NCAA Tournament: Surprises and Nail Biters
- Mar 22, 2016
- 4 min read
Jamie Squire / Getty Images
The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament has been one for the ages. Many teams have stepped up to the plate and shown their dominance against the best and brightest stars. Some teams that were expected to make deep runs were knocked off, while some of the smaller schools showed why they need to be taken seriously. Here are some of the games that took the nation by storm:
No. 2 seed Michigan State Loses to No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee State, 90-81
The loss that we least expected. I picked Michigan State as my National Champion, but they were seriously outplayed on Friday. Michigan State had reached seven Final Fours since 1999. This includes last year, when they reached the Final Four as a No. 7 seed. They also have not not lost to a lower seed since 2006. This is when the famous Cindarella team George Mason upset them in the first round. GMU would go on to reach the Final Four.
Michigan State didn't lack any believers. Even in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge, 97.8 percent of the entrants picked Michigan State to advance to the next round. 61.8 percent picked Michigan State to reach the Final Four and 22.3 percent predicted them to win it all.
“This team had a chance to win a national championship,” Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo said. “We just got beat. I want everybody to know this team had a chance to win a national championship.”
No. 14 Stephen F. Austin Defeats No. 3 seed West Virginia, 70-56
Thomas Walkup (33 points, including 19 of 20 on free throws) powered Stephen F. Austin’s victory over third-seeded West Virginia. FRANK FRANKLIN II/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Senior Thomas Walkup led Stephen F. Austin with 33 points and nine rebounds against the Mountaineers and the guy looks like a lumberjack himself. The Lumberjacks brought their winning streak to 21 on Friday night and was easily the school's biggest win in their history.
Walkup started growing the beard in November after they started winning.
"We've been winning so I kept it for that reason," he said.
No. 11 Northern Iowa Defeats No. 6 Texas on a Wild Buzzer Beating Finish, 75-72
Alonzo Adams/Associated Press
Paul Jesperson's half-court shot at the buzzer gave the No. 11 seed Northern Iowa Panthers a 75-72 victory over the No. 6 Texas Longhorns on Friday at Oklahoma City's Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Jesperson also was one of five Panthers to score in double digits, scoring 14 points. After hitting the game-winning shot, Jesperson had this to say:
"I told those guys I thought it had a chance when it left my hand, because I got it more toward the center of the court," Jesperson said. "But, yeah, when it went in, I looked at my parents, I saw my brother there, both my brothers, and I was extremely happy and grateful that that thing went in."
Texas head coach Shaka Smart wasn't upset with his team and he actually praised them after the loss.
"There's not much you can say to make them feel better in moments like this," Smart said. "I just told them I love 'em and I'm proud of 'em."
No. 11 Gonzaga Beats No. No. 6 Seton Hall, 68-52
David Zalubowski/Associated Press
The Bulldogs have made their 18th straight NCAA Tournament and they moved on against Seton Hall on Thursday. Domantas Sabonis led the Zags with 21 points and 16 rebounds. Kyle Wiltjer contributed a further 13 points for the Bulldogs.
The Seton Hall Pirates had one their first Big East championship in 23 years. However, on Thursday, point guard Isaiah Whitehead shot 4-of-24 from the floor and scored 10 points. He also set an NCAA tournament record by going 0-of-10 from the three-point line.
"This group of guys, as well as the guys before them, have just done an unbelievable job of making streaks that just seemed impossible when you look back at them," head coach of Gonzaga Mark Few said, per the Associated Press (viaESPN.com).
No. 10 Syracuse Beats No. 7 Dayton, 70-51
Trevor Cooney and Syracuse can exact some level of revenge on Dayton after the Flyers knocked the Orange out of the last NCAA Tournament SU played in. (Daily Orange File Photo)
Syracse head coach Jim Boeheim wouldn't let his team be detracted by the naysayers.
"Anybody that said we didn't deserve to be in obviously doesn't know anything about basketball," Boeheim said about the Orange's critics. "They were just doing it to be cute and that's - we don't need to react to those things."
Malachi Richardson scored 21 points, Tyler Roberson also poured in 10 points and 18 rebounds.
No. 10 VCU Defeats No. 7 Oregon State, 75-67
Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press
VCU proved why they were the favored team in this game. JeQuan Lewis scored 21 points, totaled eight assists, and seven rebounds. It was the sixth straight NCAA appearance for VCU and it started with the Final Four birth 2011.
Will Wade is the first-year head coach for the Rams.
"These guys have been through it," Wade said. "And you've got to roll with them, and that's what we did today."
Yale upsets Baylor 79-75
Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Makai Mason scored a career-high 31 points, this includes six of Yale’s final nine points, and the No. 12 seed Bulldogs would hold on to upset fifth seed Baylor 79-75 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.
Yale had earned its first NCAA Tournament victory. It comes in its first appearance since 1962.
Justin Sears scored 18 points and Brandon Sherrod finished with 10.
The Bulldogs led by as many as 13 points in the second half before having its lead cut to 1 point. But a late turnover by the Bears helped Yale hold on to the victory.
Taurean Prince led Baylor with 28 points. Johnathan Motley finished with 15 points and seven rebounds.
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