{"id":87020,"date":"2023-03-24T12:37:15","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T12:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/24\/march-madness-the-best-and-worst-of-everything-from-thursdays-sweet-16\/"},"modified":"2023-03-24T12:37:16","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T12:37:16","slug":"march-madness-the-finest-and-worst-of-every-part-from-thursdays-sweet-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/24\/march-madness-the-finest-and-worst-of-every-part-from-thursdays-sweet-16\/","title":{"rendered":"March Madness: The finest and worst of every part from Thursday\u2019s Sweet 16"},"content":{"rendered":"

[ad_1]
\n<\/p>\n

\n

Two absolute classics, a possible match favourite rising, and the highest play of March so far. <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get to all of it.<\/p>\n

(3) Kansas State 98, (7) Michigan State 93 (OT) (East)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The recreation of the match to date, and I didn\u2019t assume the runner-up was significantly near being inside shouting distance … till just a few hours later. <\/p>\n

As thrilling as Gonzaga-UCLA was down the stretch, it didn\u2019t fairly <\/em>ship as constantly from begin to end the way in which the primary recreation of the night to tip-off did. <\/p>\n

The largest lead of the sport was seven. Michigan State shot 49.2 p.c from the sphere and Kansas State shot 55.9 p.c, turning into simply the second workforce this season to shoot higher than 50% from the sphere in opposition to the Spartans. Michigan State shot a scorching 52.0 p.c from three, whereas Ok-State countered with 45.8 p.c. <\/p>\n

You additionally had two New York natives \u2014 Kansas State\u2019s Markquis Nowell and Michigan State\u2019s Tyson Walker \u2014 going enormous play for enormous play inside Madison Square Garden. <\/p>\n

For a second, Walker appeared to have made the most important play of the night time; a driving left-handed shot that tied the rating at 82 and compelled the primary extra time of the NCAA match to date. <\/p>\n

Nowell countered within the additional interval with the very best and most-talked about play of March up to now, one we\u2019ll discuss a bit of bit extra about beneath. <\/p>\n

The diminutive Wildcat flooring basic would attain 19 assists throughout extra time, setting a brand new NCAA match document for assists in a single recreation. Nowell\u2019s closing dime was an inbounds move to one more New York native, Ismael Massoud, who buried a baseline jumper to place Kansas State forward by 3 with 17 seconds to play. <\/p>\n

Walker tried to play hero as soon as extra on the opposite finish, however he was stripped by Nowell, who then drove the size of the courtroom for an exclamatory layup simply earlier than the ultimate buzzer sounded. <\/p>\n

Oh, and Nowell did all this regardless of struggling an ankle damage within the second half that resulted in a fast 9-2 Michigan State run whereas he was sidelined. <\/p>\n

\u201cToday was a special one, man,\u201d mentioned Nowell. \u201cI\u2019ve got to give a lot to credit to my teammates for battling, for fighting through adversity when we was down. I can\u2019t even explain how I\u2019m feeling right now. I just know that I\u2019m blessed and I\u2019m grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Narratives can change quick from one spherical to the following, however that is rapidly beginning to change into \u201cThe Markquis Nowell Tournament.\u201d <\/p>\n

The electrifying Third Team All-American now has 42 assists via three video games, shattering the earlier document for many assists by any participant via the Sweet 16. The previous document of 33 had been shared by Joey Rodriguez of VCU in 2011 (who took 4 video games to do it) and UCLA\u2019s Earl Watson in 2000. Oh, and Nowell\u2019s additionally averaging 21.3 ppg within the Big Dance. <\/p>\n

A primary-year head coach in Jerome Tang versus a twenty eighth yr head coach in Tom Izzo who had pulled extra seed-line upsets than any coach within the historical past of the match. A Kansas State workforce that was picked to complete final within the Big 12 and which hasn\u2019t been to a Final Four since 1964 versus a perennial powerhouse in Michigan State making an attempt to get to its ninth Final Four underneath Izzo alone. Incredible shot making and unimaginable effort on each ends of the ground for 45 full minutes.<\/p>\n

This was an absolute March basic. <\/p>\n

UConn<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Kansas State-Michigan State and Gonzaga-UCLA video games are all anybody\u2019s going to be speaking about Friday morning, which is comprehensible. But misplaced within the shuffle goes to be the truth that UConn continues to maneuver like an incredible machine, and appears like it could now be the workforce to beat via two and-a-half rounds of this match. <\/p>\n

The Huskies have been broadly anticipated to face a stern check from uber-talented Arkansas on Thursday night. Not so. UConn obtained no matter it need on offense from the sport\u2019s opening tip to the ultimate horn, steamrolling its approach to an 88-65 demolition of Eric Musselman\u2019s workforce. <\/p>\n

For all its historic success within the match, the 23-point margin of victory was the biggest ever for a Connecticut workforce within the Sweet 16 spherical or past. <\/p>\n

The efficiency was so full that it left Bill Murray \u2014 whose son, Luke, is a UConn assistant \u2014 begging Dan Hurley to drag a Musselman and go topless after the sport.<\/p>\n

UConn has received its first three video games of the match by 62 complete factors, and all of them have come by 15 factors or extra. That 20.7 ppg common margin of victory is well the biggest of any workforce nonetheless standing. <\/p>\n

While they\u2019ve made 30 three-pointers within the match to date (9-of-20 from three on Thursday), the Huskies did it each inside and outdoors in opposition to Arkansas. They shot 61.0 p.c from the sphere within the first half and had practically as many factors within the paint (24) because the Razorbacks had complete factors (29). <\/p>\n

\n
\n

24 factors for projected top-20 choose Jordan Hawkins in a blowout Sweet 16 win for UConn. Got himself downhill way more often than normal for a career-tying 9 FT makes, whereas additionally displaying his typical shot-making capacity and placing a powerful effort in defensively. pic.twitter.com\/G5Xrz4AN2m<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) March 24, 2023<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Despite going through an Arkansas workforce that Clark Kellogg may consult with as \u201cspurtable,\u201d Connecticut allowed the underdogs no hope after halftime. They stored up their breakneck tempo, they prolonged their lead from 17 factors to 29, and by no means let it dip beneath 19. <\/p>\n

Adama Sanogo is enjoying as properly on each ends of the ground as any massive man within the match, Jordan Hawkins is stepping as much as be that star guard on a March tear that each Final Four workforce wants, and as a unit, the Huskies have been at their finest defensively over these final three video games. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s all there for Connecticut for the time being. <\/p>\n

Tennessee<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s nights and days like these that you just hope Rick Barnes isn\u2019t Twitter title searcher. <\/p>\n

Despite all his common season success at Tennessee, Barnes nonetheless hasn\u2019t been in a position to get the Vols previous the Sweet 16. The head coach hasn\u2019t been to an Elite Eight, interval, since taking Texas there in 2008. <\/p>\n

The newest March disappointment got here Thursday night time in opposition to Ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic, a workforce in opposition to whom Tennessee managed the motion for the primary 29 minutes or so. The Vols performed the sport at their most well-liked tempo and efficiently drug the Owls \u201cinto the mud\u201d with them up till in regards to the halfway level of the second half. It was then that FAU began to attach on the surface photographs that had been discovering solely rim up till that time, and it was then that Tennessee misplaced management. <\/p>\n

Michael Forrest went on a private 8-0 run that turned a 4-point FAU deficit right into a 4-point benefit. The Owls by no means trailed once more, as defensive minded Tennessee merely couldn\u2019t discover any offense to ship a return blow. The Volunteers shot simply 33.0 p.c from the sphere for the sport and went simply 6-of-23 from past the arc. <\/p>\n

This is the fifth straight match the place UT has had its season ended by a worse-seeded workforce. A constructive? At least Florida Atlantic wasn\u2019t a double-digit seed like Michigan (#11 in 2022), Oregon State (#12 in 2021) or Loyola-Chicago (#11 in 2018). <\/p>\n

Baby steps. <\/p>\n

1. Gonzaga-UCLA<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is primarily for Thursday night time\u2019s thriller, however we are able to additionally prolong this cheers to the general Gonzaga-UCLA March sequence, which has now given us three absolute classics over the past 20 years.<\/p>\n

The newest installment felt prefer it was going to wind up being a story of two halves. And then it wound up being a story of like eight completely different closing minutes. <\/p>\n

UCLA dominated the opening 20 minutes. Gonzaga had nobody who may hold Bruin level guard Tyger Campbell in entrance of them, and solely the stellar offensive play of Drew Timme inside stored the Zags inside a decent distance. Mick Cronin\u2019s workforce led 46-33 on the break, however their lead would by no means develop bigger. <\/p>\n

A renewed vitality and dedication on the defensive finish fueled Gonzaga within the second half. Timme continued to gentle up the wounded Bruins \u2014who have been enjoying with out massive man Adem Bona \u2014 within the submit, and on the opposite finish, the Zags held UCLA with out a subject objective for a whopping 11 minutes. This allowed Mark Few\u2019s workforce to construct a 10-point benefit with simply 2:40 to play.<\/p>\n

Then, the ghosts of 2006 crept out from the shadows. <\/p>\n

Pac-12 Player of the Year Jaime Jacquez started to assault the basket successfully, some revved up UCLA strain pressured a key turnover, and Gonzaga instantly couldn\u2019t discover its stroke on the free-throw line. The livid rally couldn\u2019t assist however evoke recollections of \u201cThe Adam Morrison Game,\u201d one of the well-known \u2014 and painful for those who\u2019re a Bulldog fan \u2014 Sweet 16 contests within the historical past of March Madness. <\/p>\n

The episode of historical past repeating itself took full maintain after Timme missed badly on a pair of free-throws and UCLA\u2019s Amari Bailey buried a 3 on the opposite finish to place the Bruins forward with 12.2 seconds to go.<\/p>\n

In that recreation 17 years in the past to the day<\/a>, Gonzaga didn’t have a timeout to make use of after UCLA scored the go-ahead bucket, and a frenetic sequence ended with Bulldog level guard Derek Raivio dropping the ball and Morrison winding up on the courtroom in tears. <\/p>\n

This time, Mark Few was prepared. <\/p>\n

The man who possible holds the doubtful but in addition respect-demanding title of \u201cbest coach to never win a title\u201d dialed up the identical full-court motion that Villanova used to beat North Carolina on the buzzer<\/a> of the 2016 nationwide championship recreation. The play resulted in Julian Strawther getting a shot at a game-winner from just about the identical spot<\/a> the place he hit one earlier within the season in opposition to BYU. <\/p>\n

The Las Vegas native delivered once more. <\/p>\n

After a steal by Gonzaga\u2019s Malachi Smith, who then made 1-of-2 free-throws, UCLA had one closing probability to ship the sport into extra time. Campbell obtained an excellent look<\/a> from about 30-feet, however the potential game-extender sailed simply lengthy. <\/p>\n

For Gonzaga, the thriller places them simply three wins away from placing to mattress the \u201ccan they actually do it?\u201d discuss eternally. For UCLA, the dialog about this season appears destined to encompass the questions of what if Jaylen Terry wasn\u2019t misplaced for the yr and what if Adem Bona had been in a position to play in opposition to the Zags. The workforce definitely gave the impression to be adequate to win a nationwide title at full power, and was proper there even at about 75-80%. <\/p>\n

\n
\n

Gonzaga-UCLA tourney conferences in 2006 & 2023:<\/p>\n

2006: regional semifinals
2023: regional semifinals<\/p>\n

2006: UCLA 2 seed, Gonzaga 3 seed
2023: UCLA 2 seed, Gonzaga 3 seed<\/p>\n

2006: Gonzaga leads by 13 at half, UCLA rallies to win
2023: UCLA leads by 13 at half, Gonzaga rallies to win<\/p>\n

\u2014 OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) March 24, 2023<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

For everybody else, we\u2019ll simply hope that we see these two squaring off in each match from now till eternity. <\/p>\n

2. The Markquis Nowell\/Keyontae Johnson lob<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You\u2019ve seen the play by now, however to start out this dialog, let\u2019s make certain we watch it once more.<\/p>\n

Now let\u2019s take a look at the court-level view. <\/p>\n

Quick abstract right here: That is New York native Markquis Nowell showing <\/em>to deliberately get into it along with his head coach to chill out the protection, then throwing a half-look alley-oop move from simply inside halfcourt to Keyontae Johnson \u2014 the participant who terrifyingly collapsed on the courtroom in December of 2020 \u2014 for a reverse cram to interrupt a 92-92 tie within the closing minute of extra time in a Sweet 16 recreation being performed at Madison Square Garden. <\/p>\n

Oh, and the help allowed Nowell to tie the document for assists in a single NCAA match recreation, a document he would break minutes later. <\/p>\n

Simply put, this might need been the best shit I\u2019ve ever seen in my whole life. <\/p>\n

Want it’s even cooler? Just earlier than it occurred, Nowell appeared up within the crowd at Isaiah Thomas and Michigan State legend Mateen Cleaves and mentioned \u201cwatch this.\u201d <\/p>\n

Now Jerome Tang informed Sports Illustrated\u2019s Richard Johnson<\/a> after the sport that this \u201cwasn\u2019t a dummy call\u201d and that Nowell and Johnson simply have an ideal connection and made an ideal play. I\u2019m selecting to utterly ignore this data. <\/p>\n

Ok-State is essentially the most enjoyable workforce within the match, Markquis Nowell is essentially the most enjoyable participant within the match, Keyontae Johnson is the very best story of the match, they usually had been saving this swaggy as fuck play-call all yr lengthy, simply ready for the right second. This is my reality. <\/p>\n

Pre-meditated or not, this was an all-time March second from a participant on an all-time March run. <\/p>\n

3. Hometown children <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Thursday was a incredible night time for lots of issues, none extra so than star gamers returning to their hometowns, burying game-winners, after which letting everybody each in attendance and watching from dwelling know whose metropolis it’s. <\/p>\n

First up, Markquis Nowell, the person whose Twitter deal with is @MrNewYorkCityy and who would really like everybody to know that he calls the Big Apple dwelling. <\/p>\n

\n
\n

Reporter postgame to Markquis Nowell: “To quote you accurately, working down the courtroom it appeared such as you yelled ‘This is my metropolis.’ <\/p>\n

Ismael Massoud: “Yeah it’s. Yeah it’s.”<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kyle Boone (@Kyle__Boone) March 24, 2023<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Next up, Julian Strawther, who was born in Las Vegas and performed his highschool ball at Liberty in close by Henderson, NV. After burying the shot that will finally sink UCLA\u2019s season, Strawther additionally needed the basketball world to be aware of the truth that the occasion which simply occurred had taken place within the metropolis which he calls dwelling. <\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a Louisville or a Kansas City native taking the ground of their dwelling metropolis on Friday night time, their workforce might be the one you must be wagering on. <\/p>\n

1. Uros Plavsic\u2019s flagrant foul<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The dirtiest play of Thursday night time got here from Tennessee\u2019s Uros Plavsic, who\u2019s actually fortunate that he wasn\u2019t ejected for this. <\/p>\n

Not solely was the forearm an affordable transfer, it was dumb. Tennessee trailed by simply 4 on the time (though the three-point shot that was within the air would finally rip via the online), and there was solely 7:33 to play. The offensively-inept Volunteers may ill-afford to only give factors away to the Owls at this juncture, and Plavsic did simply that. <\/p>\n

2. The Big Ten<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While we nonetheless have a shot at our first West Coast champion since 1997, Michigan State\u2019s loss to Kansas State signifies that the Big Ten\u2019s streak of title futility will prolong into a minimum of its twenty fourth yr subsequent season. <\/p>\n

\n
\n

The Big Ten has 1 males\u2019s basketball nationwide title within the 2000s and a couple of complete since 1989. <\/p>\n

7 completely different particular person applications have as many or extra nationwide titles over that very same span. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s exhausting to take a Big Ten nationwide title run significantly after one other dreadful match displaying.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Scott Phillips (@phillipshoops) March 24, 2023<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

But it\u2019s extra than simply the shortage of nationwide championships for the league at this level. <\/p>\n

The Big Ten has obtained extra bids than every other convention in every of the final three NCAA tournaments. With these 26 complete bids, the convention has produced zero Final Four groups and only one regional finalist. The convention has put 17 groups within the subject the final two seasons and hasn\u2019t had a single workforce play within the Elite Eight. <\/p>\n

The metrics will possible proceed to inform us that the Big Ten is likely one of the two finest conferences in school basketball subsequent season, but it surely\u2019s getting tougher and tougher to belief any of the league\u2019s prime performers on the game\u2019s greatest stage. <\/p>\n

3. UConn\u2019s Vegas lodge <\/strong><\/h3>\n

No workforce within the NCAA match is enjoying in addition to the UConn Huskies proper now, however that doesn\u2019t imply that Danny Hurley\u2019s workforce hasn\u2019t been met with some adversity in Las Vegas. <\/p>\n

The workforce was set to examine into the Luxor lodge on Tuesday, the lodge booked for the workforce by the NCAA, however gamers rapidly complained that their rooms have been riddled with \u201cdirt, vomit, and worse.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

The workforce bailed on the lodge and was fortunately capable of finding new lodging. While athletic director David Benedict mentioned the varsity \u201cdidn\u2019t want to make a big deal\u201d out of the scenario, UConn followers rapidly started to accuse<\/a> the NCAA of making an attempt to sabotage the Huskies. <\/p>\n

Thankfully, the scenario didn\u2019t seem to have any form of unfavorable have an effect on on the Huskies\u2019 play Thursday night time. <\/p>\n

Drew Timme, Gonzaga<\/strong><\/p>\n

UCLA had no reply for the Gonzaga massive man, who went nuts to the tune of 36 factors (essentially the most for any participant on this match to date) and 13 rebounds. With the efficiency, Timme went from twenty fourth to tied with Austin Carr for eleventh on the all-time NCAA match scoring checklist.<\/p>\n

Markquis Nowell, Kansas State<\/strong><\/p>\n

The man who has taken this match by storm put forth one more murals, scoring 20 factors, handing out a match document 19 assists, and recording 5 steals in Kansas State\u2019s extra time win over Michigan State. <\/p>\n

Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA<\/strong><\/p>\n

In what was possible his closing efficiency as a Bruin, the Pac-12 Player of the Year practically willed UCLA into the Elite Eight, scoring 29 factors, grabbing 11 rebounds, recording three steals and meting out three assists. <\/p>\n

Jordan Hawkins, UConn<\/strong><\/p>\n

He solely needed to play 28 minutes due to his workforce\u2019s complete effort in opposition to Arkansas, however Hawkins buried three triples and all 9 of his free-throw makes an attempt on his approach to a game-high 24 factors. <\/p>\n

A.J. Hoggard, Michigan State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoggard did every part he may to maintain Sparty\u2019s season alive, scoring a game-high 25 factors and recording a team-high six assists.<\/p>\n

Keyontae Johnson, Kansas State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sure, let\u2019s see it once more.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Fake arguing along with your coach to distract the protection earlier than throwing a half-look move for a reverse alley-oop to interrupt a 92-92 tie within the closing minute of OT in a Sweet 16 recreation at MSG is perhaps the best shit I\u2019ve ever seen pic.twitter.com\/10E8CJEvkW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) March 24, 2023<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

1. The Markquis Nowell match<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes this match could be so magical that it could possibly get the entire nation speaking a couple of man they didn\u2019t know existed three weeks earlier. The entire nation is speaking about Markquis Nowell. <\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\"Michigan<\/p>\n

<\/source><\/picture>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Photo by Elsa\/Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

2. Owl energy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Florida Atlantic, which had been to only one NCAA match earlier than this yr and by no means received an NCAA match recreation, is only one win away from the Final Four. <\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\"Florida<\/p>\n

<\/source><\/picture>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Photo by Elsa\/Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

3. Timme time<\/strong><\/p>\n

The man you both love or hate isn\u2019t carried out but. <\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\"Gonzaga<\/p>\n

<\/source><\/picture>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Photo by Sean M. Haffey\/Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

1. \u201cI\u2019m just really, really thankful I get to yell at them in practice one more day. We just get to spend another day and dap each other up, all little things that really matter. I\u2019m just so thankful for that.\u201d<\/strong> \u2014Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang<\/p>\n

2. \u201cIf people have a problem with that, they can go … go somewhere else.\u201d<\/strong> \u2014Drew Timme resisting the urge to swear on stay TV<\/a> for the second time in every week. <\/p>\n

3. \u201cMy opening statement is it took 33 minutes to get me in here, which is ridiculous.\u201d <\/strong>\u2014UCLA head coach Mick Cronin<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s do that once more. Bring snacks. Maybe a scorching dip or one thing.<\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/source><\/picture>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n