UC Irvine downs Kansas State 70-64
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — UC Irvine got backto-back 3-pointers from Evan Leonard to spark the deciding run in a 70-64 upset over Kansas State that marked the Anteaters' first NCAA Tournament victory in school history.
The Friday victory was the 17th consecutive for UC Irvine, which lost 57-55 to Louisville in 2015 in their only NCAA appearance.
Leonard and Max Hazzard each scored 19 points to send UC Irvine (31-5) into the second round of the South Region for a matchup against either Wisconsin or Oregon.
One year after making a run to the Elite Eight, the fourth-seeded Wildcats (25-9) had a short stay in the tournament as they struggled to decipher the Anteaters zone defense and missed star forward Dean Wade, who was sidelined by a foot injury. Kamau Stokes led Kansas State, the co-champions of the Big 12, with 18 points.
Despite that, Kansas State led by four points midway through the second half before the two long shots from Leonard turned the tides with a streak of 12 consecutive points. Robert Cartwright added another 3-pointer and Leonard made three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer to make it 59-51.
The Wildcats cut the deficit to two points, before Hazzard hit a corner 3 with 1:25 to play to make it 66-61 and then struck a pose to the delight of the Anteaters fans who made the trip up from Orange County.
Cartier Diarra hit a 3 for Kansas State off a tip pass from Xavier Sneed and the Wildcats had a chance to tie or take the lead but Barry Brown Jr. threw a pass away with 38.8 seconds to play.
The Anteaters then sealed the game at the foul line.
VIRGINIA 71, GARDNER-WEBB 56
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — No. 1 seed Virginia rallied from 14 points down Friday to beat No. 16 seed Gardner-Webb, averting another first-round exit as a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Cavaliers trailed 30-16 with 6:42 left in the first half of the South Region opener but rallied and cut the Runnin' Bulldogs (23-12) lead to six at halftime.
Virginia (30-3) then opened the second half with a 25-5 run to put to rest any thoughts of an upset.
The Cavaliers used their trademark stifling defense to force 11 Gardner-Webb turnovers in the first 12 minutes after the break.
De'Andre Hunter led the Cavaliers with 23 points and Mamadi Diakite added 17 points on 8-of10 shooting and nine rebounds.
Jose Perez scored 19 points for Gardner-Webb, which was playing in its first NCAA Tournament.
Last year the Cavaliers were the top seed in the tournament and lost by 20 to No. 16 seed Maryland Baltimore County.
BUFFALO 91, ARIZONA STATE 74
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Jeremy Harris and Nick Perkins each scored 21 points and had 10 rebounds to help lead No. 6 seed Buffalo past No. 11 Arizona State in the West Region.
CJ Massinburg had 18 points and six rebounds for Buffalo (32-3), which won its 13th straight game.
Zylan Cheatham scored 22 points and had eight rebounds before fouling out with 2:06 remaining for Arizona State (23-11). Romello White and Luguentz Dort each added 12 points.
Arizona State trailed 44-31 at halftime and pulled within nine early in the second half before Buffalo's 7-0 run pushed its lead to 16 with 16:13 remaining.
The Bulls' advantage never fell below 14 the rest of the way.
TEXAS TECH 72, NO. KENTUCKY 57
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Jarrett Culver had 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to help No. 3 seed Texas Tech shake off a slow start against No. 14 seed Northern Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Tariq Owens scored 12 points and Davide Moretti had 10 for Texas Tech (27-6).
Northern Kentucky (26-9) got 23 points from Tyler Sharpe and 11 from Dantez Walton while giving the Red Raiders everything they could handle in the West Region.
OKLAHOMA 95, MISSISSIPPI 72
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Rashard Odomes and Christian James scored 20 points apiece, Kristian Doolittle had 19 points and matched a careerhigh with 15 rebounds and No. 9 seed Oklahoma blitzed Mississippi with a season high in points in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Sooners (20-13) scored on eight of their first nine possessions for a 12-0 lead and led by 17 at halftime.
The Rebels (20-13) had looked like a tired team for more than a month, and eight days off didn't appear to help.
Terrence Davis led Ole Miss with 17 points.
IOWA 79, CINCINNATI 72
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Luka Garza scored 20 points, Jordan Bohannon made a three-point play during Iowa's closing surge as the 10th-seeded Hawkeyes rallied past No. 7 seed Cincinnati in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Hawkeyes (2311) got their first NCAA Tournament win in four years despite what amounted to a home crowd for the Bearcats, who couldn't overcome a subpar game by Jarron Cumberland.
He was 3 of 9 from beyond the arc and finished with 18 points.
Point guard Justin Jenifer scored a careerhigh 19 points for Cincinnati (28-7), which hasn't made it past the opening weekend for seven straight years.
OREGON 72, WISCONSIN 54
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Payton Pritchard scored 19 points, Kenny Wooten protected the rim with four blocks and 12th-seeded Oregon extended its surprising March run by beating No. 5 seed Wisconsin
The Ducks (24-12) won four games in four days to win the Pac-12 tournament last week just to make the NCAAs then followed it with an impressive victory over a higher-seeded opponent.
Oregon advanced to play No. 13 seed UC Irvine (31-5) on Sunday in the second round of the South Region.
Louis King added 17 points, Paul White scored all 14 points of his points in the second half and Wooten had nine points, six rebounds and the tone-setting blocks to give the Ducks their ninth straight win.
Ethan Happ and Khalil Iverson each scored 14 points to lead the Badgers (23-11).
The game was tied early in the second half when the Ducks used their athleticism to take over. Wooten scored on backto-back dunks and White followed with a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to make it 42-35.
Wooten then blocked a shot by Happ on one end and converted on an impressive alley-oop slap from Pritchard on the other to make it 46-37 with 12:31 to play.
The Badgers tried to cut into that deficit but King made a 3-pointer and two free throws to build the lead to 10 points with less than five minutes to play.
Wooten then put the exclamation point on the victory with two blocks on one trip before Pritchard's layup made it 59-47.