The Cinderellas Went Home
High Point's magical run ended where most 12-seed stories end — in the Round of 32. Arkansas handled the Panthers 94-88. It was closer than the final score suggests, but the talent gap caught up. Chase Johnston — the man who hit his first two-pointer of the season to beat Wisconsin — finished with 18 points. He'll transfer to a power conference and we'll all pretend we knew about him before Thursday.
VCU's ride ended too. Illinois dismantled the Rams 76-55. The team that erased a 19-point deficit against North Carolina couldn't muster the same magic twice. Terrence Hill Jr. was held to 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting. Illinois's defense made the difference.
The Blue Bloods Are Fine
Duke crushed TCU 81-58. It wasn't competitive after the first 10 minutes. The Blue Devils looked like the best team in the field — which is exactly what a 1-seed is supposed to look like in the second round.
Michigan rolled Saint Louis 95-72. Houston destroyed Texas A&M 88-57. When the top seeds win by 20+, it tells you the tournament is settling into form. The chaos of Day 1 was fun. The chalk of Day 3 is reality.
Michigan State beat Louisville 77-69 in a game that was tighter than either team wanted. The Spartans advanced but didn't look dominant. That matters in a bracket where Duke is waiting.
Texas Won't Die
The most interesting result of the round: No. 11 Texas upset No. 3 Gonzaga 74-68. Texas — the same program that sent AJ Dybantsa home in the first round with a win over BYU — is now a legitimate Sweet 16 team as a double-digit seed.
This is a program that was left for dead in the preseason. They weren't even projected to make the tournament in most early brackets. Now they've won two games, knocked off a 3-seed, and are playing with house money.
Nebraska's Moment
Nebraska edged Vanderbilt 74-72 in the kind of grinder that defines March. The Huskers are in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014. In a sport where Nebraska is an afterthought, this run is starting to feel real.
Sweet 16 Preview
The bracket is loaded. Duke, Michigan, Houston, and Florida hold the 1-seeds. Michigan State, Illinois, Nebraska, and Texas are the mid-seeds with momentum. The Sweet 16 games start Thursday.
If your bracket survived the first weekend, congratulations — you're in the top fraction of a percent. If it didn't, welcome to the majority. Pick a bandwagon and enjoy the ride.
