For the first time in a long time, the majority of the top seeds prevailed in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, just 3 upsets took place in a busy Friday of Men’s basketball.
9-seed Baylor’s 75-72 win over 8-seed Mississippi State started Friday off on the right foot with a thriller in Raleigh.
Congrats to (9) @BaylorMBB, who hangs on to defeat (8) @HailStateMBK, 75-72!
They move on in the #NCAATournament to face the winner of (16) Mount St. Mary’s and (1) Duke in Raleigh on Sunday.#MarchMadness2025 #BigDance pic.twitter.com/2EtOIlZO8D
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 21, 2025
15-seed Robert Morris gave 2-seed Alabama everything it could handle, taking the lead late in the 2nd half, but the Crimson Tide ultimately survived with a 90-81 win in Cleveland.
UPSET AVOIDED
Mark Sears late And 1 caps an 11-1 run for @AlabamaMBB to pull away from @RMUMBasketball 90-81.
️: @ScottWipeout & @JonCrispinESPN pic.twitter.com/fvqBUfjeYS
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 21, 2025
All anybody could talk about this week were the injuries for 3-seed Iowa State, but the Cyclones flaunted their depth with an 82-55 win over 14-seed Lipscomb in Milwaukee.
“‘ !”
Milan Momcilovic caps a 12-0 @CycloneMBB run
(3) Iowa State leads (14) Lipscomb to start the 2nd!
: Milwaukee, WI
️: @noaheagle15 & @TomCrean
: #MarchMadness2025 Affiliates
️: https://t.co/YQNU4Bwx92… pic.twitter.com/BQjhWMO6yQ
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 21, 2025
12-seed Colorado State followed the footsteps of McNeese as the biggest upset of the day, knocking off 5-seed Memphis in a 78-70 win in Seattle.
FINAL IN SEATTLE
(12) @CSUMBasketball 78 (5) @Memphis_MBB 70
The Rams behind a career high 23 points from Sophomore Guard, Kyan Evans pull away late with the upset win over the Tigers!
️: Ryan Radtke & P.J. Carlesimo pic.twitter.com/LGSHxk9Tal
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 21, 2025
1-seed Duke basically played a home game in Raleigh, enjoying a blowout win over 16-seed Mount St. Mary’s as ACC Player of the Year Cooper Flagg returned from injury in a 93-49 win.
Cooper Flagg looked GREAT as Duke rolls in Raleigh!
That’s the biggest blowout of #MarchMadness2025
(1) @DukeMBB beats (16) Mount St. Mary’s 93-49
Hear this Flagg triple w/@jasonbenetti & @sarahkustok pic.twitter.com/2np0PO2xMg
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 21, 2025
Another great game saw 7-seed St. Mary’s beat 10-seed Vanderbilt with a heart-racing finish, as a pair of last second shots fall awry for the Commodores, a 59-56 SMC win in Cleveland.
FINAL ALERT
(7) @saintmaryshoops 59 (10) @VandyMBB 56
The Gaels Advance!
️: @ScottWipeout & @JonCrispinESPN with the frenetic final seconds! ⏲️ pic.twitter.com/aikJH22149
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 21, 2025
Just two days after North Carolina dominated their First Four game in Dayton, Ole Miss ends the Tar Heels’ season with a tightly contested 71-64 finish in Milwaukee. The ACC now has just one team in the Round of 32 for the first time in 50 years.
! #MarchMadness@OleMissMBB avoids total collapse thanks to THIS triple
(6) Rebels win 71-64 over (11) UNC #FirstRound
️: @NoahEagle15 & @TomCrean pic.twitter.com/S9E1s1CLZC
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 21, 2025
4-seed Maryland had its way with 13-seed Grand Canyon in the opening round, winning 81-49 in Seattle.
FINAL ALERT@TerrapinHoops defeats @GCU_MBB 81-49 to advance to the second round! #MarchMadness2025
: Seattle, WA
️: Ryan Radtke & P.J. Carlesimo pic.twitter.com/EXrTBC5rWy
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 21, 2025
1-seed Florida had no trouble with 16-seed Norfolk State, dominating from start to finish in a 95-69 victory in Raleigh.
!@GatorsMBK ROLLS to a 95-69 victory #FirstRound
Hear the dunk that sent Raleigh into a frenzy!
️: @jasonbenetti & @sarahkustok #MarchMadness2025 pic.twitter.com/lDQUzfzNOh
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 22, 2025
The 3-seed Kentucky Wildcats forgot about last year’s First Round upset vs Oakland, beating Troy 76-57 to advance in Milwaukee.
The second half was all @KentuckyMBB, as the Wildcats shut the door on Troy with a 76-57 victory in Milwaukee!@noaheagle15 & @TomCrean were on the call for Westwood One Sports.#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/s8jRwp23cU
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 22, 2025
Moments after 8-seed Marquette look a late-game lead over New Mexico, the Lobos went on a 10-0 to capture their first NCAA tournament win since 2012, beating the Golden Eagles 75-66 in Cleveland.
Marquette took a late lead, then a 10-0 @UNMLoboMBB run sealed the victory!
Hear @ScottWipeOut & @JonCrispinESPN as the Lobos took control#MarchMadness2025 | #FirstRound pic.twitter.com/lCw9slZqTZ
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 22, 2025
4-seed Arizona took care of business against 13-seed Akron, winning 93-65 in Seattle.
.@ArizonaMBB made a STATEMENT in the second half, powering to a 93-65 victory over Akron in the first round.
Trey Townsend broke it down postgame with Ryan Radtke & P.J. Carlesimo for Westwood One Sports.#MarchMadness #BearDown pic.twitter.com/u7OMjloEO3
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 22, 2025
Back-to-back National Champion UConn defeats 9-seed Oklahoma to set up a date with the previous back-to-back champ Florida as the 8-seed Huskies win 67-59 in Raleigh.
! #MarchMadness2025
The @UConnMBB veteran was flawless as the Huskies edged Oklahoma 67-59
Listen to Karaban’s triple that helped put it out of reach!
️: @jasonbenetti & @sarahkustok pic.twitter.com/IlZvPyjJLN
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 22, 2025
6-seed Illinois silenced the 11-seed Xavier Musketeers with an 86-73 First Round win in Milwaukee.
Will Riley and @IlliniMBB SHOWED OUT in the second half of an 86-73 win over Xavier to advance to the Second Round.@noaheagle15 & @TomCrean had the call for Westwood One Sports#MarchMadness #Illini #HTTO #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/PbdRI4YdLr
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 22, 2025
Despite first half struggles, 2-seed Michigan State turned on the jets in the second half to dismantle 15-seed Bryant, an 85-60 win in Cleveland.
” !”@MSU_Basketball started slow, but turned things on in H2 for an 87-62 win!
Hear this 4-point swing that got the crowd fired up!
️: @ScottWipeOut & @JonCrispinESPN #MarchMadness2025 | #FirstRound pic.twitter.com/yr898rjbI3
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 22, 2025
The final game of the night saw 5-seed Oregon making a short trip to Seattle, dominating 12-seed Liberty 81-52. The Ducks capped a First Round that saw Big Ten teams go 8 for 8.
It was ALL DUCKS as @OregonMBB cruised to an opening-round victory against Liberty, 81-52. The Ducks never trailed in a statement win, as called by Ryan Radtke and P.J. Carlesimo here on Westwood One.#MarchMadness #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/D9pUZCHxns
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) March 22, 2025
