Wisconsin, Xavier Among Tourney Upsets
Well, they don’t call it March Madness for nothing. We’re this close to the Sweet Sixteen being locked in and we’ve already had some major upheavals in the bracket. That includes a number one seed being knocked off in the second round. But before things heat up too much, let’s have a look at some of the biggest results of the tournament thus far.
After two relatively ordinary days of tournament play, we finally got some magic. There has been no bigger surprise this year than Wisconsin’s Cinderella victory over number one seed Villanova. With 11.4 seconds left and the game tied at 62, Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes executed a fake spin-back on the baseline and a reverse layup to give the Badgers a crucial two point lead. The rest was history. Now Villanova’s season is over. And the Wisconsin Badgers are moving on to the Sweet Sixteen.
The Badgers got a strong showing from their starting lineup with Nigel Hayes notching 19 points and 8 rebounds and Bronson Koenig grabbing 17. Villanova got 19 from star Josh Hart. While Donte DiVicenzo came off the bench with 15 points and 6 rebounds. But in the end it was the Badgers who pulled it out. Now they’re on their way to Madison Square Garden for their fourth-straight Sweet Sixteen appearance.
Outside of that game, there weren’t too many surprises in the first round. 11-seed USC knocked off projected sleeper candidate SMU in the first round, 66-65. 11-seed Xavier topped 6-seed Maryland, 76-65. Wichita State beat out Dayton, 64-58. And Mid Tennessee defeated 5-seed Minnesota.
While Villanova’s out, the other one-seeds have been faring well thus far. Gonzaga has won two straight on their way to the Sweet Sixteen. KU destroyed 16-seed, UC Davis, 100-62. And UNC, likewise, dominated Texas Southern, 103-64. With the second slate of second-round games commencing today, we’re on the verge of a solidified Sweet Sixteen.
Of all the teams still vying for the title, Xavier and Wisconsin seem the most threatening. Xavier especially has rolled through two consecutive games in fine fashion. They now face their toughest test of the tournament in number-two seed Arizona. There were many who predicted this very game, and many more who predicted that Xavier would become the Cinderella story of the tournament. However, with Wisconsin facing 4-seed Florida at MSG, that title may just belong to the Badgers.
As of now, no more upsets have occurred. And the top seeds have been rather successful thus far. This afternoon, KU faces off against Michigan State. Baylor faces USC. Duke faces South Carolina. Kentucky faces Wichita State. UCLA faces Cincy. UNC and Arkansas will battle it out. Oregon and Rhode Island. Meanwhile, as we speak, Michigan and Louisville are close with the second half underway.
While I am not one for predictions in this tournament (especially with my alma mater KU still in the tournament), I have a strong feeling about Xavier and UNC. Look for both of these teams to make a big push into the next round of games. And obviously keep your eye on Nigel Hayes and the Badgers. Because I don’t think there’s a number-one seed in this tournament that Wisconsin couldn’t beat. Of course they have to get past Florida first.
In any case, stay tuned for more March Madness. And to all the Villanova fans out there, better luck next year.
