For a lot of its first-round sport, No. 3 seed Xavier appeared prefer it was sleepwalking towards Kennesaw State, a No. 14 seed that was stopping practically each Musketeer participant.
However management on this sport is relentlessly fluid, and Xavier took it with a livid rally to return again towards the Owls, finally holding them off for a 72-67 win that prevented one more bracket shock within the first spherical of the boys’s N.C.A.A. match. (Baylor, one other No. 3 seed, dodged one other by trouncing the College of California, Santa Barbara after being down by 1 at halftime.)
The Owls led by 13 with just below 10 minutes to play earlier than Xavier lastly awoke. The Musketeers scored the following 15 factors — a part of a run by which Kennesaw State went roughly 8 minutes with out a area objective.
That arrange the frantic back-and-forth, with the groups exchanging leads down the stretch till Xavier slipped forward for good on a Colby Jones free throw. Kennesaw had a number of probabilities late, however Spencer Rodgers stepped on the sideline whereas corraling an inbounds go, stopping him from trying a game-tying heave.
A scare for Xavier, to make sure, however not an early exit. — Oskar Garcia
South Carolina dominates in its opening sport.
South Carolina made a transparent opening salvo early in its first-round sport Friday towards No. 16 Norfolk State: The No. 1-seeded Gamecocks allowed solely 7 factors within the first quarter whereas posting 20 factors of their very own.
South Carolina comfortably superior to the second spherical of the ladies’s N.C.A.A. match, 72-40, because it started its run for a second consecutive nationwide championship. On Sunday, it would face No. 8 South Florida, which beat No. 9 Marquette, 67-65, in time beyond regulation on Friday.
The Gamecocks struggled at occasions to transform stable possessions to factors, committing 12 turnovers and lacking 16 of their 41 free-throw makes an attempt. However their clear dominance and ease on their residence court docket have been an excessive amount of for the Spartans, who have been making their first N.C.A.A. match look in 21 years.
Nonetheless, the Spartans didn’t again down. Kierra Wheeler, a sophomore ahead, completed with 13 factors and eight rebounds and sometimes discovered herself going toe-to-toe with among the best gamers within the sport: Aliyah Boston, a senior ahead and the Gamecock’s centerpiece, who completed the sport with 7 factors and 9 rebounds.
Matchups to Watch
The ladies’s N.C.A.A. basketball match lastly will get going, whereas we’re on our second day of first-round motion for the boys. Comply with together with the bracket and reside scores, and take a look at our picks for the Friday video games we don’t need to miss (all occasions Japanese):
Ladies’s Event
No. 8 Southern California vs. No. 9 South Dakota State
8 p.m., ESPN Information
South Dakota State missed the match final 12 months however had grow to be a fixture earlier than then; that is its eleventh journey in 18 years since becoming a member of Division I. The Jackrabbits maintain wins over Louisville and Kansas State this 12 months and ended the season with a 21-game successful streak. Southern California is again within the area for the primary time since 2014. Ahead Rayah Marshall is averaging a double-double, with 12.6 factors and 11.4 rebounds. The groups have performed one another twice earlier than, however not since 2006.
Males’s Event
No. 6 Kentucky vs. No. 11 Windfall
7:10 p.m., CBS
Kentucky misplaced within the first spherical final 12 months to 15-seed St. Peter’s, one of many greatest upsets in match. Are the Wildcats susceptible to an upset once more? Kentucky completed its season with a loss to Vanderbilt within the SEC match sport. Windfall tallied a nine-game successful streak in the course of the season and notched double-overtime wins towards each Marquette and Creighton. Modelers are giving Windfall a greater likelihood than public brackets, in response to The Upshot’s bracket instrument.
No. 5 Miami vs. No. 12 Drake
7:25 p.m., TBS
Although Miami took the Atlantic Coast Convention’s regular-season crown with a 15-5 document in convention play, the Hurricanes’ blemishes included losses to Georgia Tech and Florida State. Miami could also be with out ahead Norchad Omier, who injured his ankle within the A.C.C. match. Drake received 13 of its closing 14 video games and is led by guard Tucker DeVries, who averages 19 factors a sport. — Shivani Gonzalez