Duquesne won’t let coach retire yet after upset
Colorado def. Boise State, Wednesday
OMAHA, Neb. — As his players celebrated around him after springing the first big upset of the NCAA Tournament, Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot joked that they had refused to let their retiring coach reach “the promised land” with their down-to-thewire win over BYU.
The promised land is a better description for the second round of the NCAA tourney anyway.
Dae Dae Grant scored 19 points, including four clinching free throws in the final 10 seconds, and the No. 11 seed Dukes held on after blowing a 14-point lead in a 71-67 victory over the sixth-seeded Cougars on Thursday.
Jakub Necas added 12 points and Jimmy Clark III had 11 for the Atlantic 10 tourney champs, who won four games in four days there just to qualify for their first dance in 47 years, and now have their first win on the NCAA stage since 1969. The Dukes (25-11) will play thirdseeded Illinois or No. 14 seed Morehead State for a spot in the Sweet 16 on Saturday.
“I'm trying to retire,” the 65-year-old Dambrot said, “but if we keep winning games, they're going to make me an old man.”
The sweat-it-out ending Thursday would age any coach in a hurry.
The Cougars (23-11) trailed 46-32 in the second half before drawing even when Fousseyni Traore, who had struggled all game, slammed down the second of back-to-back baskets to knot the affair at 60-all with 1:45 to go.
Clark was fouled at the other end and made two free throws for Duquesne, and when Traore missed a floater, he got to the line again. Clark only made the first of two foul shots this time
but helped tie up a loose ball after the second, and on the next play, the slick guard broke down the defense for a layup and a 65-60 lead with 26.9 seconds left.
Dallin Hall tried to give the Cougars a chance with four free throws and a deep 3-pointer in the final 20 seconds, but Grant — one of the nation's best foul shooters — was stoic from the line to help send the Dukes into the weekend.
Jaxson Robinson had 25 points for the Cougars, who have lost five straight in the NCAA Tournament, the last four to double-digit seeds. Traore and Spencer Johnson added 11 points apiece, and Hall also finished with 11.
Indeed, the Cougars were bloodied and bumming for most of the game.
Hall took a shot to the face that left him with tissues shoved up his bleeding nostrils in the first half.
Richie Saunders got an elbow to the midsection that left him doubled over on the floor. Johnson even lost a shoe while playing defense, and the Dukes took advantage of the opening for a dunk that helped them build a big early lead.
Robinson, voted the top backup in the Big 12 this season, tried to keep the Cougars afloat with 12 first-half points, but Necas — a Czech freshman averaging 2.3 a game — countered with eight of his own to help Duquesne take a 38-30 lead at the break.
West Region MICHIGAN STATE 69 MISSISSIPPI STATE 51
In Charlotte, N.C., Tyson Walker scored 19 points, and coach Tom Izzo picked up his 20th win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as his ninth-seeded Spartans advanced.
Jaden Akins added 15 points and seven rebounds and Mailk Hall scored 10 points for the Spartans (20-14), who'll face top-seeded North Carolina on Saturday.
ARIZONA 85 LONG BEACH STATE 65
In Salt Lake City, the Wildcats scored 16 straight points over a five-minute stretch and snuff out Dan Monson's coaching tenure with the 49ers. Kylan Boswell scored 20 points for the second-seeded Wildcats (26-8), who made 13 3-pointers, the program record for March Madness.
NORTH CAROLINA 90, WAGNER 62
In Charlotte, N.C., Armando Bacot had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and the Tar Heels (28-7) never trailed.
Midwest Region CREIGHTON 77, AKRON 60
In Pittsburgh, Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 23 points and Trey Alexander had 19 for the Bluejays (24-9), who got all they could handle in the first half from the 14th-seeded Zips (2411), the Mid-american Conference tourney champions who came in as a 101⁄2-point underdog.
GRAMBLING 88 MONTANA STATE 81 (OT)
In Dayton, Ohio, Jimel Cofer scored all 19 of his points in the second half and overtime, and the Tigers rallied from a 14point deficit to earn its first NCAA Tournament win in program history in the First Four on Wednesday night.
South Region COLORADO 60 BOISE STATE 53
In Dayton, Ohio, Tristan da Silva Scored 20 points and the Buffaloes (25-10) won their first NCAA Tournament game in three years.
East Region ILLINOIS 85, MOREHEAD STATE 69
In Omaha, Neb., Marcus Domask posted the NCAA Tournament's first triple-double since 2019 and Terrence Shannon scored 26 points, helping the third-seeded Illini pull away.
Domask had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in his first career triple-double. It was the first triple-double in the NCAA tourney since Ja Morant accomplished the feat.