Men’s March Madness highlights: Friday's first-round scores, best moments, biggest surprises

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Men’s March Madness highlights: Friday's first-round scores, best moments, biggest surprises

Jordan Mendoza, Lorenzo Reyes, Scooby Axson, Steve Gardner, Josh Peter and Richard Morin, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sat, Mar 23, 2024 ·

57 min read

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Men's March Madness continued Friday with 16 first-round games . Three top seeds were in action — UConn , Houston and Purdue — and we were blessed with more than 12 hours of hoops again.

None of the No. 1 seeds lost this year, but there were plenty of upsets elsewhere that left every bracket in the world busted .

Want to catch up on the first day of the women's NCAA Tournament? Here's everything that happened.

Men's NCAA tournament games are airing and streaming across CBS , TBS , TNT and truTV . USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest news, scores, analysis and more all day. Follow along:

March Madness highlights

Yale upsets Auburn

Grand Canyon upsets Saint Mary's

James Madison upsets Wisconsin

NCAA Tournament scores

Here's the full scoreboard from Friday's first-round games .

Men's March Madness NCAA Tournament schedule

Here's the full schedule for Saturday's second-round games .

Men's March Madness scores today

(9) Northwestern 77, (8) Florida Atlantic 65 (OT)

(3) Baylor 92, (14) Colgate 67

(5) San Diego State 69, (12) UAB 65

(2) Marquette 87, (15) Western Kentucky 69

(1) UConn 91, (16) Stetson 52

(6) Clemson 77, (11) New Mexico 56

(13) Yale 78, (4) Auburn 76

(10) Colorado 102, (7) Florida 100

(9) Texas A&M 98, (8) Nebraska 83

(4) Duke 64, (13) Vermont 47

(1) Purdue 78, (16) Grambling State 50

(4) Alabama 109, (13) Charleston 96

(1) Houston 86, (16) Longwood (46)

(12) James Madison 72, (5) Wisconsin 61

(8) Utah State 88, (9) TCU 72

(12) Grand Canyon 75, Saint Mary's 66

No. 12 Grand Canyon upsets No. 5 St. Mary's

The 12th-seeded Grand Canyon Antelopes upset No. 5 seed Saint Mary's , 75-66, for their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history.

Grand Canyon, which led 28-27 at the half, opened up a double-digit lead about midway through the second half and the lead swelled to as many as 17 points.

St. Mary's cut the deficit to 57-52 with about 6½ minutes left to play but could get no closer.

St. Mary's entered the game ranked second nationally in scoring defense. But the energized Antelopes overcame it with athleticism, punctuated by nine blocked shots and more than a half-dozen dunks.

Tyon Grant-Foster, who suffered a cardiac arrest during halftime of a game about two years ago and thought he might never play basketball again, led the Antelopes with a game-high 22 points.

Grand Canyon is coached by Bryce Drew, who already had carved his name into tournament history. As a player, Drew led Valparaiso to the Sweet 16 of the 1998 NCAA Tournament.

Now, Drew and his team head into uncharted territory for the Antelopes. They'll face No. 4 seed Alabama in the second round.

Saint Mary's had to contend with more than an inspired opponent. They also faced a hostile crowd with the game being played in Spokane, home of its archrival, Gonzaga. There were an inordinate number of boos for Saint Mary's and cheers for Grand Canyon at the supposedly neutral site. — Josh Peter

Utah State dominates second half to beat TCU

The Mountain West will get a second team in the second round after Utah State's fantastic second half led to an 88-72 win over TCU.

The Aggies' offense was firing with a 33-for-60 (55%) shooting performance. The defense limited TCU to just 24-for-67 (35.8%) shooting. Utah State never relinquished the lead in the second half.

Up next for Utah State is Zach Edey and No. 1 seed Purdue. The immediate plan for the Aggies? Stop everyone else.

"We'll just try to box (Edey) out and do our best against him," 7-foot center Isaac Johnson said postgame. "There's not much you can do, but you can do the best against the rest of the team." — Jordan Mendoza

Grand Canyon pulling away from Saint Mary's

The 12th-seeded Grand Canyon Antelopes, looking for their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, have opened up a double-digit lead on fifth-seeded Saint Mary's.

Tyon Grant-Foster's dunk with 12:58 left to play put Grand Canyon up 46-34.

Grand Canyon led 28-27 at the half but broke open the game with an 11-0 run capped by Grant-Foster's dunk. The surge continued, with Grand Canyon extending its lead to 50-35 on another basket from Grant-Foster, giving him a game-high 18 points. — Josh Peter

No. 1 seed Houston romps past No. 16 seed Longwood

Top-seeded Houston blitzed No. 16 seed Longwood, 86-46, and showed why it's expected to contend for the national championship – its suffocating defense.

Houston allowed just 16 points in the first half and Longwood committed 14 turnovers while falling behind 43-16 at the break.

It was only window-dressing from there. L.J. Cryer and Damian Dunn led Houston with 17 points apiece as the Cougars shot a sizzling 58.5% from the floor.

About the only flaw for the Cougars: They shot 13-for-22 from the free throw line, which was little consolation for Longwood or perhaps anyone else in their path.

Houston will played No. 9 seed Texas A&M Sunday. — Josh Peter

Utah State holding lead over TCU

No. 8 seed Utah State has held onto its halftime lead against No. 9 seed TCU. The Aggies are up 62-53 game with less than 12 minutes remaining in the game.

The Aggies already have three scorers in double figures, with big man Isaac Johnson leading the way at 19 points. — Jordan Mendoza

James Madison upsets Wisconsin in dominant fashion

No. 12 James Madison never trailed in one of the most resounding upsets of the men's NCAA Tournament, knocking off No. 5 Wisconsin for a 72-61 win.

The Dukes wreaked havoc defensively against the Badgers, forcing a whopping 17 turnovers against a team that was Top 25 in Division I in taking care of the ball. James Madison scored 26 points off those turnovers, while Wisconsin never seemed on track to win.

For the Dukes, it's the first time they will be playing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 1983. The Dukes will play, coincidentally, Duke on Sunday. — Jordan Mendoza

Grand Canyon dunks way to halftime lead over Saint Mary's

No. 12 seed Grand Canyon has taken a 28-27 lead over No. 5 seed Saint Mary's at the half – and generated a delightful stat for dunk lovers.

Courtesy of TBS: Of Grand Canyon's 10 field goals in the first half, five were dunks. The best was an alley-oop jam from 6-foot-7 Gabe McGlothan. The Antelopes, looking for their first NCAA Tournament victory, also showed off their athleticism with three blocks.

Fifth-seeded Saint Mary's has countered with its physical defense. The Gaels are second in the country in scoring defense, allowing an average of 58.7 points per game – and Grand Canyon is learning why. Problem is, Saint Mary's is shooting 38.7 percent from the floor. — Josh Peter

James Madison closing in on upset of Wisconsin

The Dukes are closing in on a first-round win for the first time since 1983. No. 12 seed James Madison leads No. 5 seed Wisconsin 63-49 with five minutes left.

The Badgers have had several chances to make it a one-possession game, cutting it to as little as six points. But every time it looks like Wisconsin is going to take momentum, James Madison shuts it down with a response of its own. — Jordan Mendoza

Utah State-TCU halftime: Aggies' late run propels Utah State to lead

We may be in for another high scoring game with No. 8 seed Utah State up 43-37 against No. 9 seed TCU at the end of the first half.

The Horned Frogs got off to a good start, but the Aggies finished the half better with an 8-0 run to retake the lead. Utah State has shot the ball well, but TCU's dominance on the glass is what is making up for its mediocre shooting. — Jordan Mendoza

James Madison, Wisconsin picking up the pace

James Madison and Wisconsin each have much better flow on offense, but the No. 12 seeded Dukes are still ahead with a 49-38 lead with less than 12 minutes to go.

Max Klesmit 's second half effort has been a big help for the fifth-seeded Badgers; he has scored 12 of Wisconsin's 18 second half points. The Dukes have forced three turnovers this half and now have a total of 24 points off turnovers. — Jordan Mendoza

Grand Canyon looks upset-minded early

The 12th-seeded Grand Canyon Antelopes are showing no fear against the fifth-seeded Saint Mary's Gaels. With about 11 minutes left in the first half, Grand Canyon led 13-11 despite shooting only 3 of 10 from the field.

How'd they do it? Athleticism. The Antelopes had three blocked shots and continually challenged Saint Mary's inside. The result: St. Mary's opened 5 of 16 from the floor. — Josh Peter

TCU, Utah State in tight battle in first half

No. 9 seed TCU has led from the start, but No. 8 seed Utah State is keeping it extremely close with the Horned Frogs leading 23-22 with under eight minutes left in the first half.

Both teams are 9-for-21 from the field, with the only difference being TCU has made three 3-pointers compared to Utah State's one. The winner of this contest earns a date with No. 1 seed Purdue on Sunday. — Jordan Mendoza

Houston vs. Longwood halftime: Cougars' defense shining

Houston has the top-ranked scoring defense in college basketball, and the top-seeded Cougars are showing why against No. 16 seed Longwood. At the intermission, Houston led 43-16.

That's right, Houston gave up a measly 16 points to a team that averages 75.6 points per game.

That's impressive even by Houston's standards, with the Cougars entering the game allowing an average of 57 points. Houston's defense looked to be at its suffocating best.

Longwood committed 14 turnovers in the first half, more than it has averaged per game this season. The Lancers shot just 26.3 percent from the floor (5 of 19), and Walyn Napper, their top scorer this season, was 0-for-5.

Houston's defense helped fuel its offense, with the Cougars making 51.7 percent of their shots from the floor. — Josh Peter

James Madison vs. Wisconsin halftime: Is another upset brewing?

You wouldn't know James Madison is a No. 12 seed after the first half it put up against Wisconsin, completely dominating the fifth-seeded Badgers with a 33-20 lead at halftime.

Wisconsin is one of the best teams at taking care of the ball, averaging just nine turnovers a game. But it took just 10 minutes for the Badgers to surpass that. Wisconsin turned it over 12 times in the first half, with four James Madison players recording two steals. Wisconsin ended the half 6-for-23 (26.1%) and 1-for-6 (16.7%) from 3-point land. The Badgers have made more shots at the free throw line (7) in what is their lowest points scored in a half this season.

The Dukes haven't shot the ball well either, but a 10-0 run late in the half extended their lead. — Jordan Mendoza

Alabama scores most points of 2024 tournament in win vs. Charleston

Another game, another 100-point output for Alabama.

The fourth-seeded Crimson Tide scored at least 100 points for the 10th time this season and scored a tournament-high 109 points in a 13-point win over No. 13 seed College of Charleston.

The nation's top scoring offense was relentless for a majority of the game; Friday's output was the second-most points the Crimson Tide have scored this season. Alabama shot an efficient 60% from the field and made 13 3-pointers. Of course, its defense let Charleston rack up the points as well, with the Cougars putting up 96 points.

The game was the second of the day to eclipse 200-plus combined points. Colorado and Florida combined for 202 points earlier, and this game combined for 203. That's tied for the 16th most in men's NCAA Tournament history. — Jordan Mendoza

James Madison blitzing Wisconsin early

No. 12 seed James Madison is showing Wisconsin why it won 31 games this season, attacking the fifth-seeed Badgers right out of the gate and getting off to a 15-4 lead seven minutes into the first half.

While James Madison has done great on offense, the Dukes are making life a nightmare for the Wisconsin offense. They've already forced seven turnovers while the Badgers have just two shots. — Jordan Mendoza

Purdue exorcises past demons, subdues Grambling State

Rest easy, Purdue fans. There will be no Farleigh Dickinson-like nightmare for your Boilermakers this year.

No. 1 seed Purdue erased that fear by beating No. 16 seed Grambling State 78-50, ending the possibility of a debacle like Purdue's loss to No. 16 seed Farleigh Dickinson a year ago.

Grambling State trailed only 31-27 late in the first half, but the Tigers had no answer for Zach Edey, Purdue's 7-foot-4 center, who had 30 points and 21 rebounds – a season high. With Edey dominating inside, his teammates converted from long range and thrived in transition as Purdue broke open the game midway through the second half.

Purdue will play the winner of the TCU-Utah State game on Sunday.

Grambling State heads home with its first NCAA Tournament victory – an 88-81 overtime win against Montana State in the First Four – and an admirable effort against the Boilermakers. — Josh Peter

Alabama cruising towards win

Alabama won't be the latest SEC team upset in the first round. Its offense is carrying the Crimson Tide to what appears to be a comfortable win over College of Charleston. Alabama leads the Coastal Athletic Association champions 88-61 with under 10 minutes left in the game.

The Crimson Tide are likely to surpass their 90.8 points per game mark, and perhaps could outscore Colorado's tournament-leading 102 points – something that unlikely to happen with its slow start to the game. — Jordan Mendoza

Purdue pulling away from Grambling State

No. 1 seed Purdue is wearing down No. 16 seed Grambling State, stretching its lead to 54-33 with about 12 minutes left to play in the second half. It's been more Edey, and more Edey, and….yep, more Edey. He has 23 points and 18 rebounds. To put that in perspective, Grambling State has only 16 rebounds.

When Edey corralled the 18th, he released a quick pass that started a fast break that ended with a dunk by Camden Heide. With that, Purdue went up by 21 points at 54-33.

Grambling State made only two of its first 14 shots in the second half. Part of the problem: Shooting over Edey, who in a two-minute stretch had two blocks. — Josh Peter

Texas A&M cruises past Nebraska

Texas A&M fell just short of scoring 100 points, but the Aggies will be just fine with that. No. 9 seed Texas A&M had a fantastic offensive performance in its 98-83 over No. 8 seed Nebraska.

Nebraska couldn't keep up with Texas A&M, and the Aggies were never in danger of losing the lead. The largest lead Texas A&M had was 22 points. It entered the day one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the country, but you couldn't tell on Friday when it nailed 13-of-24 (54.2%) attempts from beyond the arc. Three players scored at least 20 points, led by Wade Taylor IV's 25 points.

Meanwhile, Nebraska still doesn't have an NCAA Tournament win, and one of the most likable players in the country, Japan-native Keisei Tominaga , is out of March Madness. And the shot of his emotional reaction to the loss reminds everyone how painful March can be. — Jordan Mendoza

Duke puts away Vermont after early battle

It was far from a perfect performance by Duke, but No. 13 seed Vermont was unable to take advantage of mistakes as the No. 4 seeded Blue Devils carved out a 64-47 win over the Catamounts in the first round.

Vermont trailed by just five points at halftime and had momentum coming out of the break, but Duke's athleticism and presence on the glass proved too much to handle. The Blue Devils separated themselves midway through the second half and took control of the game from there.

Mark Mitchell and Jared McCain each posted 15 points for Duke. Jeremy Roach added 14. Vermont's Shamir Bogues led all scorers with 18.

Duke will face the winner of James Madison and Wisconsin in the second round. — Richard Morin

Vermont star injured late in game vs. Duke

Vermont guard T.J. Long went down awkwardly on a layup attempt with just over a minute left in the No. 13 Catamounts' 64-47 loss to No. 4 sed Duke and had to be helped off the court.

Long, a transfer from Fairfield, was wide open and driving to the basket when he fell to the court holding onto his left knee. He laid along the sideline in obvious pain before being taken off the court with the assistance of two Vermont staffers.

Long scored three points on 1 of 8 shooting, including misses on all four attempts from 3-point range. He was the team's leading scorer during the regular season at 12.2 points per game. — Paul Myerberg

Alabama vs. College of Charleston halftime: Crimson Tide takes control

The nation's top offense has woken up, with No. 4 seed Alabama scoring in a frenzy to take a 51-34 lead over No. 13 seed College of Charleston at the midway point.

The Crimson Tide had just 13 points in the first eight minutes but turned it around in the final 12 minutes of the first half with 38 points in that timeframe. Alabama made 16 of its 28 shots (57.1%) and found the 3-point ball, hitting 7-of-13 (53.8%). Meanwhile, Charleston has been chucking up shots left and right without much success, including a rough 2-for-15 (12.5%) mark from 3-point land. — Jordan Mendoza

Purdue vs. Grambling State halftime: Zack Edey surging, but no rout

With Purdue playing in Indianapolis, it made it easy for their fans to travel in en masse. And to sweat en masse. No. 1 seed Purdue was clinging to a four-point lead over No. 16 Grambling State late in the first half, conjuring up memories of Purdue's loss to No. 16 seed Farleigh Dickinson last year.

But Purdue began pulling away for a 36-27 lead at the intermission, giving its fans a chance to breathe easier. At least temporarily.

Zack Edey, Purdue's 7-4 center, had a double-double in the first half with 16 points and 12 rebounds. It's his 25th double-double of the year. And whle Grambling State showed no ability to slow Edey, they never fell behind by more than 10 and had a chance to cut the deficit to a single point late in the first half.

Grambling State guard Kintavious Dozier paced the Tigers with 12 points. — Josh Peter

Duke remains ahead, but Vermont keeping it close

Give No. 13 seed Vermont credit for hanging around, but Duke could too much for the Catamounts to handle.

No. 4 Duke stretched their 5-point halftime lead into a 42-35 advantage in the first few minutes of the second half and recaptured the momentum held by Vermont before the break.

Duke's Mark Mitchell leads all scorers with 13 points.

Still, Vermont's 10 wins after trailing at halftime is the most in Division I. So folks should keep an eye on this one. — Richard Morin

Texas A&M holding steady against Nebraska

Colorado and Florida each scored 100 points today. Could Texas A&M do it too?

The No. 9 seeded Aggies are on pace to eclipse the century mark with a 76-60 lead against No. 8 seed Nebraska with 12 minutes remaining.

Texas A&M has cooled off a bit from its electric first half, but it's still keeping a healthy distance away from the Cornhuskers, who haven't been consistent enough to get a run going. — Jordan Mendoza

Purdue-Grambling State: Zack Edey rolling early

Grambling State's got no answer for Purdue's 7-foot-4 center Zack Edey. With eight minutes left in the first half, Edey is 5-for-8 from the floor, has drawn four fouls and grabbed nine rebounds while scoring 17 points and grabbing nine rebounds for the No. 1 seed Boilermakers.

Yet no sign of an early rout either, with Purdue leading No. 16 seed Grambling 26-17. But no sign of a first-round flop either, like the one Boilers suffered last year against Farleigh Dickinson. — Josh Peter

College of Charleston takes early lead over Alabama

Another SEC team may be on upset alert.

No. 13 seed College Charleston is out to an early lead against No. 4 seed Alabama, with the Cougars leading the Crimson Tide 19-13 eight minutes into the first half.

Neither team has shot the ball well early, but Alabama hasn't gotten as many shots up as Charleston, which has helped the Cougars jump out in front. — Jordan Mendoza

Duke vs. Vermont halftime: Catamounts hanging tough with Blue Devils

Duke overpowered No. 13 seed Vermont for much of the first half, but the underdog Catamounts refuse to go down without a fight. The No. 4 seeded Blue Devils led 34-29 at halftime.

The Catamounts, despite the deficit at the break, do not look like a scheduled loss. They can shoot, rebound, apply defensive pressure and play with tempo. Duke has its advantage in the paint and overall athleticism, but failed to establish a dominant lead at any point.

Vermont's Aaron Deloney was tied for the game lead with 11 points at halftime and delivered a desperate, underhanded flip shot that connected in the final seconds to make it a two-possession game.

Mark Mitchell led Duke with 11 points in the first half. — Richard Morin

Texas A&M vs. Nebraska halftime: Aggies jump out to double-digit lead

Texas A&M can't seem to miss a basket after an outstanding first half has the No. 9 seeded Aggies up 58-44 against No. 8 Nebraska.

Texas A&M made 22-of-41 (53.7%) shots from the field, but its three-point shooting was even hotter as the Aggies went 9-for-15 (60%) from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes. It's a remarkable stat considering Texas A&M entered today with the ninth-worst 3-point percentage in Division I (28.4%) and on average makes just six 3-pointers a game. Nebraska hasn't been able to keep up, but it does have 13 made free throws compared to Texas A&M's five.

Manny Obaseki took over for Texas A&M in the final stretch of the first half, scoring 16 of his game-high 19 points in the final six minutes. — Jordan Mendoza

March Madness results

Here's a look at the results of Friday's first-round games that were completed as of 8 p.m. ET:

(9) Northwestern 77, (8) Florida Atlantic 65 (OT)

(3) Baylor 92, (14) Colgate 67

(5) San Diego State 69, (12) UAB 65

(2) Marquette 87, (15) Western Kentucky 69

(1) UConn 91, (16) Stetson 52

(6) Clemson 77, (11) New Mexico 56

(13) Yale 78, (4) Auburn 76

(10) Colorado 102, (7) Florida 100

Ivy upset! No. 13 seed Yale topples Auburn

The first major upset of the day came courtesy of No. 13 seed Yale, which beat No. 4 seed Auburn to advance to the second round for just the second time in school history.

Auburn faltered in the final seconds, as Tre Donaldson missed two free throws that would've tied the game with six seconds left. The Tigers got the offensive rebound, but they were unable to get a shot in as the Bulldogs held on for the thrilling 78-76 win in the East region.

John Poulakidas paced the Bulldogs with a career-high 28 points as the Ivy League champions overcame a seven-point halftime deficit. Poulakidas made six 3-pointers on the day, including a go-ahead, 3-pointer with 2 minutes left.

Auburn had a chance to take the lead in the final minute, but Denver Jones missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Danny Wolf then made two free throws to push Yale's lead to three with 45 seconds left.

The Bulldogs, playing in their fourth tournament in seven seasons, advanced to the second round for the second time. They defeated Baylor in the first round in 2016.

The defeat was another tournament disappointment for Auburn, which lost in the second round the past two seasons. The SEC entered the tournament with eight teams, but five have now lost in the first round. Only Tennessee has advanced with Texas A&M and Alabama yet to complete their openers.

— Erick Smith and Jordan Mendoza

Colorado outlasts Florida in high-scoring thriller

KJ Simpson hit a jumper with less than two seconds left to give No. 10 seed Colorado a 102-100 win over No. 7 Florida in a crazy first-round contest.

Florida mounted a furious comeback, tying the game with a three-point shot from Walter Clayton Jr. with 9.5 seconds left. The Buffaloes inbounded, called timeout and ran a play that found Simpson – who delivered a signature March Madness moment.

It is the second win of the tournament for Colorado, who won its First Four matchup against Boise State earlier this week. The Buffaloes will now face No. 2 seed Marquette in the second round.

Offense clicked on all cylinders for Colorado, which shot 63% from the field and 60% from three-point range. The Buffalies scored their most points since a 106-point outburst against Milwaukee on Nov. 14.

Simpson paced Colorado with 23 points. Eddie Lampkin Jr. chipped in with 21.

Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. led all scorers with 33 points, including 16 in the game's final few minutes to keep the Gators alive. — Richard Morin

Yale leads Auburn with less than two minutes left

The Bulldogs are back on top.

John Poulakidas hit his sixth 3-pointer of the night to give No. 13 seed Yale a 73-72 lead over No. 4 seed Auburn with 1:12 to go.

Poulakidas has a game-high 28 points and the Bulldogs are looking for their second NCAA Tournament win in school's history. — Jordan Mendoza

Auburn retakes lead, but Yale hanging on in second half

After Yale went on a run to take the lead, Auburn has taken it back and is trying to put the Bulldogs away, but they just won't quit.

Auburn was able to extend its lead to 10 points, but any time it looks like the Tigers are close to the knockout blow, Yale responds. The teams have been knocking down 3-pointers at a high clip recently, and Auburn heads into the final seven minutes with a 68-61 lead. — Jordan Mendoza

Hall of Famer Charles Barkley disagrees with Auburn player ejection

Former Auburn and NBA star forward Charles Barkley weighed in on Auburn guard Chad Baker-Mazara's ejection during halftime of the Tigers' first-round game with Yale. The Auburn junior was assessed as a flagrant 2 foul after elbowing Yale senior guard August Mahoney as both went down the court following an Auburn made basket.

Barkley took up for his former team during TNT's in-studio halftime show.

"I think it's different if he had went above the shoulders (with the contact). ... It was a bad decision," Barkley said . "I just thought he shouldn't have got tossed because he didn't head-hunt. Was he trying to intimidate? Probably, but it was a body shot, not a headshot. I think those are two different things." — John Leuzzi, USA TODAY Network

Colorado run gives Buffaloes lead over Florida

Colorado's hot shooting is continuing in the second half, and the Buffaloes have their largest lead of the day with a 65-58 advantage with 12 minutes to go.

The lead was extended thanks to an 11-2 run from Colorado that forced the Gators to take a timeout. So far, Colorado is 6-for-11 (54.5%) from the field in the second half. — Jordan Mendoza

Yale takes second half lead over Auburn

No. 13 seed Yale is trying to put Auburn on upset alert, taking a 44-43 lead over the fourth-seeded Tigers at the first media timeout of the second half.

The Bulldogs are on a 10-0 run that was powered by two 3-point baskets from John Poulakidas. Auburn has only made two free throws this half with its three shot attempts so far missed. — Jordan Mendoza

Florida-Colorado tied at halftime

What a first half it was in Indianapolis. It's a back-and-forth affair between Colorado and Florida, with it tied at 45 at halftime, with the winner facing Marquette on Friday.

The largest lead of the half was 10 points by Florida, but it didn't take long for Colorado to erase it and make it a one-possession game for much of the first half. There were 10 lead changes in the first 20 minutes. The two sides were nearly identical shooting the ball, with Colorado shooting 17-for-28 (60.7%) and Florida shooting 17-for-33 (51.5%) .

"If you like offense, this is your game," Florida coach Todd Golden said. — Jordan Mendoza

No. 1 overall seed UConn crushes Stetson

NEW YORK — No matter how large the lead got, UConn head coach Dan Hurley kept his arms folded, in his pockets, or behind his back screaming. At his players telling them to keep the pressure on their overmatched opponents, the Stetson Hatters, or at the officials anytime a call didn't go his way.

In other words, the Huskies were in prime postseason form and the defending national champion and the tournament's No. 1 overall seed made quick work of Stetson, who were making their very first NCAA tournament appearance, jumping out to a 17-point lead in the first 10 minutes, extending it to 33 by halftime, and rolling to a 91-52 victory.

UConn, who have won eight in a row and 22 of their last 23 games, will next face No. 9 seed Northwestern on Sunday, who knocked out fellow 2023 Final Four team Florida Atlantic 77-65 in overtime.

The Huskies used their superior size and skill against the Hatters, creating a virtual layup line to the hoop, with drives to the baskets and alley-oops at will, scoring 56 points in the paint.

And when they weren't getting were just as efficient from the three-point line, hitting nine of their 24 attempts.

Donovan Clingan led five Huskies in double figures, with 19 points on 9-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds and four assists, Cam Spencer scored 15 points, Stephon Castle chipped in 14 and first-team All-American Tristen Newton had 13 and eight assists for UConn (32-3) who shot 53% for the game and out-rebounded Stetson 45-30.

Stephan Swenson led the Hatters (22-13) with 20 points and Jalen Blackmon had 14.

For UConn, it was important to get off to a strong start, especially since the competition will get tougher, starting with Northwestern on Sunday

— Scooby Axson

Clemson cruises to win vs. New Mexico

A No. 6 Clemson team that limped into the NCAA Men's Tournament, struggling in the ACC Tournament, course corrected and dominated No. 11 New Mexico.

The Tigers held the Lobos to just 29.2% shooting from the field and won, 77-56. New Mexico also struggled from beyond the arc, converting just 3-of-23 (13%) tries from 3-point range.

Clemson senior guard Chase Hunter posted a team-high 21 points, as two other Tigers (center PJ Hall, 14 points and forward Ian Schieffelin, 16 points) joined him in double figures.

Clemson dominated in the paint, outscoring New Mexico 40-26 and will now face No. 3 Baylor in the second round. — Lorenzo Reyes

Florida vs. Colorado off to hot start

It's all offense between Florida and Colorado in the first minutes of their matchup, with the Gators leading 24-18 with 10 minutes to go in the first half

The Gators started the game making 10 of their first 15 shots (66.7%) and making all four of 3-point attempts in the first eight minutes. But Colorado has kept up with eight of 15 shots going in. The Buffaloes are doing most of its damage in the paint with 14 points coming near the basket.

Auburn's Chad Baker-Mazara ejected

Auburn will play the majority of its first round game against No. 13 Yale without a major contributor after guard Chad Baker-Mazara was ejected early in the game for a flagrant-2 foul.

During a fast break three minutes into the game, Baker-Mazara appeared to look at a Yale player and lean his elbow into him as both teams were running up the court. Referees reviewed the call and deemed it worthy of a flagrant two, resulting in Baker-Mazara leaving the game.

Baker-Mazara has been starting for Auburn recently and he averages 10.3 points per game and is the best 3-point shooter on the team at 41.8%.

"What he did was wrong," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told TNT at halftime. "I thought it should have been a flagrant-1. To remove him from the game after an entire season of work is something that's obviously going to disrupt us. He's one of our very best players.

"And it was a retaliation. It was because he got hit in the throat on the play before. He shouldn't have retaliated."

Clemson crushing New Mexico in second half

Clemson has continued to lead comfortably over New Mexico, as the midway point of the second half nears.

The Tigers are up 59-40 with 10:20 left to play in the game.

For the Lobos, the offensive struggles can be traced to the poor shooting performances from their two senior guards and leading scorers, Jaelen House and Jamal Mashburn Jr. The pair have combined to go 4-of-23 (17.4%), including 2-of-14 (14.3%) from 3-point range. Ball movement overall has been an issue for New Mexico, with just four assists on 14 made baskets.

No. 2 Marquette avoids Western Kentucky upset

There will be No. 15 seed upset this season after Marquette used a relentless second half attack to beat Western Kentucky 87-69.

The Golden Eagles trailed by seven out of halftime, but came out with a vengeance, taking the lead with 15 minutes left and never giving it up. In the second half, Marquette outscored Western Kentucky 51-26 and there was nothing to worry about in the final minutes of the game. In the second half, Marquette shot 20-for-36 (55.6%) from the field and went 8-for-17 (47.1%) from 3-point land.

With all No. 2 seeds advancing to the second round, this will be the first tournament since 2019 no No. 15 seed won. — Jordan Mendoza

San Diego State survives UAB upset bid

With a dominating performance from forward Jaedon LeDee and some clutch late free throw shooting, No. 5 seeded San Diego State survived a scare from No. 12 Alabama Birmingham.

LeDee scored 32 points and was 9-of-10 from the foul line to lead the Aztecs to a 69-65 victory.

SDSU, who lost to Connecticut in last year's national championship game, led by as many as 11 points before the Blazers came roaring back behind guard Efrem Johnson (19 points) to go up by three.

With the game tied at 62, the Aztecs got a pair of free throws from Lamont Butler to go in front for good, then four in a row from LeDee to keep UAB at bay. — Steve Gardner

UConn, Clemson up big at halftime

Two of the Friday afternoon games are getting out of hand early.

No. 1 UConn has throttled Stetson, limiting the Hatters to just eight made field goals, and coasting to an overwhelming 52-19 lead at halftime.

The other game appeared as if it would be another monster blowout, after Clemson went on a 19-2 run midway through the first half to open up a huge lead on the Lobos, one that was 19 points at its largest margin.

New Mexico did go on its own 10-2 run later in the half, but the Tigers are still up comfortably, 42-28.

One massive issue for UNM: the Lobos have only two assists on 12 made field goals. — Lorenzo Reyes

San Diego State vs. UAB down to the wire

Another 5/12 matchup could be ripe for an upset.

An 11-0 run midway through the second half, fueled by Efrem Johnson's hot shooting, has No. 12 seeded Alabama Birmingham in a fierce battle down the stretch with No. 5 San Diego State.

Johnson scored eight of the 11 points during the run to give the Blazers their first lead of the game at 51-49 with just under 10 minutes left.

With several UAB big men battling foul trouble, Johnson took over from the outside to erase San Diego State's halftime advantage.

The Aztecs' Jaedon LeDee has been a force on both ends of the court. He answered the UAB run with six consecutive points for San Diego State and leads all scorers with 28 points.

WIth 4:03 to play, SDSU has a 61-58 advantage. — Steve Gardner

No. 1 UConn men score: Huskies up early on Stetson

Connecticut has raced out to an 8-0 lead over No. 16 Stetson, with the Hatters going 0-for-6 from the field.

The Huskies, meanwhile, are settling into their offense, moving the ball and not facing much resistance from Stetson; UConn is shooting four-of-seven from the floor, with both center Donovan Clingan and forward Alex Karaban, both sophomores, each putting in four points a piece. All eight points for the Huskies have come in the paint, where Connecticut has a clear advantage. — Lorenzo Reyes

No. 2 Marquette battling Western Kentucky

Marquette doesn't want to be the next No. 2 seed to be eliminated in the first round, coming out of halftime with a fast start to tie the game at 48-48 four minutes into the second half.

It was a seven point deficit at halftime for the Golden Eagles, but the defense picked up the intensity while the offense started the second half with five made shots in eight attempts. — Jordan Mendoza

San Diego State vs. UAB: Aztecs still in frontin second half

No. 5 seeded San Diego State has maintained its six-point halftime advantage over No. 12 Alabama Birmingham as the midway point in the second half draws near.

Led by senior forward Jaedon LeDee's 20 points, the Aztecs lead 49-43 with 11:52 to play.

The Blazers have some foul trouble to contend with, as big men Yaxel Lendeborg and Javian Davis have picked up four. LeDee has three fouls for SDSU. — Steve Gardner

Clemson vs. New Mexico: Tigers storm out to big early lead

The game between No. 6 Clemson and No. 11 University of New Mexico has already had a couple of early officials reviews, and the Tigers have opened their biggest lead, more than doubling up the Lobos.

Clemson leads 25-11, and is shooting 9-of-14 from the field (64.3%). All five Clemson starters have scored, with senior center PJ Hall leading the way with eight points.

New Mexico started four-of-eight from the field but has since cooled off and has gone just one-of-seven.

Upset watch! No. 15 Western Kentucky leads No. 2 Marquette at halftime

Could a 15-seed upset be brewing?

A hot finish to the first half has Western Kentucky with the lead against Marquette at halftime, with the score at 43-36.

It was close for the first 10 minutes of the game, but after Marquette jumped to a nine-point lead, the Hilltoppers went on a 24-8 in the final seven minutes of the half and led by as many as 10.

After a poor start, Western Kentucky caught fire and heads into the break shooting 17-for-36 (47.2%) from the field, while Maruqette struggled with a 13-for-33 (39.4%) shooting clip. The Golden Eagles have gotten a boost from the returning Tyler Kolek, who has 13 points, but Western Kentucky's Tyrone Marshall leads all scorers with 17 points. He hit four 3-pointers in the first half. — Jordan Mendoza

Northwestern vs. Florida Atlanta: Wildcats win in overtime

No. 9 Northwestern took complete control in overtime, converting all five of its field goal attempts in the extra frame, to topple last year's upstart, No. 8 Florida Atlantic, 77-65.

The Wildcats shared the ball and got balanced offense from its best scorers. Senior guard Ryan Langborn led the way with 27 points, scoring 12 points in overtime. Fellow senior guard Boo Buie chipped in another 22 points, while guard Brooks Barnhizer added 13.

Northwestern outscored FAU 19-7 in overtime.

The Owls end their season in disappointment after last year's Final Four run. FAU shot just 38.6% from the field and only 18.5% from 3-point range. — Lorenzo Reyes

Men's March Madness games today

Here is Friday's full schedule.

No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 Stetson , 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS
No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Longwood , 9:20 p.m. ET on TNT
No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 16 Grambling, 7:25 p.m. ET on TBS
No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 15 Western Kentucky , 2 p.m. ET on TBS
No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 Colgate , 12:40 p.m. ET on truTV
No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 13 Yale , 4:15 p.m. ET on TNT
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 College of Charleston , 7:35 p.m. ET on truTV
No. 4 Duke vs. No. 13 Vermont , 7:10 p.m. ET on CBS
No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 12 UAB , 1:45 p.m. ET on TNT
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 James Madison , 9:40 p.m. ET on CBS
No. 5 Saint Mary's vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon , 10:05 p.m. ET on truTV
No. 6 Clemson vs. No. 11 New Mexico , 3:10 p.m. ET on truTV
No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Colorado, 4:30 p.m. ET on TBS
No. 8 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 9 Northwestern , 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS
No. 8 Utah State vs. No. 9 TCU , 9:55 p.m. ET on TBS
No. 8 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Texas A&M , 6:50 p.m. ET on TNT

San Diego State vs. UAB halftime: No. 5 Aztecs are up

After trailing by as many as 11 points early, 12th-seeded Alabama-Birmingham likely feels pretty fortunate to only be down six at halftime against San Diego State.

Jaedon LeDee has exploded for 18 points as the No. 5-seeded Aztecs, last season's NCAA runner-up, have a 35-29 edge at the break.

UAB's Yaxel Lendeborg, who averages 14 points and 11 rebounds per game, was held scoreless in first half and has already picked up three personal fouls. The Blazers' other starting forward, Christian Coleman, also has three fouls as UAB shot just 32.3% from the field.

The Aztecs had trouble getting their shots to fall as well, missing 11 consecutive field goal attempts at one point, but still managing to stay in front. SDSU is 20-0 when leading at halftime this season. — Steve Gardner

Baylorvs. Colgate final: No. 3 Bears move on with 92-67 win

No. 3 Baylor's offensive firepower was on full display Friday as it ripped apart a stout No. 14 Colgate defense for a 92-67 win in the first round.

Colgate entered the day with eighth best scoring defense in the country, giving up 64 points per game. Baylor dropped 54 points in the first half and eclipsed that scoring mark with 10 minutes left in the game, and the offensive onslaught continued in the final minutes to comfortably move onto the second round.

Baylor finished the day 33-for-57 (57.9%) from the field and 16-for-30 (53.3%) from the 3-point line. Colgate didn't have a bad day offensively, but its defense just wasn't able to stop the Bears.

Four of Baylor's starters were in double figures, led by Jalen Bridges' 23 points. — Jordan Mendoza

Marquette vs. Western Kentucky tips off

The final No. 2 vs. No. 15 seed matchup of the first round is off to a close start with Marquette holding a 25-17 lead over Western Kentucky.

Neither team is off to a great shooting start, but turnovers have been the early story with the Hilltoppers giving the ball up nine times and the Golden Eagles turning it over five times. — Jordan Mendoza

Northwestern vs. Florida Atlantic heads to overtime

The Northwestern Wildcats had last scored a field goal with 4:52 seconds left in their game against Florida Atlantic. The next one came with eight seconds and sent the game to overtime.

FAU had been on a 13-2 run to close the gap, but junior Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer knifed through the Owls defense to scoop in a layup with seconds remaining.

On the following inbounds, FAU guard Johnell Davis did not appear to know how much time was left and got up the court without much urgency, forcing a contested prayer that did not have a chance.

Baylor pulling away from Colgate

Colgate held on, but Baylor appears to be ahead for a comfortable win with a 77-55 lead with seven minutes left to go.

Colgate got off to a good start to the second half, but the Baylor offense got back to work and now has its largest lead of the day. The shooting hasn't been as great as it was in the first half, but this is the most points the Raiders have given up in their last 16 games, and its season appears to be headed to an end. — Jordan Mendoza

San Diego State opens up double-digit lead on UAB

Last year's national runner-up, San Diego State, used a 16-5 run to open up an 11-point lead on No. 12 seeded UAB in Spokane. The game was tied at 11 before the fifth-seeded Aztecs hit the accelerator. They lead 27-16 with 7:48 left in the first half.

Senior forward Jaedon LeDee has been the driving force for SDSU with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting. The Blazers are led by Efrem Johnson with 6 on a pair of 3-pointers, but UAB is in the midst of a 1-for-10 drought from the field. — Steve Gardner

Northwestern-FAU down to the wire

Northwestern was in position to add to a four-point lead with 3:21 left in the game, with a fast break opportunity, when officials halted play because of an elbow that Northwestern sophomore forward Nick Martinelli landed on the face of FAU center Vladislav Goldin.

Officials deemed the contact to be worthy of a flagrant foul, giving the Owls a pair of free throws. Goldin would connect on those two and then two more on a foul he drew while driving to the basket, allowing FAU to tie the game at 56 with 2:35 left to play.

Northwestern has gone ice cold, scoring just two points over the last two minutes. — Lorenzo Reyes

CBS cuts to Kate Middleton cancer announcement during FAU-Northwestern

Those watching Northwestern vs. Florida Atlantic got to see a major news announcement, when the CBS broadcast cut to Princess of Wales Kate Middleton's announcement that she is receiving treatment for cancer.

The cut-in happened during a timeout in the action and after the announcement aired, the broadcast went back to the game. — Jordan Mendoza

Florida Atlantic running out of time vs. Northwestern

The Owls are playing with some more offensive urgency, but Northwestern is patiently executing its offense and waiting for the right shot to emerge. On consecutive possessions a little past the midway point of the second half, the Wildcats moved the ball well before converting consecutive baskets with one second left on the shot clock.

FAU has looked inside to junior 7-foot-1 center Vladislav Golden, whose three consecutive field goals in the paint, followed by a Brandon Weatherspoon 3-pointer cut the Northwestern lead to 54-50 with 5:19 to play in the game. — Lorenzo Reyes

Offenses finally wake up in Northwestern vs. Florida Atlantic

The Northwestern Wildcats had 19 points in the first half. In the second, they surpassed that, in the first seven-and-a-half minutes, scoring 22 in that span, to open up a 43-36 lead on FAU.

Northwestern is shooting 10-of-15 (66.7%) in the second half, while Florida Atlantic is still unsettled on offense. The Owls have turned the ball over four times already in the second half.

FAU is also continuing to struggle with its perimeter shooting, going just 3-of-15 (20%) from 3-point range.

For the Wildcats, senior guard Boo Buie used his 3-point shooting to open up lanes to drive and has 10 points in the second half.

Northwestern vs. FAU still slogging in second half

The second half of the FAU-Northwestern game began with — surprise, surprise — mixed offensive efficiency.

The Owls committed turnovers on their first and third possessions of the half, but both teams combined to convert each of their first four field goals and six of their first eight.

Northwestern is up 30-27 with 15:38 to play in the game.

Senior Northwestern guard Boo Buie, the team's leading scorer this season (19.2 points per game), still has not found his shooting form; he has just six points on two-of-seven shooting (28.6%).

The Wildcats have slowed their offensive pace and are more in a rhythm than they were in the first half, while FAU continues to play out of control and force passes. – Lorenzo Reyes sc

Baylor vs. Colgate: Bears have huge lead at halftime

Colgate entered the day one of the best defenses in the country, only giving up 64 points per game, eighth best in Division I. But the Raiders defense have no answer for Baylor, with the Bears offense nearly reaching that 64 point mark with a 54-34 lead at halftime.

Baylor didn't have any lull j scoring in the first half, shooting 19-for-30 (63.3%) from the field. The most intriguing part heading into Friday was Baylor's excellent 3-point shooting (6th in Division I) going up against Colgate's tough defense of the 3-point shot (10th in Division I). But Baylor has been on firefrom beyond the arc, connecting on seven of 12 attempts. Colgate's offense has made 51.7% of its shots, but it won't matter if it can't stop Baylor from scoring at will.

Four of Baylor's starters hit a 3-pointer in the first 20 minutes, led by Ja'Kobe Walter's 15 points. — Jordan Mendoza

Northwestern vs. Florida Atlantic: Owls lead after ugly first half

Some stats from the FAU-Northwestern game, with the No. 8 Owls going into the break leading 20-19

There have been 18 combined turnovers between both teams and 14 combined field goals.
Florida Atlantic averages 11.1 turnovers per game; it had 12 in the first half.
Both teams are combining to shoot 14-of-53 (26.4%) from the field. Both teams are combining to shoot 3-of 21 (14.3%) from 3-point range.
The over/under at the start of the game was 143.5 points; we're on pace for 78.
There have been zero bench points and zero second-chance points.

For FAU, it has been a steady dose of junior guard Johnell Davis, who has more than half (11) of FAU's 20 points. He's one of only three Owls to have scored a single point. — Lorenzo Reyes

Offensive showcase in Baylor vs. Colgate

Florida Atlantic and Northwestern may want what's going on between Baylor and Colgate, with both teams clicking on offense with the Bears leading 33-23 with eight minutes left in the first half.

Baylor looked like it was going to make this a blowout when it jumped out to a 14-point lead, but Colgate's offense woke up to keep the game within reach. Combined, Baylor and Colgate are 23-for-37 (62.2%) from the field. — Jordan Mendoza

Where is Colgate University?

Colgate is located in Hamilton, New York, about 35 miles southeast of Syracuse. The Colgate Raiders are part of the Patriot League. — Jordan Mendoza

Lowest-scoring March Madness game

The lowest-scoring game in NCAA Tournament history belongs to Pitt vs. North Carolina in 1941, when the Panthers took the Tar Heels down 26-20 for an aggregate score of 46 points.

Indeed, all of the five lowest-scoring games came in 1940 and 1941,.

Those games, per the NCAA , are:

1941: Pittsburgh 26, North Carolina 20 (46 points)
1940: Duquesne 30, Western Kentucky 29 (59 points)
1941: Wisconsin 36, Pittsburgh 30 (66 points)
1940: Indiana 39, Duquesne 30 (69 points)
1940: USC 38, Colorado 32 (70 points)

It should be noted of course, basketball was a different sport at this time. The shot clock didn't come to college basketball until 1985, and the 3-point line in 1986. — Kevin Skiver, USA TODAY Network

Baylor vs. Colgate score: No. 3 Bearsare hot early

14-seed Colgate had one of the best defenses this season, but it's getting an early dose of Baylor's high scoring offense with the Bears owning a 13-6 lead with 15 minutes left in the first half.

Baylor is hitting its shots early, starting the contest on a 10-2 run as its five of its first eight shots. But keeping Colgate alive is fifth-year star Keegan Records, who has all of the Raiders points at the first media timeout. This is the fifth straight tournament appearance for Colgate, but it's still searching for its first March Madness win. — Jordan Mendoza

Florida Atlantic vs. Northwestern score: Finally, some first-half scoring

FAU went on an 8-0 run, thanks in large part to defense. The Owls have forced turnovers and have raced out in transition, not allowing Northwestern's zone to settle. FAU has capitalized and has a six-to-two edge on points off turnovers and a four-to-two edge on fast break points.

The Wildcats are currently on a scoring drought of 5:05.

Still, it's not all good news for FAU. The Owls are up four points with 3:46 left in the half, but they have just two assists on five made field goals. — Lorenzo Reyes

Why Jim Nantz isn't calling 2024 March Madness games

As the men's NCAA Tournament begins, fans may be wondering where Jim Nantz , voice synonymous with one of the most popular events in college sports is.

Nantz decided the 2023 NCAA Tournament would be his last so he could focus on his family and other broadcasting commitments. Nantz didn't retire from broadcasting; He's still calling The Masters and serves as the lead play-by-play person for CBS' NFL coverage alongside Tony Romo. The duo were in the booth for Super Bowl 58 in February. – Jordan Mendoza

Northwestern vs. FAU: Both teams struggling early

The second and final day of the first round is underway in Brooklyn with the battle between No. 8 Florida Atlantic and No. 9 Northwestern, but the offense was slow to get off the bus.

Both teams combined to start 0-4 and the first point, a free throw from Northwestern sophomore forward Luke Hunger came with 17:52 in the half.

In fact, at the first media timeout, both teams combined to go 2-for-10 from the floor and one-of-eight from 3-point range. With 15:06 left in the half, the score is tied at 4. — Lorenzo Reyes

How to turn off ad blocker for March Madness

If you're struggling to stream the games due to your ad blocker , you are not alone. Here's what you need to know about how to disable the ad blocker on your device and web browser.

If you trust a site, you can add an exception to allow ads on that site. Here's how:

At the top right, click More Settings.
Click Privacy and security Site Settings.
Click Additional content settings Ads.
Turn off Block ads on sites that show intrusive or misleading ads.

March Madness scores today

Here is the complete NCAA tournament scoreboard for Friday's first-round games. Catch up on all of Thursday's first-round action here .

How to watch March Madness 2024, NCAA Tournament games live

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

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn't influence our coverage.

Best first-round matchup: Wisconsin vs. James Madison

That 5-12 pairing between Wisconsin and James Madison is the easy choice here. The Badgers did well to make a run to the Big Ten championship game, including an overtime triumph against Purdue. But they'll be at something of a disadvantage in terms of recovery time, and the Dukes won't in any way be intimidated by taking on a power conference program. JMU, you might recall, made one of the season's early splashes with an upset at Michigan State. They went on to win 31 games, although none of those made quite as much noise. Fortunately for the Dukes given how tight things turned out to be on the bubble, they secured the automatic berth as the Sun Belt champs.

JMU can score a bit, to the tune of 84.4 points a game. Wisconsin is historically known for defense, although this year's version of the Badgers has surrendered some high point totals. Suffice to say there will be a lot of shot makers on the floor in this one, usually a formula for entertaining basketball in March. — Eddie Timanus

When does Duke play in the NCAA Tournament?

The fourth-seeded Duke Blue Devils face the No. 13 Vermont Catamounts on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET, with the game airing on CBS.

Jack Gohlke on UK upset: Oakland's 'not a Cinderella'

Who is Jack Gohlke? Not your average shooter. He lit up the box score with 32 points off the bench for Oakland in their 80-76 upset over No. 2 Kentucky .

All 20 of his field goals came from three-point range, going 10-for-20 from deep and 2-of-3 from the free throw line. He nearly matched the NCAA Tournament record of 11 three-pointers set by Loyola Marymount's Jeff Fryer in 1990.

"Obviously, we come in, we're the underdog by all measures, but as a player you can't think that way," Gohlke said. "You got to go out there and think you have the same talent level as them. I know they have draft picks, and I know I'm not going to the NBA, but I know on any given night I can compete with those guys -- and our team can.

"That's why I say we're not a Cinderella, because when we play our A-game, we can be the best team on the floor."

Who will win the East Region? UConn

OK, so let's get real: Anyone other than UConn winning the region and going to the Final Four would be a big surprise. (Anyone other than UConn winning the whole thing might be a big surprise, actually.) The Huskies are long, deep, explosive, dripping with athleticism and loaded with the sort of confidence you'd expect from the defending champs. The Huskies are built to handle the intensity of tournament play and will benefit from the depth developed while battling some injuries during the regular season. — Paul Myerberg

Why Florida Atlantic is the sleeper pick of the East Region

If for no other reason than the fact that FAU doesn't lose NCAA Tournament games in New York. (If we're counting all five boroughs, that is.) A year ago, the Owls punched their ticket to the Final Four out of Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. This time, the No. 8 Owls will get started at Brooklyn's Barclays Center against No. 9 Northwestern before — gulp — taking on UConn. FAU struggled at times during the regular season as first-year members of the American but have the experienced roster and depth of production to make another March run in the Big Apple. — Paul Myerberg

Potential upset in first round: Auburn vs. Yale

No. 12 Alabama-Birmingham is hot enough to take down No. 5 San Diego State, though the Blazers' play for the vast majority of the regular season doesn't speak too well to their chances. Let's go instead with No. 13 Yale finding a hot hand and taking down No. 4 Auburn, which had one of the cruelest tournament landing spots of any Power Six team. The Tigers were placed behind No. 3 Kentucky despite winning the SEC, for one, and worse yet will very likely have to tussle with one of the Huskies and Iowa State to get back to the Final Four behind coach Bruce Pearl. — Paul Myerberg

Who will win the East Region? Purdue

Given that the other team in NCAA Tournament history to lose in the first round as a No. 1 seed — Virginia — came back to win the national championship the following year, also as a No. 1 seed, how can you resist this one? After spending much of this season ranked No. 1 in the nation, the Boilermakers showed their fallibility in losing to Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament semifinals. But guess what? That Virginia team that won the national championship did so after losing in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament semifinals. Oh, and by the way, en route to the NCAA tournament title, Virginia beat Purdue in the regional semifinals in overtime.

To get to the regional final this year, Purdue's toughest test may come in the second round against TCU, if the Horned Frogs can get past Utah State. TCU has the kind of team speed that can cause problems for Purdue and potentially minimize the influence of its 7-4 senior center Zach Edey. But karma is what it is. — Steve Berkowitz

March Madness predictions: 7 Cinderella teams that could bust your NCAA Tournament bracket

When it comes to the NCAA men's tournament , there's one type of team anyone will be scared to face: Cinderellas. There always seems to be teams that are heating up at the right time that result in making unexpected runs and busting brackets across the country.

This year can offer up a similar tournament experience with national championship favorites getting sent home early and a team going from unknown to becoming the darling of March. For this purpose, it could be teams starting at the No. 8 seed line, since it could flip the tournament upside down by knocking out a No. 1 seed in the second round.

Here are teams that can not only pull off a first-round tournament upset , but could also surprisingly playing in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. — Jordan Mendoza

Defending national champion Huskies look to defend title

NEW YORK – The first-round games at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn will feature two of the 2023 Final Four teams. The day's first game pits last year's surprise Cinderella, Florida Atlantic, against Northwestern, an at-large selection from the Big Ten, at 12:15 p.m. ET.

The No. 8 seed Owls followed up their Final Four run with a 25-8 campaign this season, finishing second in the AAC and losing to Temple in the conference tournament.

UConn (31-3), the defending national champion, has won 21 of its last 22 games and blew through the Big East, winning the regular season title and the conference tournament to earn the No. 1 overall seed. They are led by AP first-team All-American guard Tristen Newton and lead all remaining tournament teams in scoring margin, beating opponents by an average of 17.1 points a game.

The Huskies will face the No. 16 seed Stetson Hatters, who won the Atlantic Sun conference tournament and are making their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. − Scooby Axson

March Madness predictions

The NCAA men's tournament is all about chaos and unpredictability. There are sure to be upsets And if there was one lesson to learn from last season's edition, it's that nothing is guaranteed and anything can happen. We saw at the second No. 16 seed win over No. 1 seed in tournament history and no No. 1 seeds made it to the Elite Eight. These predictions may sound crazy − and it's very unlikely they all are correct − but with the unexpected nature of the tournament, who's to say they can't happen? Here are bold predictions.

March Madness expert picks: Our bracket predictions for 2024 NCAA men's tournament

The experts have dissected the men's NCAA Tournament bracket , providing sleepers, Final Four matchups and upset predictions. Your chances of filling out a perfect bracket are miniscule , but maybe you need a few tips to win your office pool. We've got you covered with a look at how to pick an upset and a look historically at how the seeds have performed in the NCAA Tournament. Three of our five USA TODAY experts have UConn as their picks to win the national title on April 8. Here are our expert picks .

Best March Madness upset picks: Our predictions for NCAA tournament first-round stunners

Our aim here is to attempt to identify the true first-round upset candidates in the men's tourney field seeded 11th or lower. There are usually a few, but finding the right ones isn't always easy. (Full disclosure: we went 0-for-5 in this space last year – but we press on.) Here are five upset candidates to consider as you fill out your bracket .

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.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness scores: Full NCAA bracket info, first round highlights

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