< Mike Smith and top-seeded Michigan win their NCAA tourney opener with an 82-66 victory over Texas Southern.

MICHIGAN 82, TEXAS SOUTHERN 66

Juwan Howard won his first NCAA Tournament game since taking over at Michigan, guiding Mike Smith and the top-seeded Wolverines to an 82-66 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday.

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 injury. Eli Brooks and Brandon Johns Jr. had 11 points apiece.

Howard and the Wolverines (21-4) had little trouble with the No 16 seed Texas Southern, but the absence of Livers could lead to adversity down the road. Next up is No 8 seed LSU on Monday. Michael Weathers had 24 points for the Tigers (17-9).

VCU OUT FOLLOWING POSITIVE TESTS

VCU was pulled from the NCAA Tournament on Saturday after what the school said were "multiple" positive COVID-19 tests within the past two days, ending the Rams' run in college basketball's annual showcase before it began.

Last year's entire tournament was called off because of the pandemic, and the NCAA moved this year's event to Indiana and put teams in what it called a "controlled environment." But those steps weren't enough to ensure every game would be played.

The 10th-seeded Rams' first-round game Saturday against Oregon was declared a no-contest, the NCAA said, sending the seventh-seeded Ducks into the second round without playing.

"We've been tested every day for the past three weeks, but within the past 48 hours we've received multiple positive tests," VCU coach Mike Rhoades said in a statement. "We are devastated for our players and coaches. It has been a dream for all of us to play in the NCAA Tournament.

"We appreciate the care of our doctors and administration this year, and all our efforts and attention will be put into our players at this time."

The announcement from the Division I Men's Basketball Committee came a little more than three hours before the teams were set to play in the West Region. It didn't offer specific details, citing privacy concerns, and said that the decision came after consultation with the Marion County Public Health Department.

LSU 76, ST. BONAVENTURE 61

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.

Darius Days and Aundre Hyatt each had 13 points and Trendon Watford had 11. Days and Watford also had 11 rebounds each while Hyatt grabbed 10. The Tigers have won five of six.

Jaren Holmes scored 18 points and Osun Osunniyi had 15 points and nine rebounds for St. Bonaventure (16-5).

COLORADO 96, GEORGETOWN 73

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.

Qudus Wahab led Georgetown with 20 points.

FLORIDA STATE 64, UNC GREENSBORO 54

RaiQuan Gray scored 17 points and Florida State began what it hopes will be another deep run under coach Leonard Hamilton, holding off 13th-seeded UNC Greensboro.

Balsa Koprivica had 13 points and nine rebounds and Anthony Polite added 12 points for the Seminoles.

Isaiah Miller scored 17 points for Greensboro (21-9).

ALABAMA 68, IONA 55

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 Maryland.

Isaiah Ross scored 19 points on 8-for-18 shooting for the Gaels (12-6). The rest of the team went 15 for 41.

CREIGHTON 63, UC SANTA BARBARA 62

Christian Bishop made both ends of a one-and-one with 16 seconds left to give fifth-seeded Creighton the lead, and the Bluejays hung on to beat 12th-seeded UC Santa Barbara.

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 62-61.

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.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 72, DRAKE 56

Evan Mobley had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and No. 6 seed Southern California used smothering defense to beat Drake.

Isaiah Mobley scored 15 points and Drew Peterson added 14 for USC (23-7), which advanced to play No. 3 seed Kansas.

Joseph Yesufu scored 26 points for 11th-seeded Drake (26-5).

KANSAS 73, EASTERN WASHINGTON 84

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 for the Jayhawks (21-8).

Tanner Groves scored a career-high 35 points and younger brother Jacob Groves had 23 for the Eagles (16-8).