March Insanity scores, winners, losers: North Carolina, Wisconsin collapse

There are losses, after which there are meltdowns, after which there’s this. North Carolina blew a 19-point lead within the second half and collapsed to No. 11 seed VCU, 82-78, in additional time. It is the sixth-worst collapse in Spherical of 64 historical past and a cursed final month for UNC has by some means descended right into a end from the depths of hell.

There is no such thing as a getting back from this second. North Carolina used its highly effective transition assault to dominate for the primary half-hour. Henri Veesaar’s 3-pointer prolonged the result in 15 with lower than 10 minutes left.

After which protection grew to become totally elective, and by some means, the plan and execution on offense have been even worse.

VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr. scored 14 of his game-high 34 factors within the closing 9 minutes of regulation to power additional time, and North Carolina’s offense additionally had 11 empty possessions in 13 alternatives to finish regulation. 

Two missed entrance ends, together with one by senior Seth Trimble with 29 seconds to go, have been brutal. The final play of regulation was doomed from the beginning, and UNC fumbled it out of bounds. It did not rating a single bucket in additional time, and but had an opportunity to power double-overtime when Veesaar toed the road for a pair of free throws down 80-78.

Brick, unintentionally.

Brick, deliberately.

Ballgame.

Caleb Wilson may solely bury his face in his arms. The identical arms that betrayed him and saved him sidelined with a damaged thumb on an innocuous dunk in apply on the eve of the regular-season finale towards Duke.

It is a becoming bow on a disastrous season for North Carolina that began with a great deal of promise as Wilson exceeded all expectations on his strategy to All-American honors, but additionally included Trimble breaking his arm in a wild weight-room accident and Wilson by some means breaking each his left hand and his proper thumb in beautiful methods. Now it has to swallow one of many worst postseason losses in North Carolina historical past and kickstart a load of questions surrounding Hubert Davis’ future after he could not steer the Tar Heels away from catastrophe. A 26-42 document in Quad 1 video games is not acceptable. Blowing a 19-point result in VCU ain’t it, both.

Let’s dive into the winners and losers from Thursday’s electrical opening slate of March Insanity. Nobody had it worse than North Carolina, though Wisconsin followers would possibly argue in any other case.

Loser: Wisconsin lets go of the rope on the worst time

Wisconsin’s ridiculously enjoyable season is over far too early and in probably the most beautiful trend. Excessive Level rocked the Badgers, 83-82, with a shocking rally within the nick of time. Nick Boyd regarded … mortal if just for a second. The all-everything level guard delivered 27 factors, six assists and 5 boards on this one, however the audacious lefty did not have another bucket in his bag down the stretch. Boyd’s closing stat line is glitzy, however the senior will rue the missed layups in crunch time.

All season lengthy, Wisconsin has walked groups down within the second half. This time, the script was flipped on the Badgers as Excessive Level erased an eight-point deficit in closing time.

Wisconsin bought 49 factors mixed from John Blackwell and Boyd. It shot 39% from 3-point. The group with the most effective assortment of high-end wins is not going to advance to the Spherical of 32.

The alternative aspect of the coin in March Insanity is BRUTAL. — Isaac Trotter

Winner: Siena’s particular stuff

Yeah, Siena ended up dropping to top-seeded Duke, 71-65. Positive, this injured group with no depth ran out of fuel down the stretch. A few missed dunks and a 3-pointer that did all the things however drop could stick in Gerry McNamara’s head without end.

However the feeling they introduced again to this glorious event goes to stay for some time. Cinderella was in our presence for all of 38 minutes. The Saints gave Duke the enterprise deep into the second half. They led 43-32 on the break. They led 61-56 with 7:34 to go. McNamara’s boys have been proper there, irritating eventual Nationwide Participant of the 12 months, Cameron Boozer, alongside the way in which. — Trotter

Winner: Excessive Level strikes late to stun Wisconsin

26-year-old, sixth-year senior Chase Johnston notched his One Shining Second to assist Excessive Level rally from an eight-point deficit with four-and-change to go and stun Wisconsin, 83-82. Johnston drilled three triples from the parking zone and deposited the game-winning layup — the 3-point specialist’s first two-point bucket of the season — to ship Excessive Level into the second spherical. 

Massive, dangerous Darius Acuff and Arkansas awaits. — Isaac Trotter

Winner: Nebraska will get its first NCAA Match victory

Nebraska was the one program throughout the high-major construction (ACC, Massive 12, Massive East, Massive Ten and SEC) with out an NCAA Match victory getting into the day. That’s now not the case. In the end, the No. 4 seed Cornhuskers have received a recreation within the Massive Dance after dispatching No. 13 seed Troy 76-47. No group has ever notched its first-ever NCAA Match win by a wider margin.

This was the primary time since 2011 that two groups with a mixed zero NCAA Match wins have met. However after a sizzling begin from the Trojans, their upset bid fizzled in a barrage of Nebraska 3-pointers and second-chance factors. Pryce Sandfort led the cost with 23 factors and 7 makes from past the arc for Nebraska, which can advance to face No. 5 seed Vanderbilt within the second spherical. Seventh-year coach Fred Hoiberg received simply seven video games in every of his first two seasons, however his gradual construct started to take maintain over the previous three seasons. Now, it has led to a historic breakthrough for one of many sport’s long-suffering packages. – Cobb

Loser: South Florida goes chilly in upset bid

No. 11 seed South Florida staged an admirable late rally to show a Louisville blowout into a decent recreation, however the Bulls could not overcome a woeful taking pictures efficiency as their upset bid fell brief in an 83-79 loss to the No. 6 seed Cardinals. South Florida’s 5 of 33 effort from past the arc (15.2%) marked its second-worst of the season by proportion. The 5 makes additionally tied for the second-fewest of the season from a USF group that grew to become a classy upset choose following the revelation that the Cardinals can be with out star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. 

Even with out Brown, who has been coping with a nagging again harm, Louisville’s offense hummed because it opened up a 23-point lead within the second half. Isaac McKneely led the way in which with 23 factors on 7 of 10 taking pictures from 3-point vary because the Cardinals drilled 13 of 25 triples whereas advancing to face No. 3 seed Michigan State on Saturday. – David Cobb

Winner: TCU will get a crack at Duke

No. 9 seed TCU beat high-end opponents like Florida, Wisconsin and Texas Tech away from house this season and likewise toppled Iowa State at house. The Horned Frogs are confirmed big slayers, they usually’ll get a crack at Duke on Saturday after surviving to beat Ohio State 66-64 within the opening recreation of the primary spherical.

TCU held on for pricey life after main by as a lot as 15 late within the first half. Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton missed a would-be game-winner from half court docket as time expired to ship the Horned Frogs dancing into the second spherical for the third time up to now 5 years. Given how shaky Duke regarded towards Siena — and who TCU has already overwhelmed this season — the Horned Frogs look greater than able to making a Candy 16 push. — Cobb

Loser: Duke will get a actuality verify 

Duke ahead Maliq Brown mentioned the quiet half out loud after his group’s 71-65 win over No. 16 seed Siena. Brown admitted the Blue Devils anticipated a “cakewalk.” The sport proved something however. Duke trailed by as many as 13 earlier than utilizing a robust second half to keep away from what would have been one of many greatest upsets in NCAA Match historical past.

The slim escape ought to function a wake-up name heading right into a matchup with No. 9 seed TCU on Saturday. If the Blue Devils ship the same efficiency, an early exit may very well be looming. — Salerno 

Winner: Mid-major schedulers

Excessive Level didn’t play a single high-major group till at the moment towards Wisconsin. That is no coincidence. The Panthers are one of many best-resourced mid-major groups within the nation, and this deep, gifted roster is proof of that.

There is a motive no high-major willingly signed as much as play Excessive Level or Miami (Ohio), Saint Louis, Belmont, Bradley or Northern Iowa. Akron needed to go to Purdue to get a recreation. Add UNC-Wilmington, the CAA regular-season champs, to the record of groups that could not get a spot on a schedule.

Maybe the emergence of Wins Above Bubble might help change the script. Stanford earned +0.52 WAB for beating Saint Louis on a impartial ground within the Acrisure Invitational. It ended up because the third-best win of the season for the Cardinal.

The concept there’s no upside to taking part in good mid-major groups rings hole. Actually, it appears to be like increasingly more like worry. — Trotter

Winner: Cayden Boozer reveals his moxie

Duke was lifeless to rights and Cayden Boozer simply refused to let the Blue Devils go down. The freshman guard delivered 19 factors, 5 assists and nil turnovers. It is the second-straight recreation the place Cayden, not Cameron, has been Duke’s greatest participant. 

The poise and toughness is clear, however the basketball IQ was on full show. Siena’s half-court protection was swarming a Duke group that’s short-handed and would not have sufficient taking pictures proper now. What did Cayden Boozer do? Pedal to the ground in transition each time a possibility offered itself.

Duke would not win this recreation with out the lesser-hyped Boozer brother. — Trotter

Winner: Arkansas’ hyped freshmen make historical past

Hawaii‘s no-help protection regarded like a nasty thought on paper towards these vroom-vroom Arkansas guards, and positive sufficient, Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas handed the preliminary NCAA Match check with flying colours.

Acuff totaled 24 factors and 7 assists. Thomas was proper on his heels with 21 factors and 5 assists. It is the primary freshman duo in males’s NCAA Match historical past to notch not less than 20 factors and 5 assists in the identical recreation.

Particular displaying from a particular duo. — Trotter

Loser: Saint Mary’s goes out with a whimper 

Saint Mary’s‘ bout with illness got here on the incorrect time, because the No. 7 seed Gaels fell 63-50 to No. 10 seed Texas A&M whereas main scorer Paulius Murauskas got here off the bench attributable to sickness. The Gaels wilted towards A&M’s up-tempo model whereas committing an uncharacteristic 18 turnovers. Rashaun Agee led the way in which for Texas A&M with 22 factors on 7 of 11 taking pictures. This marks 9 NCAA Match appearances in a row by which Saint Mary’s has did not advance past the primary weekend. First-year Texas A&M coach Bucky McMillan has his first win within the Massive Dance after main Samford agonizingly near a win over Kansas two years in the past. — Cobb

Loser: Dybantsa shines, however cannot get assist in BYU’s loss

Regardless of recording 35 factors and 10 rebounds, BYU star AJ Dybantsa’s profession is probably going over after his group suffered an 79-71 loss to No. 11 seed Texas.

The Cougars had been with out star guard Richie Saunders for the previous month attributable to a season-ending ACL tear, and the loss underscored how far their ceiling dropped with out him. Dybantsa and Robert Wright III mixed to attain 49 of BYU’s 71 factors. Merely put, BYU didn’t have sufficient firepower past Dybantsa.

After reaching the Candy 16 in 12 months 1 below Kevin Younger, BYU’s season ended earlier than the shut of the primary day of the primary spherical. – Salerno

Winner: Saint Louis minces Georgia in first-round romp

It smells like barbecue hen in these elements after Saint Louis eviscerated Georgia, 102-77. 9 gamers cracked double-digit minutes, and all 9 scored not less than seven factors for the Billikens, who shot 75% on 2s and blowtorched a Georgia protection that regarded unprepared for the onslaught that’s Josh Schertz’s beautiful halfcourt offense.

Winner: These younger cats ain’t scared!

Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr. weren’t the one freshmen to ball out of their NCAA Match debut. 

• Illinois freshman ahead David Mirkovic erupted for 29 factors, 17 rebounds and three assists within the Illini’s 105-70 win over Penn. It is among the best particular person stat traces for a freshman within the NCAA Match within the final 20 years.
• Houston’s Chris Cenac had 18 rebounds in 24 minutes within the Cougars’ 78-47 win over Idaho. That is probably the most rebounds for a Houston participant an NCAA Match recreation since Hakeem Olajuwon within the 1983 Nationwide Championship recreation, per CBS Sports activities analysis. No large deal.
• Dybantsa’s 35 factors have been the second-most for a freshman. In NCAA Match historical past behind Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox in 2017.

Winner: Loads of high-quality play in Lone Star State

Texas A&M received. 

TCU received.

Texas received.

Houston received.

Fairly good displaying for the Lone Star State in Thursday’s first-round video games.