Thursday, March 23, 2023
OWLS FLY HIGH, ZAGS WIN THRILLER
March Sadness takes the lead as 1 of 4 to go 3-1; 81 entries still alive
HOME, CA (smt) – #7E-Michigan St rallied from five down late to send the game into the tournament’s first overtime and led 92-90 but #3E-Kansas St scored 8 of the last 9 points to win 98-93. K-State’s Markquis Nowell set a tournament record with 19 assists (while adding 20 points and 5 steals) as the last Big Ten team was eliminated (they started with a tournament-high 8). #4W-UConn never trailed and used an early 14-0 run and at one point led by 29 in a 88-65 win over #8W-Arkansas.
#9E-Florida Atlantic went on a 18-2 run to turn a 39-33 deficit into a 51-41 lead that they did not relinquish in upsetting #4E-Tennessee, 62-55. The FAU Owls won their 34th game (#1MW-Houston hopes to join them tomorrow) and makes their first Elite 8 in just their second appearance.
What is it about #3W-Gonzaga and #2W-UCLA in the tournament? In 2006 (Sweet 16), UCLA rallies from a 13-point halftime deficit by scoring the last 11 points of the game in 3:26 to win by 2 and end Adam Morrison’s Gonzaga career. In 2021 (Final Four), UCLA rallied from 5 points down in overtime to tie it only to have the Zags’ Jalen Suggs banked a near half-court buzzer beater to win it.
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