Nowell rallies Kansas St. past Kentucky
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Markquis Nowell scored 23 of his 27 points after halftime and Kansas State overcame a horrid start from outside by hitting a couple of clutch 3-pointers while topping Kentucky 75-69 in Sunday’s second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The win sends the thirdseeded Wildcats (25-9) to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018, and it came thanks to a series of big shots that finally pushed them through in a tight game.
They’ll play the winner of the Michigan State-marquette in the East Region semifinals.
Kansas State missed its first 13 3-pointers and sat at 2 for 17 for the game when the outside shots started falling.
There was Nowell burying a step-back 3 against Cason Wallace to bring Kansas State within 60-59, followed a bit later by Ismael Massoud burying one from the right wing at the 2:21 mark that gave Kansas State the lead for good at 64-62.
The 5-foot-8 Nowell, a thirdteam Associated Press Allamerican, played a fearless floor game while making 7 of 14 shots and 10 of 11 free throws.
MIDWEST REGION XAVIER 84, PITTSBURGH 73
Sean Miller has unselfish Xavier back in the Sweet 16.
Jack Nunge scored 18 points, Adam Kunkel added 15 on five first-half 3-pointers, and the third-seeded Musketeers beat the 11th-seeded Panthers at Greensboro, N.C. to advance to the NCAA Tournament’s second week for the first time since 2017.
Colby Jones had 10 points, 14
rebounds and seven assists, and Souley Boum and Jerome Hunter each chipped in with 14 points as all five Xavier starters scored in double digits.
Xavier entered the game leading the country in assists per game (19.2) and had 17 on 19 baskets in the first half to build
a 48-34 lead at the break. The Musketeers finished with 22 assists.
Xavier (27-9) moves on to play No. 2 seed Texas on Friday in the Midwest Region semifinals.
Blake Hinson scored 18
points for Pitt (24-12).
SATURDAY’S GAMES SOUTH REGION
ALABAMA 73, MARYLAND 51
Jahvon Quinerly scored 22 points, Brandon Miller heated up with 19 and the top overall seed Crimson Tide brushed aside the Terrapins behind a dominant second half at Birmingham, Ala.
“I feel like our job’s not done,” Miller said. “We’re here to win a national championship.”
The Crimson Tide (31-5) will face fifth-seeded San Diego State in the South Region semifinals Friday in Louisville, Kentucky.
Julian Reese had 14 points for Maryland (22-13) before fouling out. Jahmir Young scored 12.
PRINCETON 78, MISSOURI 63
Blake Peters made five 3pointers in the second half and the Princeton shocked another power conference team to reach the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals for the first time in 56 years by with a victory at Sacramento, Calif.
Princeton will play the winner of Sunday’s game between Baylor and Creighton in the Sweet 16 in Louisville, Ky., on Friday night.
WEST REGION UCLA 68, NORTHWESTERN 63
Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 24 points and the Bruins withstood a second-half push from the Wildcats to get back to the Sweet 16 with a 68-63 victory at Sacramento, Calif.
The second-seeded Bruins (31-5) turned up the defensive intensity late, holding the seventh-seeded Wildcats to 1-for-12 shooting during a key lategame stretch to seal the win.
Boo Buie scored 18 points to lead Northwestern (22-12).
The Bruins will play the winner of Sunday’s game between Gonzaga and TCU in the West Region semifinals Thursday in Las Vegas.