March Madness – the recap of the day on Saturday: thunderclap, the Baylor champion takes the door in the second round!

After two lively first days, the March Madness continued yesterday with the opening of the second round. 8 games on the schedule to open the ball before 8 others to follow this Sunday. Who created the surprise, who held his rank, who wallowed? Come on, let’s go for the recap.

Les scores

  • North Carolina (#8) – Baylor (#1) : 93-86
  • Kansas (#1) – Creighton (#9) : 79-72
  • Tennessee (#3) – Michigan (#11) : 68-76
  • Providence (#4) – Richmond (#12) : 79-51
  • UCLA (#4) – Saint’s Mary (#5) : 72-56
  • Murray State (#7) – Saint Peter’s (#15) : 60-70
  • Arkansas (#4) – New Mexico State (#12) : 53-48
  • Gonzaga (#1) – Memphis (#9) : 82-78

Chef’s surprise

The champion fell and it only took two laps for him to surrender! After a brilliant 2020-21 campaign at the end of which they had taught the lesson to Gonzaga, yet undefeated until then, Baylor had won the NCAA title. A year later, they stop in the second round, the fault of a very fine team from North Carolina. After an outrageous domination in the first half, the Tar Heels lost ground with the expulsion of their serial scorer Brady Manek (26 points). Baylor took the opportunity to come back 25 points behind, the biggest comeback in NCAA history! While the two teams are spinning in overtime, we say that the momentum has turned but NC clings and takes the best in overtime thanks in particular to a big and one from RJ Davis (30 points) one minute from time. We’re holding the big shot of the day!

We will also mention the beautiful story of Saint Peter’s which, following eliminating Kentucky in the first round, offers us a new upset by going to beat Murray State, the former college of a certain Ja Morant. The university, which acts as the little thumb, therefore invites itself to the Sweet 16. It is only the third time in the history of March Madness that a team seeded number 15 has passed the second round!

The performance to remember

Impossible not to underline the capital letter performance of Drew Timme (25 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 10/16 shooting) with Gonzaga. While his team had a bad start to their match once morest Memphis, the lumberjack-looking interior will then take matters into their own hands. After having harangued his troops at the break, the mustachioed will associate actions with words by writing 21 of his 25 points following the break and the Bulldogs, carried by a Moda Center all committed to their cause, took the opportunity to return the Tigers. A particularly complicated victory to get but Gonzaga avoids the upset and invites himself to the Sweet 16 for the seventh consecutive time.

The nice moment

More than a nice moment, today we insist more on a little wink of fate to stay on the Saint Peter’s madness. Did you know this is the first New Jersey team to reach the Sweet 16 since 2000? At the time, Seton Hall had reached this stage with a certain Shaheen Holloway in the lead. 22 years later, the Peacocks imitate their elders and they are coached by none other than… Shaheen Holloway. Lucky sir?

The French

Only two French people were on the court that night and fate wanted them to be adversaries. Moussa Diabate and the Michigan Wolverines offer themselves the beautiful operation by leaving the seeded number 3, Tennessee. The strong winger released a more than solid performance with 13 points, 6 rebounds but also 3 blocks. Quentin Diboundje unfortunately did not see the floor but we should find the freshman next year with, we hope, a little more playing time. This Sunday, Adama Bal with Arizona but also the doublet Daniel Batcho- Clarence Nadolny with Texas Tech can join their compatriot at the Sweet 16.

The perfs of the main prospects

  • Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga) : 9 points (4/7 shooting), 9 rebounds and 4 blocks once morest Memphis.
  • Jalen Duren (Memphis) : 7 points (3/11 shooting), 7 rebounds once morest Gonzaga.
  • Kendall Brown (Baylor) : 6 points (2/7 shooting), 5 rebounds, 3 steals once morest North Carolina.
  • Jeremy Sochan (Baylor) : 15 points (4/14 shooting), 11 rebounds, 3 assists once morest North Carolina.
  • Kennedy Chandler (Tennessee) : 19 points (9/19 shooting), 9 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals once morest Michigan.
  • Ochai Agbaji (Kansas) : 15 points (5/14 shooting), 8 rebounds, 2 steals, one once morest once morest Creighton.

Highlights

Saturday’s program

  • 17h10 : Illinois (#4) – Houston (#5)
  • 19h40 : Villanova (#2) – Ohio State (#7)
  • 22h15 : Duke (#2) – Michigan State (#7)
  • 23h10 : Wisconsin (#3) – Iowa State (#11)
  • 12:10 a.m.: Texas Tech (#3) – Notre Dame (#11)
  • 0h45 : Auburn (#2) – Miami (#10)
  • 1h40 : Purdue (#3) – Texas (#6)
  • 2h40 : Arizona (#1) – TCU (#9)

The second round of the March Madness started very strong but there was no time to breathe because there is already a very busy program awaiting us for this Sunday. Meet at 5:10 p.m. for the start of hostilities.

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