2024 March Madness scores, takeaways: Kansas survives Samford after phantom foul; NC State’s run continues | Top Vip News

Day 1 of the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday provided exciting finishes, upsets and even a controversial finish that marred Samford’s comeback attempt over Kansas. Samford guard AJ Staton-McCray appeared to block Nicolas Timberlake’s dunk attempt but was called for a foul on the floor. The Kansas guard made both free throw attempts and the Jayhawks held on to win 93-89.

In the first game of the slate, No. 9 seed Michigan State did what it does best during March: win. The Spartans defeated No. 8 seed Mississippi State 69-51 in what turned out to be an early sign that SEC teams were struggling to advance.

No. 3 seed Kentucky was on the wrong end of the day’s biggest upset when No. 14 seed Oakland ended its season prematurely thanks to the heroic efforts of sharpshooter Jack Gohlke, who finished with a game-high 32 points in an 80-76 wins. The Wildcats have not made it past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2019.

It was a good day for the No. 11 seeds, as Oregon, NC State and Duquesne won their respective games over No. 6 seeds South Carolina, Texas Tech and BYU. Mountain West champion New Mexico is the last No. 11 seed in action during the first round, and will face No. 6 seed Clemson on Friday.

While the Pac-12 is in its final season as a full member, the “Conference of Champions” had a fantastic opening day. Oregon, No. 2 seed Arizona and No. 7 seed Washington State each won their respective games. The most memorable score of the night was WSU’s 66-61 comeback victory over Drake to give the program its first NCAA tournament victory since 2008.

Ghost Call Saves Kansas

No. 4 seed Kansas survived a comeback attempt by No. 13 seed Samford and won 93-89, thanks in large part to a controversial call with 14 seconds left. As the Jayhawks broke Samford’s press while leading 90-89, KU guard Nic Timberlake drove to the basket for a dunk, only for Samford’s AJ Staton-McCray to dislodge the ball. A late whistle blew, signaling a foul on Staton-McCray and sending Timberlake to the line for two free throws. But a replay clearly showed a clean block and suggested it was Timberlake’s own swing at the rim that caused him to fall to the ground. Do not contact Staton-McCray. Timberlake made both free throws to give KU a 92-89 lead, and the Bulldogs missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the other end, allowing the Jayhawks to advance to the second and Saturday’s showdown with the top seed. No. 5 Gonzaga. . Without the phantom foul, Samford would have had numbers on a transition opportunity less than one and would not have been forced to attempt a three-pointer. Unfortunately, the questionable whistle helped the Jayhawks avoid what would have been their first first-round exit from the Big Dance since 2006.

NC State dance continues

NC State seemed destined for a quick exit from the postseason when it limped into the ACC Tournament with a 17-14 (9-11 ACC) record on March 12. The Wolfpack had lost seven of their previous nine games to drop out of the overall standings. consideration for the NCAA Tournament in irrelevance. The Wolfpack were so tarnished that they were forced into the indignity of playing Tuesday in the conference tournament with the league’s last-place finishers. Well, after winning five days in five days in the ACC Tournament to secure a berth in the NCAA Tournament, North Carolina State continues to dance once again. The South Region’s No. 11 seed beat No. 6 seed Texas Tech 80-67 to reach the second round and a date with Oakland. A season that once seemed lost is now one win over a No. 14 seed away from advancing to the Sweet 16.

Washington State Moves Forward

In its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2008, Washington State faced a tough opening matchup with No. 10 seed Drake. The Bulldogs entered with a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and experience from an appearance in last year’s Big Dance. But the Cougars showed they were no fluke by pulling out a 66-61 victory and securing a second-round game against No. 2 seed Iowa State on Saturday. Isaac Jones led WSU with 20 points, and Jaylen Wells added 17 as the Cougars rallied from a 54-46 deficit in the final 7:47. Washington State was picked to finish 10th in the Pac-12 before the season, but now finds itself among a surprisingly strong conference contingent. With No. 2 seed Arizona, No. 11 seed Oregon and the Cougars winning, the Pac-12 went 3-0 on the first day of first-round action.

2024 NCAA Tournament TV Schedule

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