Fairleigh Dickinson shocks No. 1 Purdue
Fairleigh Dickinson became the second No. 16 seed in history to win an NCAA Tournament game, stunning top-seeded Purdue 63-58 behind 19 points from Sean Moore and a relentless, hustling defense on Friday night in an East Region first-round game in Columbus, Ohio.
The shortest team in the tourney, the Knights (21-15) showed no fear in swarming 7-foot-4 AllAmerica center Zach Edey from the start. FDU's players were quicker and more composed than the Big Ten champion Boilermakers (29-6).
Five years ago, UMBC showed the way for the little guys by overwhelming Virginia in the first 16-over-1 victory after numerous close calls over the years. Still, No. 16s had a 1-150 record against No. 1s before FDU's shocker.
The Knights held Purdue scoreless for more than 5 1/2 minutes down the stretch and moved ahead by five on a 3-pointer by Moore — who is from suburban Columbus — with 1:03 left. FDU held on from there, becoming the second straight double-digit seed to send the Boilermakers home. Purdue was a 3 seed when it lost to 15 seed Saint Peter's, another small New Jersey school, in the Sweet 16 last year.
Edey finished with 21 point and 15 rebounds.
The Knights' two prior NCAA Tournament wins came in the First Four, including this year, when they drubbed Texas Southern 84-61.
NO. 2 MARQUETTE 78, NO. 15 VERMONT 61 >> Kam Jones scored 18 of his 19 points in the second half as the Golden Eagles beat the Catamounts in Columbus, Ohio.
Oso Ighodaro added 14 points as Marquette (29-6) pulled away in the last 10 minutes and cruised to the rout and won its first NCAA game in a decade.
Jones' second-half surge included scoring 18 straight, including a trio of 3-point shots. By the time he was finished, the Golden Eagles increased their lead from five points to 17 with just under 10 minutes left.
Vermont (23-11) had a 15game win streak snapped. NO. 6 KENTUCKY 61, NO. 11 PROVIDENCE 53 >> Antonio Reeves scored 22 points and Oscar Tshiebwe pulled down 25 rebounds, 11 on the offensive glass, helping the Wildcats (22-11) beat the Friars (21-12) in Greensboro, N.C.
NO. 7 MICHIGAN ST. 72, NO. 10 USC 62 >> Joey Hauser scored 17 points and the Spartans yopped the Trojans in Columbus, Ohio.
Michigan State (20-12) ramped up its defensive intensity after halftime to muzzle streaky USC (22-11).
Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins added 12 points apiece for Michigan State, which held USC to 34% shooting in the second half.
Joshua Morgan scored 14 to lead USC.
West Region
NO. 3 GONZAGA 82, NO. 14 GRAND CANYON 70 >> The Bulldogs beat the Lopes in Denver behind 28 points and 10 rebounds from Julian Strawther along with 21 points, six rebounds and three blocks by Drew Timme.
Gonzaga (29-5), which trailed by as many as seven, went on a 16-0 second-half run during which Grand Canyon (24-12) missed 11 straight shots and fell behind by as many as 22.
NO. 4 UCONN 87, NO. 13 IONA 63 >> Adama Sanogo scored 10 of his 28 points in the first five minutes of the second half as the Huskies (268) beat Rick Pitino's Gaels in Albany, N.Y.
Iona (27-8) had its 14game winning streak snapped.
UConn trailed by a point at half, but a four-point play by Jordan Hawkins immediately gave the Huskies the lead and then Sanogo went to work inside.
The 245-pound junior had a dunk, a hook, a couple of layups and two free throws, scoring 10 of the Huskies' next 13 points as they grabbed a 54-43 lead.
South Region
NO. 3 BAYLOR 74, NO. 14 UC SANTA BARBARA 56 >> Caleb Lohner scored a season-best 13 points in just 18 minutes, and the Bears topped the Gauchos in Denver.
Adam Flagler led Baylor with 18 points and LJ Cryer scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half.
The Bears (23-10) overcame a one-point halftime deficit against UCSB (278), which was led by Miles Norris' 15 points.
NO. 6 CREIGHTON 72, NO. 11 N.C. STATE 63 >> Ryan Kalkbrenner scored a careerhigh 31 points and added 10 rebounds as the Bluejays overcame abysmal 3-for20 shooting from 3-point range to fend off the Wolfpack in Denver.
Leading 62-59, Baylor Scheierman drained a 3-pointer with 2:23 remaining
to give Creighton (2212) some separation.
Terquavion Smith led N.C. State (23-11) with 32 points. The team started slow, going 0 for 8 from the field to open the game, and never found its rhythm from deep. It was 3 for 14 from 3-point range.
Midwest Region
NO. 3 XAVIER 72, NO. 14 KENNESAW ST. 67 >> Jack Nunge blocked Terrell Burden's driving attempt at a goahead layup in the final seconds, and the Musketeers dug out of a 13-point hole against the surprising Owls to escape with a victory in Greensboro, N.C.
Souley Boum hit four clinching free throws in the final 2.6 seconds for Xavier (26-9), which ran off 15 unanswered points as part of a game-ending 24-6 run. That was enough to turn away Kennesaw State (269) in the program's firstever March Madness game.
Xavier led 68-67 when Burden — who'd been successful all day with dribble penetration — turned into the paint past Jerome Hunter and appeared to have a path to the rim. The 7-foot Nunge moved over and swatted the ball into the backboard.
Jerome Hunter scored 24 points to lead the Musketeers, while Boum had 17. Nunge had 10 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
NO. 11 PITT 59, NO. 6 IOWA ST. 41 >> Nelly Cummings scored 13 points and the Panthers held the Cyclones to 23% shooting in a victory in Greensboro, N.C.
Jamarius Burton added 11 points for Pitt (24-11), which stormed to a 22-2 lead after Iowa State (1914) missed its first 11 shots. NO. 5 MIAMI 63, NO. 12 DRAKE 56 >> Nijel Pack scored 21 points — including the goahead jumper and a pair of free throws in the final minute — to rally the Hurricanes past the Bulldogs in Albany.
Miami (26-7) scored the final 10 points in just barely getting past Drake a year after reaching the Elite Eight.