The March Insanity highway of a pair of No. 1 seeds ended Thursday night time, because the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Arizona Wildcats fell in need of the Elite Eight in two extra NCAA match bracket-shaking losses. The Zags, the match’s No. 1 general seed who had been pursuing the primary nationwide championship at school historical past, fell 74-68 to a fourth-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks workforce that makes its second consecutive journey to the Elite Eight. The night time’s different Western energy, the Arizona Wildcats, couldn’t overcome the fifth-seeded Houston Cougars in a 72-60 loss that places the Coogs one step away from a second consecutive Closing 4 if they will get previous also-triumphant Villanova.
The lack of two No. 1 seeds might need been the headline on every other night time, however the Duke Blue Devils extending the final dance of head coach Mike Krzyzewski, bouncing the 3-seed Texas Tech Red Raiders 78-73, captured the curiosity of the faculty basketball universe and past.
ESPN’s workforce of Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway and Joe Lunardi weighed in on every little thing they noticed Thursday night time, and sit up for what figures to be one other night time of thrilling Candy 16 motion on Friday.
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Friday’s March Insanity schedule:
- No. 15 Saint Peter’s vs. No. 3 Purdue, 7:09 p.m. ET (CBS)
- No. 4 Windfall vs. No. 1 Kansas, 7:29 p.m. ET (TBS)
- No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 4 UCLA, 9:39 p.m. ET (CBS)
- No. 11 Iowa State vs. No. 10 Miami, 9:59 ET p.m. (TBS)
Thursday’s matchup with Texas Tech didn’t seem like it favored betting underdog and traditionally West Coast-challenged Duke. What impressed you most concerning the Blue Devils, and what’s your early feeling on Saturday’s matchup with Arkansas?
Gasaway: First towards Michigan State after which once more towards Texas Tech, Duke closed the sport robust. We did not see this coming when Virginia Tech defeated the Blue Devils by 15, however now that loss within the ACC title sport seems like a very long time in the past. Jeremy Roach specifically has been excellent. The sophomore put up 30 factors on 21 photographs during the last two wins, and Roach added 5 assists towards the Crimson Raiders. We all the time knew Coach Okay’s rotation was gifted, however now this younger workforce’s creating earlier than our eyes.
Borzello: Roach has been one of many NCAA match’s breakout stars, and that is one thing I by no means thought I’d write a couple of months in the past. This can be a participant who was moved to the bench on a number of events this season, and his final 9 video games earlier than the NCAA match got here as a reserve. However Duke has wanted considered one of its perimeter gamers to step up and create photographs off the dribble in the course of the match, and Roach has answered the decision.
He had 12 factors and 5 assists within the opener towards Fullerton, 15 factors — together with a few big baskets late — towards Michigan State and 15 factors and 5 assists towards Texas Tech, as soon as once more making a few clutch photographs late to offer the sting. On Saturday, Arkansas goes to attempt to make the sport a bit extra chaotic than Texas Tech did, but when Mark Williams can keep out of foul bother (Chet Holmgren could not towards the Razorbacks), I believe Duke has the sting.
Lunardi: The Blue Devils acquired large guard play and a stage of depth from Paolo Banchero that elevated your complete workforce. For the primary time because the November wins over Kentucky and Gonzaga, Duke once more has that Closing 4 look. With the storybook ending for Coach Okay now close by, Arkansas has each Duke and future as opponents within the Elite Eight. The mixture might be an excessive amount of to beat.
Houston’s Kyler Edwards drops in a trio of clutch 3-pointers within the second half because the Cougars pull off the upset towards No. 1 Arizona to advance to the Elite Eight.
What proved to be Arizona’s deadly flaw in its loss to Houston?
Borzello: Arizona’s deadly flaw was taking part in the workforce ranked No. 2 within the nation in almost each predictive metric. Houston is an extremely powerful workforce that excels on the offensive glass and on the defensive finish, significantly relating to forcing turnovers. Sadly for the Wildcats, they’ve had points with each defensive rebounding and caring for the ball — and so they have not confronted a workforce as bodily imposing at each ends of the ground like Houston.
The Wildcats had been by no means capable of get into their free-flowing, up-tempo system. The Cougars imposed their will on Arizona, and the Wildcats could not reply by getting Houston out of its personal consolation zone. Bennedict Mathurin struggled, Azuolas Tubelis could not get it going and Kerr Kriisa did not make photographs till it was too late. In opposition to a disciplined, well-coached workforce like Houston, that merely was an excessive amount of to beat.
Gasaway: This can be a case the place Arizona was bracketed with a No. 5 seed that is really about as robust because the Wildcats. Tommy Lloyd’s two mainstays, Mathurin and Christian Koloko, began slowly towards Houston’s stress. That is one thing a workforce as robust as Arizona can overcome towards most opponents, however not towards the Cougars. Each groups crashed the offensive glass successfully, however UH held the Wildcats to 34% taking pictures contained in the arc. Houston performed with a swagger that may be very acquainted to anybody who noticed this workforce attain the 2021 Closing 4. For its half, Arizona exceeded all expectations, going from unranked within the preseason to a prime seed within the match.
How did Arkansas beat Gonzaga, and is it repeatable towards Duke?
Gasaway: The Razorbacks gained with protection, holding Gonzaga to 68 factors in a 77-possession contest. Within the field rating it appears like a regular Drew Timme 25-point efficiency. In reality, Arkansas collapsed on Timme with a number of defenders all night and made him take 19 photographs to get these factors. Then, when he handed out of double- and even triple-teams, his teammates could not hit 3s. The Bulldogs had been simply 5-of-21 from past the arc. The Zags have lengthy made their identify with correct taking pictures, however two of their worst performances from the ground within the final three years occurred simply throughout the previous six video games (the opposite being the loss at Saint Mary’s). Eric Musselman’s workforce shut down Gonzaga, the Hogs had the most effective protection within the league in SEC play and so they can completely repeat this efficiency of their subsequent outing towards the Blue Devils.
Lunardi: In its final 14 NCAA match begins earlier than tonight, Gonzaga averaged 82.9 factors per sport. The one different time it scored as few as 68, the Bulldogs nonetheless gained. Credit score the Arkansas defensive sport plan and much more so its execution. The Zags clearly had been by no means snug on the offensive finish and will probably be fascinating to see the Razorbacks attempt for a repeat efficiency towards Duke. Regardless, Arkansas is 40 minutes from its first Closing 4 in virtually three many years, and we should not put something previous the Muss Bus at this level.
Borzello: Arkansas went into the sport considering it wanted to maintain Gonzaga from getting simple baskets in transition in an effort to win the sport. And whereas the Zags had been nonetheless capable of get fast-break factors now and again, Arkansas’ transition protection did its job. Andrew Nembhard was hardly ever capable of get a head of steam and get baskets towards an unsettled protection (he wasn’t capable of get baskets, interval; he was 2-for-11 on the night time). Forcing Gonzaga to create offense towards a set half-court protection has been the recipe for slowing them down all season — the Zags merely do not have the perimeter playmakers and shot-makers they did final season. And that is what Arkansas made them do.
Saint Peter’s coach Shaheen Holloway joins GameDay to debate his workforce’s run to the Candy 16.
On to Friday night time, how stunned would you be to see Saint Peter’s win one other sport?
Gasaway: Properly, it is March and it is a Saint Peter’s workforce that already eradicated Kentucky. I anticipate Purdue to win, however the Peacocks working wonders opposite to my expectations would hardly be a primary. Shaheen Holloway’s workforce is taking pictures a lot better towards NCAA match groups than it did all season lengthy within the MAAC. In principle, that taking pictures may cool off sooner or later, but it surely’s simply as possible {that a} sport with the Boilermakers might be a shootout the place each groups put factors on the board.
Borzello: I would be very stunned — however I used to be additionally shocked to see Saint Peter’s beat Kentucky and fairly stunned to see the Peacocks beat Murray State. So I am not counting them out! They seem to be a large defensive workforce, and I believe they will trigger points for Purdue at that finish of the ground — regardless of being at a extreme drawback relating to dimension down low. The priority comes on the different finish of the ground, but it surely’s value noting that Purdue has struggled defensively for many of the second half of the season. If Saint Peter’s continues to make photographs prefer it did within the first two rounds, the Peacocks have a shot.
Lunardi: Much more shocked than after the victory over Kentucky. Not as a result of it wasn’t a stunning outcome, however the Wildcats no less than had the “we had no concept” excuse. That rationale would not apply to Purdue, which ought to and will likely be extraordinarily ready for regardless of the Peacocks have left within the tank.
North Carolina blows a 25-point lead within the second half however manages to carry on for a 93-86 OT win over Baylor.
Which different Friday Candy 16 matchup intrigues you most?
Gasaway: I am wanting ahead to seeing blue bloods conflict as North Carolina takes on UCLA. The Tar Heels had been doubted just about all season lengthy as a result of they lacked high quality wins. Then they gained the season finale at Duke convincingly, but it surely nonetheless looks as if this group is being considerably undervalued. Brady Manek‘s a quantity scorer on either side of the arc, and the Tar Heels drive misses within the paint whereas limiting you to at least one shot. A win towards the Bruins will surely make an announcement to the doubters, but it surely’s not going to be simple.
Mick Cronin’s workforce is great on either side of the ball. I simply hope Jaime Jaquez Jr. has recovered from his sprained ankle and is ready to play towards UNC. He is the guts and soul of the Bruins. One secure wager on this one is that UCLA will get loads of first photographs. The Bruins take glorious care of the ball, and the Heels do not drive many turnovers.
Lunardi: I will be in Chicago and might’t look forward to the opener between Kansas and Windfall. The Jayhawks had been my preseason decide to win the nationwide championship and about the one factor that may nonetheless go proper in my private bracket. And the Friars had been amongst my favourite groups to look at all season, partially due to their story and much more as a result of they all the time discovered a technique to win. By no means has the time period, “Crushed ’em by three…” been utilized so properly. No concept who’s going to win, simply glad I will be in the home to seek out out.
Borzello: I will take Miami and Iowa State — one double-digit seed goes to be 40 minutes from the Closing 4 come Friday night time. The battle on the perimeter ought to be implausible. Miami’s guard trio of Charlie Moore, Kameron McGusty and Isaiah Wong is among the many finest within the nation, and all three are unafraid to take massive photographs in late-clock or late-game conditions. On the opposite aspect, Iowa State is an elite defensive workforce and imposes its model on its opponent. Usually, that results in video games within the 50s. Will Miami be snug with that? Tyrese Hunter and Izaiah Brockington are going to need to make photographs for the Cyclones, which Brockington has executed all season and Hunter did within the first spherical towards LSU. The sport will come all the way down to the backcourts and the turnover battle.