Kansas booted in second round; Kansas State and Kentucky take care of business

Kansas was a favorite to win the NCAA tournament by many, but the play by Ali Farokhmanesh, capped by a huge 3-pointer with 30 seconds to go, pulled an extremely surprising upset with a 69-67 win. Farokhmanesh led Panthers with 16 points, including four 3-pointers.

The quick Kansas exit is the major story of the day, but it wasn’t the only big upset of the day. St. Mary’s asserted their presence in the paint and hit 20 free throws in a 75-68 win over Villanova, a team many had going to the Final Four. Omar Samhan had a monster game with 32 points to lead the Gaels.

Butler was a little luckier in a close game with No. 13 Murray State. They edged the Racers 54-52 to make the Sweet 16 for the third time in school history and avoided the upset. The game ended on a poor pass from Isaiah Canaan with three seconds left in Murray State’s attempt to tie. The ball rolled and the clock ran out as the players dove for possession.

Ohio, the No. 14 seed, didn’t have the same success as the other double-digit seeds. They were outplayed by Tennessee in an 83-68 loss. The Volunteers shot 56 percent from the field, while the Bobcats shot 37 percent.

Baylor also had a great second round day shooting the ball. They shot 51 percent from the field and hit eight 3-pointers in a 76-68 win. It was tied with two minutes to go, but Baylor hit some outside shots and Old Dominion couldn’t knock down the shots down the stretch. The Sweet 16 appearance will be the first in Baylor school history.

In one of the non-eventful games of the day, Washington crushed New Mexico State 82-64 to become the second double-digit seed to move to the Sweet 16. The Huskies led by as much as 22 points, and the Lobos hit only nine of 20 free throws while shooting 40 percent from the field.

In the last two games of the evening, Kansas State and Kentucky both took care of their business and easily moved on to the Sweet 16. The Kansas State Wildcats defeated the Cougars 84-72, led by Jacob Pullen with 34 points. Kentucky crushed Wake Forest 90-60, led by Darius Miller with 20 points.

The impressive aspect of the game was the 60 percent shooting percentage of Kentucky. If they continue to shoot the ball well, they will be nearly impossible to beat. The Demons struggled to defend after a miss. Cornell or Wisconsin should have a better transition defense than Wake Forest, but the Wildcats can hit the 3-pointer as well. They have 22 3-pointers in the two games of the tournament so far.

Baylor survives with a 13-4 game ending run to move to the next round

Baylor was another top seed with a fight for their tournament lives. The tournament has already seen two upsets, including a three seed falling. Baylor didn’t want to be the third.

The game was tied at 55 with just over three minutes to play, but Baylor was able to take over with great guard play at the end. They were able to penetrate, and they were able to get to the line.

For Sam Houston State, they struggled at the 3-point line. They were 6-32, and it finally caught up with them at the end. At one point, they missed 13 3-pointers in a row. Baylor simply took advantage of the misses and pushed it up the floor.

The game was close to the end because Sam Houston State was able to find other players to score, while Baylor’s guards continued to struggle. Baylor only shot 44 percent from the field, and it kept the game close.

Baylor’s speed and Sam Houston State’s missed 3-pointers were the difference in the game. Baylor survives a first round upset ending on a 13-4 run. They won 68-59.

Sam Houston State leads despite hitting only two of 17 from the 3-point line

Despite shooting two of 17 from the 3-point line, Sam Houston State is playing with Baylor. Baylor has many players who can score, while Sam Houston State has a select few. The balance is a big reason why I picked Baylor to win.

A major reason for the success was due to the nine turnovers by Baylor. They could never go on a run, and they allowed their opponent to stay in the game. The result is an evenly matched stat line, despite the 3-point differential.

Baylor will need to protect the ball, and they need to continue to spread the ball around until they get good looks. The guards must play better. They allowed Sam Houston to stick around, and they must watch out for the 3-pointers. If the game is close at the end, Sam Houston State can make you pay if you fall asleep at the arc.

For Sam Houston, they have to start knocking down the 3-pointers. They are lucky they have the lead at the moment, but Baylor will score. They need to put pressure on their guards by draining the threes. They also need another scorer. Gilberto Clavell has 17 points, and Baylor will begin to double him. Clavell will need to find someone else to score. Sam Houston State 31, Baylor 30.