Flagg Dominates Arizona across the board
Arizona’s championship dreams were dashed by the Cooper Flagg-led Blue Devils, who won 100-93. Flagg delivered an outstanding performance, filling out the score sheet with 30 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. He led Duke in every major category except blocks.
“Caleb Love played hard for Arizona, and Cooper Flagg scoring 30 made the game fun to watch,” sophomore Jonathan Anderson said.
Texas Tech avoids upset
No. 10 seed Arkansas had an incredible run, but it ultimately ended at the hands of Texas Tech. The Red Raiders trailed by 16 midway through the second half, but were able to make a comeback, tying the game up, pushing it into overtime. Texas Tech won 85-83, led by three starters: JT Toppin, Darrion Williams, and Christian Anderson, each of whom scored at least 20 points.
Alabama sets a new three-point record.
The Crimson Tide are cruising into the Elite 8 after scoring 113 points in their 25-point victory over the BYU Cougars. Alabama’s impressive three-point shooting was crucial to their win. The Crimson Tide set a new NCAA tournament record by making 25 three-pointers in one game. The previous record was set by Loyola Marymount in the 1990 tournament with 21 threes. The only close game Alabama has faced was in the first round against Robert Morris, which ended 90-81. However, they will face a real test in the next round against freshman phenom Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils.
Freshman star not enough for Maryland
The Florida Gators ran away with the win over the Maryland Terps after a close first half, with the point differential being two points. Maryland’s standout freshman, Derik Queen, put on a stellar performance, scoring 27 points, despite his team losing. Florida had a well-balanced offense, as six players scored double digits in their 87-71 win.
Tennessee gets the win when it counts
Despite beating Tennessee more than once during the regular season, Kentucky couldn’t beat them when it mattered, ultimately losing the game 76-65. The Volunteers came out hot to start the game, obtaining a 15-point cushion by the end of the first half. They were led by guard Zakai Zeigler, who ended the game with a double-double where he had 18 points and 10 assists.
Auburn is back in the Elite 8 for the first time in six years.
After a close first half, top-seed Auburn was able to pull out the hard-fought win in the end to make it to their third Elite 8 in program history. Johni Broome put up a double-double with 22 points and 16 rebounds to help The Tigers outscore the Michigan Wolverines 39-17 in the final 12 and a half minutes, with a final score of 78-65.
Big Ten punches tickets to Elite 8
After not having a lead the entire first half, Michigan State was able to get the close win against Ole Miss, 73-70. The Spartans’ true freshman Jase Richardson had the best game of his college career so far with 20 points, shooting 75% from the field and 67% from the three.
The No. 4 seed Purdue Boilermakers went up against the top-seed Houston Cougars, and kept in close till the final seconds. Purdue’s guard Braden Smith led the Boilermakers in assists with 15 to keep them in the game up to the last play. In the final moments of the game, Cougar Guard Milos Uzan threw the inbounds pass from underneath the basket to sophomore Joseph Tugler, who quickly passed the ball back to Uzan. He made a contested layup that went in, sealing the victory for the team.
“This tourney has been fun to watch, but it’s not been the same without many upsets,” junior Ava Garrison said.
