NCAA roundup:
Michigan State out in big upset.
Reality hit Middle Tennessee State guard Jaqawn Raymond as he walked triumphantly off the floor. Giddy Potts thought it might come later, after he got to the team hotel and flipped on the TV.
It sank in immediately for Michigan State.
Relying on the same balanced scoring that carried them to the NCAA Tournament, the No. 15 seed Blue Raiders ended the second- seeded Spartans’ title hopes in convincing fashion Friday in St. Louis. They never trailed in a 90- 81 first- round victory.
“We wanted to win this game as bad as anybody wanted us to win,” said Potts, the Blue Raiders’ hot- shooting sophomore guard. “We played our ( butts) off today.”
Reggie Upshaw had 21 points and Potts finished with 19 for Middle Tennessee State ( 25- 9), which became the eighth No. 15 seed to knock off a No. 2 since seeding began in 1985. The last time it happened was 2013, when Florida Gulf Coast beat Georgetown on its way to the Sweet 16.
“I’ll be honest with you, in my wildest dreams I didn’t think they’d hit some of the shots they hit,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “We didn’t guard them good, but man, they made some shots.”
The Spartans ( 29- 6) were a trendy pick to win the national title after capturing the Big Ten Tournament crown. Part of it had to do with the experience of guard Denzel Valentine and his fellow seniors, and part of it had to do with Izzo’s postseason pedigree.
“I’m more mad and disappointed because I know what this team could accomplish,” Valentine said. “It kind of fell apart, and it just stinks right now because I know the capability our team had.”
In other games in St. Louis:
Wisconsin 47, Pittsburgh 43: Ethan Happ scored 15 points and Nigel Hayes added 12 as the seventh- seeded Badgers ( 21- 12) held off the 10thseeded Panthers ( 21- 12). Wisconsin won despite shooting 32.1 percent.
Xavier 71, Weber State 53: James Farr had 18 points and 15 rebounds and Jalen Reynolds added 12 points to lead the second- seeded Musketeers ( 28- 5) past the 15th- seed Wildcats ( 26- 9). Joel Bolomboy had 14 points for Weber State.
Syracuse 70, Dayton 51: Malachi Richardson scored 21 points as the No. 10 seed Orange ( 19- 13) rolled in their return to the NCAA Tournament after being banned last season following an NCAA investigation into academic misconduct and improper benefits. Charles Cooke led the No. 7 seed Flyers ( 25- 8) with 14 points.
IN OKLAHOMA CITY
VCU 75, Oregon State 67: JeQuan Lewis had 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the 10th- seeded Rams ( 25- 10) won their first NCAA Tournament game since 2013. Gary Payton II scored 19 points to lead the seventh- seeded Beavers ( 19- 13), who were making their first tournament appearance in 26 years. “I’m very happy for our guys’ fight that we showed, but it’s going to stick in our craw for a little bit,” Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle said. “We’re competitive; we weren’t happy just making an appearance.”
Northern Iowa 75, Texas 72: Paul Jesperson banked in a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to give the 11th- seeded Panthers ( 23- 12) the victory over the sixth- seeded Longhorns ( 20- 13). Northern Iowa passed the ball in
under its basket after Isaiah Taylor tied the game on a layup with 2.7 seconds to play. Jesperson caught the ball, took a few dribbles and heaved the ball. Wes Washpun scored 17 points, Jeremy Morgan scored 16 and Jesperson added 14 for Northern Iowa. Taylor scored 22 points to lead Texas. Oklahoma 82, Cal State bakersfield 68: Buddy Hield scored 27 points to help guide the second- seeded Sooners ( 26- 7) past the 15th- seeded Roadrunners ( 24- 9). The senior guard made 8 of 14 shots, including 3 of 6 three- point attempts as the Sooners made 11 of 20 three- pointers and shot 50 percent overall.
Texas A& M 92, Green bay 65: Danuel House scored 20 points and Tonny Trocha- Morelos added 15 as the third- seeded Aggies ( 27- 8) pounded the 14th- seeded Phoenix ( 23- 13). The tournament victory was the first since 2010 for Texas A& M, which shot 56.1 percent.
IN SPOKANE, WASH.
Oregon 91, Holy Cross 52: Chris Boucher scored 20 points and Dillon Brooks and Elgin Cook each added 11 as the top- seeded Ducks ( 29- 6) won their ninth straight and advanced to the round of 32 for the fourth straight season. Oregon quickly built a doubledigit lead and never allowed the No. 16 seed Crusaders ( 15- 20) back into the game. “We came out and set the tone early and never really let them get into the game,” Ducks coach Dana Altman said. “That’s a tribute to the guys for getting themselves ready.” Robert Champion led Holy Cross with 22 points.
St. Joseph’s 78, Cincinnati 76: Isaiah Miles sank a three- pointer with nine seconds left to give the eighthseeded Hawks ( 28- 7) the win over the ninth- seeded Bearcats ( 22- 11). Cincinnati’s Octavius Ellis appeared to tie the score with a dunk as time expired, but an official review determined the shot came too late. DeAndre Bembry scored 23 points to lead St. Joseph’s; Jacob Evans had 26 points for the Bearcats. Maryland 79, South Dakota State 74: Jake Layman scored 27 points as the fifth- seeded Terrapins ( 26- 8) held off the 12th- seeded Jackrabbits ( 26- 8). South Dakota State had a chance to tie in the closing seconds, but Deondre Parks fumbled a pass and Rasheed Sulaimon picked up the ball and dunked for the final score.
IN NEW YORK
Stephen F. Austin 70, West Virginia
56: Thomas Walkup scored 33 points as the 14th- seeded Lumberjacks
( 28- 5) ran the nation’s longest winning streak to 21 games by handling the third- seeded Mountaineers ( 26- 9) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Walkup, the two- time Southland Conference Player of the Year, took it to the teeth of West Virginia’s defense and went to the foul line 20 times. He made 19, including two to make it 60- 47 with 5: 15 left in the second after West Virginia coach Bob Huggins’ griping to officials drew a technical foul.
Notre Dame 70, Michigan 63: V. J. Beacham scored 18 points, including the three- pointer that gave his team the lead for good, as the sixth- seeded Fighting Irish ( 22- 11) defeated the 11th- seeded Wolverines ( 23- 13). Notre Dame didn’t take a lead in the game until Beacham’s three with 9: 26 left made it 51- 48. From there, there were five lead changes and three ties.
Iowa 72, Temple 70: Adam Woodberry put back a missed shot at the overtime buzzer to help the seventhseeded Hawkeyes ( 22- 10) put away the 10th- seeded Owls ( 21- 12). With the score tied 70- 70, Mike Gesell worked his way to the baseline and put up a 10- foot jumper that missed the rim and went to Woodberry, who put it in. Jarrod Uthoff led Iowa with 23 points.
Villanova 86, UNC Asheville 56: Ryan Arcidiacono scored 14 points, including a buzzer- beating three at the end of the first half, and Daniel Ochefu had 17 points inside as the secondseeded Wildcats ( 30- 5) rolled. Dylan Smith led the 15th- seeded Bulldogs ( 22- 12) with 14 points.
NIT
bYU 80, Virginia Tech 77: Chase Fischer scored 24 points as the host Cougars ( 25- 10) advanced to the quarterfinals by holding off the Hokies ( 20- 15).