MIDWEST REGION
Loyola Chicago 71
Illinois 58
Loyola Chicago moved into the Sweet 16 with a decisive win against Illinois (24-7), the first No. 1 seed bounced from this year’s tournament. Cameron Krutwig delivered a 19-point, 12-rebound masterpiece and the quick-handed, eighth-seeded Ramblers (26-4) led wire to wire. They befuddled a powerful Illinois offense to return to the second weekend three years after their run to the Final Four. Illinois’ 7-foot second-team All-American Kofi Cockburn finished with 21 points.
Houston 63
Rutgers 60
Quentin Grimes scored 22 points and Tramon Mark converted a soaring three-point play with 24 seconds left as Houston beat Rutgers (16-12) to reach the Sweet 16. DaJon Jarreau scored a key bucket down the stretch and finished with 17 points for secondseeded Houston (26-3). Ron Harper Jr. let fly a potential tying 3 from the wing for Rutgers that clanked off the side of the rim as the final buzzer sounded. The Cougars play No. 11 seed Syracuse next weekend.
Syracuse 75
West Virginia 72
Buddy Boeheim carried his father, Jim, to the Hall of Fame coach’s 20th Sweet 16 appearance, scoring 22 of his 25 points after halftime to lead 11th-seeded Syracuse (18-9) past third-seeded West Virginia (19-10). Jim Boeheim’s Orange got the better of another legend, Bob Huggins, in the second March Madness meeting between coaches with at least 900 Division I victories. Sean McNeil scored 23 points to lead the Mountaineers, who last made the Sweet 16 in 2018.
Oregon State 80
Oklahoma State 70
Ethan Thompson scored 26 points and Jarod Lucas added 15 as No. 12 seed Oregon State (18-12) outlasted No. 4 seed Oklahoma State (21-8) to advance to next weekend and finish a first weekend of upsets. Thompson made six free throws in the final two minutes to preserve the lead and to hold off the Cowboys’ frantic comeback attempt. Oklahoma State went cold in the final minutes after cutting the lead to four. Cade Cunningham led the Cowboys with 24 points in the loss.