Texas Southern rallies, takes First 4 opener
John Walker III scored a season-high 19 points and Jordan Gilliam had 12 to help Texas Southern erase a 10-point halftime deficit Thursday and beat Mount St. Mary’s 60-52 in the first NCAA tournament game in nearly two years.
It was the second straight First Four victory for the Tigers (17-8), who also won in 2018 — their most recent tournament appearance.
Texas Southern, the No. 16 seed in the East Region, won its 10th straight game and will next face top-seeded Michigan (20-4) on Saturday.
Walker also matched his career high with nine rebounds.
Damian Chong Qui scored 14 points and Mezie Offurum had 10 points and 16 rebounds for the Mountaineers (12-11), who fell to 1-9 in tourney play.
It was the first NCAA tournament game since Virginia beat Texas Tech in OT to win the national championship on April 8, 2019 — a span of 710 days.
The atmosphere inside Indiana University’s Assembly Hall in Bloomington was alien to the event known as March Madness. Only players, coaches and staff members were permitted on the court level, and an estimated 150 people sat in the cavernous lower bowl.
Drake wins thriller: Joseph Yesufu had 21 points for Drake (26-4), which came from 10 points behind in the second half and outlasted Wichita State 53-52 in West Lafayette, Indiana, to advance to a first-round clash against Southern California. Morris Udeze scored 22 for the Shockers (16-6).
Top Yellow Jackets player out: Georgia Tech star Moses Wright, the ACC Player of the Year, will miss the ninth-seeded Yellow Jackets’ first-round game against No. 8 seed Loyola Chicago today, ESPN reported Wednesday night.
Wright also likely will be out if Tech win and advances to face the winner of No. 1 seed Illinois-No. 16 Drexel.
The 6-foot-9 senior had 26 points and 10 rebounds against Virginia Tech, followed by 31 points and 16 rebounds against Syracuse, then 29 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in a win over Duke. Wright has averaged 17.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 blocks.