And just like that, the first weekend of the men's 2025 NCAA tournament is over.
March Madness continues with the Sweet 16 on Thursday and Friday, but whether you missed or simply want to relive the action from Sunday's second-round games, our on-site reporters and college basketball experts run through what you need to know about the final eight games and winners of opening weekend.
Jump to: Results and analysis | Relive Sunday's action | Saturday's recap
Sunday results, analysis
(8) UConn vs.
(1) Florida
Final: Florida defeats UConn 77-75
How Florida won: Dan Hurley said after Friday's opening-round win that "someone's going to have to put us down" for the UConn Huskies to exit the tournament without winning a third straight national title. On Sunday, Walter Clayton Jr. proved to be that someone. Clayton scored 10 points in a three-minute span, turning a 59-58 Florida deficit into a 77-75 win to secure a spot in the Sweet 16 and snap UConn's 13-game tournament winning streak. Clayton didn't make his first bucket until 15 minutes had elapsed, but once he got hot, he was unstoppable. He finished with 23 points -- leading all scorers -- including 15 in the second half, draining all three of his second-half 3-point attempts in the process. Clayton's 3 with 2:54 remaining was the dagger, erasing a two-point UConn lead. Florida never looked back. -- David Hale
Florida's key to Sweet 16 matchup against Maryland: Defending quick perimeter players. While UConn's push for a three-peat ended against Florida, Dan Hurley might have authored the blueprint to beat the Gators. Overall, Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Liam McNeeley combined to shoot 26 3-pointers against Todd Golden's team. They made only six of them, but the Huskies were relentless, connecting on 50% of their shots inside the arc, driving hard off high screens and attacking individual matchups to create shots -- and they controlled the action for a chunk of the game as a result. Florida can't allow its next opponent to play with the same aggression. The Gators will have to do more to keep the ball out of the hands of opposing stars.-- Myron Medcalf
(12) Colorado State vs.
(4) Maryland
Final: Maryland defeated Colorado State 72-71
How Maryland won: Derik Queen showed why he might be a lottery pick in the next NBA draft. Maryland's 6-foot-10 freshman center ended a back-and-forth thriller at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena when he banked a jump shot at the buzzer coming off a timeout, giving Maryland a 72-71 win over Colorado State. Queen finished with 17 points as all five Terrapins starters scored in double digits. That balanced attack helped them overcome a 37-30 halftime deficit to Colorado State, which was hoping to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the round was introduced in 1975. Maryland is back for the first time since 2016. -- Brady Henderson
Maryland's key to Sweet 16 matchup against Florida: Get Rodney Rice going early. The whole world knew that Derik Queen would take the last shot in the final seconds of Maryland's win over Colorado State on Sunday -- the projected NBA lottery draft pick has been the focal point of everything Maryland has achieved this season. According to head coach Kevin Willard, Queen also wanted the last shot. But Maryland is better when Rodney Rice, a 37% 3-point shooter, is active. His 16-point effort Sunday was the sixth time in seven games he had taken at least 10 shots, and the Terps have been undefeated in those matchups. An assertive effort from the 6-foot-4 wing also helps create more opportunities for Queen and his teammates. Maryland will need more of that from Rice going forward. -- Myron Medcalf
(5) Oregon vs.
(4) Arizona
Final: Arizona defeated Oregon 87-83
How Arizona won: The last game of opening weekend featured a showdown of former Pac-12 teams. Oregon jumped to a 19-4 lead within the first 5:11 but wouldn't regain an edge that significant the rest of the way. Arizona closed out the first half on a 38-19 run to take a 42-38 lead into halftime and ultimately win for the second-largest comeback by a Big 12 team in an NCAA tournament game since 2011, per ESPN Research. The Wildcats rode the performance of Caleb Love -- who has experience in big March Madness moments as part of the North Carolina team that made a run to the 2022 national title game -- and his game-high 29 points to a victory over the Ducks. It was Love's sixth career NCAA tournament game with 15 points and three 3-pointers, tied for the fourth most by any player this century, per ESPN Research. -- ESPN staff
Caleb Love climbs the ladder and slams it down to increase Arizona's lead over Oregon.
Arizona's key to Sweet 16 matchup against Duke: Caleb Love. It's always Caleb Love. Duke is a familiar foe for the veteran star, who spent his first three college seasons at North Carolina -- and also hit the winning shot against Duke in the final game of Mike Krzyzewski's coaching career, at the 2022 Final Four. Love is capable of huge performances, as evidenced by his 29-point effort against Oregon in Sunday's second-round win, or his 27 points against Texas Tech in the Big 12 tournament. But he is just as capable of shooting Arizona out of a game. Entering Sunday, Love was averaging 17.7 points and shooting 38.9% from 3 in Arizona's wins, but only 13.8 points and 21.1% from 3 in its losses. Beating Duke is an incredibly difficult task, but it will be impossible if Love is not at his All-American ceiling. -- Jeff Borzello
(10) New Mexico vs.
(2) Michigan State
Final: Michigan State defeated New Mexico 71-63
How Michigan State won: With their starting backcourt struggling, the Spartans turned to their bench -- and their bench responded. Led by Tre Holloman (14 points) and Frankie Fidler (10 points), Michigan State's reserves carried the team past New Mexico. The Spartans poured in 36 points off the bench, outscoring the Lobos' bench by 29. That proved critical, especially with starting guards Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jase Richardson going 1-for-12 from the field. -- Jake Trotter
Michigan State's key to Sweet 16 matchup against Ole Miss: More Tre Holloman. In the transfer portal era, players who don't get the playing time they want sometimes leave and look for better opportunities -- and Holloman, a Minnesota native, seemed like an ideal candidate to make a move earlier in his career as he searched for a role with the Spartans. This season, though, the junior guard has emerged as a critical role player for a Spartans team that wouldn't be headed to what feels like the millionth Sweet 16 under Tom Izzo without Holloman. His 14 points against New Mexico were two short of the game and team high, and was the sixth time he has scored at least that many this season. Michigan State's record in those matchups? 6-0. -- Myron Medcalf
Frankie Fidler gives Michigan State momentum with an and-1 bucket after the Spartans dive on the floor to corral a loose ball.
(6) Iowa State vs.
(3) Ole Miss
Final: Ole Miss defeated Iowa State 91-78
How Ole Miss won: In a matchup of two tough-minded teams led by coaches who drill defense, Ole Miss proved to be much better on Sunday night, advancing to its first Sweet 16 since 2001. A late Iowa State flurry made the margin respectable, but Ole Miss led by as many as 26 points. Outside of the first five minutes, when Iowa State stormed out to a 13-5 lead, Ole Miss dominated the game at both ends, taking the will from a Cyclones team that had done that to quite a few opponents in coach T.J. Otzelberger's tenure. The Rebels used a 19-9 run at the start of the second half to put the game away, as Jaemyn Brakefield, Sean Pedulla and others attacked a suddenly vulnerable Cyclones defense.
Pedulla -- a Virginia Tech transfer from Edmond, Oklahoma -- has channeled his inner Marshall Henderson in his first year with the Rebels, recording his second consecutive 20-point game in the tournament, while adding seven assists and four steals. He got help from forward Malik Dia, who had 18 points and eight rebounds, as well as Brakefield, who added 19 points and a win-punctuating slam with 59 seconds to go.
Three years ago, Chris Beard saw his Texas team eliminated in the second round at the same arena. A lot has changed for him since then, but he returned to Milwaukee and now has Ole Miss moving on to the South regional in Atlanta. -- Adam Rittenberg
Ole Miss' key to Sweet 16 matchup against Michigan State: The Rebels need good production. If you compare Ole Miss to the remaining teams in the field, most have more talent than the Rebels (at least on paper). They have only one all-conference player in Sean Pedulla, an all-SEC third-team honoree, which is why bench production will be vital in the Sweet 16. Over their past five victories, the Rebels had one reserve in every game who finished in double figures. Jaemyn Brakefield, a star in Sunday's win over Iowa State, is responsible for four of those efforts. And Davon Barnes did have 11 points in the win over Arkansas in the SEC tournament. So while Ole Miss might not have a star, Chris Beard's team continues to get a spark off the bench. -- Myron Medcalf
(7) Saint Mary's vs.
(2) Alabama
Final: Alabama defeated Saint Mary's 80-66
How Alabama won: The Crimson Tide shut down two-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year Augustas Marčiulionis. The Saint Mary's point guard from Lithuania -- and son of Basketball Hall of Famer Šarūnas Marčiulionis -- didn't get his second field goal until the 7:31 mark of the second half. By then, Alabama had built a double-digit lead. The Crimson Tide rotated bodies on Marčiulionis, including Chris Youngblood and Labaron Philon, as well as Derrion Reid and Aden Holloway off the bench. Marčiulionis never found a rhythm and finished just 3-of-11 shooting.
At the other end, Clifford Omoruyi spearheaded Alabama offensively with a series of dazzling dunks -- the highlight coming on an alley-oop reverse jam over Saint Mary's center Mitchell Saxen. Omoruyi already has 11 dunks this NCAA tournament, which leads the field, according to ESPN Research. Saint Mary's was the last remaining team in college hoops to not give up more than 75 points in a game -- until Sunday night. Alabama set a program tournament record with six double-digit scorers. Up next for the surging Crimson Tide: a third straight trip to the Sweet 16, where BYU awaits. -- Jake Trotter
Clifford Omoruyi rises over a Saint Mary's defender and throws down a reverse alley-oop jam for Alabama.
Alabama's key to Sweet 16 matchup against BYU: 3-point effectiveness. Alabama needing to make shots from the perimeter isn't a new development. The Crimson Tide take a ton of 3s, but they can be streaky (though they have been less reliant on it in conference play). Working in their favor next round will be that BYU can struggle defending the perimeter; the Cougars have allowed each of their last five opponents to make double-digit 3-pointers. Neither Alabama nor BYU is overly stingy defensively, but the Crimson Tide have shown flashes of being able to stifle opponents. If BYU is going to simply try and outscore Nate Oats' team, Alabama is going to need to make 3s. The Tide shoot nearly 36% from 3 in wins and just 32% in losses. If they can get going early from the perimeter while also stringing together a few stops, they could put the Cougars on their heels quickly. -- Jeff Borzello
(6) Illinois vs.
(3) Kentucky
Final: Kentucky defeated Illinois 84-75
How Kentucky won: In a matchup of remade rosters, Kentucky controlled play throughout and, in coach Mark Pope's first season at the helm, advanced to its first Sweet 16 since 2019. The Wildcats flustered Illinois with their defense in the first half, then made 15 of their first 19 shots to open the second half and pull away. Although Illinois guard Kylan Boswell was excellent (23 points, five assists), Kentucky's backcourt experience showed as Koby Brea, Lamont Butler and Otega Oweh combined for 52 points. Brea was unstoppable for most of the second half, while Butler, playing with a shoulder injury that Pope said would sideline most players, dictated play on both ends of the floor. Center Amari Williams manned the interior well. -- Adam Rittenberg
Kentucky's Amari Williams swats a 3-point attempt and caps the play with a strong finish on the break.
Kentucky's key to Sweet 16 matchup against Tennessee: Win the 3-point battle. Kentucky has already knocked off Tennessee twice this season, so there won't be many secrets between these teams. But what did the Wildcats do well in the first two meetings? They shot exactly 12-for-24 from 3 in both games, something the Vols' third-ranked 3-point defense is not accustomed to allowing. The Wildcats also didn't let Chaz Lanier get going from the perimeter -- he had 15 points in the first matchup, but shot 5-for-14 from the field and 3-for-10 from 3. In the second game, he finished with 10 points and went 0-for-7 from behind the arc. Lanier's ability to make shots opens up Tennessee's entire offense, and the Vols struggle to score consistently without him producing. Tennessee is 21-0 when Lanier scores at least 18 points and just 8-7 when he doesn't hit that mark. -- Jeff Borzello
(9) Baylor vs.
(1) Duke
Final: Duke defeated Baylor 89-66
How Duke won: There were plenty of highlights for Duke in a dominant win over Baylor to advance to the Sweet 16, but perhaps none more eye-popping than the 3-point shooting of veteran Tyrese Proctor. Proctor finished with 25 points on 9-of-10 shooting, including seven 3-pointers, giving him 13 for the tournament. That, according to ESPN Research, is a Duke record for the first two games of an NCAA tournament, topping Bobby Hurley's 12 in 1993. What's more impressive is that, until the ACC tournament final, Proctor was hardly a force from beyond the arc. In the regular season, he shot 40% from deep, and then in the first two games of the ACC tourney, he missed all 10 of his tries. But Proctor has been lights-out since, connecting on 19 3s in his past three games -- making 63% of his 3-point shots. -- David Hale
Cooper Flagg gets serious air time to throw down a vicious alley-oop for Duke vs. Baylor.
Duke's key to Sweet 16 matchup against Arizona: Tyrese Proctor. One of the most eye-opening stats from this weekend, courtesy of ESPN Research: In the first 100 games of Proctor's career, he never made more than five 3-pointers an outing -- then he went out and made six or more 3s in games 101, 102 and 103. Proctor shot 37.9% from beyond the arc in the first 32 games of this season, averaging just over two. In his past three games, he is shooting 63.3% from beyond the arc, with 19 makes combined. When Proctor is making shots from the outside, the nation's best offense becomes even more dangerous. Cooper Flagg gets more room to operate, Sion James has driving lanes, Proctor and Kon Knueppel can space the floor and make shots. Jon Scheyer will hope Proctor stays hot. -- Jeff Borzello