How Oral Roberts became the second # 15 seed to reach Sweet 16
SportsPulse: The glass slipper fits. Oral Roberts becomes the second seed No. 15 to reach Sweet 16. Scott Gleeson details how they did it and whether their magical run can continue.
USA TODAY
The second round of the men’s NCAA Tournament was just as exciting as the first round, which says something, considering the twists and turns of this year’s 64 round.
After several big surprises on the first day of action for the round of 16 (Loyola hitting No. 1 in Illinois, Oral Roberts knocking out Florida), the second day went to the races. Oregon defeated runner-up in Iowa, while the Big Ten continues to fight.
It’s March madness.
Which teams will be assigned to Sweet 16 and which will leave Indianapolis? An analysis of the winners and losers of Monday’s eight games:
Winners
College Basketball Fans. Do you think this year’s March Madness exaggerated the upsets? It is not the year off due to the cancellation of last year that is making us reflect. 2021 was epic compared to previous tournaments. According for the NCAA, Oregon’s victory over Iowa marked the tournament’s 12th victory (surprises are defined as a team victory with seeds five positions below their opponent). The greatest number of surprises in the round of 32 was 10 (done eight times) before 2021. The record for the entire tournament is 13 (1985, 2014).
Michigan. As bad as the tournament that the Big Ten is having, the Wolverines (22-4) escaped an upset with a 86-78 victory over LSU number 8. Coach Juwan Howard is still helping this team to re-establish its identity without veteran Isaiah Livers, excluded from the tournament. Michigan did enough to avoid 57 combined points from Cameron Thomas and Javonte Smart. What made the difference in this Wolverines victory was Eli Brooks, who finished with 21 points and seven assists in three-pointers from 5 to 9.
Gonzaga. The Bulldogs flexed their offensive feats in the 87-71 victory over Oklahoma, with the great man Drew Timme (30 points, 13 rebounds) leading. While the ‘Zags were impressive in many ways, their defense seemed slow and they failed to get ahead of Austin Reaves from OU (27 points). This was the first energy conference team Gonzaga has faced since December, so if anything, it’s a good fit for Sweet 16.
Oregon. The Ducks (21-6) are playing better than their seed, again under coach Dana Altman. Oregon benefited from not playing in the first round, with the Virginia Commonwealth being eliminated due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests. They seemed refreshed to cross beyond Iowa No. 2 95-80. The game was so in favor of the Ducks that it didn’t even seem like a turnaround. Chris Duarte led the attack with 23 points and seven assists. Altman is now on his fifth Sweet 16 with Oregon. The Ducks last reached Sweet 16 as the No. 12 seed in 2019. They were in the Final Four of 2017 and the Elite Eight of 2016.
UCLA. The Bruins (20-9) defeated Abilene Christian, the team that defeated Texas No. 3 in the first round, by 67-47. The Sweet 16 is a significant achievement for coach Mick Cronin, who has only one Sweet 16 in his name after several submissions below expectations in Cincinnati. This UCLA team lost its last four games before entering the NCAA Tournament, but it seems to have found its pace here in Indianapolis. Johnny Juzang is the key catalyst for a squad of Bruins with many guards and Cronin got a good survey of his bank in this one.
The Pac-12. The conference is 9-0 at this NCAA Tournament, and after finishing sixth in the NET ranking, it is a very strong statement about the league as a whole. This is especially true considering that two of the three Pac-12 teams in Sweet 16 (two more will stand a chance) are double-digit seeds at UCLA and the state of Oregon (Oregon is the other as No. 7).
Losers
Colorado. The Buffaloes (23-8) were destroyed by Florida State 71-53 and looked like a completely different team than the one that crushed Georgetown in the first round. Colorado made 19 turnovers and shot 6-to-25 in the three-point range (24%), but failed to keep up with FSU’s depth and length in defense. Senior McKinley Wright IV was out, shooting 0-for-4 beyond the arc and ending with 10 points and five turnovers.
Iowa. The emotions of the great man Luka Garza said it all – as tears flowed from the All-American’s last game as Hawkeye. Iowa (22-9) had a team that was about to make it to Elite Eight (or Final Four if Gonzaga wasn’t on that side of the bracket). Garza was the centerpiece and coach Fran McCaffery had an arsenal of guards who fed on him. But the number 7 seeded Oregon looked superior on the day, and the Ducks’ athleticism and courage seemed to take the Hawkeyes out of contention in the second half.
The Big Ten. After Iowa’s loss, the failure narrative continues for the Big Ten Conference, which is now 6-7 in March Madness. The Big Ten was considered, by far, the best league in the country this season, leading the ranking of the NET conference with a crushing drop on the SEC and the Big 12. The conference sent the nine best NCAA teams to Big Dance, with two No. 1 seed and two No. 2 seeds. But now only Michigan (facing LSU on Monday) and Maryland (facing Alabama on Monday) are still standing.
Ohio. The Bobcats (17-8) were ready to be more than a defeated Cinderella after expelling the current national champion from Virginia in the first round. But they were incompatible from the start against Creighton and were demolished 72-58. Ohio did not play its best against U.Va. but he still won. It had no such luxury against the Bluejays and their powerful attack. Jason Preston, the team’s star guard, hit 1 in 10 on the field and finished with four points.
Oklahoma. The Sooners (16-11) were competitive from the start, giving Gonzaga the best overall result for Gonzaga. The only problem is that this team was not prepared to counter the most dynamic attack in the country. That was a theme for coach Lon Kruger’s group throughout the season, when OU lost six out of eight – they were unable to close games or respond to other teams’ spikes. The skid at the end of the season was a shame because a No. 7 or No. 6 seed could have positioned the Sooners better than facing the leader in the second round. Austin Reaves’ 27 points ended a remarkable career.
Follow college basketball reporter Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.