-seeded Clemson, posting a 69-67 win that wasn’t as shut because the rating signifies. The Cowboys, who received their first event sport at school historical past, broke open a 6-6 tie early to take a 31-13 lead on the half earlier than holding off a Tigers surge as issues obtained unexpectedly attention-grabbing within the ultimate two minutes. Brandon Murray scored a team-high 21 factors off the bench, whereas Quadir Copeland added 16 and Christian Shumate had 13 factors and 11 rebounds. — Mike Reiss
Remaining: Auburn beats Alabama State, 83-63
How Auburn received: The important thing to any good upset is the underdog placing fixed and significant stress on the favourite, however that did not occur right here, as issues ended up being fairly comfy for 1-seed Auburn. Tigers senior guard Miles Kelly led all gamers with 23 factors, with eight of his made buckets coming from behind the 3-point line. The Hornets have been on the verge of taking the lead within the first half however could not hit the required free throws — that was their finest punch, and Auburn in the end responded by closing the half on a 9-0 run. It was a spirited effort from the 16-seed SWAC champs, however it is going to take greater than that to beat the highest general seed. The win units up a really intriguing matchup in opposition to 9-seed Creighton; the Bluejays confirmed they’ve the offensive firepower to actually take a look at the Tigers within the win over Louisville earlier right this moment. — Ben Child
Auburn’s second spherical opponent: Creighton
Auburn’s probabilities to advance to the Candy 16: When Alabama State took a quick one-point lead over Auburn, questions in regards to the Tigers’ late-season challenges have been magnified — in current weeks, they’d lacked the aggressive method that made them America’s No. 1 workforce for the majority of the season. Early in Thursday’s sport, Alabama State was profitable in limiting Johni Broome’s touches. That may very well be an issue once more with Creighton having arguably the nation’s finest inside defender in Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Bluejays’ opponents have made simply 46.1% of their pictures contained in the arc this season (sixteenth), per KenPom, so Creighton may duplicate Alabama State’s early defensive method (albeit with a extra proficient group). However the Tigers at all times appear to determine it out. Thursday’s win was proof that they’re greater than a one-star workforce, with Miles Kelly ending 7-for-15 from past the arc, and they are going to be robust to beat consequently. — Myron Medcalf
Remaining: Houston beats SIUE, 78-40
How Houston received: Houston will get off to a great begin to its third consecutive event as a 1-seed. A searing first-half taking pictures efficiency (61.3%) lifted the Cougars to a 28-point halftime lead and meant they by no means had lower than a double-digit lead within the ultimate 34 minutes of motion, cruising to this system’s second-largest victory in an NCAA event sport. Junior guard Milos Uzan dropped 16 factors to guide 4 scorers in double figures for the Cougars, who advance to Saturday’s second spherical, the place they’ll face the winner of No. 8 Gonzaga and No. 9 Georgia.
How J’Wan Roberts performed: Roberts, who missed Houston’s earlier two video games after rolling his proper ankle within the workforce’s Huge 12 Match opener, logged 20 minutes and totaled six factors with three rebounds in his first motion since March 13 whereas carrying solely a gentle brace on his injured ankle. That bodes effectively for the fifth-year senior and Cougars transferring ahead. — Eli Lederman
Remaining: Wisconsin beats Montana, 85-66
How Wisconsin received: The drumbeat of Wisconsin’s dimension and earnestness on offense was an excessive amount of for the upstart Grizzlies. The Badgers had two 7-footers — Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter — within the beginning lineup across the Huge Ten’s fifth-leading scorer, John Tonje. The Grizzlies tried to counter with their four-guard lineup, with the 6-foot-8 Te’Jon Sawyer usually the one Montana participant on the ground over 6-5. And whereas Montana reduce the result in 4 factors twice early within the second half, the Badgers saved grinding away on ruthlessly environment friendly 55.4% taking pictures. John Blackwell led U-W with 19 factors as Crowl completed with 18 and Tonje with 15. The Badgers blocked six pictures and outrebounded Montana 40-29. — Jeff Legwold
Second spherical opponent: BYU
Wisconsin’s probabilities to advance to the Candy 16: Wisconsin has gotten over no matter ailed it down the stretch of the season, when it misplaced three of 5 and had consistency points on the offensive finish. Max Klesmit is again wholesome, John Tonje discovered his shot through the Huge Ten event — and Steven Crowl and John Blackwell may need been their finest performers in Thursday’s win over Montana. Saturday’s matchup in opposition to BYU goes to characteristic two of the perfect offenses within the nation: the Cougars have the No. 4 offense at BartTorvik.com since Feb. 15, whereas the Badgers have been the second-most environment friendly offense within the Huge Ten throughout convention play. BYU shares the ball and areas the ground in addition to any workforce left within the event — Wisconsin should restrict Egor Demin‘s house to function and shut out on shooters. — Jeff Borzello
Remaining: Purdue beats Excessive Level, 75-63
How Purdue received: Excessive Level performed the function of the pesky underdog effectively, holding issues shut within the second half. However in the long run, Purdue wore the Panthers down with junior ahead Trey Kaufman-Renn (21 factors, 8 rebounds) and junior guard Braden Smith (18 factors, 6 assists) main the cost. The decisive stat that tells the story: Purdue had a 45-24 rebounding edge. Excessive Level’s final lead was on the 12:19 mark of the primary half (14-13), and whereas the Panthers reduce it to a few with simply lower than eight minutes in regulation, they could not recover from the hump. — Mike Reiss
Remaining: Creighton beats Louisville, 89-75
How Creighton received: In what was primarily a street sport, 9-seeded Creighton beat 8-seeded Louisville in a first-round matchup that wasn’t shut once more after the center of the primary half. Creighton senior guard Jamiya Neal scored a game-high 29 factors with some large buckets late that helped stifle Louisville’s momentum. This draw is a combined bag for top-seeded Auburn if it beats Alabama State, however the Bluejays confirmed they’ve the firepower to actually problem the Tigers. — Ben Child
Creighton’s second spherical opponent: Auburn
Creighton’s probabilities to advance to the Candy 16: Previous to Creighton’s first-round victory over Louisville — a workforce that boasted a top-30 rating in adjusted offensive and defensive effectivity getting into the sport — solely Kentucky had manufactured a extra productive offensive show (93 factors) in opposition to the Cardinals this season. Though the Bluejays have a four-time Huge East defensive participant of the yr in Ryan Kalkbrenner, their offensive capabilities are the explanation they may compete with the 1-seeded Tigers on Saturday. If Jamiya Neal (29 factors vs. Louisville) continues to soar, Creighton can have an actual shot in opposition to Auburn. The Bluejays have boasted a top-25 offense over the past month of the season, per BartTorvik.com, however the Tigers are the highest general seed for a cause. However Creighton cannot match the general expertise of Bruce Pearl’s squad, and hasn’t defeated a top-25 KenPom workforce since Dec. 31. — Myron Medcalf
