No. 13 Ohio stuns No. 4 seed Virginia
Defending champion eliminated, shooting 35 percent from field
Virginia’s unusual title defense ended with another upset loss in the NCAA Tournament, falling 62-58 to Jason Preston and Ohio on Saturday.
Some familiar problems showed up again for the fourthseeded Cavaliers, who struggled to score during a key stretch in the second half and shot 35 percent from the field for the game. Virginia became the first No. 1 seed to drop its opening game in the NCAA Tournament when it lost to UMBC in 2018, but it used the setback as motivation in its run to the championship in 2019.
Last year’s NCAA Tournament was canceled because of the pandemic, delaying the Cavaliers’ title defense. They just arrived in Indiana on Friday because of COVID -19 issues, and now they are heading home again.
Preston and Ben Vander Plas delivered for Ohio after leading the Bobcats to the Mid-american Conference Tournament title. Next up is No. 5 seed Creighton on Monday.
Vander Plas scored eight of his game-high 17 points during an 18-4 second-half run that erased a 38-31 deficit and gave the Bobcats a 49-42 lead. Ohio (17-7) never trailed again.
Preston finished with 11 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Lunden Mcday sealed the victory at the free-throw line in the closing seconds.
Oklahoma 72, Missouri 68: Austin Reaves scored 23 points, Brady Manek added 19 and Oklahoma slipped by ninth-seeded Missouri. The eighthseeded Sooners (16-10) are on to the second round for fourth time in the last six tournaments and will likely face No. 1 Gonzaga on Monday in the West Region. The unbeaten Zags faced 16seeded Norfolk State later Saturday night.
Iowa 86, Grand Canyon 74: Iowa got 24 points from Luka Garza and avoided the early exit that befell other high seeds. Iowa shot the Antelopes and their boisterous fans back to the desert, hitting 54 percent from the floor while going 10-for-22 from 3.
USC 72, Drake 56: Evan Mobley had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and the No. 6-seeded Trojans used smothering defense in a victory over Drake. Mobley, a 7-foot freshman forward and AP second-team All-american expected to be a lottery pick if he declares for the draft, made 7 of 15 field goals and blocked three shots.
Creighton 63, UC Santa Barbara 62:
Christian Bishop made both ends of a one-and-one with 16 seconds left to give fifth-seeded Creighton the lead, and the Bluejays hung on to beat 12thseeded UC Santa Barbara. Creighton’s turbulent season, which included a one-game suspension for coach Greg Mcdermott after he made a racially insensitive remark in the locker room, continues Monday in the West Region when the Bluejays (21-8) face Ohio.
Kansas 93, Eastern Washington 84:
David Mccormack returned from his Covid-19-caused hiatus just in time to rescue No. 3 seed Kansas. One day after rejoining the Jayhawks in Indianapolis, the bruising big man piled up 22 points and nine rebounds, helping slow-starting Kansas rally from a 10point second-half deficit and beat No. 14 seed Eastern Washington to advance to the second round. Ochai Agbaji scored 21 points, Marcus Garrett fought foul trouble to add 20 and Dajuan Harris Jr. had 13 for the Jayhawks (21-8).
Gonzaga 98, Norfolk State 55:
Corey Kispert scored 15 of his 23 points by halftime and No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga rolled in its NCAA Tournament opener. Anton Watson had 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting for the Bulldogs (27-0), who shook off a slow few opening minutes and easily handled the 16th-seeded Mid-eastern Athletic Conference champions. Next up for the undefeated Zags is Oklahoma in the second round of the West Region.