Men’s NCAA Tournament roundup

EAST REGION

• Kam Jones managed just a single point in the first half against Vermont. Then the guard received a round of encouragement from the Marquette bench during an early second-half timeout. It all just clicked for Jones from there. Jones scored 18of his 19points in one stretch of the second half as secondseeded Marquette pulled away from Vermont en route to a 78-61 rout.

“Kam, second half, he looked a little down, like somebody took his puppy dog in the timeout,” coach Shaka Smart said.

• Upset with the officials and his team’s defense, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo angrily snapped a white board in half during a timeout.

“It felt damn good,” Izzo cracked. The Spartans broke Southern California soon after.

Joey Hauser scored 17 points and No. 7 seed Michigan State clamped down defensively on No. 10seed USC in the second half for a 72-62 win.

• Antonio Reeves scored 22 points and Oscar Tshiebwe pulled down 25rebounds in an overpowering display, helping Kentucky beat Providence, 61-53.

Tshiebwe’s rebounding work was the second-most in the tournament since 1973, and 11 of his rebounds came on the offensive glass — a big factor in the sixthseeded Wildcats (22-11) staying in control as both offenses grinded to a halt after halftime.

• The Memphis-Florida Atlantic game was not completed in time for this edition.

• The Kansas State-Montana State game was not completed in time for this edition.

MIDWEST REGION

• Terrell Burden got a shoulder past his defender and pushed into the paint, locking in on the rim for a chance to move Kennesaw State within reach of its first-ever NCAA Tournament win. Instead, Xavier’s Jack Nunge descended on him to make the play that capped the Musketeers’ late defensive surge — and saved their season.

Nunge blocked Burden’s driving attempt at a go-ahead layup in

Xavier guard Desmond Claude eyes a loose ball during the second half against Kennesaw State in the NCAA Tournament on March 17 in Greensboro, N.C.

the final seconds, and Xavier dug out of a 13-point hole against surprising Kennesaw State to escape with a 72-67victory. “We didn’t really change much, and that’s oftentimes the story,” said Coach Sean Miller, back for his second stint with the Musketeers. “We just did what we do better.”

• Nelly Cummings scored 13 points and No. 11seed Pittsburgh held sixth-seeded Iowa State to 23% shooting in a 59-41victory. Jamarius Burton added 11points and Greg Elliott had 10for Coach Jeff Capel’s Panthers, who stormed to a 22-2lead after Iowa State missed its first 11shots. Things didn’t get much better for the Cyclones, who had three stretches in which they missed at least eight consecutive shots. “What an unbelievable defensive performance,” Capel said.

• The Drake-Miami game was not completed in time for this edition.

• The Kent State-Indiana game was not completed in time for this edition.

SOUTH REGION

• Caleb Lohner scored a seasonbest 13points in just 18minutes, and No. 3seed Baylor beat UC Santa Barbara, 74-56.

“I was ready when my number was called,” said Lohner, who matched his scoring output from his previous 15games combined. “And I think my role on this team is just to do whatever I can to help win.”

• The Creighton Bluejays couldn’t hit anything from outside. No worries — OK, maybe a little — they simply went inside to their big man.

Ryan Kalkbrenner scored a career-high 31 points and sixthseeded Creighton overcame a rough 3-point shooting day to fend off No. 11seed North Carolina State, 72-63.

The slender Kalkbrenner had six dunks and 10 rebounds, and N.C. State big men D.J. Burns Jr. and Ebenezer Dowuona were hampered by foul trouble. “Nothing surprises me from Kalk,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott said.

WEST REGION

• Adama Sanogo scored 10of his 28points in the first five minutes of the second half as fourthseeded UConn took control and beat Rick Pitino’s Iona Gaels, 87-63. The Huskies (26-8) advanced to play fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s on March 19in the West Region after losing in the first round under coach Dan Hurley the last two seasons.

• Saint Mary’s got the pace it wanted — and another win in the NCAA Tournament. Mitchell Saxen had 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, and Saint Mary’s beat ailing VCU, 63-51. Alex Ducas also scored 17 points as the fifth-seeded Gaels (27-7) advanced to the second round for the second straight year. Logan Johnson had 12 points and 10rebounds — part of a strong effort in the paint for Saint Mary’s — and reserve Augustas Marciulionis scored 13 points.

“I thought we’d beat them inside,” Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett said.

• Slow-starting Gonzaga finally started playing like a title contender, then wore out Grand Canyon 82-70behind 28points and 10 rebounds from Julian Strawther.

Zags senior Drew Timme brought his sweatband and his moustache back to March Madness and finished with 21 points, six rebounds and three blocks for the third-seeded Bulldogs (29-5), who haven’t lost a firstround game in the tournament since 2008.

• The Arizona State-TCU game was not completed in time for this edition.

CHRIS CARLSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS