Round of 32 takeaways: Boozer takes over to push Duke

The brackets are set, the action has tipped off, and March Madness has officially arrived. Follow along as theScore highlights key takeaways from the Round of 32 and what the results mean moving forward.

Boozer's POY favorite for a reason

Duke's issues with No. 16 Siena on Thursday carried over to the weekend against TCU, as the Blue Devils struggled on offense for the first 25 minutes of the game. The No. 1 seed actually went without a field goal for an 8:45 stretch that spanned the end of the first half and the start of the second. That seems borderline impossible given the talent on Duke's roster, but the Blue Devils seemed lost on the offensive end, allowing TCU to take a two-point lead with just over 15 minutes to play. And then Cameron Boozer took the ball and sent the Horned Frogs home.

The likely national player of the year was all of that down the stretch, scoring 17 points with five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block in the second half alone. Duke cranked up the intensity on the defensive end at the same time, holding TCU to just 24 points over the final 20 minutes. A commanding 43-18 run to end the game turned a tight contest into a 23-point win for the ACC champs.

It hasn't been pretty for Duke in this tournament, as the team continues life without guard Caleb Foster. Despite the early issues, Saturday's second half has to be wildly encouraging for Jon Scheyer, with his offense operating efficiently against a top defense. That'll need to continue with a Sweet 16 contest against either Kansas or St. John's waiting.

Good luck slowing down Michigan

Pour one out for the scoreboard operator in Buffalo this week, as Michigan put them through the wringer by orchestrating an electric offensive performance in its opening two games of the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines torched the nets versus both Howard and Saint Louis, scoring a combined 196 points across the two victories. The Big Ten powerhouse is the first team since 2008 to score at least 95 points in both the first and second rounds of the tournament, according to Josh Dubow of the Associated Press.

Red-hot shooting is required to hang 95 points in a 40-minute game - let alone in back-to-back contests - and the Wolverines have been scorching.

Saturday's meeting with the Billikens was close early, but Saint Louis simply couldn't match the play of Michigan's frontcourt - nor can 99% of the teams in the country. A lethal blend of size and athleticism gives the Wolverines a massive edge against any team in the bracket other than Florida.

Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. both stand 6-foot-9 but possess the athleticism of a ferocious wing. Aday Mara serves as the anchor at 7-foot-3, yet even he moves like a polished dancer in the post. Those three will present major problems for the winner of Alabama and Texas Tech, which will face off Sunday. Both teams have significant frontcourt issues that Michigan will certainly look to exploit in the Sweet 16.

Fears, the Point God

Michigan State has been churning out elite college point guards for a long time, but none have accomplished what Jeremy Fears Jr. did Saturday against Louisville. Fears played the role of quarterback to perfection, tossing out 16 assists in the victory to set a new program record in an NCAA Tournament game. The loudest connection came to human pogo-stick Coen Carr, with a perfect feed setting up a high-flying finish.

Between points and assists, Fears was responsible for 35 of the Spartans' 41 total points in the second half. His 16 helpers contributed to Michigan State's 22 total in the contest, with just four baskets coming unassisted. That's how a team that struggles shooting from the outside can put up 77 points.

Fears is averaging 13.3 assists across his last three games, while Michigan State has put up 84 points per contest in that span. He'll need to keep that clip rolling with a possible matchup versus UConn's 14th-ranked defense on deck.