Category: NCAA Basketball

Former Wisconsin guard John Blackwell is heading to Duke.

Blackwell announced Tuesday in an Instagram post that he had committed to Duke. Blackwell was one of the most highly regarded players to enter the transfer portal after he teamed up with Nick Boyd this season to give Wisconsin one of the nation’s top backcourt tandems.

Blackwell's decision was part of a productive day of commitments for the Blue Devils and top rival North Carolina. The Tar Heels, preparing for their first season under former NBA championship-winning coach Michael Malone, landed commitments from Utah guard Terrence Brown and guard Matt Able from fellow instate program N.C. State.

The 6-foot-4 Blackwell had 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season while helping Wisconsin go 24-11. He shot 38.9% from 3-point range and made 2.8 3-pointers per game.

Blackwell had some of his most productive performances against Wisconsin’s toughest opponents.

He scored 26 points in a road win over eventual national champion Michigan and averaged 27.5 points in the Badgers’ two victories over Final Four participant Illinois. He had 25 points in a late-season road win over Purdue, an NCAA regional finalist.

Blackwell had 22 points and 10 rebounds in Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament first-round loss to High Point.

He earned third-team all-Big Ten honors from the league’s coaches and media. Blackwell didn’t make the Associated Press all-Big Ten team, which includes only a first team and second team.

That followed a 2024-25 season in which Blackwell had 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

Brown, a 6-foot-3 junior, averaged 19.9 points last year with the Utes as he moves east to play for the Tar Heels, according to a social media post. Able, a 6-6 freshman, also committed to the Tar Heels according to On3 and multiple outlets after averaging 8.8 points in his freshman year with the Wolfpack.

Those two figure to slot into prominent backcourt roles, while the Tar Heels also added frontcourt depth with 6-9 French forward Maxim Logue from Florida Atlantic, according to DraftExpress, citing agency Gersh Sports. That comes after the Tar Heels had already secured a commitment from versatile 6-9 forward Neoklis Avdalas from Virginia Tech.

In other portal news, Marquette announced the additions of former Louisville forward Sananda Fru and former St. Thomas (Minnesota) guard Nolan Minessale, representing a major change in the Golden Eagles' approach to roster construction.

Marquette coach Shaka Smart had signed plenty of Division I transfers while overhauling his roster immediately after getting hired in 2021, but he hadn't added any since. The last transfer to sign with Marquette was Zach Wrightsil, who arrived from NAIA program Loyola New Orleans in 2022.

Fru, who is 6-11, had 9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game at Louisville this season. Minessale had 19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for St. Thomas.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Notre Dame and Villanova will play a men's and women's basketball doubleheader to open the season in Rome, Italy, a matchup the Catholic schools are promoting as a chance to celebrate their shared mission and heritage.

The jointly hosted event scheduled for Nov. 1 will include “special programming that brings together academics, athletics and spirituality,” Villanova said in its announcement.

“From academic engagement and cultural immersion to shared worship and athletics, this journey offers a profound opportunity to grow in mind, body and spirit," said the Rev. Peter Donohue, Villanova's school president.

The schools said Pope Leo XIV, an Augustinian friar and Villanova alumnus, was the inspiration for scheduling the game.

Those attending the Italian excursion will have the opportunity for a shared Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, a planned papal audience with Pope Leo XIV before the games and private tours of the Vatican Museums.

The men’s game will air nationally on Fox at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, with the women's game broadcast on FS1 at noon.

College teams playing overseas is expected to become more common amid a growing influx of international talent. Twenty-three of the 62 players on Final Four rosters listed a foreign country as their hometown, and NCAA data shows the number of international players on D-I rosters (888) has more than doubled since 2010.

Games in Croatia and Serbia are in the works and planned for November as part of a new College Basketball International Series launched by Intersport and Rochelle Management Group.

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Bryson Tiller is leaving Kansas for bitter rival Missouri after a promising and productive freshman season with the Jayhawks.

The 6-foot-11 forward arrived in Lawrence before the spring semester in 2025 and redshirted before playing last season, when Tiller was a regular in the starting lineup. He averaged 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds, and one of his best games for Kansas came against the Tigers, when he had 13 points, five rebounds and five blocks in an 80-60 rout at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Missouri has been active in the transfer portal, landing Tennessee forward Jaylen Carey and Providence forward Jamier Jones.

Tiller visited the Tigers on Sunday and made the decision to join coach Dennis Gates over interest from Michigan, Georgia Tech, NC State, Arizona and others. He visited Miami but canceled a planned visit to Arizona.

Kansas already lost another big man, Flory Bidunga, who decided to transfer to Louisville.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

PJ Haggerty is heading to Texas A&M and Isaiah Johnson is joining Texas as the Lone Star state’s two Southeastern Conference programs have landed former Big 12 stars in the transfer portal.

Each player announced his decision in an Instagram post.

Haggerty scored 23.4 points per game for Kansas State this season to rank fourth among all Division I players. Johnson is coming off a freshman season in which he averaged 16.9 points for Colorado.

Haggerty will be playing for his fifth different school. The 6-foot-4 guard was at TCU in 2022-23, Tulsa in 2023-24 and Memphis in 2024-25.

Haggerty has averaged at least 21.2 points each of his last three seasons. He was an Associated Press All-America second-team pick with Memphis last season and received honorable mention on this year’s AP All-America team. Haggerty also was an AP second-team all-Big 12 selection this season.

Johnson is a 6-1 guard who had three assists and 2.9 rebounds per game this season to go along with his 16.9 points per game.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

John Blackwell is leaving Wisconsin after scoring 19.1 points per game for the Badgers this season.

Blackwell issued an Instagram post Monday saying he won’t return to Wisconsin next season and is instead going through the NBA draft process while also entering his name in the transfer portal. The transfer portal for basketball officially opens Tuesday. He credited coach Greg Gard for helping him grow as a player.

“That growth is exactly what’s driving this decision," Blackwell wrote on Instagram. I believe I owe it to myself and my family to chase the highest level I can reach, and this is the right time to take that step and leap of faith.”

A pair of Tennessee players announced intentions to enter the portal Monday after helping the Volunteers (25-12) to the Elite Eight. J.P. Estrella, a 6-foot-11 forward, averaged 10 points and 5.4 rebounds, while guard Bishop Boswell started 33 of 34 games this season.

The 6-4 Blackwell had 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for Wisconsin as a junior while helping the Badgers go 24-11. He made 2.8 3-pointers per game and shot 38.9% from beyond the arc.

He played particularly well late in the year. Blackwell scored 24 points as Wisconsin beat Purdue in its regular-season finale. He averaged 26 points in three Big Ten Tournament games, including 34 against Washington and 31 in an overtime victory over Illinois.

Blackwell scored 22 points in Wisconsin’s 83-82 NCAA Tournament first-round loss to High Point.

He earned third-team all-Big Ten honors from the league’s coaches and media. Blackwell didn’t make the Associated Press all-Big Ten team, which includes only a first team and second team.

Blackwell had 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game as a sophomore in 2024-25.

“My time in Madison has truly changed my life,” Blackwell said. “Through every high and every tough loss, Badger Nation showed up with unwavering support. I’m beyond grateful — and I’ll carry that with me always. My prayer is that you understand my decision. Madison will always be second home to me for the rest of my life. This place and this community will always be part of who I am.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michigan overpowered Arizona early and humbled the ’Cats all night long, turning the Final Four meeting billed as the Game of the Year into a 91-73 Wolverines highlight reel Saturday night.

Junior center Aday Mara scored a career-high 26 points and had nine rebounds, a dinged-up Yaxel Lendeborg had 11 points in 14 minutes and the Blue blew through their fifth straight March Madness opponent by double digits while becoming the first team to break 90 points five times in a single tournament.

Next up, a title matchup Monday against UConn, a 71-62 winner over Illinois in the early semifinal that was billed — wrongly — as the undercard to this battle of No. 1 seeds.

Michigan and Arizona came in with the nation’s top two defenses, a pair of top-five offenses and somewhere between eight and a dozen NBA stars between them.

But it was the Wolverines (36-3) who looked like pros, running to a double-digit lead only 5:31 into the contest, then swatting and slamming Arizona into oblivion.

Koa Peat had a quiet 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Big 12 champion Wildcats (36-3). They shot 6 for 17 from 3, 36% overall and had two assists and nine turnovers over a first half that ended with them trailing 48-32. Sparkplug Jaden Bradley got his fourth foul 94 seconds into the second half and finished with 13 points, most in extended garbage time.

Arizona’s only two losses before this were by four and by three back in February. They trailed by nine less than 2:30 into this one.

UCONN 71, ILLINOIS 62

UConn got another critical 3-pointer from Braylon Mullins and coach Dan Hurley’s Huskies are heading back to the national title game, beating Illinois in the Final Four as they seek their third championship in four seasons.

Tarris Reed Jr. had 17 points and 11 rebounds, while the fabulous freshman Mullins scored 15 for the Huskies (34-5), who rode strong inside play and tough defense to their 19th straight victory in the Sweet 16 or later rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

UConn will face Arizona or Michigan on Monday night as it seeks its seventh title, all since 1999, and third under Hurley, who would become the only active coach with more than two.

Mullins, whose buzzer-beating 3-pointer sent the Huskies past Duke and into the Final Four, hit a 3 with 52 seconds left that gave UConn a 66-59 lead.

Freshman Keaton Wagler had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Fighting Illini (28-9), who reached their first Final Four since losing the championship game to North Carolina in 2005.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

The 2026 Final Four for the men’s NCAA tournament is set. Illinois faces UConn at 5:09 p.m. ET Saturday, April 4, followed by Michigan against Arizona at 7:49 p.m.

Come Monday night, there will be a new national champion. The NCAA also will crown a Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Here’s a look at who has won the award every year of the tournament since 1939.

Year	Player	Class	School
2025	Walter Clayton Jr.	Senior	Florida
2024	Tristen Newton	Senior	UConn
2023	Adama Sanogo	Junior	UConn
2022	Ochai Agbaji	Senior	Kansas
2021	Jared Butler	Junior	Baylor
2020	No tournament because of pandemic
2019	Kyle Guy	Junior	Virginia
2018	Donte DiVincenzo	Junior	Villanova
2017	Joel Berry II	Junior	North Carolina
2016	Ryan Arcidiacono	Senior	Villanova
2015	Tyus Jones	Freshman	Duke
2014	Shabazz Napier	Senior	UConn
2013	Luke Hancock	Senior	Louisville
2012	Anthony Davis	Freshman	Kentucky
2011	Kemba Walker	Junior	UConn
2010	Kyler Singler	Junior	Duke
2009	Wayne Ellington	Junior	North Carolina
2008	Mario Chalmers	Junior	Kansas
2007	Corey Brewer	Junior	Florida
2006	Joakim Noah	Sophomore	Florida
2005	Sean May	Junior	North Carolina
2004	Emeka Okafor	Junior	UConn
2003	Carmelo Anthony	Freshman	Syracuse
2002	Juan Dixon	Senior	Maryland
2001	Shane Battier	Senior	Duke
2000	Mateen Cleaves	Senior	Michigan State
1999	Richard Hamilton	Junior	UConn
1998	Jeff Sheppard	Senior	Kentucky
1997	Miles Simon	Junior	Arizona
1996	Tony Delk	Senior	Kentucky
1995	Ed O'Bannon	Senior	UCLA
1994	Corliss Williamson	Junior	Arkansas
1993	Donald Williams	Sophomore	North Carolina
1992	Bobby Hurley	Junior	Duke
1991	Christian Laettner	Junior	Duke
1990	Anderson Hunt	Sophomore	UNLV
1989	Glen Rice	Senior	Michigan
1988	Danny Manning	Senior	Kansas
1987	Keith Smart	Junior	Indiana
1986	Pervis Ellison	Freshman	Louisville
1985	Ed Pinckney	Senior	Villanova
1984	Patrick Ewing	Junior	Georgetown
1983	Akeem Olajuwon	Sophomore	Houston
1982	James Worthy	Junior	North Carolina
1981	Isiah Thomas	Sophomore	Indiana
1980	Darrell Griffith	Senior	Louisville
1979	Magic Johnson	Sophomore	Michigan State
1978	Jack Givens	Senior	Kentucky
1977	Butch Lee	Junior	Marquette
1976	Kent Benson	Junior	Indiana
1975	Richard Washington	Sophomore	UCLA
1974	David Thompson	Sophomore	NC State
1973	Bill Walton	Junior	UCLA
1972	Bill Walton	N/A	UCLA
1971	Vacated	N/A	N/A
1970	Sidney Wicks	N/A	UCLA
1969	Lew Alcindor	N/A	UCLA
1968	Lew Alcindor	N/A	UCLA
1967	Lew Alcindor	N/A	UCLA
1966	Jerry Chambers	N/A	Utah
1965	Bill Bradley	N/A	Princeton
1964	Walt Hazzard	N/A	UCLA
1963	Art Heyman	N/A	Duke
1962	Paul Hogue	N/A	Cincinnati
1961	Jerry Lucas	N/A	Ohio State
1960	Jerry Lucas	N/A	Ohio State
1959	Jerry West	N/A	West Virginia
1958	Elgin Baylor	N/A	Seattle
1957	Wilt Chamberlain	N/A	Kansas
1956	Hal Lear	N/A	Temple
1955	Bill Russell	N/A	San Francisco
1954	Tom Gola	N/A	La Salle
1953	B.H. Born	N/A	Kansas
1952	Clyde Lovellette	N/A	Kansas
1951	Bill Spivey	N/A	Kentucky
1950	Irwin Dambrot	N/A	CCNY
1949	Alex Groza	N/A	Kentucky
1948	Alex Groza	N/A	Kentucky
1947	George Kaftan	N/A	Holy Cross
1946	Bob Kurland	N/A	Oklahoma A&M
1945	Bob Kurland	N/A	Oklahoma A&M
1944	Arnie Ferrin	N/A	Utah
1943	Ken Sailors	N/A	Wyoming
1942	Howie Dallmar	N/A	Stanford
1941	John Kotz	N/A	Wisconsin
1940	Marvin Huffman	N/A	Indiana
1939	Jimmy Hull	N/A	Ohio State

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Arizona is headed back to the Final Four for the first time in 25 years after the top-seeded Wildcats got 20 points from freshman Koa Peat to beat Purdue 79-64 in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region final on Saturday night.

After years of disappointment in March, coach Tommy Lloyd has gotten Arizona (36-2) back to being a championship contender thanks to a talented freshman class led by Peat to go along with veterans like Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley.

The Wildcats showed they can win in almost any style. They used a nearly flawless performance on offense to beat Arkansas in the Sweet 16 and then shut down one of the nation’s most efficient offenses against second-seeded Purdue (30-9).

Arizona frustrated the NCAA record-holder in assists, Braden Smith, and prevented his fellow four-year seniors Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer from getting into a rhythm. Purdue was held to its second-lowest point total of the season and shot just 38% from the field.

Arizona used an 16-3 run early in the second half to erase a seven-point halftime deficit and take a six-point lead on a 3-pointer from Anthony Dell’Orso. The Wildcats stayed in control from there. Brayden Burries hit a 3-pointer, and after a turnover by Smith, Ivan Kharchenkov made a layup for an 11-point lead.

Peat put the exclamation point on the win with dunk that made it 68-55 with less than six minutes remaining, sending the Wildcats to Indianapolis next week on a 13-game winning streak.

SOUTH REGION

No. 3 ILLINOIS 71, NO. 9 IOWA 59

HOUSTON (AP) — Freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points and Illinois ended Iowa’s underdog March Madness run by dominating in the frontcourt, beating the Hawkeyes to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2005.

This will be the sixth trip to the Final Four for Illinois, which has never won a national title. The Fighting Illini will face either Duke or UConn next weekend in Indianapolis.

The much taller Illini (28-8) outrebounded Iowa 38-21 in the South Region final. David Mirkovic led the way with 12 rebounds.

Coach Brad Underwood’s emphasis on recruiting in Eastern Europe has paid off in this tournament. Tomislav Ivisic of Croatia, who stands 7-foot-1, and his 7-2 twin brother Zvonimir have shined in March.

Andrej Stojakovic, who was born in Greece but whose father is Serbian three-time NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic, scored 17 points for third-seeded Illinois. His famous father watched proudly as his son punched his ticket to the Final Four, and Wagler’s parents — who met when they played basketball at a junior college in Kansas — cheered wildly throughout for their son, who was named MVP of the region.

Bennett Stirtz scored 24 points for the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes (24-13), who knocked off top-seeded Florida in the second round as part of an impressive run under first-year coach Ben McCollum, a four-time Division II national champion at Northwest Missouri State.

HOUSTON (AP) — Alvaro Folgueiras converted a critical three-point play when Nebraska only had four defenders on the floor, and ninth-seeded Iowa continued its unpredictable NCAA Tournament run under first-year coach Ben McCollum, beating Nebraska 77-71 in a South Region semifinal on Thursday night.

Bennett Stirtz scored 20 points and Folgueiras had 16 for the Hawkeyes (24-12), who knocked off top-seeded Florida in the second round on Folgueiras’ 3-pointer in the closing seconds.

Iowa will face either Illinois or Houston on Saturday for a spot in the Final Four. McCollum, who won four Division II national titles at Northwest Missouri State, has now led Iowa to its fifth Elite Eight and first since 1987.

Fourth-seeded Nebraska (28-7) took an early 10-point lead against its Big Ten rival, and Iowa tied it four times but never led until Stirtz buried a 3-pointer to make it 68-65 with 2:10 to go. Sage Tate hit another 3 to cap a 9-0 run and put Iowa ahead 71-65.

The Cornhuskers got within three on a second-chance 3 by Braden Frager, but they were disorganized on the inbound play, leaving Folgueiras unguarded near the rim. He slammed it home — popping up screaming after he finished through contact as Iowa fans roared — and converted the free throw for a six-point lead.

Another dunk by Folgueiras with 34 seconds left made it 76-68.

Iowa transfer Pryce Sandfort made six 3s and scored 25 points for Nebraska, which won the first two March Madness games in program history to get this far. Frager added 16 points for coach Fred Hoiberg’s Cornhuskers, who delighted a traveling contingent of red-clad fans throughout their tournament run.

WEST REGION

NO. 2 PURDUE 79, NO. 11 TEXAS 77

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in a miss by Braden Smith with 0.7 seconds left, and Purdue edged hobbling Texas star Tramon Mark and the Longhorns in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Texas (21-15) tied it moments earlier when Dailyn Swain made a driving layup, was fouled and converted the three-point play with 11.9 seconds to go. Smith had scored on his own drive with 38 seconds remaining and finished with 16 points.

Kaufman-Renn hit his first seven shots — going 6 for 6 and grabbing five rebounds in the first half — on the way to 20 points. He was mobbed by teammates right after the final buzzer sounded at SAP Center.

Mark scored 29 for the Longhorns, grimacing and clearly in pain limping on his injured left foot through the closing minutes when the sixth-year senior’s team needed him most. His points were the most by a Texas player in an NCAA Tournament game since Kevin Durant scored 30 against Southern California in the second round of the 2007 tournament.

Purdue (30-8) advances to Saturday’s Elite Eight game against either top-seeded Arizona (34-2) or No. 4 seed Arkansas (28-8), who were playing the late game at SAP Center.

Texas coach Sean Miller made his ninth Sweet 16 appearance in 21 seasons, the most of any coach who hasn’t reached the Final Four.

DraftKings has been using “March Madness” and other familiar terms to refer to the NCAA Tournament for more than five years and has the legal right to do so, the sportsbook said in a court filing Wednesday in response to a complaint filed by the NCAA last week.

The NCAA is seeking an emergency temporary restraining order to stop DraftKings from using registered trademarks associated with its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

The complaint for trademark infringement, filed in the Southern District of Indiana, requests that DraftKings stop using “March Madness,” “Final Four,” “Elite Eight” and “Sweet Sixteen” and variations of those terms to promote its business.

In its response, DraftKings described those terms as “the universally recognized names for the tournaments and their rounds, used by millions of college basketball fans, journalists, and participants in the sports-betting ecosystem. They are the same words used by other online sportsbooks, who have not been singled out by the NCAA’s fevered complaint.”

DraftKings said the NCAA had asked for the restraining order “based on a contrived and manufactured ‘emergency,’” and it noted that the NCAA has a commercial agreement with a company whose business is providing in-game data to sportsbooks.

The NCAA said it actively avoids any appearance of affiliation with gambling and said in the complaint that DraftKings’ use of the terms confuses customers by making it appear the NCAA is on board.

DraftKings said its use of the terms is protected under the First Amendment, arguing the NCAA's trademark claim would fail on the merits.

“No trademark gives any organization the right to monopolize the language fans, players, journalists, and sportsbooks use every day to accurately refer to college basketball tournaments,” the company said in a statement.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Ronald Nored will be returning to Butler as the head coach of the men’s basketball program, vice president and director of athletics Grant Leiendecker announced Wednesday.

Nored succeeds coach Thad Matta, who announced his retirement last week after leading Butler for the past four seasons, all of which the Bulldogs finished with losing records in Big East conference play. Matta will stay on board at the school as special assistant to the president and athletic director.

Nored graduated from Butler in 2012, helping the Bulldogs to back-to-back NCAA national championship games as the team’s starting point guard under coach Brad Stevens. He leads the program in games played (143) and postseason games played (16).

Nored brings experience coaching in various capacities for several NBA franchises, including the Hawks, Pacers, Hornets and Celtics. He was also the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets’ G-League team, the Long Island Nets, from 2016-18.

He most recently served as a Hawks assistant coach over the past three seasons.

“The term ‘dream job’ doesn’t do justice to how I feel about the opportunity to lead the Butler program,” Nored said in a statement. “Butler is an incredibly special place. As a player, I poured blood, sweat and tears into this program. No one appreciates both the responsibility and the potential that comes with this position more than me.”

Leiendecker describes Nored as “the absolute best leader to spearhead the future of Butler basketball.”

The Bulldogs finished the 2025-26 season with a 16-16 record following a 91-81 loss to Providence in the Big East Tournament on March 11.

“There is incredible momentum at Butler right now," Nored said, "and I can’t wait to hit the ground running as we elevate Butler to new heights.”

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Santa Clara thought it had knocked Kentucky out of the NCAA Tournament when freshman Allen Graves answered a tying basket by Wildcats star Otega Oweh with a 3-pointer in front of his own bench with 2.4 seconds left in regulation.

The problem for the Broncos: There were still 2.4 seconds left in regulation.

As coach Herb Sendek tried to call timeout, Kentucky quickly got the ball into the hands of Oweh, who raced across the midcourt line and heaved up a 3-pointer, which banked through the bucket to tie the game at 73-all. The buzzer sounded when the ball was in midair.

The kind of shot that puts the madness into March Madness didn’t exactly end Santa Clara’s postseason hopes — that didn’t come until Kentucky scored eight consecutive points in OT to pull away. But the sequence of shots in those wild last few seconds of regulation will be remembered much longer than the 89-84 final score Friday, which sent the No. 7 seed Wildcats into a matchup with No. 2 seed Iowa State or No. 15 seed Tennessee State in the Midwest Region.

“You know,” Sendek said afterward, “it was a really euphoric high followed by a tough one to swallow.”

The No. 10 seed Broncos certainly gave everything they had — everything built up over the 30 years since Steve Nash last led them to the NCAA Tournament — in trying to knock off one of college basketball’s bluebloods inside the packed Enterprise Center.

The game was tied 12 times. The lead changed hands 20 times. Santa Clara led by two at halftime as the West Coast Tournament runner-up went toe-to-toe with Kentucky, which was making its record-extending 63rd NCAA Tournament appearance.

Yet the first 59 minutes merely set the stage for the dramatic conclusion.

MIDWEST

NO. 2 IOWA ST. 108, NO. 15 TENNESSEE ST. 74

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Iowa State star Joshua Jefferson left in the first half of the Cyclones’ romp past Tennessee State with a left ankle injury Friday, leaving the All-American’s status for the remainder of the NCAA Tournament in doubt.

Jefferson landed awkwardly after a layup just 2 1/2 minutes into the first-round matchup in the Midwest Region. The 6-foot-9 senior had to be helped by trainers to the X-ray room, emerged about 10 minutes later using crutches, and watched the second half from the end of the Iowa State bench with his ankle in a bulky gray boot.

Nate Heise had eight of his season-high 23 points during a 23-0 run for the Cyclones (28-7), which began shortly after Jefferson was hurt and sent them breezing past the Tigers (23-10) and into a second-round matchup with seventh-seeded Kentucky on Sunday.

The Wildcats beat No. 10 seed Santa Clara 89-84 in an overtime thriller to begin the session at the Enterprise Center.

The Cyclones already were dealing with a groin injury that limited point guard Tamin Lipsey in the Big 12 Tournament. Now, their depth will be tested even more without Jefferson, who was second on the team in scoring and their leading rebounder.

NO. 3 VIRGINIA 82, NO. 14 WRIGHT ST. 73

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jacari White hit six 3-pointers and scored 26 points, and Virginia avoided yet another early NCAA Tournament exit, beating a resolute Wright State in the first round.

The Cavaliers (30-5) will face sixth-seeded Tennessee or No. 11 seed Miami (Ohio) in the second round in the Midwest Region on Sunday.

Virginia won its first NCAA Tournament game since it won the 2019 national title.

The Cavaliers lost in the first round or the First Four in 2021, 2023 and 2024, and title-winning coach Tony Bennett abruptly retired before last season. Ryan Odom took over this season and quickly turned the program around.

Odom knows all about Virginia upsets in the tournament. He coached UMBC in 2018 when it was the first No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1 — yes, Virginia.

Wright State (24-11), a No. 14 seed, was an 18 1/2-point underdog according to BetMGM Sportsbook but never looked out of step as it tried to pull off the shocker.

Michael Imariagbe scored 19 points and kept hope alive for that rare 14 seed win — there have been none in the tournament since 2024 — with a late 3 that pulled the Raiders within 78-73. White responded with a bucket that finally put to rest any thought of an early ride back home for the Cavaliers.

NO. 4 ALABAMA 90, NO. 13 HOFSTRA 70

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Labaron Philon Jr. scored 29 points and Alabama rallied from an early double-digit deficit to beat Hofstra in a first-round game in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament.

The Crimson Tide (24-9) advanced to a second-round matchup against fifth-seeded Texas Tech (23-10), a 20-point winner over 12th-seeded Akron in the earlier first-round game at Benchmark International Arena.

Alabama ended the opening half on a 19-7 run to wipe out a 10-point deficit, then built its own lead to 13 before Hofstra (24-11) mounted one last push for a possible upset.

Freshman Preston Edmead had 24 points for the Pride, and his basket pulled the Pride within 67-62 with just over seven minutes remaining. Victory Onuetu’s dunk trimmed Alabama’s lead to 69-64 and ignited much of a crowd of 17,769 that threw its support behind the underdogs.

Philon was simply too much down the stretch, though, delivering a layup and a long 3-pointer during a surge that enabled Alabama to rebuild the lead to double digits. Taylor Bol Bowen put an exclamation point on the Crimson Tide response with two dunks and a 3-pointer as the lead ballooned to 20.

NO. 5 TEXAS TECH 91, NO. 12 AKRON 71

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jaylen Petty scored 24 points, Christian Anderson added 18 and Texas Tech beat Akron in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Red Raiders (23-10) will face fourth-seeded Alabama in the second round in the Midwest Region on Sunday.

Playing without All-America guard JT Toppin, who tore the ACL in his right knee last month, Texas Tech got double-figure scoring from five players.

Josiah Moseley had 16 points, Donovan Atwell scored 15 and LeJuan Watts added 14.

Amani Lyles led Akron with 26 points and Shammah Scott had 20.

Akron (29-6) became first team to win the Mid-American Conference Tournament three straight years. But the Zips again failed to reach the second round in their eighth March Madness appearance.

Petty and Atwell opened the second half with consecutive 3-pointers to give Texas Tech an 11-point lead.

Akron got within 64-60 midway through second after Eric Mahaffey scored on a layup and made a free throw to complete a 3-point play. But the Zips couldn’t get any closer.

NO. 6 TENNESSEE 78, NO.11 MIAMI (OHIO) 56

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ja’Kobi Gillespie hit six 3-pointers and scored 29 points as Tennessee ended a fabulous season for Miami (Ohio) with a win.

The Vols (23-11) shook off a rough end to the season — losing four of six games — and advanced to play third-seeded Virginia on Sunday in the Midwest Region.

Gillespie hit five 3s in the first half to help the Vols push ahead by 20 and squash any chance the 11th-seeded RedHawks (31-2) could carry over the confidence gained from their First Four win and pull off a signature victory.

The Vols did just about everything right and showed again why — no matter the seed — they are a perennial threat to go deep in March. Led by Gillespie, the Vols made 12 of 19 shots to start the game, including long 3s and 20 quick points in the paint.

Just to add one more gut punch to Miami, Ethan Burg hit a 3 at the first-half buzzer for a 51-32 lead.

Gillespie passed up a chance to score 30 points — only two other Vols have ever reached that mark in the NCAA Tournament — when he drove the lane with 1:13 left but skipped the open look and threw a lob to Felix Okpara for the bucket.

J.P. Estrella had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Vols.

Peter Suder was the lone Miami player in double digits with 27 points.

WEST REGION

No. 1 ARIZONA 92, NO. 16 LIU POST 58

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Brayden Burries hit four 3-pointers while scoring 18 points, Koa Peat added 15 points and top-seeded Arizona opened its NCAA Tournament run with a over Long Island on Friday.

Ivan Kharchenkov had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Big 12 regular-season and tournament champion Wildcats (33-2), who quickly showed why they’re the tournament’s second overall seed behind Duke.

Pushing the pace on offense and stifling the Sharks with defense, Arizona went up by double digits in the opening minutes and led the Sharks by 27 in the first half while delighting the thousands of fans who filled Viejas Arena with red.

Arizona will return Sunday to face the winner of Villanova’s meeting with Utah State in the West Region bracket.

NO. 9 UTAH STATE 86, NO.8 VILLANOVA 76

SAN DIEGO (AP) — MJ Collins’ steal and emphatic one-handed slam dunk with 1:13 left gave him 20 points and Utah State opened its fourth straight NCAA Tournament by beating Villanova.

Mason Falslev, the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, scored 22 and helped bring the Aggies back from a 10-point deficit early in the second half.

Utah State (29-6), the No. 9 seed in the West Region, will play No. 1 seed Arizona in the second round on Sunday. The Wildcats beat No. 16 Long Island 92-58 on Friday.

Collins converted a three-point play with 2:53 left to give the Aggies a 78-73 lead. After No. 8 seed Villanova (24-9) committed a five-second inbound violation, Falslev fed Collins for a layup and an 80-73 lead. Collins intercepted a pass by Bryce Lindsay and went in for his slam for an 84-74 lead.

Lindsay made six 3-pointers and scored 25 points for Villanova. Duke Brennan and Tyler Perkins added 15 points apiece.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Jaylia Reed scored 16 points, DeMya Porter had 15 points and 12 rebounds and Southern closed the game on a 14-2 run to beat fellow No. 16 seed Samford 65-53 on Thursday night in the NCAA Tournament.

Southern (20-13) won a game in the First Four for the second straight season, earning a chance to play top-seeded South Carolina on Saturday in the Round of 64. It’s the Jaguars’ third appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the last four years.

D’Shantae Edwards began the fourth quarter by converting a three-point play to give Southern a 47-44 lead. Samford tied it twice in the next three minutes, but could not get any closer.

Reed put Southern ahead for good with 6:47 remaining on a 3-pointer to begin the game-closing run. Six different Jaguars scored during the run.

Samford missed eight of its last nine field goals.

Jocelyn Tate added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Southern, which had nine of its 13 steals in the first half. The Jaguars finished with 20 points off turnovers.

NO. 10 VIRGINIA 57, NO. 10 ARIZONA STATE 55

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Kymora Johnson scored 17 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30.6 seconds remaining, and Virginia beat Arizona State for its first NCAA Tournament win since 2018.

Virginia (20-11), the No. 10 seed, will face seventh-seeded and 24th-ranked Georgia in the first round on Saturday. The Cavaliers are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2018 and first under coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton.

Johnson’s key 3-pointer — Virginia’s first of the second half in 10 attempts — made it 54-51.

Johnson went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line with 5.3 seconds left to cap the scoring and Arizona State guard Jyah LoVett lost control of the ball in the paint at the other end as the clock ran out.

Johnson also had 10 rebounds and five assists for her ninth career double-double. Caitlin Weimar added 11 points off the bench for Virginia and Romi Levy scored 10.

Marley Washenitz made five 3-pointers and scored 19 points for Arizona State (24-11). McKinna Brackens had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Heloisa Carrera also scored 10.

SMU coach Andy Enfield believes star forward B.J. Edwards' right ankle would have been ready by Friday if the Mustangs had found a way to advance out of the First Four at the NCAA Tournament.

Only SMU didn't, falling to Miami (Ohio) with the senior guard out of the lineup. The Mustangs had indicated Edwards might have been available for the tournament at large, which the NCAA selection committee indicated played a factor in giving SMU an at-large berth in the 68-team field.

Enfield brushed off the suggestion that the fact Edwards didn't play could hurt how the selection committee views the Mustangs in the future.

“We deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament if you look at all our metrics and our wins,” Enfield said. “We all thought that B.J. would be back.”

Enfield described Edwards' injury as “serious." Edwards hadn't played since tweaking the ankle against California on Feb. 25. Enfield credited Edwards for making every effort to be available by Wednesday. Instead, Edwards — who averaged 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists — was “a day short” of being cleared by SMU's medical staff.

“It was heartbreaking when he said, ‘I’m just not quite (there),'” Enfield said. “We thought he’d be right there. But it’s a very heartbreaking thing to have someone that wants to be out there and just can’t do it. It didn’t feel comfortable quite yet.”

The Mustangs (20-14) made the tournament despite an 8-10 mark in the ACC. Their resume did include wins over conference powers North Carolina and Louisville, though they also lost to struggling Syracuse.

“As far as the committee, what they’re — we deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament, bottom line,” Enfield said. “That’s pretty to the point right there.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Dontae Horne scored 25 points and Cory Wells had 19 as Prairie View A&M earned its first NCAA Tournament victory, 67-55 over Lehigh on Wednesday night in the First Four.

Lance Williams added 10 points for the Panthers (19-17), who are making their third tournament appearance. They advance as the No. 16 seed in the South Region to face top seed and defending national champion Florida on Friday in Tampa, Florida.

Lehigh leading scorer Nasir Whitlock went scoreless for more than 26 minutes and finished with five points. He was 2-of-15 shooting.

The last time Whitlock did not reach double figures was Nov. 9, when he had two points in a 69-47 loss at West Virginia.

Hank Alvey led Lehigh (18-17) with 23 points.

MIAMI (OHIO) 89, SMU 79

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Eian Elmer scored 22 points and Miami (Ohio) beat SMU for its first NCAA Tournament victory in 27 years.

Elmer went 6 of 9 from 3-point range as the 11th-seeded RedHawks (32-1), unbeaten during the regular season, advanced in the Midwest Region to play No. 6 seed Tennessee.

Brant Byers added 19 points, including four 3s, and Luke Skaljac had 17 for Miami, making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007. The RedHawks finished 16 of 41 from 3-point range.

Jaden Toombs led SMU (20-14) with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 18 points and Boopie Miller had 15 for the Mustangs.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness