St. Peter’s, Coach K, Big 12 came up big in NCAA Tournament. What will Sweet 16 bring?
The first weekend of the men’s NCAA Tournament delivered the usual share of drama — all the way down to the final game in which top-seeded Arizona survived a major scare from TCU to win in overtime.
The first weekend sets up the second, and which brings its own set of of story lines.
▪ Duke survived a strong effort from Michigan State in the second round to extend the Blue Devils’ season and Mike Krzyzewski’s career. Oh, and the outcome provided the 75-year-old Coach K with a nice, round career victory total: 1,200.
Now, Duke must solve a Texas Tech defense that’s the nation’s top-ranked, according to KenPom.
▪ After its stunning take town of Kentucky, St. Peter’s won the Bluegrass State invitational by defeating Murray State. The Peacocks of Jersey City now take a short ride down the New Jersey Turnpike — or the Garden State Parkway — to Philadelphia, where they will meet Purdue, and join UCLA and North Carolina in the East Regional.
And bravo to NBC’s streaming service, Peacock. NBC isn’t part of the broadcast lineup, but Peacock arranged to have St. Peter’s cheerleaders travel to Indianapolis after not attending the victory over the Wildcats. “Birds of a feather MUST flock together,” the streaming service tweeted.
St. Peter’s became the tenth No. 15 seed to defeat a No. 2 seed, and third to advance to the Sweet 16 after Florida Gulf Coast in 2013 and Oral Roberts in 2021. The Peacocks draw third-seeded Purdue.
▪ The Big 12 meant business. The league went 6-0 in first-round games for the second time in league history. Baylor, last year’s national champion and a top seed this season, remarkably made up a 25-point deficit to force overtime against North Carolina. But the energy was spent and it’s the Tar Heels moving on to face UCLA.
Still the top-rated conference based on NET rankings placed three in the Sweet 16, joining the ACC for the lead among conferences. The biggest head-shaking Big 12 entry is Iowa State, which finished 2-22 last season, 0-18 in league play and picked to finish last this season. The 11th-seeded Cyclones are moving on after defeating No. 3 seed Wisconsin on Sunday.
Somehow, first-year coach T.J. Otzelberger wasn’t the Big 12 coach of the year. The winners were Baylor’s Scott Drew among coaches, and Texas Tech’s Mark Adams by The Associated Press.
TCU’s loss had some crying foul. With the game tied and seconds ticking away at the end of regulation, Mike Miles Jr. was double-teamed. Contact was made and Miles lost the ball. The Wildcats prevailed 85-80 in overtime.
▪ One bracket held form, advancing the top four seeds. In the West, top-seeded Gonzaga will face No. 4 Arkansas, and Duke meets Texas Tech in a 2-3 contest. Every other Sweet 16 bracket includes at least one double-digit seed.
The awards
Early round MVP: Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Timme willed the Bulldogs past upset-minded Memphis in the second round with 21 of his 25 points in the second half as Gonzaga overcame a 12-point deficit.
Best game: Teddy Allen, New Mexico State.
Allen, formerly of West Virginia, Nebraska Western Community College and Nebraska, went for 37 to power the 12th-seeded Aggies past Connecticut in the first round.
Sixth-man award: Remy Martin, Kansas
The Arizona State transfer came off the bench and provided the first-half spark in both Jayhawks’ victories. He, and not All-American Ochai Agbaji, led Kansas in scoring in both games.
Reseeding the Sweet 16
1 Gonzaga (1 original seed)
2 Villanova (7)
3 Arizona (2)
4 Kansas (3)
5 Purdue (11)
6 Duke (8)
7 UCLA (13)
8 Houston (18)
9 Texas Tech (12)
10 Providence (15)
11 North Carolina (30)
12 Michigan (42)
13 Arkansas (16)
14 Miami (Fla.) (38)
15 Iowa State (41)
16 St. Peter’s (60)
One sentence Sweet 16 previews
West, Thursday, San Francisco
No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 4 Arkansas, 6 p.m. (CBS)
The Zags match the nation’s top scoring offense against a Razorbacks team that held its last opponent to 48 points.
No. 2 Duke vs. No. 3 Texas Tech, (CBS)
KenPom’s top-ranked defense in Tech gets next opportunity to end Mike Krzyzewski’s career.
South, Thursday, TBS, San Antonio
No. 2 Villanova vs. No. 11 Michigan, 6:15 p.m. (TBS)
Wildcats have looked like the best NCAA Tournament team of the previous five seasons, and the Wolverines are playing with extreme confidence.
No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 5 Houston (TBS)
The Wildcats are loaded with talent but this could be the most competitive game of the Sweet 16.
East, Friday, Philadelphia
No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 15 St. Peters, 6 p.m. (CBS)
The Boilermakers can score with anyone, but the Peacocks won’t be intimidated.
No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 8 North Carolina (CBS)
A blueblood special will be a tempo battle between the Tar Heels, who averaged 94 points in its two victories, and Bruins, who surrendered an average of 54.5.
Midwest, Friday, Chicago
No. 1 Kansas vs No. 4 Providence, 6:15 p.m. (TBS)
The Friars, one of the nation’s best in close games this season, didn’t need the clutch muscle against Richmond, winning by 28.
No. 10 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 11 Iowa State (TBS)
The Hurricanes don’t make mistakes and take advantage of yours, while the Cyclones put opponents in a defensive vice.
This story was originally published March 20, 2022 at 11:51 PM with the headline "St. Peter’s, Coach K, Big 12 came up big in NCAA Tournament. What will Sweet 16 bring?."