Middle Tennessee topples Minnesota
Blue Raiders knock off another Big Ten team in the NCAAs
MILWAUKEE — Reggie Upshaw scored 19 points, Giddy Potts added 15 and Middle Tennessee took down another Big Ten team in the NCAA Tournament, beating Minnesota 81-72 on Thursday.
Twelfth-seeded Middle Tennessee proved it was no one-year wonder after upsetting Michigan State as a No. 15 seed last March.
The Blue Raiders (31-4) instead played like seasoned NCAA veterans with the way they held off the Gophers’ comeback attempt from a 17-point deficit in front of a loud and large contingent of Minnesota fans.
Upshaw responded with seven straight points, including a 3-pointer and a reverse layup during a 7-3 run to help give Middle Tennessee a 10-point lead with 3:40 left.
Coach Kermit Davis’ club will move on to face No. 4 seed Butler in the second round Saturday.
A season of redemption came to an end for fifth-seeded Minnesota (24-10), which bounced back from an eight-win season in 2015-16 to return to the NCAAs.
Amir Coffey had 17 points to lead Minnesota.
But the Gophers got in trouble after 6-foot-10 center Reggie Lynch, the Big Ten defensive player of the year, went to the bench with foul trouble.
No. 4 BUTLER 76, No. 13 WINTHROP 64: In Milwaukee, Butler’s Avery Woodson scored 18 points and tied a career high with six 3-pointers.
Woodson, a graduate transfer from Memphis, hit five 3s in the first half to help the fourth-seeded Bulldogs build a 14-point halftime lead.
A 12-2 run in the middle of the second half gave Butler a 60-43 lead with less than 8 minutes left and put the game out of reach for the Eagles.
Xavier Cooks had 23 points to lead Big South champion Winthrop (26-7).
One more win in Milwaukee and Butler (24-8) would advance to its fifth Sweet 16 since 2003.