The first day of March Madness brought upsets, blowouts and an action-packed 13 hours of college basketball.
Below is your guide to all 16 first-round games from Day 1 of the men's 2025 NCAA tournament, complete with analysis from on-site reporters of how each game was won, and our experts' takes on each winner's chances to advance to the Sweet 16.
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(10) Arkansas vs.
(7) Kansas
Final: Arkansas beat Kansas 79-72
How Arkansas won: In a thrilling game that came down to the final three minutes, No. 10 Arkansas found its rhythm when it needed it most to pull away from No. 7 Kansas. After shooting 54.3% from the floor in the first half, Kansas' zone was effective in slowing the Razorbacks down to 30% shooting in the second half -- until the final minutes, when they closed it out on a 15-5 run. According to ESPN Research, Kansas played zone on just seven possessions this season, so it was a notable change-up. But the Jayhawks, who took a 67-64 lead with just less than five minutes to play, seemed to be impacted by the loss of forward KJ Adams in crunch time. Adams was helped off the court and taken to the locker room with what appeared to be a significant injury. Jonas Aidoo led Arkansas with 22 points, while Johnell Davis had 18, including a clutch 3-pointer with 1:47 remaining to put the Razorbacks up 71-67. They put it away from there. -- Mike Reiss
Second-round opponent: St. John's
Arkansas' chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Arkansas has mostly looked like a dramatically different team than it did just a few weeks ago, when it dropped to 4-9 in the SEC and seemed to be watching its NCAA tournament hopes slip away. Though there were a few call-backs to those dreary winter days down the stretch against Kansas -- particularly when the Jayhawks switched to a zone defense -- the Razorbacks figured it out, hit some big shots and advanced. Jonas Aidoo and Trevon Brazile are going to be key against St. John's. Aidoo outplayed Hunter Dickinson on Thursday and is averaging 18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks over his last four games -- while Brazile has four double-doubles in his last five games. Arkansas also had issues late against Kansas' pressure; St. John's is going to make life miserable for the Razorbacks' guards, so the return of Boogie Fland could be even more impactful Saturday. -- Jeff Borzello
(12) McNeese vs.
(5) Clemson
Final: McNeese beat Clemson 69-67
How McNeese won: McNeese head coach Will Wade noted the difference between his team entering this year's tournament compared to last year, saying he felt the 12th-seeded Cowboys were "more about business" after simply being happy to be there last year. They took care of their business in impressive fashion against fifth-seeded Clemson, posting a 69-67 win that wasn't as close as the score indicates. The Cowboys, who won their first tournament game in school history, broke open a 6-6 tie early to take a 31-13 lead at the half before holding off a Tigers surge as things got unexpectedly interesting in the final two minutes. Brandon Murray scored a team-high 21 points off the bench, while Quadir Copeland added 16 and Christian Shumate had 13 points and 11 rebounds. -- Mike Reiss
Second-round opponent: Purdue
McNeese's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: McNeese was college basketball's biggest story on the eve of the NCAA tournament, both for Cowboys manager Amir Khan going viral and coach Will Wade reaching an agreement to become the next coach at NC State. Then the Cowboys were arguably the biggest story on Day 1, knocking off 5-seed Clemson -- nay, dominating Clemson. It took the Tigers 15 minutes to reach double digits in points, and McNeese led by as many as 24 before Clemson scored 14 points in the final 45 seconds to make the final margin much closer than it should have been. McNeese had a sizable edge in athleticism and explosiveness, and it will have one against Purdue as well. Can the Cowboys rattle Purdue's offense the way they did Clemson? Braden Smith is an elite point guard, but he will have plenty to navigate. Wade's team is loaded with former high-major transfers; the spotlight won't be too bright for them. -- Jeff Borzello
(11) Drake vs.
(6) Missouri
Final: Drake beat Missouri 67-57
How Drake won: "You can only control what you can control," Drake guard Mitch Mascari said Wednesday when asked about how the Bulldogs would cope with Missouri's size advantage. Well, Drake controlled it all Thursday night, overpowering Missouri in the paint, where the Bulldogs outscored the Tigers 38-22. Drake dictated the tempo from start to finish to secure at least one more win in a storybook season under first-year coach Ben McCollum. Bennett Stirtz was the metronome, leading the Bulldogs with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting. And fellow junior Tavion Banks joined Stirtz in double figures, but more importantly, powered the Bulldogs' dominance on the glass with a game-high nine rebounds. Chants of "Overrated, S-E-C" rained down from Drake fans as the seconds ran off the clock on the program's first NCAA tournament since 2021, sealing the Bulldogs a second-round date with Texas Tech. -- Eli Lederman
Second-round opponent: Texas Tech
Drake's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: In Ben McCollum's first season, he led Drake to its first win in the NCAA tournament since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. But how? The Bulldogs were dominant against Missouri, which entered the game ranked fifth in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom and managed to score just 57 points in a loss. Drake held a top-five offense -- a team with wins over Kansas, Alabama and Florida -- to just 0.88 points per possession. The Bulldogs, who have evolved into a top-40 defense since early January, also forced turnovers on 26% of Missouri's possessions. Then they let Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz (21 points) handle the rest. Drake is confident, and that was true before Thursday's victory. Against Texas Tech, the Bulldogs will have to deal with one of the top defensive teams in the country and a scoring attack led by JT Toppin, an Associated Press All-America second team selection. They will have a different task against Texas Tech than they did against Missouri (70th in adjusted defensive efficiency). -- Myron Medcalf
(16) Alabama State Hornets vs.
(1) Auburn Tigers
Final: Auburn beat Alabama State 83-63
How Auburn won: The key to any good upset is the underdog putting constant and meaningful pressure on the favorite, but that didn't happen here, as things ended up being pretty comfortable for 1-seed Auburn. Tigers senior guard Miles Kelly led all players with 23 points, with eight of his made buckets coming from behind the 3-point line. The Hornets were on the verge of taking the lead in the first half but couldn't hit the necessary free throws -- that was their best punch, and Auburn ultimately responded by closing the half on a 9-0 run. It was a spirited effort from the 16-seed SWAC champs, but it's going to take more than that to beat the top overall seed. The win sets up a very intriguing matchup against 9-seed Creighton; the Bluejays showed they have the offensive firepower to really test the Tigers in the win over Louisville earlier today. -- Ben Baby
Second-round opponent: Creighton
Auburn's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: When Alabama State took a brief one-point lead over Auburn, questions about the Tigers' late-season challenges were magnified -- in recent weeks, they had lacked the aggressive approach that made them America's No. 1 team for the bulk of the season. Early in Thursday's game, Alabama State was successful in limiting Johni Broome's touches. That could be a problem again with Creighton having arguably the country's best interior defender in Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Bluejays' opponents have made just 46.1% of their shots inside the arc this season (16th), per KenPom, so Creighton could duplicate Alabama State's early defensive approach (albeit with a more talented group). But the Tigers always seem to figure it out. Thursday's win was proof that they are more than a one-star team, with Miles Kelly finishing 7-for-15 from beyond the arc, and they will be tough to beat as a result. -- Myron Medcalf
(16) SIU Edwardsville vs.
(1) Houston
Final: Houston beat SIUE 78-40
How Houston won: Houston gets off to an ideal start to its third consecutive tournament as a 1-seed. A searing first-half shooting performance (61.3%) lifted the Cougars to a 28-point halftime lead and meant they never had less than a double-digit lead in the final 34 minutes of action, cruising to the program's second-largest victory in an NCAA tournament game. Junior guard Milos Uzan dropped 16 points to lead four scorers in double figures for the Cougars, who advance to Saturday's second round, where they will face Gonzaga.
How J'Wan Roberts played: Roberts, who missed Houston's previous two games after rolling his right ankle in the team's Big 12 Tournament opener, logged 20 minutes and totaled six points with three rebounds in his first action since March 13 while wearing only a soft brace on his injured ankle. That bodes well for the fifth-year senior and Cougars moving forward. -- Eli Lederman
Second-round opponent: Gonzaga
Houston's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Houston will be tested early in the tournament, with a red-hot Gonzaga team coming up. It's hard to describe Houston as anything but red-hot, too, though: The Cougars have just one loss since November through a dominant Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament run. The storyline entering Saturday will be the health and effectiveness of J'Wan Roberts, who suffered an ankle injury in the conference tournament. Roberts started against SIU Edwardsville in the first round, but had just six points and three rebounds. Houston didn't necessarily need much from him against SIUE, but it will against Gonzaga. This matchup will see Gonzaga's elite offense against Houston's elite defense, but it's also worth monitoring the Cougars' 3-point shooting -- which ranks fourth in the country -- against the Zags' top-15 3-point defense. -- Jeff Borzello
(15) Omaha vs.
(2) St. John's
Final: St. John's beat Omaha 83-53
How St. John's won: St. John's started slow but turned a five-point game at halftime into a second-half blowout, defeating Omaha by 30 points. The Red Storm opened the last half on a 17-5 run and never looked back, led by junior forward RJ Luis Jr., who had a game-high 22 points and added eight rebounds. They entered the tournament as a top-three defense nationally, and suffocated the Mavericks, who shot 25.7% from the floor and went 5-of-36 from 3. As the clock struck midnight in Providence, the pro-St. John's crowd chanted Rick Pitino's name, saluting the Red Storm coach who now looks ahead to a matchup against John Calipari's No. 10 Arkansas team. -- Mike Reiss
RJ Luis Jr. knocks down five 3-pointers in a blowout against Omaha to lead St. John's to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Second-round opponent: Arkansas
St. John's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Rick Pitino vs. John Calipari -- it doesn't get better than that from a coaching standpoint. Two of the most successful basketball coaches of their generation whose careers crossed paths at multiple stops and are longtime rivals. It would behoove St. John's to get off to a slightly quicker start than it did Thursday, when Omaha led by six with just over eight minutes left in the first half, although the Red Storm have made a habit of dominating second halves and erasing deficits all season. A few keys for the Johnnies: Win the interior battle. Zuby Ejiofor is a menace on the offensive glass, but Arkansas' Trevon Brazile and Jonas Aidoo are playing their best basketball of the season. Force turnovers. Arkansas has done a better job taking care of the ball lately, but if Boogie Fland isn't fully healthy, the Razorbacks could still be short of ball handlers. And can the Red Storm's hot shooting continue? The Red Storm made 14 3s against Omaha, tying their season high. -- Jeff Borzello
(15) Wofford vs.
(2) Tennessee
Final: Tennessee beat Wofford 77-62
How Tennessee won: This was one of those games where the talent discrepancy was apparent from the opening tip. Though Wofford did its best to hang around and kept Tennessee honest, the Volunteers didn't look bothered at any point -- and it was hard for the Terriers to combat the Vols' plethora of scoring options. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier scored a game-high 29 points, the third highest in a NCAA tournament game in school history. Senior guard Zakai Zeigler had a double-double with 12 points and 12 assists. Overall, it was an impressive showing. By adding Lanier last offseason, the North Florida transfer could be the player who pushes Tennessee to its first Final Four in school history. -- Ben Baby
Second-round opponent: UCLA
Tennessee's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: There just wasn't anything Wofford (41% clip inside the arc) could do as Tennessee applied the defensive pressure that has anchored its season, then turned to its stars to extend a double-digit lead. Tennessee has a way of taking an opponent's confidence with its ability to counterpunch anything that's thrown its way. Chaz Lanier -- who has done a lot of Dalton Knecht-like things this season -- scored 29 points in the victory, and a top-three Tennessee defense held All-Southern Conference players Kyler Filewich and Corey Tripp to a combined 7-for-24 shooting clip. But Wofford shouldn't feel bad -- the Vols could do the same thing to UCLA or any other opponent in the field. They are just that good. Their physical approach to the game and discipline has helped them score wins over Auburn, Florida and Alabama in recent weeks. -- Myron Medcalf
(14) Montana vs.
(3) Wisconsin
Final: Wisconsin beat Montana 85-66
How Wisconsin won: The drumbeat of Wisconsin's size and earnestness on offense was too much for the upstart Grizzlies. The Badgers had two 7-footers -- Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter -- in the starting lineup around the Big Ten's fifth-leading scorer, John Tonje. The Grizzlies tried to counter with their four-guard lineup, with the 6-foot-8 Te'Jon Sawyer often the only Montana player on the floor over 6-5. And while Montana cut the lead to four points twice early in the second half, the Badgers kept grinding away on ruthlessly efficient 55.4% shooting. John Blackwell led U-W with 19 points as Crowl finished with 18 and Tonje with 15. The Badgers blocked six shots and outrebounded Montana 40-29. -- Jeff Legwold
Second-round opponent: BYU
Wisconsin's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Wisconsin has gotten over whatever ailed it down the stretch of the regular season, when it lost three of five and had consistency issues on the offensive end. Max Klesmit is healthy again, John Tonje found his shot during the Big Ten tournament and Steven Crowl and John Blackwell might have been their best performers in Thursday's win over Montana. Saturday's matchup against BYU is going to feature two of the best offenses in the country: The Cougars have the No. 4 offense at BartTorvik.com since Feb. 15, while the Badgers were the second-most efficient offense in the Big Ten during conference play. BYU shares the ball and spaces the floor as well as any team left in the tournament -- Wisconsin will have to limit Egor Demin's space to operate and close on shooters. -- Jeff Borzello
(14) UNC Wilmington vs.
(3) Texas Tech
Final: Texas Tech beat UNC Wilmington 82-72
How Texas Tech won: Missing third-leading scorer Chance McMillian (upper body), Texas Tech rode a career-high scoring performance from super senior Kerwin Walton to weather a hot-and-cold team shooting performance and hold off a persistent UNC Wilmington. Walton, a former North Carolina guard, went 8-of-19 from deep to power a 27-point scoring night, accounting for nearly 75% of the Red Raiders' 13 makes from 3-point range. Walton's shooting helped lift Texas Tech to a 35-19 first-half advantage, and his 12 second-half points were critical in keeping the Seahawks at bay while the Red Raiders offense' dragged through the final 20 minutes. Darrion Williams' 13-point, 9-rebound showing amid a nagging ankle injury is encouraging for Texas Tech, but Grant McCasland & Co. will need McMillian back and more complete performances up ahead if the Red Raiders have sights on a deep run in this tournament. -- Eli Lederman
Second-round opponent: Drake
Texas Tech's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Texas Tech is not yet fully healthy: Chance McMillian, one of its leading scorers, has not returned due to an upper body injury. But the Red Raiders, eighth in adjusted defensive efficiency, proved Thursday -- and in multiple games throughout the season -- that they can overcome any offensive lapses to win big. They made just 40% of their field goal attempts and 29% of shots beyond the arc in their first-round win. Not ideal, but they still hit 80-plus points and held UNC Wilmington to six points in the final four minutes and 19 seconds. Kerwin Walton had 27 points, JT Toppin finished with a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Elijah Hawkins was one rebound short of a triple-double. Texas Tech will be a more difficult matchup for Drake than Missouri. -- Myron Medcalf
(13) High Point vs.
(4) Purdue
Final: Purdue beat High Point 75-63
How Purdue won: High Point played the role of the pesky underdog well, keeping things close in the second half. But in the end, Purdue wore the Panthers down with junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (21 points, 8 rebounds) and junior guard Braden Smith (18 points, 6 assists) leading the charge. The decisive stat that tells the story: Purdue had a 45-24 rebounding edge. High Point's last lead was at the 12:19 mark of the first half (14-13), and while the Panthers cut it to three with just less than eight minutes in regulation, they couldn't get over the hump. -- Mike Reiss
Second-round opponent: McNeese
Purdue's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Purdue did a couple of things really well against High Point: torched the Panthers' drop coverage in ball screens and protected the paint and the glass defensively. When Braden Smith is able to dictate the tempo and operate with freedom in the half court, the Boilermakers are awfully effective. And with High Point's 7-foot center Juslin Bodo Bodo not venturing far from the rim, Smith was able to play in space and either shoot floaters or find teammates. It will be a different story against McNeese, which will look to use its length and athleticism to force the ball out of Smith's hands. Purdue's interior defense was much better against High Point than it was down the stretch of the regular season, and that will have to carry over Saturday. Trey Kaufman-Renn needs to stay out of foul trouble, too. -- Jeff Borzello
(13) Yale vs.
(4) Texas A&M
Final: Texas A&M beat Yale 80-71
How Texas A&M won: Texas A&M was simply too efficient on offense when it mattered, and too much of a swarming riddle on defense for Yale to find a solution. The Aggies shot 51.7% from the field as Pharrel Payne led a balanced group with 25 points on 10-of-12 shooting to go with his 10 rebounds. They held Yale to 29% shooting in the opening half and the Bulldogs spent much of the remainder of the game trying to dig out of those troubles. They did close the gap to 58-52 with just a little more than eight minutes to play, but got no closer, with the Aggies pushing the lead back to 15 three minutes later. In addition to Payne's efforts, Wade Taylor IV added 16 for the Aggies. Texas A&M also forced Yale's leading scorer, John Poulakidas -- who averaged 19.2 points coming into Thursday night -- into a 7-of-18 shooting night on to way to his team-leading 23 points.-- Jeff Legwold
Second-round opponent: Michigan
Texas A&M's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Yale star Bez Mbeng won the Ivy League player and defensive player of the year awards this year. Against Texas A&M -- a top-10 defense nationally -- he finished with two points. Throughout the season, the Aggies weren't always a reliable scoring threat (10th in the SEC in offensive efficiency). But as one of the top offensive rebounding teams in America, they won by dominating the offensive glass and collecting second-chance points. While their 71% clip inside the arc Thursday has not been the norm, they have the physical tools to excel against any team in the paint. Plus, Pharrel Payne and Wade Taylor IV finished with 41 points combined. The Aggies will need a similar offensive effort against Michigan, but they also have the size to deal with Michigan's 7-footers. UC San Diego might have given Buzz Williams the blueprint to deal with Michigan. -- Myron Medcalf
(12) UC San Diego vs.
(5) Michigan
Final: Michigan beat UC San Diego 68-65
How Michigan won: The Wolverines tried hard to not look annoyed when their first-round opponent had become a trendy upset pick, but Michigan was ultimately one shot off the rim at the buzzer from going to overtime against UC San Diego on Thursday night. The Wolverines had opened the game 10-0, led by 14 at halftime and pushed the lead to as many 15 points early in the second half. But alas, Michigan -- which led the Big Ten in turnovers at 14.1 per game -- continued to fumble away the good times with 14 giveaways that led to 15 points for UCSD. The Tritons used a 17-3 run to cut the Wolverines' lead to 45-44 with just short of 15 minutes left to play and later tied it at 63 with just under three minutes to go, squeezing Michigan down the stretch before the last gasp bounced away. UCSD's leading scorer of the season, Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, had fouled out with 6:57 to play and just seven points. Michigan held UC San Diego to 38.7% shooting (24-of-62) overall, limiting the Tritons to 7-of-30 from 3. -- Jeff Legwold
Second-round opponent: Texas A&M
Michigan's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Days after winning the Big Ten tournament, the Wolverines had to make big plays in the final seconds to secure a narrow victory over UC San Diego. The Tritons' game plan was similar to what Texas A&M will probably do: They were aggressive in trying to limit the impact of the Danny Wolf-Vladislav Goldin pairing. Those 7-footers have run Dusty May's offense all season -- and while UC San Diego held Wolf to a 4-for-11 clip, Goldin was too strong. That was the difference at the end of the game (along with Tre Donaldson hitting more big shots), as he grabbed a critical rebound late. The Aggies and their top-10 defense are more equipped to stall Michigan, which committed 13 turnovers. May runs a unique offense, but he will need to find a way to get Wolf more involved to beat the Aggies. -- Myron Medcalf
(11) VCU vs.
(6) BYU
Final: BYU beat VCU 80-71
How BYU won: As VCU head coach Ryan Odom had warned, BYU was indeed a team of flurries. The Cougars closed out the first half on a 12-2 run before opening the second half with a 13-6 push on the way to a first-round win in Denver. By the time Odom called a timeout three minutes and 15 seconds into the second half, the Cougars had built a 52-34 lead, and the Rams did not narrow the gap to less than 10 points until Zeb Jackson hit a 3-pointer to make it 75-66 with 55 seconds to play. The BYU backcourt -- Egor Demin and Richie Saunders -- combined for 31 points as the Cougars shot 50% from the field, with Fousseyni Traore adding 13. The Rams did have four players with at least 10 points, led by Jackson's 23. -- Jeff Legwold
Second-round opponent: Wisconsin
BYU's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: BYU's offensive performance against VCU bodes well moving forward. The Cougars dealt well with the Rams' pressure, got into the teeth of their defense time and time again, crashed the offensive glass -- and future first-round pick Egor Demin played one of his best games in a BYU jersey. It's that last part that provides plenty of optimism: Demin made three 3s in the tournament-opening win, only the fifth time since late November he has made multiple shots from beyond the arc. It is worth noting Wisconsin is much better offensively than VCU, and the Badgers have two players in John Tonje and John Blackwell who have been terrific lately. One key: BYU has allowed its past four opponents to make double-digit 3s; Wisconsin had the highest 3-point rate in the Big Ten play. -- Jeff Borzello
(10) Utah State vs.
(7) UCLA
Final: UCLA beat Utah State 72-47
How UCLA won: Utah State couldn't muster any offense against UCLA in a game that felt every bit as lopsided as the final score indicated. At one point late in the second half, Utah State was shooting 28.6% from the field, which isn't exactly a winning recipe in March. UCLA wasn't exactly lights-out on its end, but the Bruins had six players with at least eight points, including a team-high 14 points from junior guard Skyy Clark. All that said, we have to give the Aggies credit for making it to the NCAA tournament again despite having their third coach in three years -- athletic director Diana Sabau has done a great job handing the baton to quality coaches. -- Ben Baby
Second-round opponent: Tennessee
UCLA's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Mick Cronin's teams have always been well-prepared defensively in the toughest matchups of the season. But when he called his team "soft" in January, the squad was trending toward finishing the year as one of the worst offensive units in the Big Ten and beyond. Instead, the Bruins made a drastic change: Thanks to Eric Dailey Jr. (14 points in UCLA's 72-47 win over Utah State on Thursday) and other Bruins standouts, the program has been a top-15 offensive team since mid-January. On Thursday, the Bruins made 42% of their 3-point attempts, while Utah State -- top 20 in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom entering the game -- connected on just 30% of its field goal attempts. This more balanced offensive attack and sustained defensive effort (Aday Mara had five blocks Thursday) should be competitive against the Vols. Of course, there is one issue: Tennessee can do anything UCLA can do, except better. -- Myron Medcalf
(8) Louisville vs.
(9) Creighton
Final: Creighton beat Louisville 89-75
How Creighton won: In what was essentially a road game, 9-seeded Creighton beat 8-seeded Louisville in a first-round matchup that wasn't close again after the middle of the first half. Creighton senior guard Jamiya Neal scored a game-high 29 points with some massive buckets late that helped stifle Louisville's momentum. This draw is a mixed bag for top-seeded Auburn, but the Bluejays showed they have the firepower to truly challenge the Tigers. -- Ben Baby
Second-round opponent: Auburn
Creighton's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: Prior to Creighton's first-round victory over Louisville -- a team that boasted a top-30 ranking in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency entering the game -- only Kentucky had manufactured a more productive offensive display (93 points) against the Cardinals this season. Although the Bluejays have a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year in Ryan Kalkbrenner, their offensive capabilities are the reason they could compete with the 1-seeded Tigers on Saturday. If Jamiya Neal (29 points vs. Louisville) continues to soar, Creighton will have a real shot against Auburn. The Bluejays have boasted a top-25 offense over the past month, per BartTorvik.com, but the Tigers are the top overall seed for a reason. However, Creighton can't match the overall talent of Bruce Pearl's squad and hasn't defeated a top-25 KenPom team since Dec. 31. -- Myron Medcalf
(9) Georgia vs.
(8) Gonzaga
Final: Gonzaga beat Georgia 89-68
How Gonzaga won: Operating from the less familiar role of tournament sleeper, Gonzaga still has the look of a team that has been here before. The 8-seed Bulldogs turned 13 turnovers into 25 points and blitzed Georgia from deep, finishing 12-of-20 from 3-point range to secure an intriguing second-round date with No. 1 seed Houston. Sixth-year guard Khalif Battle led the shooting barrage with four triples, part of a game-high 24-point performance to go with eight rebounds. A 20-point, 12-rebound effort from Georgia freshman Asa Newell provides only a sliver of solace for Mike White's Bulldogs, who missed 21 of their 26 3-point attempts in the programs first tournament game in a decade. One more note on Gonzaga: Ryan Nembhard's eight assists on the day take his assist tally to 333 on the year, drawing the senior guard level with Avery Johnson (Southern, 1986-87) for fifth all-time among the NCAA's single-season assist leaders. -- Eli Lederman
Second-round opponent: Houston
Gonzaga's chances to advance to the Sweet 16: To sum it up: Gonzaga's blowout win over Georgia moved the Zags up to No. 8 in the country at KenPom and BartTorvik. An 8-seed -- ranked No. 8 overall. Gonzaga is playing its best basketball of the season, winning 10 of its past 11 games, and the Zags have shored things up on the defensive end over that span. Georgia had more turnovers than made field goals in the first half. Ryan Nembhard is one of the best point guards in the country, Graham Ike is one of the most efficient bigs but the X factor is Khalif Battle. When he's on, Gonzaga has a different gear offensively. And he's been on over the past five games, averaging 18.8 points and shooting 44.4% from 3. -- Jeff Borzello