March Madness 2022: Best moments, highlights and updates from NCAA tournament action
March Madness 2022 is here, and we are firmly on the road to the Final Four in New Orleans. The NCAA tournament starts in earnest Thursday after Texas Southern, Indiana, Wright State and Notre Dame won their First Four matchups.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs, Kansas Jayhawks, Baylor Bears and Arizona Wildcats are the No. 1 seeds. Baylor and Gonzaga met in last year's national title game, with the Bears crushing the Zags. However, Caesars Sportsbook has Gonzaga (7-2) and Arizona (6-1) as the betting favorites.
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NCAA tournament schedule (all times ET)
1:45 p.m.: 9 Memphis Tigers vs. 8 Boise State Broncos
2 p.m.: 16 Norfolk State Spartans vs. 1 Baylor Bears
2:45 p.m.: 14 Longwood Lancers vs. 3 Tennessee Volunteers
3:10 p.m.: 12 Richmond Spiders vs. 5 Iowa Hawkeyes
4:15 p.m.: 16 Georgia State Panthers vs. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs
4:30 p.m.: 9 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels
6:50 p.m.: 12 New Mexico State Aggies vs. 5 Connecticut Huskies
7:10 p.m.: 15 Saint Peter's Peacocks vs. 2 Kentucky Wildcats
7:20 p.m.: 12 Indiana Hoosiers vs. 5 Saint Mary's Gaels
7:27 p.m.: 9 Creighton Bluejays vs. 8 San Diego State Aztecs
9:20 p.m.: 13 Vermont Catamounts vs. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks
9:40 p.m.: 10 San Francisco Dons vs. 7 Murray State Racers
9:50 p.m.: 13 Akron Zips vs. 4 UCLA Bruins
9:57 p.m.: 16 Texas Southern Tigers vs. 1 Kansas Jayhawks
Bracket notes
Is it too early to ask how your bracket's doing? Never. There are some interesting storylines:
- Gonzaga, the No. 1 overall seed, has just three losses this season. Two teams that beat the Zags -- the Duke Blue Devils and Alabama Crimson Tide -- are in their region.
- For NBA fans tuning in forfuture first-round picks, Duke has two top-10 prospects in Paolo Banchero and Shaedon Sharpe. Gonzaga has the top-rated prospect in 7-foot-1 forward Chet Holmgren, and Auburn has the No. 2 prospect in forward Jabari Smith.
- The East Region's teams have a combined 35 national titles, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. That region features bluebloods in Kentucky, UCLA and North Carolina as well as Baylor, the reigning champ.
Providence pulls it out
If you had South Dakota State pulling the upset then your hopes of maintaining a perfect bracket have been thwarted. The Friars secured the win on the heels of Al Durham. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the guard is just the second Providence player with at least 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in an NCAA tournament game since assists became an official stat in 1984 (Bryce Cotton in 2014).
Durham scored or assisted on 29 of the Friars' 66 points on Thursday (44%).
Comeback complete
Can we get a go blue? TheMichigan Wolverinesbecome the first team to secure a spot in the second round -- and the first to complete a 15-point comeback in the NCAA tournament since Nevada in 2018 (h/t ESPN Stats & Information) -- with their win over theColorado State Rams.
Friars fest
Big East stand up. The Friars are on a roll as they extend their second-half lead. Six different Providence players have made a 3-pointer so far, which is a school record for an NCAA tournament game per ESPN Stats & Information data.
Rose is hyped
Jalen Rose is all Michigan fans right now. The Wolverines stormed back to erase their first-half deficit -- much to the delight of one of their esteemed alumni in attendance.
Entering Thursday's game, Colorado State is 18-1 when leading at the half this season. As for Michigan? It is 3-9 when trailing at the half this season. But nobody needs to tell Rose.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, a Michigan win from 15 points down would be the largest NCAA tournament comeback since Nevada overcame a 22-point deficit against Cincinnati in the 2018 round of 32.
No look, no problem
Baylor Scheiermanmade that look too easy.
In the first half, Scheierman andDouglas Wilsoncombined for 18 points (8-17 FG) and four assists. Meanwhile, the rest of the Jackrabbits' roster combined for five points (2-10 FG) and two assists.
It's time to slam now
Chandler Jacobshas ups, can confirm. The CSU guard came through with the steal and the stuff as the Rams lead the Wolverines late in the first half.
Despite the current score, history favors Michigan fans: The Big Ten is 7-1 all time against the Mountain West in the NCAA tournament.
Let the games begin
OK, so they technically began Tuesday, but you know what we mean. Will 6-seed Colorado State continue its quest for tournament glory, or will 11-seed Michigan upset the Rams in hopes of eventually claiming its first national title since 1989?
No matter who you have advancing in your bracket, these hype videos should get you, well, hyped for the action that's about to unfold.
Follow Longwood while you can
Say "hello" to the Longwood Lancers. They're the No. 14 seed in the East Region. They made the tourney as Big South Conference champions. They're definitely an underdog, facing No. 3 seed Tennessee, but the Lancers' Twitter swag is on point.
