Tag: ncaa basketball

Best Photos: Texas A&M’s 100-95 loss in overtime to Houston – NCAA Tournament – Second Round

Here are the best photos from Texas A&M’s 100-95 overtime loss to Houston in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Texas A&M (21-15, 9-9 SEC) took No. 1 Houston (32-4, 15-3 Big 12) to the wire and then some before running out of magic late in the overtime.

This game will be fresh on the minds of Aggies fans for the next few years as one of the most nerve-racking games in recent history.  After a pretty tight game through early in the second half, Houston slowly started to pull away as the clock rolled into the one-minute mark. Then a little bit of the Olsen Magic found its way into FedEx Forum via smothering defense and a big three-point shot from Andersson Garcia to send the game into overtime.

However, once in overtime, the Aggies could not hit enough shots to take a lead. even after a poor showing on the offensive side, they were able to give themselves a fighting chance late. They played hard and never gave up, but this loss will keep them out of the Sweet Sixteen for yet another year.

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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes loses March Madness bet to Shane Buechele

Patrick Mahomes lost a March Madness bet to former #Chiefs backup QB Shane Buechele.

The annual NCAA basketball tournaments are underway for the best men’s and women’s teams nationwide. March Madness brackets are filled out to predict next month’s national champions while proud alums seek bragging rights.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is an avid fan of many sports besides football, so it’s no surprise that he is tuned into all the action. This year, his 6th-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders were in the tournament but were upset by the 12th-seeded North Carolina State Wolfpack in the first round.

The 80-67 defeat had more on the line for Mahomes than just his support, as the three-time Super Bowl champion posted an interesting photo on his Instagram account in response to the game.

Mahomes posted himself over the weekend wearing a cow costume with the caption, “A bets a bet… okay cool #Hookem,” said Mahomes in his Instagram story caption.

He tagged former Chiefs backup quarterback Shane Buechele in the story, indicating there was a bet between the two on which team would go further in the tournament.

Buechele’s alma mater, the Texas Longhorns, advanced to the second round of the tournament but was eventually eliminated by Tennessee on Saturday. Buechele joined the Buffalo Bills last season after being waived by Kansas City on the final cut day before the 2023 season.

UNC adds on to record Sweet 16 appearances with win over Spartans

With its win over Michigan State on Saturday, March 23, the UNC basketball team added a 31st Sweet 16 appearance to its storied history.

The North Carolina Tar Heels left no doubt in yesterday’s 85-69, Round of 32 victory over the Michigan State Spartans.

UNC delivered the kind of balanced scoring effort it’ll need to further advance in the NCAA Tournament, with starters RJ Davis (20 points), Armando Bacot (18), Harrison Ingram (17) and Cormac Ryan (14) all scoring in double-figures. Both North Carolina and MSU were four points apart midway through the second half, but the same above starters led a push that eventually distanced UNC for the victory.

This is the type of abbreviated run you love to see for the Tar Heels, who missed the Big Dance entirely last year. After facing some inconsistency, North Carolina looks primed for yet another Natty run.

With its victory, UNC extends its record of Sweet 16 appearances to 31 all-time.

The Tar Heels’ most recent Sweet 16 run came two years ago, when it beat UCLA en route to the 2022 National Championship game. North Carolina was up 15 at halftime of the title game, but Kansas staged a massive comeback to win.

UNC will play in its 31st Sweet 16 on either Thursday, March 28 or Friday, March 29, as it awaits the winner of Alabama and Grand Canyon. The Crimson Tride won last year, 103-101, when the two programs played in the Phil Knight Invitational.

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Only Dean Smith has gone to more consecutive Sweet 16’s than Mark Few

Not many programs advance deep consistently in the NCAA Tournament. Dean Smith holds the record from his time leading the Tar Heels.

Even without a star-studded team like in years’ past, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few still has his team dancing in the Sweet 16.

This year’s Bulldogs squad turned a 1-point halftime deficit into a 21-point victory against Kansas, beating the shorthanded Jayhawks 89-68 in Saturday’s Round of 32.

With this victory, Gonzaga made its ninth-straight Sweet 16 under Few.

Before Few’s dominance in the NCAA Tournament, there was a legendary coach by the name of Dean Smith.

If you need a refresher on who Smith was, he was the longtime, legendary UNC basketball head coach for 36 years. Smith’s Tar Heels made the NCAA Tournament 27 times during his tenure as head coach, which included the 1982 and 1993 National Championships.

Not only did Smith’s North Carolina teams just make the tournament, but they typically advanced far.

One fact that highlights this was UNC’s ability to constantly reach the Sweet 16, which North Carolina did for 13 straight years (1980-81 season to 1992-1993).

What Mark Few’s done in recent years is impressive, but he still has four years to reach Smith. Has there been anyone who’s surpassed Smith’s record?

You’ll see the Big Dance constants like UNC, Michigan State, Duke and Kentucky in today’s game, but they rarely consistently advance in the tournament. Defending champion UConn might be building something special, too, but they’ll need to win on Sunday, March 24 for a Sweet 16 trip.

Could Hubert Davis be the next Tar Heel coach to build an NCAA Tournament legacy like Smith and Davis? He and the 2023-2024 North Carolina squad can continue building upon their current run, as they’ll play the winner of Alabama-Grand Canyon on either March 28 or March 29.

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Men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams explains how Texas A&M dominated Nebraska in NCAA Tournament

The No. 9 Aggies scored 98 points versus the No. 8 Cornhuskers, which is the most scored during the NCAA Tournament in program history.

The Texas A&M men’s basketball team dominated Nebraska on Friday night during the first round of the NCAA Tournament South region at FedEx Forum.

After the 15-point victory, head coach Buzz Williams spoke to the media in Memphis.

“I think we’re going in the right direction,” Williams said. “I think this is our 29th week and there has been a lot of volatility. Some of it we could’ve controlled better, some of it was out of our control. I think there has been great resolve and resiliency within the group. These three guys (Taylor, Radford & Obaseki) for sure, but even the guys that maybe wouldn’t have an opportunity to be here or come to the stage.

“They’ve had great belief and incredible ownership in what we do, how we do it and most importantly, why we do it. We understand that it’s a win-loss business but I want to make sure that I’m held accountable that the lives are judged in hopes that we are changing it for the better.”

The No. 9 Aggies (21-14) scored 98 points versus the No. 8 Cornhuskers, which is the most scored during the NCAA Tournament in program history.

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Hubert Davis benefitting from UNC’s on-court success with several bonuses

Not only is each UNC win satisfying players, fans and coaches, but each win is also netting head coach Hubert Davis a monetary bonus.

When the ACC Tournament started, I don’t think many sports fans expected the UNC and NC State men’s basketball teams to face off in the final.

North Carolina was a significantly more popular pick, as it was in the midst of yet another long winning streak, while the Wolfpack needed to win the conference tournament for a Big Dance chance.

NC State won five games in five days to win the ACC Tournament, advancing and getting a well-deserved shot at a national title. It would’ve been nice for the Tar Heels to capture their first conference tourney since 2016, but they’ll have to wait until next year.

Not only are both UNC and NC State playing some of their best basketball at the right time, but head coaches Hubert Davis and Kevin Keatts are benefitting from their respective programs’ on-court success.

Davis, the North Carolina head man, earned a combined $75,000 extra for being named ACC Coach of the Year and leading the Tar Heels to the ACC Regular Season Championship. Entering the Big Dance earned Davis an extra $100,000, while beating Wagner in the Round of 64 did the same.

Davis will earn an extra $75,000 for UNC reaching the Sweet 16, $200,000 for an Elite 8 appearance, $200,000 for a Final Four spot and $250,000 if the Tar Heels reach the promised land.

If North Carolina keeps dominating opponents like it did Wagner and largely throughout the regular season, Hubert’s pockets are going to be heavy.

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PHOTO GALLERY: Alabama takes down Charleston in Round of 64

Alabama basketball advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after defeating Charleston. Relive the excitement through the top photos from the game.

No. 4 seed Alabama basketball had no issues in taking down 13-seed College of Charleston in the first round of March Madness. The Crimson Tide did manage to give up 96 points, which should present some worries regarding the defense, the offense put up a whopping 109 points.

Mark Sears was, once again, the star of the show as he put up a total of 30 points of his own.

Now, the Crimson Tide takes on No. 12 seed Grand Canyon, which upset the No. 5 St. Mary’s squad. This will be an interesting matchup as the pace of play between both teams could cause some hiccups for both rosters.

Before looking ahead, relive the excitement from the Crimson Tide’s win over the College of Charleston with the top images from the game.

Best Photos: Texas A&M’s 98-83 win over Nebraska – NCAA Tournament – First Round

Here are the best photos from Texas A&M’s huge 93-83 win over Nebraska in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

A milestone has been reached as Coach Buzz Williams gets his first NCAA Tournament as the head coach of Texas A&M. The Aggies defeated Nebraska 98-83 behind star guard Wade Taylor IV’s 25 points, including 7 3-pointers. It’s a great story because this was the first season since Buzz took over, and it seemed like he was on the chopping block for most of the season.

Then, in typical Buzz Williams fashion, he gets his team back on track at just the right time to make a run and put them back in the conversation as one of the teams to beat.

Their handling of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first round has earned them a rematch against the No. 1 seed Houston Cougars. The game earlier this year was a hard- battle with Houston fought, squeaking out a four-point victory. However, this time, the Aggies will be better prepared, with Tyrece Radford available after missing the first game. Also, Manny Obaseki has come on as of late, scoring double-digits in multiple games at the back end of the season.

That game will take place on Sunday, March 24 in Memphis

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Tip-off time announced for UNC-Michigan State NCAA Tournament clash

Michigan State may have won its most recent matchup against UNC, but the Tar Heels are a National Championship contender this year.

With one day of March Madness come and gone, I think it’s safe to say we’ve already had our fair share of memorable games.

Samford nearly upset Kansas in the night’s final matchup, Dayton rallied from down 17 to top Nevada and, in the most surprising outcome from Thursday, 14-seed Oakland upset 3-seed Kentucky behind 15 3-pointers.

Thursday’s first two games – Michigan State-Mississippi State (69-51) and UNC-Wagner (90-62) – were blowouts in Charlotte, NC’s Spectrum Center. Both Sparty (20-14 record) and the Tar Heels (28-7) pulled away from their opponents in the second half, thanks to high-octane, balanced scoring attacks.

North Carolina received expected contributions from stars RJ Davis (game-high 22 points) and Armando Bacot (20 points, 15 rebounds), but also a surprise double-double from Jae’Lyn Withers (16 points, 10 rebounds). This game had to feel extra sweet from Withers, who grew up in the Queen City.

If you haven’t guessed by now, UNC and MSU are playing each other on Saturday, March 23 in the Round of 32. We now know tip-off time, with both Blue Bloods set to clash at 5:30 p.m. ET.

The Tar Heels and Spartans don’t have an extensive history against each other, but it’s a matchup the former has dominated. UNC has won 12 of 16 matchups in the series, including six of the last seven.

You may remember the 2009 National Championship best, when perhaps the greatest North Carolina team ever assembled beat MSU, 89-72. Ty Lawson led UNC in the title game with 21 points, while Wayne Ellington (19) and Tyler Hansbrough (18) also reached double-digits.

Will we see another legendary NCAA Tournament game when these two storied programs tip off?

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How to watch Saturday’s UNC-MSU round of 32 clash

North Carolina and Michigan State will face off Saturday in a battle of Blue Bloods. Who advances further in the NCAA Tournament?

Day 1 of March Madness was nothing short of amazing, particularly the afternoon games.

It’s hard to argue the early highlight was Dayton-Nevada. The Flyers rallied from a 17-point, second-half deficit for a 63-60 victory. There were a couple blowouts (Oregon-South Carolina, Arizona-Long Beach State), plus a close call: Duquesne over BYU.

Two NCAA Tournament regulars, UNC and Michigan State, cruised to first-round victories. The Tar Heels and Spartans will play each other on Saturday  in Charlotte, North Carolina.

North Carolina shot exactly 50% in its 90-62 win against Wagner. RJ Davis (22 points), Armando Bacot (20) and Jae’Lyn Withers (16) scored in double-digits. The latter two recorded double-doubles, with Withers nabbing just his second of the year.

Michigan State was tested a lot more by Mississippi State in its opener, as the Bulldogs consistently kept Thursday’s game within single-digits, but the Spartans pulled away for a 69-51 win. Just like their future Tar Heel opponents, three Michigan State players scored in double-digits.

UNC-MICHIGAN STATE TV, RADIO, AND STREAMING INFORMATION

WHAT: North Carolina (28-7, 17-3 ACC) vs. Michigan State (20-14, 10-10 Big 10)

WHEN: Saturday, March 23 at Time TBD

LOCATION: Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

TV: CBS (Watch and stream the game live on NCAA.com)

ANNOUNCERS: Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce

SATELLITE RADIO: SiriusXM (Channel N/A)

WEBSITE: NCAA.com

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