Thursday, March 21, 2024
THREE #11 SEEDS JOIN #14 OAKLAND INTO 2ND ROUND
A record 195 entries from 124 people with 20 teams picked to be champion
RECOERING FROM HONOLULU (smt) – #3S-Kentucky was the best 3-point shooting team in the nation but it was#14S-Oakland with 15 threes (10 (!) from Jake Gohlke, who came off the bench) to stun the Wildcats (who were 9/28 from three) 80-76. Three 11 seeds advanced with #11E-Duquesne, #11MW-Oregon, and #11S-NC State pulling off upsets. #9W-Michigan St pulled off the small upset (there were highly favored to win) but #10W-Nevada blew a 56-39 lead (getting outscored 24-4 the rest of the way) to #7W-Dayton and #10E-Drake blew a late 8-point lead to #7E-Washington St or it could’ve been worse.
A lot worse, as #4MW-Kansas nearly blew all of a 20-point second half lead (#13MW-Samford came with one with 5 minutes left) and needed a bad call to put away Samford. While the Kansas player fell on a dunk attempt, replays showed a clean block but a foul was called. That changed momentum and Kansas survived 93-89. #3MW-Creighton, #2W-Arizona, #1W-UNC, #3E-Illinois, #7MW-Texas (holding #10MW-Colorado St to just 11 points in the 1st half), #5MW-Gonzaga, #2E-Iowa St, and #2MW-Tennessee picked up double-digit victories.
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