NCAA Tournament: Texas, VCU, High Point all pull off early upsets while No. 1 Duke survives vs. Siena

The third-seeded Bulldogs couldn't exhale until the final moments of their 73-64 win over No. 14 Kennesaw State because from the very start, the Owls had looked capable of becoming the fourth double-digit seed to win Thursday.

But a second-half surge was enough to give the Bulldogs a 12-point lead with 5:28 left in regulation. The Owls winnowed it down to 67-62 with 2 minutes to play, but Gonzaga grabbed its own offensive rebound from a miss and scored a layup in a key sequence that helped stop the Owls from getting any closer.

Next up for Gonzaga is a matchup Saturday against No. 11 Texas.

All that's left in the first day of the tournament is the final minutes of the final game — and yet Kennesaw State is in striking distance of taking down third-seeded Gonzaga.

The Owls trail just 69-64 with 1:42 left in regulation.

The Cougars, last year's national runner-up, were never really threatened in their first-round rout of Idaho after leading by 24 at halftime. Houston won by a final score of 78-47, and earned its way into a second-round matchup Saturday against Texas A&M after the 10th-seeded Aggies upset Saint Mary's earlier in the day.

Over a three-minute stretch midway through the sescond half, the third-seeded Bulldogs finally gave themselves some breathing room by opening up a 12-2 run that put them ahead by double digits at 55-44.

Gonzaga found success against the Owls' 1-3-1 zone. Over the next five minutes, the Bulldogs' lead hovered around double digits, and they currently lead 63-53 with four minutes left in regulation.

According to the seeds, No. 9 Saint Louis's 102-77 win over eighth-seeded Georgia was technically an upset, but anyone who watched the game saw one team that was clearly superior.

That win gives Saint Louis a chance to stun the tournament in Saturday's round of 32, when the Billikens will face Michigan, the top seed in the Midwest region. In its NCAA tournament history, Saint Louis has never won consecutive games.

The Illini left no doubt against 14th-seeded Penn in a 105-70 win that pushes Illinois into a second-round matchup against No. 11 VCU on Saturday.

The last four games of the day are all in the second half, but only one is worth watching at this point: Kennesaw State-Gonzaga.

The 14th-seeded Owls trail the favored Bulldogs, 35-27, early in the second half. They've put a scare into Gonzaga led by Kaden Rickard's 10 points off the bench. Gonzaga's starters have made just nine of their 21 shots.

In the other games, Illinois is cruising to a win over Penn with a lead of 94-57.

Houston is leading Idaho, 53-33.

And Saint Louis is crushing Georgia, 71-44.

David Mirkovic of Illinois has 25 points and 15 rebounds with seven minutes left to help his team lead Penn comfortably, 79-51.

Most impressive about Mirkovic's performance is that he's grabbed seven offensive rebounds — Penn, as a team, has just five — and committed zero fouls.

If Penn is still harboring upset hopes, it needs to start a turnaround now.

No. 3 Gonzaga leads just 33-27 at halftime of its first-round game against 14th-seeded Kennesaw State, and the Bulldogs are fortunate to be ahead after making 1 of 9 3-pointers. They closed on a 10-0 run to the half, though, not allowing the Owls to score for the last two minutes.

The No. 9 Billikens lead the No. 8 Bulldogs 49-32 at half. Saint Louis has gotten it done on the glass, outrebounding Georgia 30-16, and with passing. Fifteen of St. Louis' field goals have come on assists compared to only two from their opponent.

Guard Dion Brown leads the Billikens with 10 points at half. Georgia only got six total points from its starters but Jeremiah Wilkinson has 16 off the bench.

Playing in Portland against a pro-Gonzaga crowd that made the drive from Spokane, Washington, Kennesaw State hasn't looked the slightest bit unprepared for the Big Dance. The Owls have led the third-seeded Bulldogs frequently tonight, only falling behind, 21-20, with about six minutes left before halftime. But then the Owls answered to lead 25-21.

The Bulldogs have won nine consecutive first-round games, but tonight they're 0-for-8 on 3-pointers thus far.

No one in the country has made the NCAA tournament's round of 16 more consistently than Houston, which has done it six consecutive years. Barring a wild comeback from their first-round opponent Idaho tonight, the Cougars look to at least be headed to the round of 32.

Houston leads 46-24 with a minute to play before halftime. Chris Cenac Jr. of Houston has nine defensive rebounds — one more than the entire Idaho roster.

The third-seeded Illini are trying to avoid becoming the latest upset victim and have built a 10-point halftime lead in part by holding No. 14 Penn without even a single free-throw attempt. Illinois, which plays one of the tallest lineups in the country, also has twice as many rebounds, 28-14.

Gonzaga, which trails against Kennesaw State, 6-2, early in the last game of the day, is making its 27th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. Only Michigan State (28) and Kansas (36) hold longer active streaks.

One year after Houston was denied for a national championship in the 2025 title game against Florida, coach Kelvin Sampson has the Cougars back as a top title contender this season. The second-seeded Cougars have opened the tournament tonight against Idaho and lead 21-12 in the first half.

Sampson's win total of 827 ranks 14th all-time in NCAA history. If he gets to 833 this season, he'll have won his first national championship.

Underdog Penn had gone on a 9-0 run over a 3-minute stretch in the first half to stay within four points if Illinois, and playing a zone defense the Quakers are still within striking distance as a 14th seed.

David Mirkovic already has 12 points in 14 minutes for the Illini, which lead 29-25 with 4:47 left before halftime.

The Bulldogs have won seven of their last nine games and enter as a No. 8 seed. The Billikens, meanwhile, have split their last eight games. Senior big man Robbie Avila leads them in both scoring and assists.

Making its first tournament appearance since 2018, 14th-seeded Penn has tipped off against third-seed Illinois in Greenville, South Carolina.

The Quakers trail, 7-6, four minutes into the game.

Texas barely won, needing a last-second shot, in the "First Four" round earlier this week just to earn the No. 11 seed in the West.

Now, after a 79-71 win over sixth-seeded BYU, the Longhorns have advanced to the round of 32 under coach Sean Miller. Matas Vokietaitis scored 23 points to go with 16 rebounds for Texas.

Star BYU freshman A.J. Dybantsa scored 35 points and added 10 rebounds to show why he has a case to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft in June, but the Cougars struggled otherwise to score after falling behind by nine at halftime.

Tenth-seeded Texas A&M has beaten Saint Mary's, 63-50, making the Aggies the third double-digit seed of the day to win in an upset, joining High Point and VCU.

Rashaun Agee led the Aggies in points (22), rebounds (nine) and assists (three).

Saint Mary's had made the second round in three of its previous four NCAA tournament appearances since 2022, but was dropped in the opening round Thursday in Oklahoma City after it struggled with 18 turnovers.

Saint Mary's guard Joshua Dent has made seven of his 11 field-goal attempts today against Texas A&M to lead the Gaels in scoring with 18 points. Outside of Dent, though, the rest of his team has combined to make 11 of 33 shots.

The 10th-seeded Aggies lead, 63-50, with 51 seconds left in regulation.

The Wolverines went into half only up four point on the No. 16 Bison. They ended the game up 21, securing a relatively straightforward 101-80 win.

The Howard offense dried up in second frame, and Michigan showed just why they're considered one of the favorites to lift the title.

Next up on Saturday: The winner of Georgia and Saint Louis.

The Cougars trailed by 17 points early in the second half but have had a huge comeback to pull within six points with 2:16 remaining in the game. Will star freshman AJ Dybantsa be able to will BYU to victory?

What a comeback, and what an ending.

With North Carolina trailing VCU, 80-78, with 4.2 seconds left in overtime, UNC big man Henri Veesaar, a 62% free-throw shooter this season, missed the first free throw. He then missed the second intentionally but couldn't corral the rebound to try for a putback.

From there, 11th-seeded VCU extended its lead on free throws and won, 82-78. Terrence Hill Jr. was the game-changing star, with 34 points off the bench.

North Carolina has lost three of its last five tournament openers.

Texas A&M is leading Saint Mary's comfortably, 53-33, with 10 minutes left in regulation, which could give this day another double-digit upset if it holds. The Aggies have been able to get inside with ease, outscoring the Gaels 24-6 in the paint.

The No. 11 seed looks primed for a first-round upset as the Longhorns now lead the Cougars 68-53 with 10 minutes remaining in the game. Matas Vokietaitis has 19 points and 14 rebounds to lead Texas while BYU is (of course) led by AJ Dybantsa's 26 points.

If BYU can't mount a comeback, Dybantsa will begin NBA prep tomorrow.

Well, it took 3 minutes, but a team has scored in the overtime between VCU and North Carolina. A VCU layup in traffic put the Rams ahead 77-75, but the Tar Heels quickly answered with free throws. The teams combined to start overtime 1 for 10 on field goals. This game will come down to the wire with only 1:45 remaining in overtime.

Once trailing by 19 points, VCU has forced overtime against North Carolina, 75-75. Terrence Hill Jr. scored the tying basket, a layup, with 9 seconds to play, which gave the Tar Heels another chance to win.

After a balky possession that ended in a Tar Heels turnover, VCU got the ball back with 2.9 seconds left in regulation for its own game-winning opportunity. Fittingly, a wild second half ended with VCU throwing the ball away, and North Carolina heaved a 3-pointer at the buzzer that missed.

To overtime we go!

Upset alert! The Aggies lead, 44-29, over Saint Mary's with 16 minutes to go in the second half. Saint Mary's has won five of its last six games against double-digit seeds, but is struggling mightily with its own mistakes in this game.

Howard has been hanging around admirably, thanks to some sharp 3-point shooting. The issue? The Wolverines are shooting 70% from the field. It'll be near impossible for the Bison to claw back if that holds up.

Michigan leads 70-59 with 13:25 to go.

With 27 points, VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr. is putting on a show to keep the Rams in their first-round game against sixth-seeded North Carolina. Sixteen of Hill's points have come in the second half, and now North Carolina leads by only 74-70 with 2:14 to play in the second half.

North Carolina has led fairly comfortably against VCU in this South region game, and currently holds a 70-56 lead with seven minutes to play in the second half. What is keeping VCU in this game is how it is tapping into its strong bench play to outscore North Carolina's reserves, 24-7. VCU's bench has been one of the nation's highest-scoring all season.

Texas played well down the stretch and finished the half strong, ending on a 25-foot 3-pointer by Tramon Mack with time expiring. The Longhorns lead BYU by nine at the break.

Texans center Matas Vokietaitis had a huge first half with 15 points and 11 rebounds. BYU was led by star freshman AJ Dybantsa's 20 points.

Committing 11 turnovers, more than their season average, in the first half has put the Gaels on upset alert, trailing 10th-seeded Texas A&M, 37-26, at halftime. Ruben Dominguez has filled it up with 11 points and three 3-pointers.

If you like points, you'll like what you're witnessing in Buffalo. We've already seen 17 3-pointers in the first half!

Howard's sharpshooting prowess has them within distance of No. 1 seed Michigan. It's a lot to ask a No. 16 seed to keep shooting 60% from deep but they'll likely need to stay in that neighborhood to have a chance against this athletic Wolverines squad.

The boys from Ann Arbor only have a four-point lead at the break.

The Tar Heels have pushed their lead to 56-37 with 15 minutes to play after a corner 3-pointer by Seth Trimble was part of an 8-3 UNC run.

AJ Dybantsa, the potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft is in full takeover mode (14 points in 13 minutes) but he needs help. Texas is shooting 57% from the field and sharing the ball well. They hold a small lead down the stretch of the first half.

Michigan may have the size advantage but some sharp shooting from deep has the Bison only down five as we approach halftime in Buffalo.

The Wolverines lead 34-29 with 6:18 left in the first half.

Liam Campbell, who wears No. 33 in homage to Larry Bird and has a blond mop of hair like him, too, has come off the bench for Saint Mary's to hit two 3-pointers early. The Gaels trail Texas A&M, 17-13, halfway through the first half, but Saint Mary's has been plagued by turnovers, with seven already, including two halfcourt violations.

The Tar Heels' winning recipe in the first half started with holding onto the ball. They had just one turnover, to five from VCU, and that along with UNC's 22-12 advantage in scoring in the paint is the difference.

The Wolverines come out firing in Buffalo, hitting three of their first four 3-point attempts. The size and speed difference is noticeable in the early going, with Michigan racing out to a 14-6 lead six minutes into the game.

A balanced Texas lineup squares off with one of the nation's best players in BYU's AJ Dybantsa. He's exepcted to be among the top two selections in the upcoming NBA Draft.

In the South region, the seventh-seeded Gaels are facing the Aggies, who have won four straight tournament openers when seeded ninth or worse.

A Big Ten powerhouse takes on the class of the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference. The Bison are heavy underdogs but come in having won 13 of its last 14 games.

There have been just two — two! — fastbreak points combined in the South region first-round matchup between Virginia Commonwealth and North Carolina, which the Tar Heels lead 24-18 with 7 minutes before halftime.

These teams have shot 4-for-18 on 3-pointers, as well.

After missing its first five shots, 11th-seeded VCU has made four of its last five to lead sixth-seeded North Carolina, 10-9, five minutes into the first half. VCU came into today having won 16 of its last 17 games.

It's trying to take down a UNC team that is 33-3 all-time in opening games of the NCAA tournament — but under coach Hubert Davis, the Tar Heels have lost two of their last four openers.

The winner of this game in the South Region will face the winner of tonight's Penn-Illinois matchup.

On their way to a 92-67 win over 14th-seeded North Dakota State, the Spartans controlled their matchup from the start, led by Jeremy Fears Jr., whose 11 assists tied for second-most in MSU's tournament history. MSU had 26 assists overall, the most in its lengthy tournament history.

With the win, Michigan State advances into a round of 32 matchup in the East Region on Saturday against sixth-seeded Louisville.

A relatively painless victory for the Razorbacks, who dispatched Hawai'i 97-78.

Darius Acuff Jr. had 24 points for Arkansas, while Meleek Thomas added 21. All five starters for the Razorbacks were in double digits.

Arkansas will play High Point in the second round, after the No. 12 Panthers upset No. 5 Wisconsin earlier Thursday.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo's 59 tournament wins is tied for fifth-most all time among coaches, but he's only five minutes from his 60th as his team leads North Dakota State by 17. The Bison are on an 8-0 run but still trail big after allowing MSU to shoot 60% today.

The Razorbacks have opened up an 81-60 lead against Hawai'i with 7:54 to go.

In his first tournament game, point guard Darius Acuff Jr. has 22 points and four assists.

With only 11 minutes to play in regulation between Michigan State and North Dakota State, the underdog Bison have been unable to put a dent into their 20-point halftime deficit. Michigan State has been overwhelming since the second half began and had an answer for every NDSU basket.

The Razorbacks lead 66-49 with under 14 minutes to go. Four Arkansas starters have scored at least 11 points.

The third-seeded Spartans lead 47-27 early in the second half after Carson Cooper added to his team-high point total with 16, on 5-of-5 shooting.

High Point's Chase Johnston hit four massive triples — and one crucial, unexpected deuce — on Thursday that moved him up in the college record books.

He’s made 415 career long ones, moving him up to No. 22 on the all-time NCAA leaderboard. Johnston passed previous No. 22 Steph Curry, the 3-point icon and former Davidson star. 

And no, Johnston — who has previously played for Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast — didn’t think about pulling up for 3 before scoring the winning bucket.

“When (teammate) Rob (Martin) threw that (outlet pass) up, I was just like, ‘I gotta put this in the in the hoop and win this game,'" he told reporters after High Point's upset win over Wisconsin. "I wasn’t really thinking whether it’s a 2 or 3. I was just trying to put it in and win this game.”

It wasn't the prettiest, but the Commodores got it done for their first NCAA Tournament win since the Obama administration.

Vandy trailed for most of the first half before taking a lead right ahead of the break. They kept the Cowboys at bay in the second half and worked to drain the clock late to secure a 78-68 win.

Standout sophomore Tyler Tanner led the way with 26 points.

Michigan State, the third seed in the East region, has hit halftime leading North Dakota State, 45-25.

Carson Cooper leads the Spartans with 14 points, while the Bison have made only two of their 15 3-point attempts.

The Razorbacks are up 54-39 at the break against Hawai'i.

The Razorbacks have a 44-34 advantage over the Rainbow Warriors with under four minutes to go in the first half.

Siena almost became the third No. 16 seed to ever topple a No. 1 seed. Here are the only times it happened:

2018: UMBC beat Virginia, 74-54

2023: Farleigh Dickinson beat Purdue, 63-58

The Cowboys chose a rough time to sputter. After cutting the Commodores' lead to three, they haven't scored in nearly three minutes.

Vanderbilt leads by five and is slowly closing in on its first NCAA Tournament win in 14 years.

Siena led by double digits at halftime but looked gassed down the stretch, as coach Gerry McNamara decided to play his starters for almost the entirety of the 40-minute game. He made his first substitution in the final minute.

The Blue Devils surged toward the end to take a 71-65 win.

Thanks to their rebounding efforts, the Cowboys are staying just in reach of Vanderbilt midway through the second half.

Trailing just six points with six minutes to go, they'll at least have a look at making an upset push down the stretch.

Lots of close calls here down the stretch. Duke's Dame Sarr blocked Siena's Riley Mulvey at the rim, and then Siena had a 3-pointer hit the rim and spin out of the basket. Duke now leads 67-61 with 1:30 remaining.

Siena has gone 6:20 without scoring now.

Boozer, the Blue Devils' talented freshman forward, took the ball to the paint, drew a foul and hit both free throws. At the other end of the court, he blocked a Siena shot. The Blue Devils are now up 65-61.

On the game, Boozer has 20 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists.

With under five minutes to play, Duke finally regained the lead for the first time since the 15:31 mark in the first half. The Blue Devils are up 63-61 with 3:56 remaining.

The Saints are hanging by a thread, leading 61-60 with 5:46 to go in the second half. Siena hasn’t made a single substitution all game, and it looks to be wearing down the players on the floor. The Saints look incredibly fatigued as this game is going on.

Duke will have the ball and a chance to take the lead out of the timeout.

The Commodores are nursing a 3-point lead early in the second half against the McNeese State Cowboys from Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Vanderbilt has 14 assists on 16 made shots, a testament to how well they've found open looks so far. The Nashvillians lead 45-42.

It was a minor miracle High Point’s Chase Johnston knew what to do with the basketball so close to the hoop.

The graduate transfer and 3-point specialist entered the NCAA Tournament with a fascinating 2025-26 stat line, only possible in analytics-driven modern basketball: 64-for-132 from distance and 0-for-4 from inside the arc.

Johnston took an outlet pass from Rob Martin and went in for the game-winning layup, his first 2-point score of the season, in High Point's 83-82 stunner over Wisconsin.

Siena finally ended an 11-0 run by Duke and now the teams are trading blows. It’s 53-49 Saints with 12:30 to go in the second half.

Tom Izzo and No. 3 seed Michigan State are taking on No. 14 North Dakota State, while John Calipari and No. 4 Arkansas face No. 13 Hawai'i.

Siena’s lead has shrunk to 47-43 as the Saints can’t buy a bucket in the second half. Duke's zone defense has stymied Siena, which also looks to be getting a little tired as the Saints have yet to play anyone off their bench.

Cameron Boozer is up to 15 points.

Siena’s lead is now 47-38 with 16 minutes to go after two Cameron Boozer free throws.

The Saints haven’t rested their starters for even a second — they’ve played all 24 minutes of action so far. Can Siena avoid fatigue as we head toward the homestretch?

You have No. 12 seed High Point to blame.

We've already seen one 12-5 upset today, as High Point edged out Wisconsin by one point. Could we see another in short order? McNeese State upset Clemson in last year's tournament and is looking for another today against No. 5 Vanderbilt.

The Cowboys led by double digits at one point, but now trail 38-35 at halftime. They aren't shooting the ball particularly well, but have gotten nine points apiece from Tyshawn Archie and Larry Johnson.

The Blue Devils are shooting only 39% from the field against Siena, including a putrid 13% from three-point land. Duke is lucky to be down only 11 considering the Saints are shooting 55% from the field and 45% from deep.

The Boozer brothers (Cameron and Cayden) have been great, scoring 21 points on 7-12 shooting. The rest of the team has 11 points on 4-16 from the field.

The Cardinals led this game by more than 20 points at one point, and the Bulls clawed their way back thanks to to a suffocating full-court press.

Louisville ended up turning the ball over 22 times, but its 3-point shooting proved to be the difference. The Cardinals shot 52% from deep (13-25), to hold off the Bulls for a 83-79 win.

Louisville will now play the winner of No. 3 seed Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State.

The Badgers’ last-second inbounds pass was intercepted and the Panthers will move on! We have our first 12-5 upset of the tournament!

Rob Martin was sensational for High Point, scoring 23 points.

Nick Boyd and John Blackwell combined to score 49 in a losing effort for Wisconsin.

Badgers trail 83-82.

The Saints have the first lead for the 16-seed at halftime since 2019. Siena has been lights out offensively, and a late switch to zone has helped keep Duke’s offense at bay.

The Badgers’ go-ahead attempt was rejected! High Point has the ball and an 83-82 lead with 1.6 seconds left!

High Point gets out on a fast break and takes an 83-82 lead with 11 seconds to go! Wisconsin has the ball after the timeout.

The Cowboys lead No. 5 seed Vanderbilt 26-20, with under eight minutes to play in the first half. They have four players who have scored at least five points.

It's back and forth for High Point and Wisconsin, featuring some great shot-making down the stretch. The Panthers trail the Badgers by just one point, and the next 55 seconds (or longer!) will decide if we have our first big upset of March.

The Bulls have the Cardinals in a vise grip with this full-court press. South Florida only trails Louisville 78-72, but has possession with 1:37 remaining.

Action has tightened slightly as we approach halftime.

Francis Folefac and Gavin Doty have combined for 21 points for the Saints so far, while the Boozer brothers have 17 for the Blue Devils.

The No. 12 seed from the Big South Conference has made things very tense for Wisconsin. Just as the Badgers were pulling away, a quick High Point spurt has brought it to a two-point game.

Wisconsin leads 72-70 with three minutes to go.

The Saints have a 33-24 lead with under seven minutes to go. Siena is shooting 57% from the field, including 56% from deep.

Whatever happens the rest of the way, credit to the Bulls for keeping this game close with their full-court press. They're the more physical team at this point, going for steals and loose balls. South Florida now has 14 (!) steals and has forced Louisville to turn the ball over 20 times.

Nevertheless, Louisville is winning 77-70 with under four minutes remaining.

The Cowboys have hit two 3-pointers as they've taken an early 12-5 lead over No. 5 seed Vanderbilt. McNeese State upset Clemson in last year's tourney.

Siena leads 26-16. The Saints can’t miss while the Duke offense is ice cold right now.

Crucial sequence there for Wisconsin, which used a few timely 3-pointers to build a modest eight-point lead. It's 69-61 Badgers with under eight minutes to go.

Wisconsin guard John Blackwell has cooled off a bit, but he still leads all scorers with 22 points.

USF has started pressing the Cardinals full-court, which is helping to keep the Bulls in this game. With under eight minutes to play, USF only trails Louisville 72-61. Izaiyah Nelson has 20 points and seven rebounds.

The Saints have opened up a 22-16 lead after back-to-back 3-pointers.

Siena is shooting 4-5 from deep compared to 2-10 for Duke, and that has played a major factor early. There’s 11:29 left in the first half.

This game isn't over just yet. South Florida just went on a 9-2 run to pull within 14 points. Louisville leads 70-56 with under nine minutes to play.

Buckle up: We've got one of our first major upset watches of the tournament. No. 12 seed High Point is tied with No. 5 seed Wisconsin 58-58 with under 12 minutes to go.

The Cardinals lead 66-44 and are shooting 50% from 3-point range (12-24). Isaac McKneely has 20 points and has made six 3-pointers himself.

The Saints have a 12-10 lead against No. 1 Duke with 14:44 left in the first half. Nice start for Siena.

The mid-major High Point Panthers are trying to play spoiler — and so far look the part. They're outrebounding the Badgers 27-20 and only trail by four with 15:46 to go.

Louisville's Isaac McKneely is feeling it now. He's shot 5-of-6 from 3-point range and has 17 points, as the Cardinals continue to build their lead.

No. 1 Duke, led by Cameron Boozer, has just tipped off its 1 vs. 16 matchup with Siena. The Blue Devils are out to an early 2-0 lead.

The Cardinals' Ryan Conwell just hit a 3-pointer, his first of the game, to extend their lead. He has 13 points now, to go with 11 from Isaac McKneely.

Louisville is winning 51-35 with about 15 minutes remaining in the game. The Cardinals are looking for their first NCAA Tournament win since 2017.

It only took eight tries, 130 years and a transfer from a rival.

Nebraska men's basketball finally clinched its first-ever NCAA Tournament win, thanks to a stellar 23-point performance from Iowa-transfer Pryce Sandfort.

The Cornhuskers played stellar defense and held the upset-minded Troy Trojans to just 47 points, one of their lowest scoring outputs of the year. After a shaky first 10 minutes, Nebraska found its footing, continuously building on its lead until the scoreboard read 76-47 at the final whistle.

The Huskers move on to the next round, where they will face either the McNeese State Cowboys or the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday.

Wisconsin's John Blackwell has poured in 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including three 3-pointers. But the Panthers aren't going away. They're winning the rebounding battle (23-19) and have grabbed eight offensive rebounds to steal extra possessions.

At the half, No. 5 Wisconsin only leads 41-39.

The Cardinals' Isaac McKneely leads all scorers with 11 points, and is shooting 3-of-4 from 3-point range.

South Florida is shooting a putrid 1-of-17 from 3-point range as a team, but is hanging around mostly by playing defense. The Bulls have forced 10 turnovers, which has led to some easy buckets.

TCU advances to the round of 32 after Bruce Thornton’s half-court heave didn’t fall as time expired.

What a finish!

The Horned Frogs will now play the winner of Duke and Siena in the next round.

Ohio State trails 66-64 and has the ball.

Another three to tie the game! It’s 64-64 with with 26.3 seconds to go! TCU has the ball after the timeout.

TCU leads 64-61.

An and-1 from David Punch has the Horned Frogs back in front!

Brock Harding got elbowed in the face ... but it was ruled a basketball play, and instead Bruce Thornton went to the free-throw line to give Ohio State a 59-58 lead with two minutes to go.

Badgers guard John Blackwell has 15 points early on and has shot 2-for-2 from 3-point range. Wisconsin is winning 34-26 with under seven minutes remaining in the first half.

The Cornhuskers are closing in on their first NCAA tournament win in program history. Their lead is out to 19 points with 11:41 to go.

Nebraska's scoring explosion has Troy's season on the ropes.

The Horned Frogs are back in front in what’s been a back-and-forth second half. It’s 58-57 TCU with 3:45 left.

Izaiyah Nelson just threw down a big dunk for the Bulls. Maybe that'll be the jolt that South Florida needs. Nelson is the team's engine, averaging 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

With four minutes left in the first half, Louisville still leads 30-20.

After an and-1 by David Punch, Amare Bynum followed up with a thunderous dunk. It’s 57-55 Ohio State with under 5 minutes to go!

Chase Johnston just nailed a 24-foot 3-pointer for High Point to give the Panthers life. About eight minutes into this one, Wisconsin leads 19-14.

The Trojans have made up a little ground since coming out of halftime but are still down double digits early in the second half. The Cornhuskers lead 44-30 with 15:58 remaining.

With under eight minutes left in the first half, the Cardinals lead South Florida 24-11, mostly because one team is hitting shots and the other is not. South Florida has missed 13 of its last 14 field goals and has only made one 3-pointer on the game.

What a second half for the Buckeyes.

They have their first lead since early in the first period, taking a 51-50 advantage with 7:05 left in regulation.

Ohio State is finally playing with confidence. Can TCU respond?

If you've never heard of High Point, you're about to. The Panthers went 30-4 this season and led the country in scoring margin, nearly 20 points a game. Watch for senior forward Terry Anderson, who averages 16 points and 6 rebounds per game.

The Cardinals are starting to find their shot, as four different players have hit 3-pointers now. They're 4-10 from 3-point range.

About 10 minutes left in the first half, Louisville leads 17-9.

The Horned Frogs just hit a stepback three to push their lead back to six. Great action in the second half so far, and we’re set up for an exciting finish.

TCU only leads Ohio State by three points now. We have a 43-40 game with about 12 minutes to go!

About five minutes into this game, Louisville is shooting 27% from the field and 20% from 3-point range. But the score is tied 7-7, because the Cardinals are crashing the glass. They have nine rebounds already, including five on the offensive glass.

Ohio State finally got its third three of the game to drop, cutting the TCU lead to 43-33. John Mobley Jr. is leading the Buckeyes with 10 points.

There’s plenty of time for the Buckeyes to make a run, with 14:10 left in the half.

The Cornhuskers ended the half on a massive 17-5 run, giving them a 41-25 lead. The Trojans' three-point shooting has dried up while Nebraska's leader Pryce Sandfort has taken over. He has 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting.

Troy's 10 turnovers only helped Nebraska widen the lead. The boys from the Sun Belt have a massive challenge ahead to pull this game closer after intermission.

After the Buckeyes scored the first four points of the half, TCU has got its lead back to 13, holding a 41-28 advantage with 15:56 to go.

Ohio State desperately needs a three to drop — the Buckeyes are shooting only 2-13 from deep.

Mikel Brown Jr., Louiville's star freshman point guard, is missing the game due to injury. He averages 18.2 points and 4.7 assists per game, and is expected to be a top pick in the coming NBA draft.

Can the Cardinals survive today without him?

The Buckeyes have ground to make up, but they’ve scored the first two baskets of the second half to cut the Horned Frogs’ lead to 11.

Nebraska has opened a double-digit lead late in the first half. Pryce Sandfort has 17 points, and Troy has only scored eight points across the past eight minutes of gameplay. The Trojans' upset chances are slipping quickly.

Nebraska leads Troy, 32-21.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by junior sharpshooter Pryce Sandfort have propelled the Cornhuskers to a 23-17 lead. He leads all scorers with nine points, already more than halfway to his 17.8 points-per-game average.

What a first half by TCU, which leads Ohio State 39-24 after a dominant first half.

The Horned Frogs were incredibly aggressive on defense, limiting the Buckeyes to 36% shooting and six turnovers.

TCU was led offensively by Xavier Edmonds and Micah Robinson, who combined for 23 points on 9-13 from the field.

A four-minute scoring drought for the upset-minded Trojans has them clinging on to a 13-12 lead with 11:33 remaining in the first half. Most of Troy’s points have come from deep so far, while most of Nebraska’s have come from close range.

The Trojans from Troy, Alabama, are off to a hot start shooting, making three of four attempts from 3-point land. Nebraska meanwhile is 0-4 from long-range. Trojans lead 9-6.

After the Buckeyes cut the lead to 1, the Horned Frogs are back out in front by six, leading 23-17 with about six minutes to go.

Xavier Edmonds leads all scorers with eight points.

We’ve tipped off in Oklahoma City between 4-seed Nebraska and 13-seed Troy.

The Cornhuskers, who have been playing organized basketball since 1896, are looking for their first-ever NCAA tournament win, while the Trojans of the Sun Belt Conference look to pull off the first upset in this year’s bracket.

Ohio State has cut TCU’s lead to 14-13. Every Buckeyes starter has at least two points, and no one has more than Bruce Thornton’s five.

A little over five minutes in and the Horned Frogs have a 10-5 advantage over the Buckeyes.

The first game of a jam-packed weekend is underway, as No. 9 TCU and No. 8 Ohio State just tipped off, signaling the start of March Madness as we know and love it.

*We know about the First Four and are choosing not to discuss it at this time.

If you have been procrastinating or struggling to make your picks, here is your solution.

Read on to check out our experts’ picks for national champion, the Final Four, big upsets and everything in between.

The Lancers employ a unique defense and boast one of the top scorers in the country in Dominique Daniels. But this pick is more rooted in my doubts about Kansas. They are talented and capable, to be sure, with wins over both Arizona and Houston. But they can be baffling too, with blowout losses to Cincinnati and Arizona State, and no one knows which version of their star Darryn Peterson will show up. Since winning the national title in 2022, the Jayhawks have yet to make it out of the first weekend. There are enough question marks here to get me dreaming of a classic March Madness upset.

Who are the most “tourney made” players in the NCAA Tournament? Pierre Andresen and Christian Odjakjian highlight who they believe will have the biggest impact for their programs.

The men’s NCAA Tournament was rather chalky a year ago — and not just because all four No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four for just the second time in history. March was missing much its madness from the jump, with just 13 outright underdog wins over the course of the entire tournament, which tied for the fewest in the big dance since it expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Here are the non-No. 1 seeds with the best odds to cut down the nets in Indianapolis:

No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas in the Sweet 16

The tournament’s top overall seed, Duke, has to contend with a stacked region in the East, which means that the very slight favorite to cut down the nets in most betting markets is actually Arizona. They are certainly worthy of that distinction. The Wildcats are 32-2 overall and enter the tournament on a nine-game winning streak that includes four wins against top-10 teams. They are the best team from the best conference and feature an unusually balanced attack; all five starters average double digits in scoring.

But what a test they could get in the Sweet 16 from Arkansas and its star guard Darius Acuff Jr., who is perhaps the most explosive and exciting star in the tournament. He averages 22 points a game but scored more than that in all four SEC tournament games, leading the Razorbacks to their first conference crown in 26 years. The winner of this game — if it comes to pass — might just keep rolling all the way to the title.

Darryn Peterson, by nature, isn’t a terribly public person. That’s not a bad thing — Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan and others have had Hall of Fame NBA careers while taking extra steps to maintain their privacy.

However, that limited communication can become an issue when the waters get rough — and they were rough for Peterson this season at Kansas. He’s missed 11 games — some to a sprained ankle, others because of a couple of illnesses — and then there were the early exits that drew a lot of attention. Multiple times, Peterson checked himself out of games because of cramping concerns, including against BYU and the other potential No. 1 pick, AJ Dybantsa — Peterson was dominant in the first half but left early in the third quarter. He has yo-yoed in and out of the lineup all season.

Pierre Andresen and Christian Odjakjian believe that Michigan is the most vulnerable No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and share why the absence of L.J. Cason heavily impacts its chances.

T'd Up analyzes the most interesting first-round matchups of the NCAA Tournament, discussing why Texas A&M vs. Saint Mary’s is the ultimate clash of styles and a deep dive into Ohio State vs. TCU.

One of the most maddening parts of March Madness is predicting where the upsets will happen.

Everyone knows they’re coming. Fans examine their brackets looking for double-digit seeds to become the next Cinderella team. But with just a 1-in-9 quintillion chance of filling out a perfect bracket, it’s practically impossible to nail every pick.

Double-digit seeds are the biggest culprits of busting brackets. Which ones are most likely to pull off first-round upsets?

As Georgetown’s superstar center, Patrick Ewing won one NCAA championship game, in 1984, and lost two other finals — on Michael Jordan’s game-winning shot in 1982 and in an all-time upset to Villanova in 1985. Four decades later, Ewing is still so closely associated with March Madness that AT&T put him in an ad that will run throughout the tournament.

“Losing by one point to North Carolina, that was rough,” Ewing told NBC News. And the Villanova loss, “that’s still hard to even talk about.”

Ewing’s lone win came over Houston and star Hakeem Olajuwon. That season, Georgetown dealt with the death of Ewing’s mother, coach John Thompson’s mother and the mothers of two of Ewing’s teammates. “We had so [much] adversity that it was so great to achieve it, even with all those things going on,” he said.

Patrick Ewing and coach John Thompson hug after winning the national title. Anonymous / AP

A decade later, Olajuwon got revenge when he and the Houston Rockets beat Ewing and the New York Knicks for the NBA championship. After the game, did Olajuwon tell Ewing they were even now?

“Yes, he did,” Ewing said, laughing.