Day 1 tourney takeaways: Drake, McNeese lead upsets
theScore runs down the top storylines and developments from Thursday's biggest NCAA Tournament games and what it all could mean moving forward.
Drake drags Missouri through mud
No. 11 Drake joined the upset party Thursday evening, slowing down high-powered Missouri to knock off the sixth-ranked Tigers. The game was an absolute dream for the Bulldogs - a team with a clear identity that it sticks to without fail. Drake is the slowest team in the country, ranking dead last in tempo on the season. It relies on suffocating defense to drag other teams into the mud and play the game on its own terms.
Apparently nobody warned Missouri. The Tigers seemed baffled by the Bulldogs' approach from the jump, with no plan to break down the defense or try to speed up their opponent. Missouri only scored 57 points - almost 30 fewer than the 84 it averages on the season. Somehow, the 10-point final margin flattered Missouri as Drake missed a whopping 12 free throws.
Drake's victory marks its first in the NCAA Tournament since 1971 and highlights the quality Ben McCollum has added to the program from Division II. McCollum hit the 30-win mark in his first campaign at the highest level and should be on the short list for any major conference openings.
McNeese State the early Cinderella
Will Wade's parting gift to McNeese State is the first NCAA Tournament win in the program's history.
The second-year coach will reportedly take the NC State job when the Cowboys' tournament ends. You might expect some of that drama would follow McNeese State onto the floor, but it was Clemson that looked out of sorts in the first half. The Tigers were an absolute disaster from the jump, completely stunted by the Cowboys' swarming zone defense - a look Wade admitted the team hadn't shown all season, according to Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports.
The Cowboys held Clemson to 1-of-15 shooting from deep in the opening frame and forced 10 turnovers. After 20 minutes, McNeese State led by a nearly unbelievable 31-13 scoreline. Despite the final two-point margin of victory, it never felt like McNeese was in serious trouble despite some tense moments in the dying minutes.
Wade showed in previous stops at VCU and LSU that he's an elite recruiter whose teams can cause havoc with their dominant defense. The next test for McNeese on the Wade farewell tour is No. 4 Purdue and elite point guard Braden Smith.
Michigan avoids scare with help of bigs
Michigan's frontcourt tandem of Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin was the difference in an ugly victory over underdog UC San Diego. The Tritons simply lacked the size to keep the duo off the glass. Wolf and Goldin combined for 18 boards - including eight on the offensive glass - to help the Wolverines gain a plus-6 advantage in rebounds and rack up 13 second-chance points.
Rebounding was a huge area of concern for UC San Diego heading into their first NCAA Tournament contest. The Tritons ranked 174th in defensive boards (24.8 per game) and 259th in rebounds overall (33.9). Down 66-65, they surrendered three offensive rebounds over the last 1:17. The last one was crucial, as Goldin was fouled and pushed Michigan's lead to three on the ensuing free throws.
Cal wins Arkansas tourney debut
When the bracket dropped Sunday, the first-round matchup that immediately jumped out was the blockbuster coaching clash between John Calipari and Bill Self. It was an absolute banger in Providence: Calipari got the win in his first tournament game with Arkansas thanks to a 15-5 run to end the contest.
Self appeared to have the upper hand in the second half - a switch to zone defense completely stifled Arkansas' offense and put Kansas in front. However, Arkansas applied increased defensive pressure, pushing the Jayhawks to commit four straight turnovers as part of that 15-5 run. Arkansas was clearly buoyed by the return of prized freshman Boogie Fland, who some feared would be done for the season following a thumb procedure. With Fland back, the Razorbacks could seriously threaten No. 2 St. John's in the Round of 32.
Self didn't just lose the game - he also lost his place on the all-time tournament wins list. Calipari passed him in that category, as defeating Self earned him the 58th victory of his storied career.
St. John's books Hollywood 2nd-round matchup
The five-point halftime lead didn't inspire much confidence, but the 30-point margin of victory did. A slow start eventually led to a blowout St. John's win as a trademark Rick Pitino defense forced Omaha into a multitude of wild shots. The reward for all of us: a blockbuster second-round date with John Calipari and Arkansas.
The two legendary coaches will meet Saturday in Providence with a berth in the Sweet 16 on the line. Calipari holds a slight 11-9 edge in collegiate matchups between the two, but this time, he's the underdog with the 10th-seeded Razorbacks against the second-seeded Red Storm.
So how does Pitino feel about the Hollywood-ready matchup? Kentucky head coach Mark Pope, a man who played for Pitino and succeeded Calipari in Lexington, offered the following on Selection Sunday.
"If I know anything about Coach P, he wants all the smoke, man," Pope said, according to Athlon Sports' Alec Elijah. "He wants all the smoke. Bring it."
Gonzaga's offensive clinic
Georgia frankly should have been prepared to face an electric offense: The team resides in the SEC and already played top-10 attacks in Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Missouri and Kentucky this season. However, that experience was not on display as Gonzaga ran Georgia out of the gym in an opening-round blowout. The final numbers pull no punches: Mark Few's team hit 12-of-20 triples and registered assists on an eye-popping 23-of-33 field goals. That added up to a remarkable 1.34 points per possession - a figure that would have led the country this season.
Gonzaga dropped to an 8-seed this year from the usual top-three spot it's occupied throughout the past decade. However, the Zags enter riding an impressive nine-year streak of making it at least as far as the Sweet 16. If they're going to make that an even 10, an upset of No. 1 Houston would be next.
Neal goes full D-Wade on Louisville
The March Madness record books need to make room for Jamiya Neal.
The Creighton wing introduced himself to college basketball casuals in a big way Thursday, turning in a ridiculous all-around performance in the Bluejays' comfortable win over No. 8 Louisville to open the NCAA Tournament. Neal finished with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists while shooting a sparkling 11-of-16 from the floor.
According to college basketball statistician Jared Berson, Neal is the first player to record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in an NCAA Tournament game since Dwyane Wade's triple-double for Marquette in the 2003 Elite Eight.
Neal took advantage of the Cardinals' game plan to double-team 7-foot-1 center Ryan Kalkbrenner. Louisville's misplay left plenty of opportunity for the Bluejays' perimeter players to hit open triples or drive to the hoop. The result was an early shooting barrage, as Creighton made 9-of-16 triples in the opening half to build a 15-point edge at the break. Teams with a 15-point advantage at the half entered with a perfect 191-0 record in opening-round NCAA Tournament games since 1990. It's now 192-0 after the Bluejays coasted to victory.
Lanier takes over for Tennessee
Rick Barnes' teams have always prided themselves on their defense, but Tennessee's become more potent offensively over the last two years. The Vols landed Dalton Knecht in the transfer portal ahead of last season, and he became their go-to option en route to their first Elite Eight appearance in 14 years. They've had similar success this season using the same formula, snagging leading scorer Chaz Lanier from North Florida.
Lanier dropped a game-high 29 points on 11-of-22 shooting - including six triples - in Tennessee's 77-62 win over Wofford. The fifth-year guard dissected the Terriers all evening in the half court. He knocked down jumpers coming off screens, pulled up in the mid-range, and drained catch-and-shoot threes. Lanier's versatile scoring ability paired with the Vols' elite defense makes Tennessee a serious threat to come out of the Midwest Region.
Purdue bullies High Point
It feels like this is the first year No. 4 Purdue hasn't had a prominent 7-foot center beasting opponents since Matt Painter took the head coaching job in 2005. However, that doesn't mean the bully ball has stopped for the Boilermakers. That was on full display as they ousted popular upset pick High Point in the opening round.
One of the biggest challenges facing mid-major teams hoping to pull off an upset is the usual size discrepancy against the biggest programs. The final rebound margin of 45-24 emphatically tells that story, with the Panthers unable to keep relentless Purdue off the glass. Trey Kaufman-Renn, Camden Heide, and Gicarri Harris combined to grab more rebounds than the entire High Point team, and the Boilermakers significantly outscored their opponent 38-22 in the paint.
No, Purdue doesn't have Zach Edey this time, but Kaufman-Renn has proven all season that he's a problem for anybody in the post. If the rest of the team crashes the glass like the standout junior, the Boilermakers could be a major threat to No. 1 Houston in a possible Sweet 16 matchup.
Just give Houston a 1st-round bye
Thursday provided the annual reminder that Houston simply ain't here for your Cinderella stories. The Cougars delivered yet another punishing performance in the opening round of March Madness, this time feasting on SIU Edwardsville in a blowout victory. Houston's now won its last two NCAA Tournament opening-round games by an average of 39 points and the last five by 26.8.
The intensity Kelvin Sampson's team plays with from opening tip to final whistle clearly isn't seen much in the mid-major conferences. The Cougars actually could have gone scoreless in the second half Thursday and still won by double digits.
Depth rules for Wisconsin
First-round upsets are the best part of the first four days of March Madness. However, more often than not, the better team hammers the underdog and reminds us of the difference between major and mid-major competition. That's exactly what unfolded when No. 3 Wisconsin met No. 14 Montana in Denver.
The Badgers emphatically squashed any concern about playing four games in four days last week and now contending with altitude. The Grizzlies might be the class of their conference, but the Badgers' offense ranks 13th nationally by KenPom for a reason. Five players scored in double digits Thursday as Wisconsin canned 55% of its field goals. That made the game a track meet that Montana had no business being involved in, with the eventual 19-point loss somehow still flattering the underdog.
For a large part of the season, the Badgers had to rely heavily on John Tonje for offense. Tonje's more than capable of carrying the load but stepped aside versus Montana with just five field-goal attempts. Instead, Steven Crowl and John Blackwell combined for 37 points in the win. That type of production should have Wisconsin feeling great about its chances.
5 minutes of fury separates Auburn
College football coaches love to cite the middle eight (the last four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of second half) as a crucial area of focus for winning games. Perhaps it's fitting that Auburn - a school that fancies itself a football power despite a sustained period of mediocrity - dominated immediately before and after the half to separate itself from plucky underdog Alabama State.
The 16-seed actually sat within 1 point of the mighty No. 1 overall team at 32-21 with 1:15 to play in the opening half. When the break arrived 75 seconds later, it was 41-31, and four minutes into the second half, the Tigers' edge was 14. That five-minute push essentially eliminated any threat of an upset and offered a reminder of what Auburn can do when it gives a team its full attention.
UCLA locks down Utah State
UCLA put on a defensive master class against Utah State to set up a second-round meeting with Tennessee. The Bruins limited the Aggies' 17th-ranked offense to a season-low 47 points on 30% shooting, including a 4-of-31 clip from downtown. Mick Cronin's squad held Utah State scoreless for the final five minutes and 14 seconds. Aggies leading scorer Ian Martinez mustered two points with his lone field goal coming just over three minutes into the second half.
UCLA got superb rim protection from Aday Mara, who registered his third five-block performance of the campaign. The Bruins entered Thursday's matchup with the seventh-best turnover margin in the nation. UCLA coughed up the ball just nine times and six different players tallied one steal, leading to 20 points off 11 Aggies turnovers.
Texas A&M dominates interior
Texas A&M's advantage down low was decisive in its Round of 64 win over Yale. The Aggies' 48 points in the paint accounted for 61% of their total output. They had no problem getting to the rim against the Bulldogs, recording 18 layups and eight dunks. Wade Taylor used his aggressive drives to create scoring opportunities for himself and set up his teammates.
Minnesota transfer Pharrel Payne often benefited from the increased attention on Taylor. The third-year forward scored a career-high 25 points on 10-of-12 shooting in 25 minutes off the bench. Taylor found Payne on a lob out of the pick-and-roll and a dump-off after the defense collapsed on him at the basket. Payne's energy on the glass was emblematic of Texas A&M's play all season: Five of his 10 boards were offensive rebounds, contributing to the Aggies' 15 second-chance points.
BYU flexes offensive muscle
BYU was one of six schools in the East Region ranked in the top 16 in adjusted offensive efficiency. The Cougars showed off that firepower against 11-seed VCU, shooting 50% from the field and scoring 1.25 points per possession in an 80-71 victory. It was the most points surrendered all season by the Rams, who entered Thursday's clash eighth in the NCAA in points allowed.
Three different BYU players reached double digits in points, including leading scorer Richie Saunders with 16. The Cougars' second unit - which has been one of their biggest strengths - provided an additional lift with 26 points. Kevin Young's squad consistently penetrated VCU's defense, tallying 38 points in the paint and going 19-of-28 from the charity stripe. BYU converted 11-of-19 layups as it faced little resistance at the rim.
Texas Tech dials long distance
UNC Wilmington clearly had a plan to limit Texas Tech star JT Toppin's shots Thursday. So what was the Red Raiders' counter? Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots - 3-point shots, to be exact, as Texas Tech set a new school record for most triples attempted in one game with an astounding 46. The Big 12 outfit averages 27 attempts on the season - a number they nearly hit in the opening half alone with 26 tries from beyond the arc.
So the Red Raiders must have been cashing a lot of those attempts if they kept shooting, right? Well ... not so much. They hit 13 of them for a less-than-stellar 28% mark from deep on the night. However, they scored 18 second-chance points, and their opportunistic defense forced 13 turnovers. That was enough to secure a 10-point win despite not exactly torching the nets.
The second-round matchup awaiting Texas Tech is a contrast in styles: the stifling defense of 11-seed Drake. The Bulldogs completely shuttered Missouri's fifth-ranked offense Thursday, holding the Tigers to 57 points.