Men’s March Madness Sunday recap: UConn, Duke, Houston, Purdue reach Sweet 16

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Men’s March Madness Sunday recap: UConn, Duke, Houston, Purdue reach Sweet 16

Jordan Mendoza, Steve Gardner, Lorenzo Reyes and Jim Reineking, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Mon, Mar 25, 2024 ·

33 min read

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Upsets were hard to come by as the Round of 32 of the men's NCAA Tournament concluded with eight second-round games on Sunday.

No. 1 seeds UConn — the defending national champions — Houston and Purdue all prevailed. However, Houston needed overtime to dispatch Texas A&M .

Brand names such as Duke and Marquette also advanced to the Sweet 16.

After a first round that featured eight double-digit seeds advancing, there were only two upsets in the second round: No. 5 Gonzaga topping No. 4 Kansas on Saturday and No. 6 Clemson defeating No. 3 Baylor on Sunday.

USA TODAY Sports provided the latest news, scores and analysis all day.

Men's March Madness games today

Sunday's results :

Men's March Madness Sweet 16 schedule

(All times Eastern)

Thursday, March 28

(2) Arizona vs. (6) Clemson | 7:09 p.m. | CBS
(1) UConn vs. (5) San Diego State | 7:39 p.m. | TBS/truTV
(1) North Carolina vs. (4) Alabama | 9:39 p.m. | CBS
(2) Iowa State vs. (3) Illinois | 10:09 p.m. | TBS/truTV

Friday, March 29

(2) Marquette vs. (11) NC State | 7:09 p.m. | CBS
(1) Purdue vs. (5) Gonzaga | 7:39 p.m. |TBS/truTV
(1) Houston vs. (4) Duke | 9:39 p.m. | CBS
(2) Tennessee vs. (3) Creighton | 10:09 p.m. |TBS/truTV

San Diego State reaches Sweet 16 for second straight season

No. 5 San Diego State routed No. 13 Yale, 85-57, to reach the Sweet for the second consecutive season and fourth time in the program's Division I history.

The Aztecs will face the defending national champions, Connecticut, on Thursday (7:39 p.m. ET on TBS and truTV).

Jaedon LeDee scored a game-high 26 points. Darrion Trammell added 18 points for SDSU.

Yale bows out of the NCAA Tournament, but not after scoring one of March Madness' biggest upsets on Friday. — Jim Reineking

Houston survives Texas A&M rally, wins in overtime

Even with several people in foul trouble and a late collapse, Houston was able to put away Texas A&M in overtime to win 100-95 and advance to its fifth straight Sweet 16.

Texas A&M made a buzzer-beating shot at the end of regulation to end a 13-3 run, But Houston got out to a hot start in the extra period and held the lead the rest of the way to win it.

Texas A&M drew fouls all night with 27 calls against Houston and 21 on the Aggies. As a result, J'Wan Roberts picked up four fouls and starters Ja'Vier Francis, L.J. Cryer, Emanuel Sharpe and Jamal Shead fouled out. Still, Texas A&M couldn't take advantage with its several free throw trips. It went 29-for-45 (64.4%) from the charity stripe, a place Texas A&M had struggled to score at much of the season and it proved to be a major contributor in its loss.

Houston shot the ball much better than Texas A&M, with a 34-for-66 (51.5%) mark while the Aggies were 29-for-74 (39.2%). Despite fouling out early in overtime, Emanuel Sharp was the leading scorer on the night with 30 points as he was one of four starters in double-figures. — Jordan Mendoza

Texas A&M completes miraculous comeback to force overtime

Texas A&M looked done. It was down by 11 points with 1:48 left.

But the Aggies didn't quit. Through shots going in, forcing turnovers and Houston missing free throws, Texas A&M got it to a one-possession game with the ball.

With one second left, Tyrece Radford found Andersson Garcia at the top of the 3-point arc to drill a 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime as he was rushed by his teammates. Texas A&M went on a 13-3 run to force the extra period. — Jordan Mendoza

San Diego State build big halftime lead vs. Yale

Sunday's last chance for a major upset isn't looking promising for those rooting for March Madness chaos.

No. 5 San Diego State is in control against No. 13 Yale, leading 45-21 at halftime in the Round of 32 capper in Spokane, Washington.

The Aztecs are led by Jaedon LeDee, who has 17 points.

Yale reached this point with a thrilling first-round upset of No. 4 Auburn . — Jim Reineking

Houston closing in on win

The Cougars can smell blood.

Houston is a few minutes from putting away Texas A&M, as it has its largest lead of the night at 74-61 with four minutes to go.

Texas A&M is struggling offensively, with free throws being the only source of scoring in the past few minutes. In the past six minutes. The Aggies have only made one shot. — Jordan Mendoza

Free throws hurting Texas A&M

If Texas A&M falls just short of beating Houston, it's going to think about how it lost the game at the free throw line.

The Aggies have gotten to the foul line 26 times compared to Houston's seven. But Texas A&M is capitalizing, with only half of its free throw attempts going in. It's been a problem for most of the season, with Texas A&M ranking 218th in the country in free throw percentage, and it might be the reason why its season ends in the second round.

Houston leads 63-57 with less than eight minutes to go. — Jordan Mendoza

Houston threatening to extend lead

L.J. Cryer is trying to takes Texas A&M out, scoring 10 of Houston's first 14 second half points to give the Cougars a 57-48 lead.

Cryer had a relatively quiet first half with only six points, but he's starting to heat up with all 10 second half points coming on jump shots. — Jordan Mendoza

UConn rolls into Sweet 16 with rout of Northwestern

The defending national champions continue to be a wagon.

The Huskies earned a second straight NCAA Tournament victory via a rout , cruising past Northwestern 75-58.

This game was never in doubt for the five-time national champions, who had a 22-point lead at halftime. UConn led by as much as 30 points and Northwestern was only able to get within 16 points.

But there would be no dramatic comeback against a tournament favorite .

Tristen Newton scored a game-high 20 points. Teammates Donovan Clingan (14 points) and Cam Spencer (11) also had double-digit point totals. — Jim Reineking

Houston leads at halftime

Texas A&M is doing all it can to make sure not all No. 1 seeds advance to the Sweet 16. Houston holds a close 43-38 lead at halftime.

Both teams struggled to shoot out of the game but they each eventually found some sort of rhythm. The trouble Houston has found itself in is committing too many fouls. The Cougars fouled the Aggies 14 times in the first half which resulted in 11 points coming from the free throw line. Still, Texas A&M hasn't taken full advantage of it with 11 misses from the charity stripe.

Jamal Shead and Emanuel Sharp have done most of the scoring for Houston, with the duo scoring 25 points in the first half. — Jordan Mendoza

Alabama survives upset scare vs. Grand Canyon

The No. 12-seeded Antelopes could not pull off a second straight upset of a top-five seeded team on Sunday.

No. 4 Alabama held on for a 72-61 victory to reach the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year and the 11th time in program history.

Grand Canyon, meanwhile, came tantalizingly close to its first Sweet 16 appearance two days after it collected its first Division I tournament win, a 75-66 upset of No. 5 Saint Mary's .

Mark Sears led the Crimson Tide in scoring with 26 points. Grand Canyon's Tyon Grant-Foster had a game-high 29 points. — Jim Reineking

Houston holds slim lead

It hasn't been pretty, but Houston is known for making games ugly with its strong defense and it holds a 17-16 lead over Texas A&M halfway through the first half.

Texas A&M has fallen victim to Houston's strong defense early, but the Aggies are getting to the foul line to get points and it's paying off. It's 5-for-8 from the free throw line already despite making only five field goals so far. — Jordan Mendoza

UConn steamrolling Northwestern

The defending national champions continue to impress.

Connecticut is cruising against Northwestern, leading 40-18 at the half.

The Huskies are doing this even while only shooting 1-for-10 from behind the 3-point arc.

The Huskies' Donovan Clingan has a game-high 12 points. Tristen Newton has added nine points. Nick Martinelli is Northwestern's leading scorer with eight points.

This could be a second straight rout for UConn, which easily dispatched Stetson, 91-52 , in the first round. — Jim Reineking

Clemson holds on, eliminates Baylor

Baylor made a late run, but Clemson held on and will be headed to the Sweet 16 after it beat the Bears 72-64.

The Bears had a late surge with a 16-3 run making it a two-point game in the final minutes. But Baylor couldn't break through completely and Clemson made its free throws late to prevent any late magic. It was remarkable considering it didn't make a single 3-pointer in the second half, but the defense stayed strong and held Baylor to just 38.9% shooting.

Clemson will be headed to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018 and only second time in the 21st century. — Jordan Mendoza

Alabama leads Grand Canyon at halftime

The Crimson Tide are aiming to avoid being on the wrong end of another upset by the Antelopes.

No. 12 Grand Canyon upset of No. 5 seeded Saint Mary's on Friday night, earning its first NCAA Tournament win and becoming the eighth double-digit seed to reach the second round.

No. 4 Alabama, meanwhile, built an eight-point lead at the half, 38-30, behind 13-point efforts from Mark Sears and Rylan Griffen. Sears has connected on three of four 3-point attempts. However, high-scoring Alabama is off its normal scoring pace ... it prevailed on Friday 106-96 against Charleston for its 10th 100-point game of the season.

Tyon Grant-Foster is Grand Canyon's leading scorer at the half with 12 points, making two of three 3-point attempts. — Jim Reineking

Baylor not going away

The Bears are making it a game.

A 9-0 run has Baylor right back into its second round game against Clemson, and it's now a 61-55 game at the final media timeout. While Baylor is now starting to hit shots, Clemson has gone three minutes with a point in what has been its most stagnant part of the night. — Jordan Mendoza

Clemson continues to lead

Clemson is continuing to roll in the second half by maintaining its double-digit lead against Baylor with 11 minutes to go.

The Bears have yet to find anything to ignite its high-powered offense, struggling to generate much on offense while Clemson is keeping at the pace it had in the first half. The Tigers pushed the lead to 16-points just a few minutes ago, but Baylor was able to cut it slightly with Clemson leading 48-37. — Jordan Mendoza

Alabama-Grand Canyon off to slow start

Offenses was expected to be the name of the game between Alabama and Grand Canyon, but neither team could score much early with the Antelopes up 8-7 seven minutes into the first half.

Both teams are a combined 5-of-32 (15.6%) from the field, but Grand Canyon has early momentum after Tyon Grant-Foster hit a 3-pointer to give his team its first lead of the game. — Jordan Mendoza

Dukes rolls past James Madison and into Sweet 16

In the battle between Duke vs. Dukes, Duke wins.

The Blue Devils won't be upset after it cruised toward a dominant victory against James Madison, 93-55, to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time under Jon Scheyer.

Duke wasn't afraid of a stout James Madison defense as it hit 3-pointers all day, finishing the game 14-for-28 (50%) from beyond the arc. Eight of those 3-pointers came from Jared McCain, who had a game-high 30 points on the night. On the other side, James Madison couldn't generate much on offense, shooting 38% from the field and turning the ball over 14 times. — Jordan Mendoza

Clemson heads into halftime with double-digit lead

Baylor is in trouble, as Clemson dominated the first half of its second round matchup and lead 35-25 at the break.

It's been an off half for a Baylor team that is so used to scoring at an efficient rate. The Bears were having a hard time scoring the ball in the last 10 minutes of the half, and finished 8-for-24 (33.3%) from the field and 3-for-9 (33.3%) from 3-point land. Meanwhile, Clemson is hot from 3-point land at 6-for-11 (54.5%), and if the half couldn't have gotten any better, Chase Hunter drilled a 3-point bucket just before the first half buzzer went off.

Could Clemson have played a better first half?

"No, probably not," Brad Brownell said on the broadcast. — Jordan Mendoza

Duke headed toward easy victory

Duke looks to have this one wrapped up, extending its lead against James Madison to 74-46 with nine minutes to go.

The Blue Devils have continued its momentum in the second half, outscoring the Dukes 27-21 in the second half as it continues to make 3-pointers at a remarkable rate. In the second half, it is 5-for-7 from 3-point land. — Jordan Mendoza

Clemson maintaining hot shooting

Sunday may be the first time college basketball fans are seeing Clemson's solid offense, but it's clicking early against Baylor with a 17-14 lead with 11 minutes left in the first half.

The 3-point ball is hitting for the Tigers with three of the first four going in, exceptional considering they aren't the most prolific scoring team from outside. Baylor is keeping up as expected, with five of its first nine shots in. — Jordan Mendoza

Stop tweeting @YaleMBB!

Clearly people are excited by Yale's exciting first-round win over Auburn on Friday night. A No. 13 seed taking down a No. 4 seed is always thrilling for those rooting for bracket chaos.

And, Yale's social handles have been blowing up with mentions as a result.

Including the school's molecular biophysics and biochemistry account on X, formerly Twitter, which wants you to know what is the proper handle to tag in your mentions.

Yale faces No. 5 San Diego State tonight at 9:40 p.m. ET (on TBS). — Jim Reineking

Clemson out to early lead on Baylor

If Clemson wants to get back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018, it's going to have to outlast the prolific Baylor offense, and it's off to a good start with a 7-5 lead at the first media timeout.

The Tigers made three of their first seven shots on the night, a promising beginning as it goes against a team that averages 80 points a game. — Jordan Mendoza

Duke leads JMU Dukes big at the break

Not only has Duke delivered James Madison's largest deficit of this game, it also gave JMU the most points it has been down all season long.

The Blue Devils entered halftime with a 22-point lead, up 47-25, but that wasn't even the largest lead Duke held; earlier in the half, the Blue Devils were actually up by 24 points, five more than James Madison's previous season-high deficit of 19 points.

James Madison's leading scorer this season, guard Terrence Edwards Jr., has put in just five points after he had early foul trouble, well below his average of 17.3 points per game.

For Duke, it has been freshman guard Jared McCain, who is on a heater. JMU had limited Wisconsin to just 20 first-half points in the first round; McCain scored 22 all by himself in the first half, alone, and went 6 of 8 from 3-point range.

One other area that's a concern for James Madison, which is on a 14-game winning streak is rebounding: Duke is holding a 21-13 edge. - Lorenzo Reyes

James Madison down big despite offense coming alive

James Madison's offense has settled some, hitting four of its last seven field goal attempts … but the Dukes are still down 14 points to the Blue Devils.

James Madison came into the game giving up just 29.1% from 3-point range, which ranked sixth-best in NCAA. Duke is shredding that perimeter defense, nailing 7 of 12 (58.3%) from beyond the arc. Freshman guard Jared McCain already has 17 points – 15 of those have come on a perfect 5-for-5 day from 3-point range. - Lorenzo Reyes

Duke blitzing James Madison midway through first half

Duke is smothering James Madison.

The Blue Devils are raining threes on the Dukes and have opened a 24-9 lead with 11:46 to play in the first half.

Duke is shooting 9 of 17 (52.9%) from the field but 6 of 10 (60%) from beyond the arc, while James Madison hasn't made either of its two shots from beyond the arc. Worse yet for James Madison, it has attempted just seven field goals.

Duke senior guard Jeremy Roach , a two-time team captain, appeared to hurt his left hand or wrist area, when he went in for a strip. He went immediately to the bench, where training staff tended to him for several minutes to tape his fingers. He appeared to be in visible discomfort. Roach would head to the locker room soon after. -Lorenzo Reyes

Duke's offense settling in vs. James Madison

The Duke Blue Devils have come out against James Madison looking to attack the mid-range and perimeter.

Duke is up 12-4 with 15:10 in the first half, thanks to a free-flowing offense that is sharing the ball. Duke's starting lineup has proved to be efficient: 4 of 5 starters have scored, with freshman guard Jared McCain leading the way with six points.

One thing to watch: James Madison's leading scorer who averaged 17.3 points per game this year, guard Terrence Edwards Jr., picked up his second foul with 18:12 in the half and went immediately to the bench. The Dukes haven't been able to most past that, playing frantically and without identity; James Madison has two turnovers and only four shot attempts, compared to Duke's 11. -Lorenzo Reyes

Duke looks for Sweet 16 appearance vs. James Madison

It's Duke vs. the Dukes. The Blue Devils take on No. 12-seeded James Madison in the round of 32. Duke is fresh off a a win vs. Vermont, while James Madison upended Wisconsin in the first round.

Purdue crushes Utah State, face Gonzaga in Sweet 16

In the Midwest Regional, No. 1 Purdue absolutely crushed No. 8 Utah State, which had no answer for the Boilermaker size and shot-making ability.

Purdue won 106-67 after a 55-point second half.

This came after Purdue rolled to a 28-point victory in the first round, and after it became just the second team since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985 to lose to a 16-seed .

Purdue's 7-4 center Zach Edey led all players in points (23) and rebounds (14).

The Boilermakers will play No. 5 Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. -Lorenzo Reyes

Purdue routing Utah State, Sweet 16 appearance nearing

This one is getting out of hand.

Purdue has opened a 31-point lead with just fewer than 10 minutes to play in the game, and the Boilermakers will almost certainly be moving on to play in the Sweet 16. It's bad enough for Utah State that Purdue is dominating the paint. But Purdue is also dominating the perimeter.

The Boilermakers have nine assists and just one turnover in the second half and the team is shooting 7 of 14 (50%) from 3-point range. -Lorenzo Reyes

Zach Edey, Purdue in driver's seat entering second half

Purdue started the second half the way it ended the first: drawing fouls and extending its lead.

The Boilermakers are up 64-39 with 15:24 left to play in the game, one that is increasingly looking as if it is all but over. Purdue has outscored Utah State 15-6 in the second half and continues to dominate in the paint. The Boilermakers have a 32-12 edge in points in the paint and it's starting to come from players other than Zach Edey, who hasn't scored a single point in the second half. Sophomore forward Trey Kaufman-Renn has been all over the floor and scored three of the first four Boilermaker baskets to start the half. He has 16 points. -Lorenzo Reyes

Purdue up big over Utah State at the half

Purdue closed the first half with a 3-pointer to tie its biggest lead of the game: 16 points.

The Boilermakers are dominating the paint, tripling Utah State's eight points there, with 24 of their own. That doesn't even account for the many free throws that have resulted from Aggie fouls enforced when Purdue, and 7-4 center Zach Edey, get the ball deep in the paint.

Edey, who led the country in scoring with 24.6 points per game, already has 21 on 7-of-10 shooting, including 7-of-8 free throws. Edey also already has a double-double, with 11 rebounds.

Utah State struggled significantly in the minutes without center Isaac Johnson, who picked up two early fouls. The Aggies got a little spurt midway through the first half when guard Ian Martínez scored 11 consecutive points for Utah State; he hasn't scored since then.

Purdue is shooting 17-of-33 (51.5%) from the field and is up 49-33. - Lorenzo Reyes

Zach Edey, Purdue take control of matchup vs. Utah State

Utah State is managing a couple of early problems.

For one, it remains in foul trouble. The Aggies have committed 11 fouls through the first 17 minutes of the game. Many of them have been after 7-4 Purdue center Zach Edey has gained position in the post. Rather than to allow him to take a shot with little resistance and live to fight another day, the Aggies have hacked at Edey, who has already made six of his seven free throw attempts.

The other Utah State issue also involves Edey. The Aggies are playing a smaller lineup, yet, they have tried to slip into the paint and force up contested layups with Edey looming under the basket.

The Aggies have scored just six points in the paint, compared to Purdue's 18.

The Boilermakers are on a 13-0 run and up 36-24 with 4:10 left in the half. - Lorenzo Reyes

Purdue, Utah State locked in battle midway through the first

While the pace has been a little more methodical than the first game Sunday, both these teams are battling.

Utah State is up 17-15 with 11:14 left in the first half, thanks to senior guard Ian Martínez pouring in the last 11 points for the Aggies.

Even with Purdue having the obvious size advantage with center Zach Edey, Utah State is holding its own, with the Boilermakers holding an 9-8 rebound advantage and 8-6 points in the paint edge.

Edey has four of those rebounds and six points early. - Lorenzo Reyes

How tall is Purdue's Zach Edey?

Purdue big man Zach Edey is listed at 7-4 and weighs 300 pounds. So, yes, he is a tall player.

Utah State in early foul trouble vs. Purdue, Zach Edey

The early strategy for Utah State was clear: try to keep 7-foot-4 Zach Edey out of the paint.

It worked, at least until foul trouble slowed things down.

The Aggies ran high pick-and-rolls at the top of the key with their own big man, 7-foot sophomore Isaac Johnson, as the screener. That pulled Edey out from the paint, allowing Utah State to attack and find early shot opportunities. Johnson, however, picked up two early fouls and went to the bench.

Purdue, on the other hand, failed to give Edey the ball early, and its offense struggled to get quality looks. That changed as the half wore on and the Boilermakers settled.

Both teams are each 3 of 8 (37.5%) from the floor. Purdue is up 8-6 with 15:49 left in the half.

Purdue and Utah State underway

No. 1 seed Purdue faces off against No. 8 Utah State in the second matchup of Sunday's round of 32 games. All eyes will be on Purdue big man Zach Edey, the 2022-23 Naismith national player of the year.

Marquette Golden Eagles outlast Colorado Buffaloes, punch Sweet 16 ticket

The Golden Eagles aptly burned as much clock as they could and then junior forward David Joplin drained a pair of free throws on a 1-and-1 situation to give Marquette a four-point lead with 7.4 seconds left to play.

Though it was always going to take an improbable situation, Colorado was far too casual coming up the floor and was only able to put up a contested 3-point attempt that clanged off the rim, allowing time to expire.

Marquette was led by guards Tyler Kolek (21 points) and Kam Jones (18), though four of its five starters reached double figures, and guard Chase Ross chipped in 12 off the bench.

Marquette will play No. 11 NC State in the Sweet 16. - Lorenzo Reyes

Marquette clinging to lead late over Colorado

When it needed it most, Marquette played tight defense.

Holding a one-point lead with a minute and-a-half left in the game, the Golden Eagles were defending a Colorado possession and used excellent help defense and rotation to muck up a pick-and-roll that spring Buffaloes forward Tristan da Silva cutting down the left side of the paint. Colorado would end up with an open 3 pointer that did not fall, and Marquette guard Tyler Kolek answered on the other end with a short hook shot, using the left hand that has given Colorado trouble all game long.

Colorado then got a few clean looks but ultimately got Cody Williams to the line after he was fouled on a drive. The problem: He missed one of his free throws.

Marquette has the ball, up 79-77 with 17.8 seconds left in the game. - Lorenzo Reyes

Colorado vs. Marquette coming down to the wire

This one is coming down to the wire, and Colorado is going punch-for-punch with Marquette.

There are a few reasons why the Buffaloes have tied this game at 74 with three minutes left to play: shot making has improved and offensive tempo has increased, but offensive rebounds are giving Colorado plenty of second-chance points. The Buffaloes have a 12-3 advantage on offensive boards. two of the team's five starters have at least three apiece: center Eddie Lampkin Jr. and guard J'Vonne Hadley. - Lorenzo Reyes

Colorado and Marquette locked in back-and-forth affair

As much as Colorado has threatened Marquette in this second half, the Golden Eagles have responded.

Marquette is holding a five-point lead with 7:46 left in the game, in spite of Colorado's increased offensive efficiency. The duo of Colorado forward Tristan da Silva (12 points in the second half) and guard KJ Simpson (16 points overall) has helped the Buffaloes make this a game after Marquette played near-flawless offensive basketball in the first half.

The Golden Eagles are getting steady production from guard Tyler Kolek, whose 12 points and 10 assists have kept Marquette afloat. One potential issue for the Golden Eagles: guard Kam Jones, who has a game-high 18 points, picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench. -Lorenzo Reyes

Colorado claws back in thanks to Tristan da Silva

Tristan da Silva is absolutely feeling it.

The senior forward from Colorado has 10 of his 12 points in the second half and has sparked a Colorado run that saw the Buffaloes hit their first four 3 pointers after halftime.

The Buffaloes briefly held their first lead of the game, but Marquette answered with its own 8-2 run and has continued to attack the paint to get high-percentage baskets. The Golden Eagles have a robust 38 points in the paint and are 20 of 24 (83.3%) on two-point field goal attempts.

Marquette is up 62-57 with 11:17 left in the game.

Buffaloes come out hot after half

The Buffaloes did exactly what they needed to do coming out of the half.

Colorado ripped off a quick, 10-2 run to trim Marquette's lead to only three points, forcing Golden Eagles coach Shaka Smart to call a quick timeout fewer than two minutes into the half.

Colorado pushed the tempo off of Marquette misses and buried its last three shots, including a pair of 3 pointers.

Colorado now has two players in double figures, guard KJ Simpson, with 10 and center Eddie Lampkin Jr. with 11. - Lorenzo Reyes

Marquette soars to blazing start, lead Colorado at half

It seems that if anyone can stop Marquette in its second-round game against Colorado, it's Marquette.

In the first half, the Golden Eagles swung the ball from side to side, buried shots, pushed the pace and slashed into the paint almost at will. They also committed seven turnovers.

Still, Marquette opened a 45-34 lead on Colorado behind a red hot 67.9%-shooting performance from the field. The most telling stat: the Golden Eagles are 13-of-15 (86.7%) on all two-point field goals. All 26 of Marquette's points from two-point field goals have come in the paint.

Junior guard Kam Jones is 6 of 9, including 4 of 7from three, and leads all players with 16 points.

Colorado has had open looks that haven't dropped, and the team's struggles from 3-point range have hurt the Buffaloes. Colorado is just 3 of 13 (23.1%) from beyond the arc. On defense, the Buffaloes also have to solve Marquette's pace; the Golden Eagles have a 12-3 edge in fast break points. - Lorenzo Reyes

Colorado's offense sputtering, but still in it vs. Marquette

It's not that Colorado isn't executing its offensive sets and failing to get open looks, it's more that those shots just aren't dropping.

Still, the Buffaloes have three players approaching double figures, with center Eddie Lampkin Jr. remaining perfect from the field, with nine points. Colorado guards Luke O'Brien and KJ Simpson have seven points apiece.

The problem for the Buffaloes is that they have no defensive answer to Marquette's shooting. The Golden Eagles have made 11 of their last 13 shots and are a sizzling 72.7% from the field.

In particular, the disparity from beyond the arc has been notable; Marquette has made 5 of 11 (45.5%) from 3-point range, while the Buffaloes are just 3 of 10 (30%). - Lorenzo Reyes

Marquette is up 37-30, with 3:57 left in the first half.

Shaka Smart has Golden Eagles pushing pace

If there's one area where Marquette feels it can exploit an advantage, it's pace and tempo.

The Golden Eagles went on a 10-2 run and have been grabbing defensive rebounds and pushing the ball up the floor, already holding a 6-0 advantage in fast break points. They're also sharing the ball; all five of Marquette's starters have scored, and six players overall have made a field goal.

Junior guard Kam Jones leads Marquette with seven points and the Golden Eagles are shooting 10-of-15 (66.7%) from the field.

Marquette leads 22-13, with 10:49 left to play in the first half.

David Joplin, Marquette start fast vs. Colorado

Marquette came out hot out of the gates.

The Golden Eagles hit their first two shots and three of their first four before opening a 12-5 early lead over Colorado. The pace has been quick, with both teams looking to race out in the break.

Marquette's offense has been either at the perimeter or in the paint; five of the team's first eight shots were 3-pointers (two makes), but guards Tyler Kolek and Kam Jones both swooped through the lane to get to the hoop.

Colorado hasn't had as much success offensively, making only two of its first six attempts, and none of its three 3-pointers. - Lorenzo Reyes

Where is Marquette University located?

The Golden Eagles call Milwaukee, Wisc. home. The school was established in 1881 and plays its home games at the FiServ Forum in Milwaukee.

Marquette and Colorado tip off remaining second round games

Marquette opened the scoring on Sunday's slate of second-round games, with David Joplin draining a 3-pointer to give Marquette the early lead.

What time does March Madness start today?

The Colorado Buffaloes (No. 10) take on the Marquette Golden Eagles (No. 2) with tip-off set for 12:10 p.m. ET. It's the first of eight games scheduled for the day.

March Madness scores today

Here is the complete scoreboard for Sunday's second-round games .

Men's March Madness schedule

Here is the men's schedule :

First round:March 21-22
Second round:March 23-24
Sweet 16:March 28-29
Elite Eight:March 30-31
Final Four:Saturday, April 6 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
NCAA championship game:Monday, April 8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

March Madness Round 2 expert predictions

Will the glass slipper for James Madison, Grand Canyon or Yale still fit after Sunday's games are in the books? It's entirely possible!

USA TODAY Sports columnist Dan Wolken sees two of the three double-digit seeds in action today advancing to the Sweet 16. See his predictions for all of today's games.

(And while you're at it, check out our college basketball staff predictions for the Final Four .)

What to know about Tyler Kolek, Marquette guard who leads nation in assists per game

Who is Tyler Kolek ? Can he be one of the breakout stars of March Madness ?

Kolek is the second-leading scorer and rebounder for Marquette , which earned a No. 2 seed in this year's men's NCAA Tournament. But it's his passing that makes him stand out − he enters the tournament as the No. 1 assist man in the nation this season at 7.6 per game.

The Golden Eagles were also a No. 2 seed last season, but got bounced in the second round by No. 7 Michigan State. Marquette certainly wants to avoid a repeat performance this year as it attempts to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2003. If the Golden Eagles get there, Kolek will certainly play a major role. Here's everything you need to know about the Marquette star , who scored 18 points and dished out 11 assists in an 87-69 win over Western Kentucky in Friday's opening round.

How to watch March Madness 2024

CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV will air first- and second-round games. CBS and TBS will air Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games. CBS will air the men's Final Four and championship game.

How to stream March Madness on your phone

You can catch every second by streaming every game through a few different options. All games will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV, but here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.

Stream through Paramount+
Stream through HULU with Live TV
NCAA March Madness Live app
Stream through DirecTV Stream

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March Madness 2024 game locations

Here are all the venues hosting tournament games over the next several weeks.

Round	City	Venue	Dates
First Four	Dayton, Ohio	UD Arena	March 19-20
First/Second	Brooklyn. N.Y.	Barclays Center	March 22-24
First/Second	Charlotte, N.C.	Spectrum Center	March 21-23
First/Second	Indianapolis	Gainbridge Fieldhouse	March 22-24
First/Second	Omaha, Neb.	CHI Health Center	March 21-23
First/Second	Pittsburgh	PPG Paints Arena	March 21-23
First/Second	Salt Lake City	Delta Center	March 21-23
First/Second	Spokane, Wash.	Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena	March 22-24
First/Second	Memphis, Tenn.	FedExForum	March 22-24
Sweet 16 + Elite Eight	Boston	TD Garden	March 28-30
Sweet 16 + Elite Eight	Dallas	American Airlines Center	March 29-31
Sweet 16 + Elite Eight	Detroit	Little Caesars Arena	March 29-31
Sweet 16 + Elite Eight	Los Angeles	Crypto.com Arena	March 28-30
Final Four	Glendale, Ariz.	State Farm Stadium	April 6
National championship	Glendale, Ariz.	State Farm Stadium	April 8

Has there ever been perfect March Madness bracket?

After No. 16 seed Farleigh Dickinson shocked the world and upset No. 1 seed Purdue in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament – becoming only the second men's No. 16 seed to take down a No. 1 seed – the NCAA announced there were no more perfect brackets remaining out of more than 20 million submissions.

That might lead many hopeful participants to wonder if there's ever been a perfect NCAA tournament bracket during March Madness, home of the buzzer beaters, upsets and Cinderella runs?

The answer is a resounding no. There has never been a perfect bracket that correctly guessed the outcome of all 63 games in the tournament, despite millions and millions of brackets submitted each year. — Cydney Henderson

What to know about Caleb Love, the North Carolina transfer who is now leading Arizona

The Arizona Wildcats are once again a high seed in the men's NCAA Tournament , but leading the team is a newcomer with plenty of NCAA Tournament experience: Caleb Love . In his fourth college basketball season, Love has been a leader for a Wildcats team that will be a No. 2 seed in the West region of the 2024 NCAA Tournament . The Pac-12 Player of the Year's teammates have called him their best player and head coach Tommy Lloyd said he is grateful to have on his team.

"This is a guy who's had the highest of highs in college basketball and the lowest of the lows. His experience is invaluable to us," Lloyd told USA TODAY Sports. "I love him, and I'm lucky to have him." Here is what you need to know about Arizona star guard Caleb Love .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Men's March Madness Sunday recap: NCAA bracket, results, highlights

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