NCAA TOURNAMENT

NORTHWESTERN 68, VANDERBILT 66 SALT LAKE CITY — Northwestern got its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, 68-66 over Vanderbilt, after Commodores guard Matthew Fisher-Davis inexplicably grabbed Wildcats guard Bryant McIntosh on purpose, sending McIntosh to the free-throw line for the go-ahead points with 15 seconds left.

Riley LaChance made a layup with 18 seconds remaining to put the ninth-seeded Commodores up by one after trailing by as many as 15.

But seconds after the in-bounds pass, Fisher-Davis reached out and grabbed McIntosh while he was in the backcourt.That put eighth-seeded Northwestern in the double bonus, and McIntosh went to the line and calmly swished the free throws for the win.

GONZAGA 66, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 46 SALT LAKE CITY — Jordan Mathews scored 16 points to help Gonzaga slowly pull away from South Dakota State for a 66-46 victory and avoid the first 1 vs. 16 upset in the history of the NCAA Tournament.

It looked possible for a while.The Jackrabbits (18-17), champions of the Summit League, led for the first 17 minutes and stayed in range for most of the game.

Gonzaga’s 7-foot-1 centre, Przemek Karnowski, who finished with only 10 points, scored three straight buckets for the Bulldogs (33-1) to help them expand the lead to 20 with five minutes left.

Mike Daum, the nation’s second-leading scorer, finished with 17 points in a losing effort.

VILLANOVA 76, MOUNT ST. MARY’S 56 BUFFALO, N.Y. — Donte DiVincenzo scored 21 points and top seed Villanova shook off a slow start with a 76-56 win over No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s.

The Wildcats (32-3) are trying to become the first back-to-back titlist since Florida in 2007.

Since the NCAA went to seeding in 1985, No. 1 seeds are 130-0 against No. 16s.