Males’s March Insanity tipped off Thursday with 16 first-round video games. We received loads of upsets on Day 1.

The spotlight was No. 14 Oakland knocking off No. 3 Kentucky, a loss that raises loads of questions on John Calipari’s future. However Massive Blue Nation is not the one fan base left licking its wounds. A trio of 11-seeds — Duquesne, Oregon and NC State — knocked off their No. 6 counterparts.

Evidently, there aren’t very many good brackets left.

Males’s NCAA match video games are airing and streaming throughout CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV.

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March Insanity first spherical highlights

Oakland upsets Kentucky

Duquesne upsets BYU

Dayton rallies past Nevada

NCAA Tournament scores

Here’s the full scoreboard from Thursday’s first-round games.

Men’s March Madness NCAA Tournament schedule

Here’s the full schedule for Friday’s first-round games.

Men’s March Madness scores today

Here’s a look back at the results of Thursday’s games:

• (9) Michigan State 69, (8) Mississippi State 51
• (11) Duquesne 71, (6) BYU 67
• (3) Creighton 77, (14) Akron 60
• (2) Arizona 85, (15) Long Beach State 65
• (1) North Carolina 90, (16) Wagner 62
• (3) Illinois 85, (14) Morehead State 69
• (11) Oregon 87, (6) South Carolina 73
• (7) Dayton 63, (10) Nevada 60
• (7) Texas 56, (10) Colorado State 44
• (14) Oakland 80, (3) Kentucky 76
• (5) Gonzaga 86, (12) McNeese 65
• (2) Iowa State 82, (15) South Dakota State 65
• (2) Tennessee 83, (15) Saint Peter’s 49
• (11) NC State (80), (6) Texas Tech 67
• (7) Washington State 66, (10) Drake 61
• (4) Kansas 93, (13) Samford 89

Kansas holds on after benefitting from controversial foul call

Kansas may have caught a break. 

The Jayhawks led by as many as 22 points in the second half, but Samford surged back and cut the deficit to one point with 20 seconds left. Kansas tried to move the ball around and got it up to guard Nicolas Timberlake. 

He went for a dunk and Samford’s A.J. Staton-McCray contested it. It was called a foul, much to the objection of the Bulldogs.

When the CBS broadcast showed a replay, Staton-McCray appeared to block the ball without touching Timberlake. Broadcasters Brad Nessler and Brendan Haywood both agreed it was a bad call, but the call couldn’t be reviewed.

So, instead of it being a block with Samford potentially getting the ball back down by one, Timberlake got two free throws. He made both to make it a 92-89 game. Samford couldn’t tie the game on the next possession, and the Jayhawks won 93-89. — Jordan Mendoza

Red-hot NC State dominates paint to beat Texas Tech

The No. 11-seed North Carolina State Wolfpack got into the NCAA Tournament by winning five games in five days last week, conquering the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament to “steal” an NCAA bid with an automatic berth. Five days later, they proved to be one of the hottest teams in the first round with an 80-67 win against No. 6-seed Texas Tech in Pittsburgh.

But they didn’t “steal” anything this time, except for the basketball eight times against Tech. They earned it by dominating the paint, 42-20, and closing out the game with a 28-18 scoring clip .

A trio of Wolfpack big men combined for 54 points – Ben Middlebrooks, a transfer from Clemson, poured in a career-high 21 points. Forward DJ Burns, a transfer from Winthrop, had 16; while Missouri transfer Mohamed Diarra added 17.

Just last week, they all had limped into their league tournament with four straight losses to end the regular season with a 17-14 record. They would not have gotten into the tournament without getting so hot. And now they’re on the verge of the Sweet 16, set for a second-round game Saturday against No. 14-seed Oakland University of Michigan. — Brent Schrotenboer

Samford stages comeback. Can it upset Kansas?

The Bulldogs are back in it.

After falling behind by 22 points, Samford’s offense has woken up and now trails Kansas 81-78 with less than five minutes left.

There were several runs made by Samford, but it was the 3-point shooting that got the Bulldogs back in the game. In the second half, Samford has made 7-of-14 3-point attempts. 

Washington State comes back to beat Drake

It trailed for a majority of the second half, but Washington State used a late run and Drake made costly turnovers, which helped the Cougars get their first NCAA Tournament win since 2008 with a 66-61 victory.

Drake led by eight points with under seven minutes left, but Washington State used a 9-1 run to tie the game at 55. It was knotted up at 58, but a 3-point shot from Isaiah Watts gave the Cougars the lead for good. Back-to-back turnovers for Drake doomed it in the final 30 seconds. 

Free throws will haunt Drake after the loss. Despite being a top 40 free-throw shooting team, it couldn’t convert Thursday with a 6-for-14 mark from the charity stripe. — Jordan Mendoza

Kansas pulling away from Samford

The Jayhawks aren’t feeling the upset, extending their lead against Samford to 63-41 early in the second half.

Kansas used a 12-1 run to strengthen its lead against the Bulldogs, capped off by an emphatic dunk by K.J. Adams Jr., who scored half of the points during the run. He leads all scorers with 16 points on the night. — Jordan Mendoza

Tennessee wins big, advances to face Texas in Rick Barnes reunion game

Tennessee coach Rick Barnes wasn’t good enough to keep his job at Texas in 2015, but now he’ll get a chance to put the Longhorns down in the second round after leading the No. 2-seed Volunteers to an 83-49 win over No. 15-seed Saint Peter’s in a first-round game in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Volunteers throttled the Peacocks defensively, building a 46-20 lead at halftime and holding Saint Peter’s to 16-of-55 shooting (29.1%), including just 4-for-24 from 3-point range.

Star guard Dalton Knecht, a transfer from Northern Colorado, led the way with 23 points and eight rebounds.

The Volunteers bounced back from losses in their previous two games to destroy Saint Peter’s, a small college in New Jersey known for making a run all the way to the Elite Eight in 2022.

Now the Volunteers take on Texas, which fired Barnes in 2015 after 17 seasons. Tennessee hired him that same year. — Brent Schrotenboer

Kansas vs. Samford halftime: Underdogs handing around

Kansas may be hurt, but it’s giving Samford a tough game in the first round with the Jayhawks leading 48-38 at halftime.

A hot start to the game got Kansas going with six of its first seven shot attempts going in to get a sizable lead. The Jayhawks did lead by as much as 16, but the Bulldogs aren’t out of the game yet, as they kept up in the final minutes to still have a shot of pulling off an upset.

One of the best offenses in college basketball, Samford has struggled against Kansas’ defense, with the Bulldogs shooting 13-for-37 (35.1%) in the first half and getting dominated on the glass. What’s kept the Bulldogs in it are Kansas’ turnovers, with 12 turning into 11 Samford points. — Jordan Mendoza

At some point in the next few days, John Calipari and Kentucky officials need to get in a room, lock the door and agree not to come out until they’ve reached a number that will end this agony. 

It’s over. 

It needs to be over. 

It’s time for college basketball’s premier program and the sport’s most underachieving coach to go their separate ways and do something different. 

If Calipari returns to Kentucky next year after another March disasterclass — this time against Oakland Thursday in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament — he will be the most miserable multi-millionaire in a state that no longer wants him there and no longer envisions a revival in whatever magical abilities he once had. — Dan Wolken

It seems pretty likely that Oakland University men’s basketball coach Greg Kampe get a bonus payment for his No. 14-seeded team’s colossal, 80-76 upset of No. 3 seed Kentucky on Thursday night in an NCAA men’s basketball tournament first-round game.

However, according to the university’s general counsel’s office, only two people know the amount: Kampe and Oakland athletics director Steve Waterfield.

Kampe’s contract with the school, obtained by USA TODAY Sports through an open-records request, includes a highly unusual arrangement under which any performance-bonus payments are at the AD’s discretion and based on unspecified goals that are to be determined annually and are subject to change at any time. — Steve Berkowitz

NC State vs. Texas Tech halftime: Surprise ACC tourney winner aims for another upset

Could a third 6-11 upset be in the cards Thursday?

No. 11 NC State, fresh off a surprise run to the ACC tournament final, leads No. 6 Texas Tech 37-33 at halftime.

The Wolfpack opened up its largest lead at 37-30, but the Red Raiders got a little bit of momentum back with Darrion Williams’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

NC State’s Ben Middlebrooks leads all scorers with 14 points off the bench. — Jace Evans

Washington State vs. Drake halftime: Cougars hold close lead

It was a first half of runs in Washington State vs. Drake, with the Cougars holding a 33-29 lead at the half.

Washington State got out to an early lead, but Drake followed it with a 12-0 run to lead 21-15. After that, the Cougars went on a 13-2 run to lead 28-23 and both sides traded baskets for the remainder of the half.

The stats are nearly identical, with both teams making 13 shots and Drake knocking down three 3-pointers while Washington State has four made 3-pointers. The only real difference has been at the foul line, with Washington State making 3-of-6 from the charity stripe while Drake missing two free throw attempts. — Jordan Mendoza

Tennessee vs. Saint Peter’s halftime: No magic so far for Peacocks

Saint Peter’s shocked the world in 2022 with a run to the Elite Eight out of the No. 15 spot. 

The Peacocks are a No. 15 seed again, but this NCAA Tournament is shaping up to be a lot less magical.

No. 2 Tennessee was clinical in the first half against Saint Peter’s, shooting 64% from the field while limiting the Peacocks to 23.3% shooting. That disparity helped Tennessee take a 46-20 lead into the break.

Jonas Aidoo and Dalton Knecht are leading the way with 13 points apiece. — Jace Evans

Gonzaga vs. McNeese final: Bulldogs keep up first-round success

While the world was watching No. 14 Oakland upset No. 3 Kentucky, Gonzaga was quietly doing what it does.

The No. 5 Bulldogs crushed McNeese State, leaving no doubt in an 86-65 victory. Gonzaga has now won at least one NCAA Tournament game every year the tournament’s been played since 2009. 

Gonzaga led 48-25 at halftime and cruised home to victory. Five players scored in double figures, and all but three scored at least seven points.

The Bulldogs shot 51.7% from the field and hit 10-of-21 3-pointers (46.5%) while holding McNeese to just 33.3% shooting overall (and just 22.7% from three). — Jace Evans

With a history of heartbreak and a tortured relationship with the No. 2 seed, Iowa State fans may have been a little apprehensive heading into Thursday’s first-round NCAA Tournament game despite being a heavy favorite. 

There was no need to worry. 

The No. 2 Cyclones rode a sizzling shooting start into the second round by demolishing No. 15 South Dakota State, 82-65, on Thursday night to continue on in the NCAA Tournament at CHI Health Center. — Travis Hines, Des Moines Register

While not as memorable as a No. 16 seed or a No. 15 seed pulling off a first-round stunner and while not as common as a No. 12 seed knocking off a No. 5 seed, a No. 14 seed toppling a No. 3 seed is one of the more thrilling possible outcomes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The result embodies what millions across the country love about the frenetic opening days of March Madness — a program from a small conference getting the best of one of the sport’s top 15 teams, the vast majority of which come from one of college basketball’s most powerful leagues.

It took just one full day of the 2024 NCAA Tournament to produce such an upset. — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY NETWORK

Down goes Big Blue nation.

The No. 14 seed Oakland Golden Grizzlies used a memorable 3-point shooting performance by Jack Gohlke to stun No. 3 seed Kentucky, 80-76, in the biggest upset of the men’s NCAA Tournament so far.

Oakland got off to a bad start after it missed its first seven shots of the day. But it shook it off with an outstanding 3-point performance, hitting 15 of 31 shots from beyond the arc – including 10 by Gohlke – to defeat the team that was the best 3-point shooting squad in the country. — Jordan Mendoza

Texas vs. Colorado State final: Longhorns stave off Rams’ comeback attempt

The Texas-Colorado State game seemed all but over when the Longhorns hit the half with a 27-11 lead.

No. 7 Texas did get the win in the end, beating No. 10 Colorado State 56-44, but it certainly wasn’t easy.

The Longhorns were ice-cold from 3-point range the entire game – they went just 1-for-14 behind the arc – and had several prolonged scoring droughts in the second half that allowed the Rams to get back into it after a dreadful first 20 minutes.

Though the Rams cut the deficit to as little as seven points, in the end the hole they dug was too deep to climb out of.

Dylan Disu helped stave off complete disaster for Texas with some big buckets and free throws down the stretch. He finished with 12 points, which was somehow good enough to match the game high. He was joined in double figures by Chendall Weaver (11), who had a big and-1 that put Texas back up 12 with 3:07 to go, and Max Abmas (12).

As bad as Texas shot this game (40%), Colorado State was even worse (29.8%). The Rams were the sloppier team, too, committing 19 turnovers to the Longhorns’ 12. — Jace Evans

Gonzaga vs. McNeese halftime: Bulldogs dominate first half

No. 5 Gonzaga is up big against No. 12 McNeese and head into halftime with a 23-point lead. They led by as many as 24 points in the first half. 

Bulldogs freshman Dusty Stromer and junior Graham Ike both have 10 points, while junior Nolan Hickman knocked down 3-of-4 3s to add nine points. Gonzaga is shooting 58.6% from the field and 8-for-11 from the 3-point line. 

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are 1-for-9 from 3 and are shooting a dismal 28.1% from the field. Senior Shahada Wells has a team-high six points and two rebounds, while junior Christian Shumate added five points and five rebounds. No McNeese player has reach double digits. — Cydney Henderson

Iowa State vs. South Dakota State halftime: Cyclones stay hot

No. 2 Iowa State hammered Houston in the Big 12 title game and kept the momentum rolling in the first half of its first-round game against No. 15 South Dakota State.

The Cyclones sprinted out to a 17-3 lead and looked well on their way to winning a laugher. But the Jackrabbits have at least made a game of things. Iowa State hits the half with a 40-33 lead.

Iowa State shot a blistering 63% from the field and hit five of its 10 3-pointers. Keep that up, and ISU should cruise to the second round. — Jace Evans

Kentucky vs. Oakland halftime: Jack Gohlke has Golden Grizzlies in lead

Oakland guard Jack Gohlke is having himself a night. The Golden Grizzlies guard scored 21 points in the first half, all from the 3-point line, to give No. 14 Oakland a 38-35 lead over No. 3 Kentucky. Gohlke is 7-for-13 from beyond the arc and is five 3-pointers away from setting a NCAA Tournament record. (Loyola Marymount’s Jeff Fryer knocked down a record 11 3s vs. Michigan in 1990.)

“He better hit seven more if we want to win because we aren’t going to win if he and (Blake) Lampman don’t do that,” Oakland head coach Greg KampeI said, before pointing out the free throw disparity. “I don’t know why we just aren’t getting the call inside… We foul fewer than any team in the country, but all their points are coming from the line. We got to fix that. If we don’t fix that, we are going to lose.”

The Wildcats are 10-for-14 from the free-throw line, while the Grizzlies are 1-for-5. 

Kentucky senior guard Antonio Reeves has 14 points and two rebounds. Tre Mitchell is near a double-double with eight points and 11 rebounds. The Wildcats are shooting 40.7% from the field and 3-for-10 from 3. — Cydney Henderson

Oakland’s Jack Gohlke hot from three vs. Kentucky

Despite only scoring five points in the opening five minutes of the game,  Oakland guard Jack Gohlke has led the No. 14 seeded Golden Grizzlies to a 23-17 lead over No. 3 seeded Kentucky with 7:23 remaining in the first half. Gohlke leads his team in scoring with 15 points off the bench, making 5-of-9 three pointers. Only three other Golden Grizzlies players have scored a field goal. 

Meanwhile, the Wildcats only have 17 points as a team, led by six points each from Tre Mitchell and Antonio Reeves. Kentucky is 0-4 from the three-point line. — Cydney Henderson

Perfect bracket? Vast majority already have at least one loss

One quarter of the first round of the NCAA Tournament has been completed. Chances are, your bracket is already busted.

There’s just 856 perfect brackets left in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Bracket Challenge out of 30,441 entries. ESPN pegs the number of perfect brackets on its site at 576,098 … out of 21,538,558 entries.

The most likely bracket busters to this point are No. 11 seeds Duquesne and Oregon. — Jace Evans

Colorado State vs. Texas halftime: Longhorns pull away in snoozefest

The No. 7 seeded Texas Longhorns are up 27-11 over the No. 10 seeded Colorado State Rams at the halftime break of their first-round game.

Texas guard Max Abmas made a long three-point bucket at the buzzer to provide a little excitement in what has otherwise been a dud. The shot was the Longhorns’ lone basket from beyond the arc so far.

Texas went on a 25-3 run, including 14 unanswered points, after the Rams took an early lead. Colorado State has committed 11 turnovers.

Texas forward Dylan Disu, who averages 15.8 points per game, has only scored two points in the form of the opening layup. — Victoria Hernandez

Colorado State vs. Texas: Longhorns wake up to take first lead

After going down by six points, the No. 7 seeded Texas Longhorns found their rhythm and went on a 12-0 run. They are now up 14-8 over the No. 10 seeded Colorado State Rams with 8:04 on the clock in the first half.

Colorado State called timeout after Longhorns forward Dillon Mitchell tipped in his own layup for his first points of the game.

A few minutes earlier, Texas guard Tyrese Hunter was fouled while making a layup, and he made the free throw to complete the three-point play.

The Rams haven’t scored in more than seven minutes. — Victoria Hernandez

Colorado State vs. Texas: Colorado State jumps out to early lead

No. 10 seed Colorado State is not missing a beat coming out of its First Four win and into the Big Dance. The Rams are up 8-2 over the No. 7 seed Texas Longhorns with 14:57 on the clock.

Graduate student forward Dylan Disu scored the first points of the game – and the only one so far for Texas – with a layup. The Longhorns have turned over the ball three times.

Four different players have scored for the Rams. — Victoria Hernandez

Dayton vs. Nevada final: Flyers rally, complete double-digit comeback

No. 7 seed Dayton trailed No. 10 Nevada by as many as 17 points in the second half before closing the game on a 24-4 run to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Dayton will face No. 3 seed Arizona on Saturday.

With Nevada trailing Dayton 61-60, Wolf Pack forward Nick Davidson committed a turnover with 17 seconds remaining. Nevada fouled Dayton’s Nate Santos, who made both free throws to put the Flyers up 63-60 with 15 seconds left. Davidson missed a three-point attempt to tie it up and, after an offensive rebound, Kenan Blackshear air-balled a three as time expired. 

Flyers junior forward Daron Holmes II had a game-high 18 points, nine rebounds, three steals and one block. Junior guard Koby Brea added 15 points and two rebounds. Dayton shot 44.7% from the field and 8-for-19 from three.

Meanwhile, Nevada senior guard Jarod Lucas had 17 points and four rebounds, while Davidson, a sophomore, had 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals. The Wolf pack shot 44.6% from the field and 7-for-20 from three.  — Cydney Henderson

Nevada vs. Dayton: Flyers coming back late in second half

No. 10 Nevada led by as many as 17 points in the second half before No. 7 Dayton went on a 11-0 run to cut the Wolf Pack’s lead to 56-50 with 4:23 remaining in the game. 

Flyers junior forward Daron Holmes II has 15 points, nine rebounds, one block and two steals. Junior guard Koby Brea has 12 points and two rebounds. 

Meanwhile, Nevada sophomore forward Nick Davidson has 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while Jarod Lucas has 15 points and four rebounds. — Cydney Henderson

Oregon vs. South Carolina: No. 11 Ducks upset Gamecocks

It might not be as dramatic as Duquesne winning their first NCAA tournament game in 55 years, but we have our second No. 11 upset of a No. 6 team of the day.

The Oregon Ducks beat the No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks 87-73 in first round action on Thursday in Pittsburgh.

Senior guard Jermaine Couisnard, who transferred from South Carolina, scored a career-high 40 points. The mark is also the Oregon record for most points in a men’s NCAA Tournament game. His family was in attendance after making the six-hour drive from Chicago. It was the first time his grandmother attended one of his college games.

“I knew I had to make sacrifices for her one day,” Couisnard said on the TNT broadcast. “That’s all I dreamed of was for her to come to one of my games.”

Oregon was in the driver’s seat the entire second half with a lead as high as 18 points. The Ducks had eight steals and six blocks.

Junior guard Meechie Johnson led the Gamecocks with 24 points.

The Ducks will now play No. 3 Creighton in the second round. Head coach Dana Altman will face his former team. He was at the helm of Creighton for 16 seasons where he became the winningest men’s basketball coach in school history. — Victoria Hernandez

Duke will be without sharp-shooting guard Caleb Foster for NCAA Tournament

Duke freshman guard Caleb Foster is officially done for the season and won’t return for the NCAA Tournament, head coach Jon Scheyer announced Thursday. Foster has been ruled out with a stress fracture in his ankle.

Fourth-seeded Duke (24-8) plays No. 13 seed Vermont (28-6) in a first-round game on Friday night at 7:10 ET on CBS.

“My heart breaks for Caleb because Caleb has done literally everything you could ask from a guy who has an injury and trying to get back out there,” Scheyer said.

Scheyer said the injury is “unique” and the 6-foot-5, 197-pound Foster had several second opinions on the ankle. Foster also attempted to practice earlier in the week, but according to Scheyer, “He wasn’t able to really be himself.”

Foster has missed the previous five games for the Blue Devils. He made 15 starts in 27 games this winter, averaging 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game, while hitting 40.6% of his 3-pointers. — Alex Abrami, Burlington Free Press

Illinois’ Marcus Domask makes history with NCAA Tournament triple double

Marcus Domask etched his name in NCAA Tournament lore on Thursday.

The Illinois basketball guard recorded the 10th triple-double in March Madness history vs. 14 seed Morehead State with a 12-point, 11-rebound and 10-assist performance in an 85-69 victory over Morehead State.

Domask notched his triple-double with a 3-pointer with 2:57 remaining within the recreation. He and the opposite starters have been subbed following the basket, with Illinois main by 24.

Ja Morant recorded the final triple-double for Murray State towards Marquette within the first spherical of the 2019 NCAA Event. — Eshsan Kassim, USA TODAY Community

Jermaine Couisnard breaks Oregon’s NCAA Event scoring file

Oregon males’s basketball workforce historical past consists of names like Jordan Bell, Ron Lee and Payton Pritchard.

Jermaine Couisnard simply etched his identify into the college’s file books by scoring his thirty fourth level within the first spherical recreation towards his former workforce, South Carolina.

The senior guard handed Tajuan Porter for essentially the most factors in an NCAA match recreation in Geese historical past with a pair of free throws with 5:03 left within the recreation. In 2007, Porter had 33 factors towards UNLV within the Candy 16. — Victoria Hernandez

Oregon trending in direction of upset vs. South Carolina

Is one other upset brewing?

No. 11 Oregon is up 62-48 over No. 6 South Carolina with 10:06 left within the second half.

The Geese have been up by as many as 18 earlier within the interval when Jermaine Couisnard, who transferred from South Carolina, scored eight straight factors. He additionally had the three-point shot that introduced Oregon to this rating.

For the Gamecocks, Meechie Johnson has scored eight factors within the half to attempt to preserve his workforce within the recreation. — Victoria Hernandez

No. 3 Illinois survives Morehead State’s upset bid

No. 3 Illinois dealt with No. 14 Morehead State within the second half, at one level scoring 9 consecutive discipline objectives, to win, 85-69.

Within the first half, it was senior guard Terrence Shannon Jr.’s scoring that saved the Illini within the recreation; within the second, it was junior ahead Dain Dainja, who scored his season-high 21 factors on an ideal nine-of-nine taking pictures. Shannon Jr. completed with 26 factors.

Senior Illini guard Marcus Domask completed with a triple-double, recording 12 factors, 10 assists and 11 rebounds, marking simply the tenth triple-double in NCAA Males’s Event historical past. He joins gamers like Ja Morant, Dwyane Wade, Draymond Inexperienced, Shaquille O’Neal and others.

Illinois will play No. 11 Duquesne within the second spherical. — Lorenzo Reyes

Nevada vs. Dayton rating: Wolf Pack leads at halftime

No. 10 Nevada ended the primary half on a 16-0 run to take a nine-point lead over the No. 7 Dayton. 

Sophomore ahead Nick Davidson has 10 factors and three rebounds. Senior ahead Tre Coleman has eight factors, one rebound and one help. The Wolf Pack are taking pictures 48.3% from the sphere and 4-of-9 from three.

“We received out of character defensively. As soon as we settled down defensively, it kicked in our offense,” Nevada head coach Steve Alford stated at halftime. “We received loads of good stops, we received out in transition and we’re making our photographs… If we are able to maintain them to 25, that’s fairly good.”

Flyers junior ahead Daron Holmes II has eight factors, seven rebounds, one block and one steal. No Dayton scorers are in double digits. Dayton is taking pictures 41.7% from the sphere and 3-of-12 from three. — Cydney Henderson

Oregon vs. South Carolina rating: Geese nonetheless up after halftime buzzer beater

No. 11 Oregon established its dominance down the stretch of the primary half to enter the break up 34-29 over South Carolina.

A beyond-halfcourt shot from Ta’Lon Cooper on the buzzer snapped a discipline aim drought of greater than eight minutes for the Gamecocks. 

After each groups went forwards and backwards to open the sport, the Geese surged forward for a 10-point lead with 1:57 on the clock. They entered the break on a 20-9 run. Oregon’s senior guard Jermaine Couisnard, who transferred from South Carolina, is the sport’s main scorer with 14 factors.

South Carolina doesn’t have a participant who’s scored double digits and is being saved alive by making seven of 9 free throws. — Victoria Hernandez

Illinois vs. Morehead rating: No. 3 Illini lastly pulling away

Illinois is getting its much-needed secondary scoring possibility within the type of junior ahead Dain Dainja — and the Illini would possibly simply be pulling away.

Coming off the bench, Dainja has change into a pressure on the glass, notably on the offensive finish.

Dainja is an ideal eight-of-eight from the sphere with 17 factors and 7 rebounds, 4 of which have been offensive boards. He has 13 second half factors.

Illinois is on a 9-0 run and leads 57-48, with 11:59 left to play. — Lorenzo Reyes

Illinois vs. Morehead State: Illini in peril of upset

The senior guard continues to be the Illini offense with a game-high 21 factors. Should you take his taking pictures out of the equation, the remainder of Illinois is mixed to go simply 9-of-22 (40.9%) from the sphere.

No. 14 Morehead State has gone to a really quick rotation, enjoying only a six-man rotation. However the Eagles are holding issues aggressive, making 3 pointers (7-of-16) and forcing the Illini into eight turnovers.

Morehead State is up 45-44, with 15:58 left within the recreation. — Lorenzo Reyes

North Carolina vs. Wagner closing: Tar Heels win 90-62

The No. 1 Tar Heels cruised to the second spherical of March Insanity after main by as many as 30 factors of their 90-62 victory over No. 16 Wagner, who superior to the spherical of 64 with a First 4 win. 

North Carolina senior guard R.J. Davis, the ACC participant of the yr, had a game-high 22 factors, two assists and one steal, whereas senior ahead Armando Bacot recorded a double-double (20 factors, 15 rebounds) in his closing NCAA Event. Senior ahead Jae’lyn Withers additionally had a double-double coming off the bench, with 16 factors and 10 rebounds. The Tar Heels shot 55% from the sphere and 9-for-18 from three.

North Carolina is 33-2 within the spherical of 64 since 1985. 

Dimension and depth proved to be the distinction. The Seahawks have been outrebounded 43-24 within the contest and had 20 factors within the paint, in comparison with North Carolina’s 48. 

Wagner sophomore guard Julian Brown recorded 18 factors and one steal, whereas junior guard Melvin Council Jr had 18 factors, two blocks and 4 rebounds. 

North Carolina will face No. 9 Michigan State subsequent. — Cydney Henderson

Illinois vs. Morehead State rating: Illini lead at halftime

No. 3 Illinois has settled, its star guard goes off and the Illini claimed the lead late within the first half.

The Illini went on an 13-4 scoring three-quarters of the best way by the primary half, as senior guard Terrence Shannon Jr., the nation’s third-leading scorer at 23 factors per recreation, dropped 19 within the first half on 7-of-13 taking pictures.

Fellow Illini senior guard Marcus Domask has been quiet on the rating sheet, going simply one-of-five from the ground with two factors, however he has a game-high six assists.

Illinois has the sting in fast-break factors (eight to 3) and factors within the paint (16:10).

One other space of concern for No. 14 Morehead State: the Eagles made their first journey to the free-throw line with 3:22 left within the first half. The Eagles, although, are getting stable showings from senior guards Riley Minx and Jordan Lathon, every of whom have 12 factors.

Illinois is up, 39-38, headed into the half. — Lorenzo Reyes

North Carolina vs. Wagner: Tar Heels pulling away in second half

The Tar Heels went on a 10-2 run to increase their lead over the Seahawks to twenty, their largest of the sport, with 7:58 remaining within the first-round matchup. 

Senior guard R.J. Davis is getting rolling, scoring 11 of his 16 factors within the second half after a gradual begin. Armando Bacot is as much as 18 factors, 14 rebounds, one block and one steal. 

Wagner sophomore guard Julian Brown has a team-high 18 factors, whereas junior guard Melvin Council Jr had 14 factors, two blocks and three rebounds. — Cydney Henderson

Arizona vs. Lengthy Seashore State closing: Wildcats win 85-65

Snoop Dogg’s bracket is busted.

However no upsets right here as No. 2 Arizona beat No. 15 Lengthy Seashore State 85-65 within the first spherical of the lads’s NCAA Event in Salt Lake Metropolis.

Sophomore guard Kylan Boswell had a career-high 20 factors with eight assists and former Tar Heels participant Caleb Love added 18 factors and 11 rebounds for the Wildcats. The workforce made 13 three-point buckets and had 10 steals and eight blocks.

Arizona was up by as many as 24 factors after a back-and-forth first half.

That is redemption for the Wildcats, who have been ousted within the first spherical of final yr’s match. They have been a No. 2 seed then as effectively and have been upset by No. 15 Princeton.

The Wildcats will play the winner of No. 7 Dayton vs. No. 10 Nevada.

This marks the top of 49ers head coach Dan Monson’s run with the workforce. Forward of the match, he agreed to half methods with this system after the season.

Snoop Dogg, a Lengthy Seashore native, had Lengthy Seashore State going to the Elite Eight. — Victoria Hernandez

Morehead State vs. Illinois: Eagles up in first half

After a clean and free-flowing tempo to the beginning of this recreation, each Illinois and Morehead State discovered the muck.

Bricked photographs, turnovers and disjointed play has slowed the tempo down some; from 14:04 in first half to 10:35, each groups mixed to attain simply 5 factors. However, simply as shortly as play slowed down, it picked proper again up. Illinois senior guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is on fireplace, with 14 factors on 5-of-8 taking pictures. 

Every time Illinois has put up some resistance, nevertheless, Morehead State has answered again. Out of the final seven Illinois discipline objectives, Morehead State has responded with its personal basket on the next possession 5 instances.

The Eagles are taking pictures 11-of-22 (50%) from the sphere and maintain a 27-23 lead with 7:06 left to play within the first half. — Lorenzo Reyes

LeBron James congratulates Duquesne, former coach on upset

LeBron James was happy with his highschool coach, Keith Dambrot, for main the No. 11 Duquesne males’s basketball workforce to an upset over No. 6 Brigham Younger. The primary spherical win is the Dukes’ first victory within the Massive Dance since 1969.

“AYYYYYYYEEEEE!!! First match win in 55 years! @CoachDambrot,” the Los Angeles Lakers star posted on X, previously Twitter, with a goat and clapping fingers emojis. “@DuqMBB Preserve it going.”

Dambrot coached James in his first two seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s Excessive College in Akron, Ohio and is now head coach for the Dukes. Additionally on the Duquese workers is affiliate head coach Dru Joyce III, who performed with James in highschool and stays a good friend of his right this moment.

Forward of the primary spherical matchup, the 20-time NBA All-Star gifted the Dukes gamers every a pair of his signature footwear. — Victoria Hernandez

Illinois vs. Morehead State: Illini battling again

No. 14 Morehead State punched first, however the No. 3 Illinois Combating Illini have fought again.

After beginning 0-for-4 from the sphere, Illinois made its subsequent 5 photographs to shut an early lead. Morehead State, with Illinois’ chilly taking pictures, really raced out to an early 9-0 lead. The Eagles, who play a deliberate fashion of half court docket offense, are taking pictures 7-of-12 (58.3%) from the sphere, together with 3-of-4 from 3-point vary.

The priority for Illinois, nevertheless, is that solely two gamers have scored and a kind of, guard Terrence Shannon Jr., has 9 of the workforce’s 13 factors.

Morehead State is up 17-13 on the first media timeout. — Lorenzo Reyes

North Carolina vs. Wagner halftime: Tar Heels lead 40-28

No. 1 North Carolina is sitting comfortably with a double-digit lead over No. 16 Wagner heading into halftime. Senior ahead Armando Bacot already has a double-double, with a game-high 14 factors and 11 rebounds. Senior ahead Jae’lyn Withers added 10 factors and 5 rebounds, whereas R.J. Davis, the ACC participant of the yr, has been held to solely 5 factors by the primary half. The workforce is taking pictures 51.9% from the sphere and 2-for-7 from three. 

The Tar Heels have used their dimension to their benefit, outrebounding the Seahawks 25-14 within the first half. North Carolina additionally has 24 factors within the paint, in comparison with Wagner’s 12. 

Melvin Council Jr has a team-high 10 factors and three rebounds. He’s the one Seahawks participant in double digits. Wagner, who solely has seven energetic gamers on their roster, has no bench factors up to now and is collectively taking pictures 32.4% from the sphere and 2-for-10 from three. — Cydney Henderson

Creighton vs. Akron closing: Bluejays shifting on

No. 14 Akron, which was 0-5 all-time within the males’s NCAA Event video games headed into Thursday, must wait some extra to get its first-ever victory within the large dance.

No. 3 Creighton went chilly down the stretch, scoring solely three factors throughout a six-minute span, earlier than the Bluejays put the Zips away to win their first-round recreation, 77-60.

Creighton had all 5 of its 5 starters in double figures, with senior middle Ryan Kalkbrenner main the best way with 23 factors and eight rebounds, as senior guard Baylor Scheierman chipped in a double-double with 15 factors and 13 boards.

Creighton will play the winner between No. 6 South Carolina and No. 11 Oregon. — Lorenzo Reyes

Duquesne NCAA Event historical past

By advantage of its first-round upset towards BYU, Duquesne is heading to the NCAA Event’s second spherical.

The Dukes are making their first NCAA Event look since 1977 and this was their first win since 1969, once they made it to the Candy 16.

Duquesne’s solely Ultimate 4 look got here in 1940.

Duquesne vs. BYU: Dukes notch first upset of March Insanity 2024

Simply two video games into the primary spherical of the males’s NCAA males’s match and we have already got our first upset.

The No. 11 seed Duquesne defeated No. 6 seed Brigham Younger 71-67 within the first recreation from the East Area to proceed what has been a formidable run for the Dukes in latest weeks.

The win began with Duquesne opening the sport on a 9-0 run as BYU missed its first eight photographs. The Cougars ultimately caught as much as lead 20-19 greater than midway by the primary half, however Duquesne responded with a 14-1 run to take again a lead it would not hand over the remainder of the best way. Duquesne led by as a lot as 14 within the second half, however BYU stormed again to tie it with 90 seconds to go. Duquesne was then in a position to nail its free throw makes an attempt and get an enormous late layup from Jimmy Clark III to tug away from the Cougars.

Here is all the pieces it’s worthwhile to know in regards to the Duquene Dukes. — Jordan Mendoza

North Carolina vs. Wagner: Tar Heels doing what a high seed ought to

The West Regional’s No. 1 seed, North Carolina, is getting balanced scoring, with a pair of gamers – senior forwards Armando Bacot and Jae’lyn Withers every in double figures – and 6 gamers on the rating sheet.

North Carolina is taking pictures 11-of-17 (64.7%) from the sphere, with most of its factors coming within the paint, and the Tar Heels are additionally limiting No. 16 Wagner to simply 8-of-25 (32%).

North Carolina is up 33-23 with 5:34 left to play within the first half. — Lorenzo Reyes

Creighton vs. Akron: Bluejays lengthen lead with red-hot taking pictures efficiency.

The Bluejays are 9-of-13 on discipline objectives within the second half and are lights out from 3-point vary, going 10-of-15 total (66.7%) from past the arc.

Crieghton’s 7-foot-1 senior middle Ryan Kalkbrenner continues to be a dominant presence within the paint on protection. Whereas he has recorded just one block towards the Zips, he has continually compelled Akron’s gamers to regulate their shot angles.

Creighton has opened a 20-point lead, 67-47, with simply fewer than 9 minutes left to play. — Lorenzo Reyes

Michigan State NCAA Event historical past

The Spartans are shifting on to the second spherical of the NCAA Event after taking down Mississippi State 69-51 on Thursday.

Michigan State is within the NCAA Event for the twenty sixth consecutive time, courting again to 1998. There was no match in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Spartans will play the winner of No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Wagner on Saturday. Michigan State will likely be in search of its second consecutive Candy 16 berth and fifteenth since 1998.

Michigan State has gained two nationwide championships, its most up-to-date coming in 2000.

Arizona vs. Lengthy Seashore State halftime: Wildcats lead 41-35

No. 2 Arizona leads No. 15 Lengthy Seashore State 41-35 at halftime.

There was a stall with lower than 10 seconds left earlier than the break whereas officers found out the precise time on the clock for a Lengthy Seashore State inbound. As soon as they figured it out, Jason Hart Jr. missed a jumper on the buzzer. 

The primary interval was a little bit of a forwards and backwards, however the Wildcats ended on a 15-4 run.

Arizona took an eight-point lead early and the 49ers got here again to take a five-point lead. There have been a couple of ties earlier than the Wildcats pulled away within the final two minutes of the sport. Former Tar Heels star Caleb Love drained a three-point bucket as a part of their surge.

Wildcats sophomore guard Kylan Boswell is the main scorer with 11 factors and 5 assists. He’s the one participant in double digits.

Lengthy Seashore state head coach Dan Monson is actually enjoying for satisfaction factors as he agreed with college officers that this might be his final season earlier than the 49ers received a berth within the Massive Dance.

Rap star Snoop Dogg, a Lengthy Seashore native, has the 49ers going to the Elite Eight. — Victoria Hernandez

Creighton vs. Akron: Bluejays open up 14-point lead

Creighton has began the second half on a 17-8 run to assert a 56-42 lead with 14:20 left within the recreation.

Akron has been outscored 25-8 since 2:50 mark of first half. — Casey Moore

Duquesne vs. BYU: Dukes reply from Cougars run

Duquesne and BYU are buying and selling baskets late on this one, and the Cougars recorded the primary tie of the sport with 1:47 left to play.

Duquesne answered with a pair of Jimmy Clark III free throws after he drove to the basket to attract the foul. Duquesne is up two, with a pair of free throws upcoming.

The Cougars are solely 1-10 this season in video games wherein they’ve trailed inside of 5 minutes left to play. — Lorenzo Reyes

When does North Carolina play in NCAA Event

The No. 1 seed within the West Area, North Carolina opens March Insanity play shortly towards No. 16 seed Wagner.

The Tar Heels and Seahawks are following Michigan State’s 69-51 win towards Mississippi State. The winner of their recreation will tackle the Spartans.

The sport will likely be televised on CBS.

Duquesne vs. BYU: Dukes reply from Cougars run

BYU ripped off a 7-0 run to make it a one-point recreation, however the Dukes shortly answered with an and-one from ahead Fousseyni Drame.

The issue for Duquesne is that BYU senior guard Jaxson Robinson is on an absolute heater, with a game-high 25 factors. After Drame drained his free throw, Robinson sunk a 3-point shot.

The Cougars have tightened up on protection, making every Duquesne possession a grind with energetic fingers and ball denial.

Buckle up as a result of this one might come right down to the ultimate possession. — Lorenzo Reyes

Arizona vs. Lengthy Seashore State: 49ers staying even with Wildcats

March Insanity is underway and followers can flip from recreation to recreation with out blinking.

Within the West Area, the No. 15 seed Lengthy Seashore State 49ers are tied 22-22 with the No. 2 seed Arizona Wildcats with 7:28 to play within the first half.

The 49ers took an 18-17 lead halfway by the interval when Amari Stroud made a three-point bucket after which furthered the lead with a layup from Marcus Tsohonis. — Victoria Hernandez

When does Illinois play within the NCAA Event?

Illinois, the No. 3 seed within the East Area, will get their tourney run began shortly towards No. 14 Morehead State, a matchup scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET. The sport will likely be televised on truTV. The winner of their recreation will play the winner of BYU-Duquesne, which is winding down.

When does Duke play within the NCAA Event?

Duke, which is the No. 4 seed within the South Area, play their March Insanity opener towards No. 13 Vermont on Friday, March 22. Recreation time is ready for 7:10 p.m. ET, and the first-round matchup will likely be televised on CBS. The winner will play the Wisconsin-James Madison winner.

Duquesne vs. BYU: Cougars lastly matching Dukes’ physicality

It’s not a coincidence that BYU is making its run within the second half after stepping up the physicality.

The Cougars closed the hole to 3 factors with 7:41 left to play. Most promising for BYU is that it’s discovering methods to attain within the paint. The Cougars, often called a workforce that depends on the 3-point shot, are 1-for-7 from past the arc within the second half and simply 6-of-21 (28.6%) within the recreation total.

As he did within the first half, senior guard Jaxson Robinson is the offering the distinction. He leads all scorers with 22 factors, together with the final seven BYU factors. — Lorenzo Reyes

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State closing: Spartans win 69-51

No. 9 seed Michigan State made it by the primary spherical of the NCAA match with a 69-51 win over No. 8 seed Mississippi State.

The Spartans led the whole recreation in Charlotte, North Carolina, and their 18-point margin on the finish was their largest of the day.

To place the icing on the cake, senior guard Davis Smith, the son of Michigan State legend Steve Smith, made a three-point bucket with 27 seconds on the clock with an help from graduate scholar guard Steven Izzo, head coach Tom Izzo’s son.

The shot was considered one of 10 three-point baskets the Spartans made to dominate the Bulldogs, who solely made six buckets from past the arc.

Michigan State graduate scholar guard Tyson Walker was the sport’s main scorer with 19 factors. Jaden Akens added 15. For Mississippi State, freshman guard Josh Hubbard had 15 factors.

That is Michigan State’s sixth straight spherical of 64 win and their 14th time advancing previous the primary spherical in 17 match appearances.

The Spartans will play the winner between No.1 seed North Carolina and No. 16 seed Wagner.

Akens wasn’t fazed at the opportunity of enjoying the top-seeded Tar Heels.

“We gonna be able to play,” he stated on the CBS broadcast. — Victoria Hernandez

Kansas’ Invoice Self points assertion on Kevin McCullar Jr.

For the reason that information broke that Kansas basketball could be with out graduate senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr. as a consequence of damage for the NCAA Event, hypothesis has swirled about McCullar’s standing.

However Thursday, forward of the No. 4 Jayhawks’ recreation towards No. 13 Samford, Kansas coach Invoice Self took a uncommon journey to social media to handle what’s being stated. Self defended McCullar.

Learn his assertion right here. — Jordan Guskey, Topeka Capital Journal

Flip off advert blocker to assist stream March Insanity

March Insanity has kicked off, which suggests tens of millions of viewers throughout the nation are streaming video games on their telephones, tablets and computer systems, along with watching on tv.

Should you’re struggling to stream March Insanity video games as a consequence of your advert blocker, you aren’t alone. Here is what it’s worthwhile to find out about the way to disable the advert blocker in your machine and net browser. — Gabe Hauari

Creighton vs. Akron halftime: Bluejays end half on a excessive word

Creighton went on an 8-0 run earlier than halftime to take a 39-34 lead into the locker room.

After falling behind 34-31, the Bluejays received a 3-pointer by Trey Alexander to tie issues again up. Then Mason Miller hit a tiebreaking 3 and Baylor Scheierman made a leap shot with underneath a minute to go.

Creighton is taking pictures 60% from the sphere, together with 7 of 10 from 3-pointers. — Casey Moore

Duquesne vs. BYU: Dukes protection main the best way

The Dukes’ perimeter protection continues to be the explanation why they’ve such a commanding lead.

Duquesne is up 14 – its largest of the sport – with 15:58 left to play within the second half. It continues to harass BYU’s gamers past the 3-point line, crowding them and leaping into passing lanes to pressure suggestions and steals.

The Cougars ranked second within the nation this season in each 3-pointers made (11.2 per recreation) and tried (32.2). Duquesne has restricted BYU to 5-of-16 taking pictures (31.3%) from past the arc, and the Duke have shot lights out from three, going 7-of-15 (46.7%). — Lorenzo Reyes

Arizona vs. Lengthy Seashore State underway

And, a minimum of for an additional two minutes, we have now 4 video games on the similar time.

No. 2 Arizona takes on No. 15 Lengthy Seashore State in a first-round recreation within the West Area. — Casey Moore

Creighton vs. Akron: Zips, Bluejays deadlocked

Akron is giving Creighton matches on protection and the Zips are tied with the Bluejays at 31-31 on the 3:28 mark.

Creighton has gone greater than three minutes with a basket, and Akron has obtained an enormous first half from each of their large males, Enrique Freeman (13 factors) and Ali Ali (9 factors).

Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner has made 5 of 8 photographs for a team-high 11 factors. — Casey Moore

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State: Spartans holding Bulldogs at a distance

Michigan State is now up 60-45 over Mississippi State with 7:39 left within the second half.

After the Spartans nabbed two offensive rebounds on the identical possession, a 3-point basket from Tre Holloman reestablished the Spartans’ 14-point lead, their largest margin that additionally they had earlier within the recreation.

A free throw from A.J. Hoggard gave Michigan State a 15-point margin for a brand new largest lead.

The Bulldogs have had a couple of dunks to offer them bursts of life, two from Cameron Matthews and one from Tolu Smith.

However Michigan State has made seven three-point photographs and 5 of their six free throws whereas Mississippi State has solely made one from the charity stripe. — Victoria Hernandez

Creighton vs. Akron: Zips staying shut

Akron is staying with Creighton, down 21-19 with 11:23 left to go within the first half.

Enrique Freeman has a game-high 9 factors for the Zips, whereas junior guard Trey Alexander leads the Bluejays with eight. — Casey Moore

Duquesne vs. BYU halftime: Dukes keep 38-30 lead

No. 6 BYU regarded poised to shut the half on somewhat run, however late turnovers and missed photographs allowed No. 11 Duquesne to take care of a wholesome, eight-point margin headed into the half.

So, for the primary time within the males’s match, we’re on upset alert.

Often known as a streaky workforce, the Cougars have been on a 7-0 run late within the half and closed the deficit to 3, earlier than the Dukes fought again and ended the half on a mini 5-2 spurt of their very own. Freshman Duquesne ahead Jakub Necas, from the Czech Republic, poured in eight factors off the bench, together with 2-of-3 from 3-point vary.

Duquesne is up 38-30 and the Dukes have a 17-5 file this season when main on the half. — Lorenzo Reyes

Creighton vs. Akron: It is raining 3-pointers in Pittsburgh

The Zips and Bluejays have mixed for six 3-pointers as Creighton is off to an 18-14 lead.

Akron star and MAC gamers of the yr Enrique Freeman already has three, which is a career-high. Freeman is a 6-7 ahead who solely made 17 3-pointers all season. —Casey Moore

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State: Spartans take largest lead of recreation

The Spartans stormed out within the second half to go up 43-29 over Mississippi State. The 14-point lead is Michigan State’s largest of the sport.

The second half has featured the primary free throws of the sport. The Spartans’ Malik Corridor made his two photographs early within the interval after which made a layup in a while. Tyson Walker was fouled and made each free throws to place Michigan State at this rating. — Victoria Hernandez

Creighton vs. Akron underway

That final channel button is about to be put to work as No. 3 Creighton and No. 14 Akron have began play of their first-round recreation within the Midwest Area.

The Bluejays-Zips matchup give us three video games to stability. Is not it nice? — Casey Moore

Duquesne vs. BYU: No. 11 Dukes have been higher workforce

Duquesne has blitzed double groups when BYU has had the ball within the submit, resulting in Cougar kick outs, however the Dukes’ assist protection has rotated in to choose off a number of steals. BYU has not made a single discipline aim in additional than six minutes.

On the opposite finish, senior Duquesne guard Dae Dae Grant is scoring in any respect three ranges, entering into the paint and ending, and ready for defenders to go underneath screens so he can have the area to empty perimeter photographs.

The Dukes ripped off a 14-1 run to take a 12-point lead with 2:32 left to play within the half. – Lorenzo Reyes

Duquesne vs. BYU: Cougars bench holding them in recreation

Fifteen of BYU’s first 20 factors have come off the bench, with senior guard Jaxson Robinson carrying the load. He leads all scorers by the primary 14 minutes of play, with 13 factors on 3-of-5 taking pictures, and an ideal 4-of-4 on free throws. Robinson helped BYU, which began out in an early 9-0 gap, take a short lead, although Duquesne stormed again and now holds a 24-20 edge with somewhat greater than six minutes to play within the half.

The Dukes are taking pictures 47.6% from the ground, however holding BYU to simply 31.6% on the opposite finish. — Lorenzo Reyes

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State halftime: Spartans lead 31-24

Michigan State received a little bit of a scare halfway by the primary half when Mississippi State went on a 7-0 run. However the Spartans brushed themselves off and rallied to complete the interval up 31-24 with a jumper from Malik Corridor on the buzzer.

Tom Izzo’s workforce had 9 turnovers within the first half. They made 5 3-point photographs and the Bulldogs didn’t rating one till their late run, however tallied 4 earlier than the break.

Mississippi State freshman guard Josh Hubbard is the main scorer with 13 factors. Graduate scholar guard Tyson Walker has 10 factors for Michigan State.

There have been no free throw makes an attempt by both workforce within the first half. — Victoria Hernandez

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State: Spartans squash Bulldogs run

Mississippi State went on a 7-0 run late within the first half, together with a 3-point bucket from Josh Hubbard. It was the Bulldogs’ first shot from past the arc of the sport. Spartans guard Jaden Akins snapped the streak with a jumpshot. 

Through the Bulldogs’ scoring stretch, Michigan State had 5 turnovers, however cleaned up their recreation to go up 29-18 with 2:56 left earlier than the half. — Victoria Hernandez

Duquesne vs. BYU: Unhealthy begin for Cougars

BYU continues to be in search of its first discipline aim of the match greater than 4 minutes into their recreation towards Duquesne, going 0-for-6 from the sphere.

The Cougars additionally momentarily misplaced sophomore guard Dallin Corridor, who took an elbow to the nostril as Duquesne ahead Fousseyni Drame got here down with a rebound. Corridor crumpled to the bottom and instantly checked his face, ultimately seeing some blood dripping down his nostril. Medical workers tended to him, plugging his nostril with cotton. He briefly left to the locker room however returned to the bench.

Duquesne ran out to a 7-0 lead on the first tv timeout. ― Lorenzo Reyes

LeBron James’ reward to Duquesne gamers

LeBron James did not play collegiate ball, however he nonetheless has some rooting curiosity on this yr’s March Insanity.

Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot was James’ coach for his first two seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio. The 2 have maintained contact over time, and James gifted his signature footwear (in white and lightweight blue) to the gamers forward of their first-round recreation towards BYU.

James’ longtime shut good friend and former teammate Dru Joyce can also be an affiliate head coach for the Dukes. — Casey Moore

Duquense vs. BYU underway

The second recreation on right this moment’s March Insanity schedule is underway, as No. 6 BYU is taking up No. 11 Duquesne within the East Area.

The sport will be discovered on truTV.

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State: Spartans up large early

Halfway by the primary half of play within the NCAA Event’s opening spherical, Michigan State leads Mississippi State 20-8. The Spartans have been forward the whole recreation.

A KeShawn Murphy steal that he tossed to Josh Hubbard for a layup introduced Mississippi State inside two factors, however a couple of possessions later, Mady Sissoko slammed a dunk. Tyson Walker made back-to-back three-point baskets to additional Michigan State’s lead once more.

With 10:21 left within the first half, Michigan State’s Tyson Walker leads all scorers with eight factors. The Spartans have made 4 3-point photographs whereas the Bulldogs have but to empty a shot from past the arc.Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans stated the workforce is managing graduate ahead DJ Jeffries’ time – he has two factors up to now and was limping when he was subbed off – as a result of he’s coping with an damage he suffered within the SEC match. ― Victoria Hernandez

NCAA match streaming free

You’ll be able to catch each second by streaming each recreation by a couple of totally different choices. All video games will likely be broadcast throughout CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV, however listed below are extra streaming choices to observe all of the motion in your units.

We often suggest attention-grabbing services and products. Should you make a purchase order by clicking one of many hyperlinks, we could earn an affiliate charge. USA TODAY Community newsrooms function independently, and this doesn’t affect our protection. 

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State underway

Tipoff of the primary recreation of the primary spherical went off as deliberate, with No. 9 Michigan State taking up No. 8 Mississippi State within the West regional.

The primary discipline aim of the lads’s match went to Spartans guard Jaden Akins, and it was a triple, although each groups are nonetheless discovering their footing; by the primary 4 minutes of recreation play, Mississippi State has simply two discipline objectives and three turnovers.

Actually, each groups have mixed for 5 turnovers, matching their 5 mixed discipline objectives.

One factor to observe: Bulldogs ahead Cameron Matthews, one of many workforce’s high frontline defenders, picked up two early fouls and needed to be subbed out.

The Spartans took an early 12-8 lead on the first TV timeout, with 13:25 left within the first half. — Lorenzo Reyes

What time is the primary recreation of March Insanity?

Thursday’s motion kicks off with No. 8 Mississippi State taking up No. 9 Michigan State at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS. The sport is on the Spectrum Heart in Charlotte.

Printable March Insanity bracket for males

You do not have a lot time left to fill out your bracket earlier than Thursday’s video games get rolling. Want a printed bracket? Right here you go.

The place is Greg Gumbel, CBS March Insanity studio host?

Because the 2024 males’s NCAA Event kicks off, a well-recognized face in March Insanity protection will likely be lacking.

CBS studio host Greg Gumbel won’t be a part of this yr’s protection due to “household well being points,” the community introduced Sunday. Taking up his duties will likely be Adam Zucker.

Gumbel, 77, has been a match staple for CBS for many years, first internet hosting the community’s protection in 1998, and has been on the Ultimate 4 throughout his tenure. Final season, CBS celebrated Gumbel’s twenty fifth anniversary of match protection.

Jay Bilas bracket: ESPN analyst sees UConn repeating

ESPN school basketball analyst Jay Bilas is rarely shy about difficult typical knowledge at any time when he is in entrance of a microphone.

His 2024 NCAA males’s basketball match picks, nevertheless, do not stray too removed from the norm. In his annual ESPN.com column, Bilas has three No. 1 seeds – Connecticut, Houston and Purdue – reaching the Ultimate 4, together with No. 2 seeded Arizona. And he has the defending champion UConn Huskies reducing down the nets as soon as once more in Phoenix.

What channel is truTV?

One of many largest questions surrounding March Insanity yearly is: The place on earth can I discover truTV on my tv? CBS and Turner Sports activities have the broadcasting rights to the males’s NCAA Event, they usually broadcast the video games on 4 channels. Three of them are acquainted to followers – CBS, TNT and TBS. However truTV is the one exception.

TruTV will be discovered on a number of cable suppliers, and has the identical channel quantity nationwide on among the suppliers. Listed here are the channels:

AT&T U-Verse: 164/1164

FIOS: 183/683

Cox: Varies by location

DISH: 242

DirecTV: 246

Spectrum: Varies by location

Xfinity: Varies by location

TruTV can also be obtainable to stream on YouTube TV, iOS App Retailer, Google Play, Amazon App Retailer, Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Hearth TV, Roku and Android TV.

Males’s March Insanity schedule right this moment, by TV channel and time 

CBS 

12:15 p.m.: No. 8 Mississippi State vs. No. 9 Michigan State 

2:45 p.m.: No. 1 UNC vs. No. 16 Howard/Wagner 

7:10 p.m.: No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Oakland 

9:40 p.m.: No. 6 Texas Tech vs. No. 11 North Carolina State 

TNT 

1:30 p.m.: No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 14 Akron 

4 p.m.: No. 6 South Carolina vs. No. 11 Oregon 

6:50 p.m.: No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Colorado State 

9:20 p.m.: No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Saint Peter’s 

TBS 

2 p.m.: No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 15 Lengthy Seashore State 

4:30 p.m.: No. 7 Dayton vs. No. 10 Nevada 

7:25 p.m.: No. 5 Gonzaga vs. No. 12 McNeese State 

9:55 p.m.: No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Samford 

TruTV 

12:40 p.m.: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Duquesne 

3:10 p.m.: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Morehead State 

7:35 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 South Dakota State 

10:05 p.m.: No. 7 Washington State vs. No. 10 Drake 

Greatest March Insanity upset picks: Predictions for NCAA Event first-round stunners 

Our goal right here is to try to establish the true first-round upset candidates within the males’s tourney discipline seeded eleventh or decrease. There are often a couple of, however discovering the proper ones isn’t at all times simple. (Full disclosure: we went 0-for-5 on this area final yr – however we press on.) Listed here are 5 upset candidates to think about as you fill out your bracket. 

The place is Jim Nantz? Why is Jim Nantz not broadcasting March Insanity?

No Jim Nantz? No “whats up, associates”? Because the males’s NCAA Event begins, followers could also be questioning in regards to the voice synonymous with one of the common occasions in school sports activities.

Nantz determined the 2023 NCAA Event could be his final so he might deal with his household and different broadcasting commitments. Nantz did not retire from broadcasting; he is nonetheless calling The Masters and serves because the lead play-by-play particular person for CBS’ NFL protection alongside Tony Romo.

Nantz turned the lead voice for CBS’ protection of the NCAA Event in 1991, serving because the No. 1 play-by-play man who referred to as each Ultimate 4 since. However this yr, you’ll probably solely see and listen to Nantz throughout industrial breaks.

Has there ever been an ideal March Insanity bracket?

After No. 16 seed Farleigh Dickinson shocked the world and upset No. 1 seed Purdue within the first spherical of final yr’s NCAA match – changing into solely the second males’s No. 16 seed to take down a No. 1 seed – the NCAA introduced there have been no extra good brackets remaining out of greater than 20 million submissions. 

That may lead many hopeful members to marvel if there’s ever been an ideal NCAA Event bracket throughout March Insanity, dwelling of the buzzer-beaters, upsets and Cinderella runs? 

The reply is a convincing no. There has by no means been an ideal bracket that appropriately guessed the end result of all 63 video games within the match, regardless of tens of millions and tens of millions of brackets submitted every year.

March Insanity predictions: 10 daring predictions for males’s NCAA match 

The NCAA males’s match is all about chaos and unpredictability. There are positive to be upsets And if there was one lesson to study from final season’s version, it is that nothing is assured and something can occur. We noticed the second No. 16 seed win over a No. 1 seed in match historical past and no No. 1 seeds made it to the Elite Eight. These predictions could sound loopy − and it is most unlikely all of them are right − however with the surprising nature of the match, who’s to say they can not occur? Listed here are daring predictions. 

March Insanity scores right this moment 

Right here is the entire scoreboard for Thursday’s first-round video games. 

Males’s March Insanity video games right this moment 

Right here is Thursday’s full schedule. 

The best way to watch March Insanity 2024 

CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV will air first- and second-round video games. CBS and TBS will air Candy 16 and Elite Eight video games. CBS will air the lads’s Ultimate 4 and championship recreation. 

Males’s March Insanity schedule by spherical

Right here is the males’s schedule: 

• First spherical: March 21-22 
• Second spherical: March 23-24  
• Candy 16: March 28-29  
• Elite Eight: March 30-31  
• Ultimate 4: Saturday, April 6 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. 
• NCAA championship recreation: Monday, April 8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. 

March Insanity professional picks: Our bracket predictions for 2024 NCAA males’s match 

The specialists have dissected the males’s NCAA Event bracket, offering sleepers, Ultimate 4 matchups and upset predictions. Your probabilities of filling out a good bracket are miniscule, however perhaps you want a couple of tricks to win your workplace pool. We have got you lined with a take a look at the way to decide an upset and a look traditionally at how the seeds have carried out within the NCAA Event. Three of our 5 USA TODAY specialists have UConn as their picks to win the nationwide title on April 8. Listed here are our professional picks. 

Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Barack Obama launch March Insanity brackets

As Individuals solid their ballots in presidential primaries and particular elections throughout the nation, they’re additionally predicting winners on the basketball court docket. President Joe Biden launched his brackets for the NCAA women and men’s basketball tournaments too, and earlier than March Insanity picks up steam, let’s check out his predictions.  

Biden selected a bunch of extremely rated groups for his Ultimate 4, choosing UConn, North Carolina, Houston and Tennessee. The president predicted that UConn will defeat North Carolina, whereas Houston will beat Tennessee, with UConn finally profitable the lads’s match. Within the girls’s championship, Biden chosen South Carolina, Stanford, UCLA and UConn to make it to the Ultimate 4. The president forecast that South Carolina would defeat Stanford, and UConn would defeat UCLA, selecting South Carolina as his champion.  

Vice President Kamala Harris launched her picks on Wednesday. On the girls’s aspect, Harris took the South Carolina Gamecocks over the USC Trojans within the closing. The bracket incorporates a notable upset decide within the Elite Eight as the previous junior Senator from California took the UCLA Bruins over all-time main NCAA scorer Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes.

Within the males’s match, the Vice President has a Ultimate 4 of UConn, North Carolina, Marquette and Tennessee. Harris took UConn over Tennessee within the closing, choosing the Huskies to defend their 2023 crown.

Former President Barack Obama additionally shared his brackets. He gave UConn, Baylor, Kentucky and Purdue his Ultimate 4 males’s spots, finally selecting UConn to win all of it. Within the girls’s match, Obama chosen South Carolina, Southern California, Iowa and Stanford for the Ultimate 4, selecting South Carolina because the champion.  

Colorado males lengthen Boise State’s distress in First 4

One of many hottest groups the previous few weeks, Colorado wanted each late-season win to make the match. Wednesday’s win was Colorado’s ninth in its final 10 video games. Can the Buffaloes preserve it rolling and make a run deep into March Insanity?

Boise State is now 0-10 in March Insanity play.

Head coach Tad Boyle credited his workforce’s protection on getting the win, regardless of Boise State getting a whopping 19 offensive rebounds.

“We actually began enjoying harder on the glass. Boise State’s a bodily workforce, they preserve coming at you, and we made simply sufficient performs down the stretch. I assumed our protection was nice all evening, our guys have been locked in,” Boyle stated.

Grambling State will get first March Insanity win at First 4; meet Purdue’s first-round opponent

How about not solely making your first NCAA Event, however getting the workforce’s first March Insanity win?

The Grambling State Tigers used a second-half rally to pressure time beyond regulation and defeat Montana State within the First 4, 88-81, in its first-ever NCAA Event recreation and safe a date with No. 1 seed Purdue on Friday.

The win continued what has been a dream season for Donte Jackson’s squad, getting by a tricky begin of the common season to its greatest yr in class historical past. The workforce was led by Jimel Cofer, who got here off the bench and scored a season-high 19 factors to steer Grambling State to the historic victory.

“I simply know my workforce has my again. Anyone on this workforce can get sizzling, and right this moment was simply my evening,” Cofer stated after the win.