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Sunday’s faculty basketball slate featured a bit of little bit of all the things because the common season got here to an finish, mid-major convention tournaments rolled on and main convention event brackets acquired solidified. With buzzer-beaters, emotional senior day moments and a few controversy as a part of the motion, it was a reminder that March is upon us in full drive.
Just one recreation featured two ranked groups, but it surely delivered in an enormous approach as No. 5 Iowa took down No. 25 Wisconsin 77-73 within the common season finale for each. Although the referees stole a part of the highlight — there have been 24 fouls referred to as within the second half — one efficiency stood out above the remaining.
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That efficiency belonged nationwide participant of the yr frontrunner Luka Garza, who completed with 21 factors and 16 rebounds in his last recreation at Carver-Hawkeye Enviornment. That effort helped Iowa (20-7, 14-6 Huge Ten) solidify its place as a projected No. 2 seed within the NCAA Match in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology coming into the Huge Ten Match.
It additionally made what occurred after the sport all of the extra acceptable. Extra on that in only a second as we begin to dissect the winners and losers from an necessary day in faculty hoops
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The Hawkeyes introduced Sunday that they’ll retire Garza’s No. 55 in a becoming tribute to the nation’s main scorer and Iowa’s all-time main scorer. The postgame ceremony supplied a reminder of school basketball’s magnificence. There’s some skepticism over how Garza’s recreation will translate to the NBA. However the place he turns into an All-Star or struggles to stay on an expert roster, he’ll at all times be a legend at Iowa, and nobody will ever put on his uniform once more.
Garza wasn’t the one participant on an elite workforce who loved a historic senior day second on Sunday. Baylor guard MaCio Teague set a Huge 12 document with 10 made 3-pointers as he led the No. 3 Bears to an 88-73 win over No. 18 Texas Tech throughout his last recreation on the Ferrell Middle. Teague completed with 35 factors, together with 26 within the second half as he propelled the Bears — a projected No. 1 seed for the NCAA Match — into the postseason.
Loser: Memphis‘ at-large hopes are ripped away
Memphis entered Sunday’s recreation at No. 9 Houston on the NCAA Match bubble, in keeping with Palm, however needing a victory over the Cougars to maintain their hopes of an at-large bid. The Tigers had their goals of dancing ripped away in brutal style when Houston’s Tramon Mark banked in a contested 3-pointer on the buzzer to carry the Cougars to a 67-64 victory. The end result probably implies that Memphis might want to win the AAC Match with a view to make the Huge Dance.
Winner: Loyola Chicago wins Arch Insanity
The Ramblers are headed again to the NCAA Match as the automated qualifier out of the Missouri Valley Convention after knocking off Drake 75-65 within the MVC Match title recreation. Cameron Krutwig and Braden Norris led Loyola Chicago with 20 factors apiece. If Krutwig’s identify sounds acquainted, it ought to. He was a key contributor on the 2018 Last 4 workforce as a freshman, and this workforce appears loads able to advancing within the NCAA Match as soon as once more. Palm had the Ramblers projected as a No. 12 seed coming into the day. Any potential No. 5 seeds curious about dealing with them? Did not assume so.
Winner: Winthrop wins Huge South
Talking of mid-major groups with the chops to wreak havoc within the NCAA Match, how about Winthrop? The Eagles will enter the occasion with a 23-1 document after thrashing Campbell 80-53 within the Huge South Match title recreation. With a roster that includes a number of veterans, a rotation that goes 11 deep and a coach in Pat Kelsey whose been within the Huge Dance earlier than, this workforce could possibly be harmful. The Eagles have been a projected No. 13 seed by Palm in the beginning of the day, however they’re one other workforce that nobody will wish to play.
Winner: Tennessee finishes sturdy
The Volunteers have not received consecutive video games since Feb. 6 and Feb. 10, however they have not misplaced consecutive video games in that stretch, both. Their alternation between wins and losses continued Sunday as they pulled out a 65-54 win over Florida in a battle of projected No. 6 seeds. The Volunteers (17-7, 10-7 SEC) trailed by 14 within the first half however performed suffocating protection within the second half to provide seniors Yves Pons and John Fulkerson a pleasant sendoff on the finish an up-and-down common season. Profitable was notably vital for the Vols, although, as a result of it earned them a double-bye within the SEC Match.
Winner: Oregon takes the Pac-12 title
How a couple of tip of the cap to Oregon? The Geese wanted a win over Oregon State on Sunday night time to repeat because the Pac-12 common season champions they usually delivered with an 8-67 win to lock up the No. 1 seed within the Pac-12 Match. All 5 starters reached double figures for Oregon (19-5, 14-4 Pac-12)
Loser: Accidents loom giant on final day of normal season
There is no such thing as a phrase but on how extreme both damage is, however No. 2 Michigan and No. 5 Iowa every noticed key gamers endure accidents. Iowa’s Joe Wieskamp, the workforce’s second-leading scorer behind Garza, left the Hawkeyes’ win over Wisconsin within the first half and didn’t return after struggling an ankle damage. The identical occurred to Michigan senior guard Eli Brooks, who was noticed in a boot after leaving the Wolverines’ loss at Michigan State after an early ankle damage.
Winner: Michigan State’s NCAA Match possibilities
With out Brooks, Michigan struggled to copy its 69-50 victory over Michigan State from Thursday. The Spartans received Sunday’s rematch 70-64, securing a crucial win for his or her NCAA Match resume. Michigan State was a projected No. 11 seed coming into the day however ought to have the ability to take a deep breath earlier than starting Huge Ten Match play towards Maryland on Thursday.
Loser: Officers on the CAA Match
Because the No. 1 seed within the CAA Match, James Madison entered Sunday’s league event quarterfinal recreation projected as a No. 16 seed within the NCAA Match by Palm. The Dukes’ standing within the Bracketology was predicated on them profitable the CAA Match, although, and it seems the league’s automated bid will probably be going to another person.
That is as a result of JMU suffered a 72-71 to No. 8 seed Elon in controversial style because the Dukes have been whistled for 2 expensive technical fouls. The primary got here when Zach Jacobs dedicated the sportsmanship atrocity of the century by yelling “and one” after he drew a foul on a first-half bucket. JMU overcame that dose of authoritarianism from the referees to open up a 15-point lead early within the second half. However then JMU coach Mark Byington was referred to as for a technical with 1:13 left. That despatched Elon to the free-throw line, the place it took a late lead.
Winner: Penn State completes a livid rally
Maryland might simply as simply be dubbed a “loser” right here, however let’s give credit score to the Nittany Lions for overcoming a 16-point deficit on the highway and beating the Terrapins 66-61. Particularly, Seth Lundy deserves some adulation for filling it up with 31 factors off the bench on 11-of-18 taking pictures. That have to be a career-high for a sophomore averaging 9.4 factors per recreation, proper? Mistaken. Lundy scored 32 in a win over VCU earlier this season. After the resignation of coach Pat Chambers earlier than the season, this has been a attempting yr for the Nittany Lions (10-13, 7-12 Huge Ten), however Sunday’s win will probably be one to recollect.
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