Positive virus tests bounce VCU from bracket; Oregon advances
INDIANAPOLIS — VCU was kicked out of the NCAA Tournament hours before its first-round game Saturday because multiple players tested positive for COVID-19, an outbreak that imperiled the 68-team event and underscored, once again, the delicate nature of staging such a spectacle amid a pandemic a year after it was canceled entirely.
The NCAA announced the cancellation — officially declaring a “no contest” — about three hours before the No. 10 seed Rams were scheduled to tip off against No. 7 seed Oregon in the West Region.
VCU’S players got the news after they had finished their pregame meal.
“It was devastating. It was hear tbreaking. No dr y eyes. This is what you dream of as a college player and a coach. To get it taken away like this, it’s just a heartbreaking moment in their young lives,” VCU coach Mike Rhoades said. “It just stinks. There’s no way I can sugarcoat it.”
VCU athletic director Ed Mclaughlin declined to say which players tested positive, citing privacy concerns. There were
multiple positive tests over two days, which is why the rams had to forfeit, while other schools were able to play first-round games after a single COVID-19 case.
Oklahoma, for example, was in action Saturday despite guard De’vion Harmon’s positive test. Georgia Tech lost to Loyola Chicago on Friday after ACC player of the year Moses Wright tested positive.
“I just shake my head to think we did all the right things all the way through,” Mclaughlin said. “I want to make clear that this is not something where our team broke protocol and did the wrong thing. We don’t know how this happened, but it certainly wasn’t because of bad behavior.”
WEST OHIO 62, VIRGINIA 58
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Virginia’s unusual title defense ended with another upset loss in the NCAA Tournament, falling to Jason Preston and Ohio.
Some familiar problems showed up again for the four th-seeded Cavaliers, who struggled to score during a key stretch in the second half and shot 35% 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.
Sam Hauser had 15 points and nine rebounds for Virginia (18-7), which won the ACC regular-season title and then had to withdraw from the conference tournament after a positive COVID-19 test.
CREIGHTON 63, UC SANTA BARBARA 62
INDIANAPOLIS — Christian Bishop made both ends of a oneand-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 either Virginia or Ohio.
Bishop was fouled by Amadou Sow on the floor after grabbing an offensive rebound and went to the line with the Gauchos (22-5) up 6261.
The junior came into the game making 57% from the line, but dropped in both, barely touching the rim.
Jaquori Mclaughlin had a chance to put the Gauchos back on top but couldn’t finish at the rim. He led UCSB with 13 points.
USC 72, DRAKE 56
INDIANAPOLIS — Evan Mobley had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and No. 6 seed Southern California used smothering defense to beat Drake.
Mobley, a 7-foot freshman forward and AP second-team All-american expected to be a lotter y pick if he declares for the draft, made 7 of 15 field goals and blocked three shots.
Isaiah Mobley scored 15 points and Drew Peterson added 14 for USC (23-7), which advanced to play No. 3 seed Kansas in the second round on Monday.
Joseph Yesufu scored 26 points for 11th-seeded Drake (26-5), but none of his teammates scored more than six. Drake shot 29% overall, including a dismal 19% in the second half.
KANSAS 73, EASTERN WASHINGTON 84
INDIANAPOLIS — David Mccormack returned from his Covid-19-caused hiatus just in time to rescue No. 3 seed Kansas, piling up 22 points and nine rebounds as the slow-starting Jayhawks rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to beat No. 14 seed Eastern Washington.
Ochai Agbaji scored 21 points, Marcus Garrett fought foul trouble to add 20 and Dajuan Harris Jr. had 13 for the Jayhawks (21-8).
OKLAHOMA 72, MISSOURI 68
INDIANAPOLIS — Austin Reaves scored 23 points, Brady Manek added 19 and Oklahoma slipped by ninth-seeded Missouri to win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The eighth-seeded Sooners (1610) 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 16-seeded Nor folk State later Saturday night.
EAST COLORADO 96, GEORGETOWN 73
INDIANAPOLIS — Colorado used an early 3-point barrage to parlay its highest seeding ever into a win over Georgetown and coach Patrick Ewing.
Led by freshman Jabari Walker’s 5-for-5 shooting clinic from 3-point range, the fifth-seeded Buffs (23-8) made 16 3-pointers and shot 64% from long range.
Walker missed only one of his 10 shots on his way to a career-best 24 points, and D’shawn Schwartz (18 points) made four of his five 3s in the first half to put Colorado into cruise control. The Buffs made the round of 32 for only the third time since the brackets expanded to 64 teams in 1985. They will face four thseeded Florida State.
Georgetown won four games in four days earlier this month to take the Big East Tournament title and make a surprise trip to the NCAA Tournament. But the Hoyas finished 13-13 on the season. Qudus Wahab led Georgetown with 20 points.
MICHIGAN 82, TEXAS SOUTHERN 66
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Juwan Howard won his first NCAA Tournament game since taking over at Michigan, guiding Mike Smith and the top-seeded Wolverines to a victor y over Texas Southern.
Smith scored 18 points and Hunter Dickinson added 16 as Michigan rolled into the second round without Isaiah Livers, who is out with a foot injur y. Eli Brooks and Brandon Johns Jr. had 11 points apiece.
LSU 76, ST. BONAVENTURE 61
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Freshman Cameron Thomas scored 27 points in another impressive performance and his LSU teammates provided the rebounding muscle, leading the eighth-seeded Tigers past ninth-seeded St. Bonaventure.
LSU (19-9) can reach its second straight Sweet 16 if it beats Michigan.
FLORIDA STATE 64, N.C. GREENSBORO 54
INDIANAPOLIS — Raiquan Gray scored 17 points and Florida State began what it hopes will be another deep run under coach Leonard Hamilton, holding of f 13thseeded UNC Greensboro.
The Seminoles, who reached the Elite Eight and the Sweet 16 in the previous two tournaments, allowed the Spartans to hang around deep into the second half thanks to an uneven offensive performance.
Florida State went 0 for 9 from 3-point range, winning a game without a made 3 for the first time since February 2018. The Seminoles still managed to shoot 50% overall.
ALABAMA 68, IONA 55
INDIANAPOLIS — Herb Jones scored 20 points and second-seeded Alabama pried open a tight game to beat coach Rick Pitino’s underdogs from Iona.
Jones had a steal and layup that highlighted an 11-0 run and gave Alabama (25-6) breathing room at 54-46 after the teams seesawed with the lead through much of the second half. The Crimson Tide advanced to face either Uconn or Mar yland.
Even though he came in with his highest seeding ever — a 15 — Pitino came to Indy with eight suits and at least a glimmer of hope he might use more than one.
Isaiah Ross scored 19 points on 8-for-18 shooting for the Gaels (12-6).