Virginia’s 2019 national title is now sandwiched between the first round exits of the NCAA Tournament, after fourth-placed Cavaliers were defeated 62-58 on Saturday by Ohio’s 13th-placed. The Bobcats will advance to face Creighton No. 5 in the second round in the second round, while Virginia will return home as just the last ACC team to face a dark fate in Big Dance.
4th in Florida State and 11th in Syracuse are the only ACC teams that are still standing for the second round, after Clemson, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech joined Virginia in the losing column during the first shift.
VCU was sent home and the story was made in the first round. The last episode of Eye on College Basketball covers everything. Listen now and subscribe.
Unlike 2018, when Virginia became the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed, Saturday’s result was not entirely unpredictable. Ohio came in having won nine of its last 10 games, including three in a row during last week’s MAC tournament. With an NBA perspective as Jason Preston leading the charge, the Bobcats hit 50% of the shots from the ground and all 10 free throws in the second half.
Virginia was also dealing with COVID-19 problems that prevented the team from reaching Indiana until Friday. But the result was still a turning point that will be a challenge for the Cavaliers. In a season fraught with challenges due to the pandemic, the NCAA Tournament should be a reward. For the Cavaliers, however, it only brought frustration.
Here are some other tips from Saturday’s action:
Maryland represents the Big Ten
Finding out what to do with Maryland was a challenge this season. Although the turtles had some solid victories in the Big Ten season, they were also inconsistent. Maryland lost three of four entering Saturday’s game against UConn’s number 7. The Huskies, on the other hand, had been playing well for the past five weeks. But it’s March and the results don’t always make sense.
Not only did Maryland beat UConn on Saturday, but the Terrapins did it very convincingly, with a final score of 63-54. UConn made it interesting in the end, but Maryland looked like the best team for most of the game. The Terrapins will face second-placed Alabama on Monday in a game that could be interesting.
With number 1 in Michigan and second in Iowa also dealing with business on Saturday, it was a good day for the Big Ten, after the league had a bit of a hard time on Friday.
Gonzaga looks good
The Bulldogs had no problems with the number 16 at Norfolk State, as they won 98-55 and advanced to play 9th place in Missouri on Monday. Gonzaga is now 27-0 and has just five wins of the season unbeaten.
A moment of truth is coming, however. After a few months of playing lesser competitions, in addition to BYU, can the Zags immediately channel the elite game that led them to non-conference victories over Iowa, West Virginia, Kansas and Virginia? Oklahoma may not be a candidate for the national title, but the Sooners will represent one of the most difficult challenges this team has faced in a long time.
Battle of the great man coming
Kansas pivot David McCormack scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half while showing how the Jayhawks are better when he is scored. KU needed every bit of McCormack’s production to avoid eastern Washington for a 93-84 victory. When McCormack is playing well, he looks like one of the best big men in the country.
Now, it will show that it is really one of the best. A meeting with the USC and likely pick of the Evan Mobley lottery on Monday will be a clash of titans at the post. Mobley led the Trojans with 17 points and 11 rebounds in victory over No. 11, Drake, on Saturday. Watching him collide with McCormack will be interesting, and that battle may decide the winner of the game.