ESPN Men's Basketball

"College GameDay" breaks down Marquette's 88-68 win over BYU.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The afternoon games at the KFC Yum! Center were more crummy than yummy, at least for those who prefer their NCAA tournament games seasoned with crunch-time drama. But Murray State and Marquette fans aren't complaining.

Here's a quick look at No. 3 seed Marquette's 88-68 victory over No. 14 BYU:

Overview: There would be no Mormon Miracle this time around.

BYU roared back from a 25-point deficit Tuesday to beat Iona in the First Four, recording the largest comeback win in NCAA tournament history. The Cougars again dug themselves a massive hole on Thursday, but Marquette was far too good to get caught from behind.

The Golden Eagles led by as many as 19 points in a dominant first half and held off a couple of medium-sized Cougars charges to keep the advantage in double digits most of the way home. Marquette was a little too quick, a little too insistent on the glass and had a little too much Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom.

The team's two senior anchors combined for 45 points and answered every comeback attempt by BYU. If those two can keep playing like that, Marquette is going to be a difficult team for any West Region opponent to handle.

Turning point: Back-to-back BYU 3-pointers sliced the lead to 52-46 with a little more than 15 minutes to go. Marquette responded with a quick 8-0 run, capped by a dunk in transition by Crowder. The margin would get no closer than eight points the rest of the game.

Key player: You probably won't find many better lines than Crowder's this opening weekend. He had 17 points and 10 rebounds ... in the first half. His versatility was too much for BYU to handle, especially when he hit three 3-pointers in the first half. Crowder finished with 25 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, five steals and four assists. Johnson-Odom provided a nice wingman with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists of his own.

Key stat: Marquette outrebounded BYU 48-32 and had 16 offensive rebounds. The Golden Eagles scored 18 second-chance points to just five by the Cougars.

Miscellany: Marquette's Davante Gardner, in his third game back since a left knee injury sidelined him in January, chipped in 15 points and six rebounds off the bench. ... BYU's Brandon Davies led his team with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Cougars fans can only wonder what might have been last year had Davies not been suspended. ... Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa sat in the Marquette section behind the team's bench.

What's next: Marquette advances to play No. 6 seed Murray State in the West Region third round on Saturday. It should be an interesting matchup between two high-tempo, athletic teams.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The NCAA tournament has arrived at the KFC Yum! Center, and this pod definitely comes Kentucky-fried for your enjoyment.

Murray State begins the day by playing within its state's borders, and No. 1 seed Kentucky and No. 16 seed Western Kentucky will renew their intermittent rivalry in the evening. But some outsiders will seek to crash this Commonwealth celebration.

Let's take a look at the afternoon games on tap here Thursday:

No. 6 seed Murray State (30-1) vs. No. 11 seed Colorado State (19-13), 12:15 p.m. ET

What to watch: Is Murray State for real? That has been a season-long question, as the Racers won their first 23 games and broke into the top 10 for the first time in school history. They ended the season ranked ninth in the coaches' poll but received a No. 6 seed because of a soft schedule. But they drew a favorable opening matchup in Colorado State, a guard-oriented team that doesn't have a player over 6-foot-6. The Rams love any open shot and rank sixth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage.

Who to watch: Murray State guard Isaiah Canaan is one of the top players in the country, averaging 19.2 points and shooting 47 percent from 3-point range. Colorado State coach Tim Miles admiringly described Canaan as a "pain in the butt" and went so far as to compare him to Jimmer Fredette. If the Racers make a run in this tournament, Canaan could be one of the breakout stars of March.

Why to watch: Any team that goes 30-1 must be doing something right, and Murray State can cause enough matchup problems to make a run to the Sweet 16. The Ohio Valley Conference champ has won a game in each of the last two NCAA tournaments. Colorado State is looking for its first NCAA win since 1989, and the highly entertaining Miles will churn out some memorable sound bites if it happens.

What they're saying: "I think we're kind of used to this situation. We've kind of been looked at as an underdog all year long. I know that gym's probably not going to be in our favor [Thursday]. Our conference tournament kind of prepared us for that a little bit. So we're used to this kind of atmosphere. We're going to try not to let that stuff get to us and just concentrate on our game plan and the way we've got to play to win." -- Colorado State guard Wes Eikmeier.

"I think Murray's always been on the map. They have a great winning tradition. But I just think with this year that it just opened up some more eyes. More people kind of went out of their way to see where Murray State was, who these guys were, what are they doing, how do they represent themselves. So I think it was just a matter of us doing a little bit extra for the program." -- Murray State guard Donte Poole.

Of note: Poole signed with Colorado State out of high school and even attended summer school there in 2007. ... The Racers are one of just five teams to enter the NCAA tournament with only one loss but not earn a No. 1 seed. The best showing by any of those previous teams was Texas Tech's Sweet 16 run in 1996. ... Miles has often worn a Smarty Jones hat in honor of the 2004 Kentucky Derby winner to remind his teams of their underdog possibilities. "And just by chance, we end up in Louisville," he said. "I thought that was pretty cool karma."

No. 3 seed Marquette (25-7) vs. No. 14 seed BYU (26-8), approximately 2:45 p.m. ET

What to watch: Marquette crashed the Sweet 16 as a No. 11 seed a year ago and now looms as a potential Final Four threat in the West Region. The Golden Eagles love to get out in transition, and BYU just beat one of the fastest teams in the country while completing a stunning comeback against Iona in Dayton. Can BYU follow VCU's unconventional path from a year ago?

Who to watch: Marquette's 1-2 punch of Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. Johnson-Odom can beat you from 3-point range or off the bounce, while Big East player of the year Crowder is a 6-6 matchup nightmare who can do a little of everything. Both are seniors who won't be easily rattled.

Why to watch: BYU has already turned in possibly one of the most entertaining games of this year's tournament, and the Cougars have the fascinating redemption saga of forward Brandon Davies. Marquette matches the high energy of its coach, Buzz Williams, and is almost never boring.

What they're saying: "When I first got in here, I smelled the chicken being cooked. So that reminded me of the last time we were here." -- Marquette's Crowder, recalling his team's last appearance at the KFC Yum! Center, when the Golden Eagles blew an 18-point lead in the final six minutes during a loss last year to Louisville.

"A lot of confidence comes from coming from behind and winning, especially in the NCAA tournament. There's a lot of new emotions and adrenaline that comes into play when you're in this tournament. It gives us a lot of confidence to know that we can play and battle back from a pretty big deficit." -- BYU forward Brock Zylstra.

Of note: Marquette typically wins the fast-break battle, but it gave up a season-high 35 transition points in its loss to Louisville in the Big East tournament last week. ... The last time the Golden Eagles were a No. 3 seed, they made the Final Four in 2003 behind Dwyane Wade. ... With Tuesday's victory, BYU has won NCAA tournament games in three straight years for the first time in school history. ... The Cougars spent Tuesday night in Dayton and made the short bus ride to Louisville on Wednesday, arriving about 2:30 p.m. ... BYU coach Dave Rose said forward Noah Hartsock, who has been battling knee and ankle problems, was "pretty sore" after the Iona game, but he expected Hartsock to be ready to play Thursday.

1. The selection committee said BYU and Iona were 14 seeds because of the need to have the Cougars play into a Thursday-Saturday regional if they won. But they also wanted to make sure the Cougars weren’t near a WCC team or out West (too far to travel from Dayton). So that limited the Cougs and dumped them in nearby Louisville. But it also means that Marquette is getting one of the best 14 seeds that a No. 3 seed has seen with the Cougars coming back to beat Iona.

2. Western Kentucky fans have been hammering me on twitter about my criticism of firing Ken McDonald mid-season. I’m not against McDonald being canned. I understand that the situation had gotten out of control. And, yes, Ray Harper did a tremendous job to get Western Kentucky through the Sun Belt tournament title and then to come back against Mississippi Valley State. But unless there are extenuating circumstances, I still don’t like college coaches being fired prior to the end of the season. Let’s also remember, this isn’t the pros. It is extremely disruptive mid-year.

3. One of my pet peeves occurred multiple times during our 68 coaches show Tuesday in Charlotte. It’s not the best 68 teams. It’s the top 37. The selection committee isn’t putting together the best 68 teams. If you were confused then all you had to do was watch the first First Four Tuesday night.

DAYTON, Ohio -- We were all thrilled and confused Tuesday night.

What had we just witnessed?

The evening’s matchups offered surprises that caused grown men to speak in fragments at the University of Dayton Arena.

“I just don’t … I mean … I’ve never …”

At that point, there was nothing to say.

The gym’s floor had been transformed from the site of the postseason’s afterthought to a canvas for college basketball history.

In this season’s First Four -- still fighting for legitimacy among college basketball fans -- the NCAA tournament commenced with the greatest comeback in the final five minutes of a game. Western Kentucky recovered from a 16-point deficit to secure a 59-58 victory over Mississippi Valley State.

And just a few hours later, BYU launched the greatest comeback in NCAA tournament history when it recovered from 25-point hole against Iona and sealed a 78-72 win.

“What an exciting game,” said BYU head coach Dave Rose.

That would qualify as an understatement. After BYU’s victory, fans, scribes, coaches and players spent a few minutes meandering around the building in a stupor, intoxicated by the liquor called March Madness.

President Obama and British prime minister David Cameron sat courtside for the Hilltoppers’ victory over the Delta Devils. And by the end of night, the president’s appearance had become a sidebar to the explosive start of America’s favorite tournament.

As Western Kentucky stormed back, the commander in chief formed a “T” with his hands and mouthed the word “timeout.” He’d gotten caught up in the craze, too.

Obama, however, missed the best game. He left immediately after the conclusion of Western Kentucky’s win over MVSU, in which it rallied from 16 down in the final five minutes.

In the nightcap, Iona scored 55 points in the first 15 minutes and 26 seconds of its meeting with BYU. And then the Cougars tortured the Gaels for the remaining 24-plus minutes, nibbling at that lead until the final minutes.

Iona scored 55 points and shot 69 percent from the field and 71 percent on 3-pointers in the first 15:26 of the game. But in the final 24:34, the Gaels scored 17 points, shot 20 percent from the field and made just 1 of 18 3-pointers. They also turned it over 15 times during that stretch.

At one point, BYU went on a 17-0 run and held Iona scoreless for more than nine minutes. By the time Noah Hartsock (23 points) nailed a 3-pointer with 2:28 on the game clock,the Cougars had a 71-70 lead. By the end of the night, the Cougars had authored a 31-point swing and surpassed Duke’s 22-point comeback against Maryland in the 2001 Final Four.

“I started looking around and didn’t see [Obama]. But I’m sure he had some important things to take care of,” Hartsock said. “But it was just great just being here at the game and just grateful we could man together and get a win.”

This is why America falls for this event every year. This is why President Obama brought Cameron to Dayton.

For the possibilities presented by the NCAA tournament.

There aren’t any ridiculous brackets. Amazing things happen in March.

Iona had locked up a victory. The Gaels looked like UNLV from the early ’90s. Then they ran into a crafty zone, and turned into a team that didn’t know how to score.

“We started getting our hands on loose balls and tipping it,” Hartsock said. “We were just trying to be active.”

Iona’s collapse jacked up part of my bracket. I predicted two Gaels victories.

But I wasn’t concerned.

I’d just watched two of the greatest comebacks in college basketball history. In Dayton. With the President of the United States in the crowd for one of them.

Welcome to March.

That was the message that Western Kentucky and BYU sent during the first two games of the First Four.

And if that was the appetizer, I can’t wait for the main course later in the week.

Two all-time Men’s Basketball Championship records were set Tuesday, setting the bar high for an exciting tournament that continues Wednesday.

BYU trailed Iona by 25 points in the first half, but moved into the Round of 64 with the largest comeback in Men’s Basketball Championship history.

Western Kentucky, the only team in the field with a losing record this season, trailed Mississippi Valley State by 16 points with under 5:00 remaining. The Hilltoppers moved on to the Round of 64 with the largest final-5:00 comeback in Men’s Basketball Championship history.

(14) BYU 78, (14) Iona 72
BYU has won a tournament game for the third straight season, the first time in school history with such a streak, after holding Iona to just 17 points over the final 24:34 of the game.

Iona scored 55 points and shot 69 percent from the field and 71 percent on 3-pointers in the first 15:26 of the game and went into halftime with a 55-40 lead.

In the final 24:34 of the game, the Gaels scored 17 points, shot 20 percent from the field and went just 1-for-18 from 3-point range -- and 15 of their 18 turnovers came during that span.

The Gaels went scoreless for a 9:13 stretch while BYU went on a 17-0 run.

Noah Hartsock scored a game-high 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Brandon Davies notched his eighth double-double of the season with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Scott Machado had 15 points and 10 assists in the loss, his 11th double-double of the season.

(16) Western Kentucky 59, (16) Mississippi Valley State 58
Western Kentucky trailed by 16 points (53-37) with 4:51 remaining but came back to beat Mississippi Valley State. The Hilltoppers ended the game on a 22-5 run, making their 16-point deficit the largest ever overcome in the final five minutes of an NCAA tournament game.

The comeback began with a 15-0 run to cut the lead to one. The previous largest comeback was set by Illinois, which came back from 15 points down in its 90-89 OT win over Arizona in the 2005 Elite 8.

Western Kentucky is just the sixth team with a losing record to win a game in the Men’s Basketball Championship. There have been 26 teams with sub-.500 records to make the NCAA tournament and five of the past six have won their first game.

Western Kentucky has won seven straight games after starting the season 9-18, and will put that winning streak on the line Thursday against top overall seed Kentucky.

Western Kentucky had 28 turnovers, the most by a team in a tournament game since 1996, when Tulsa turned it over 28 times in a Round of 64 OT loss to Louisville. No team had turned it over 28 times in a tournament win since 1988, when Kansas had 30 turnovers in a Round of 64 win over Xavier.

The Jayhawks went on to win the national championship that season.

Mississippi Valley State is now 0-5 all-time in NCAA tournament games.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Reaction from BYU's 78-72 win over Iona.

Overview: The scouting report on Iona was simple. The Gaels can run with anyone (they have the top scoring offense in the country), but they can’t guard anyone.

Both proved to be true in their loss to BYU on Tuesday in the First Four matchup at University of Dayton Arena.

With 4:34 to go in the first half, the Gaels held a 55-31 lead.

Get out your calculators for this one.

That’s a 24-point margin, right? Well, for the next 16 minutes and 31 seconds, the Gaels recorded just seven points.

Huh? How does a team score 55 points in the first 15:24 of the game and then register seven during the next 16:31?

They couldn’t score against BYU’s zone. The Cougars forced Iona to slow down and rely on sets instead of the up-tempo game that had carried the Gaels to that crazy start. Iona was perplexed as BYU kept cutting into its lead.

As Iona’s offense stalled (going scoreless for more than nine minutes), BYU mounted a comeback that resulted in a 71-70 lead for the Cougars on a Noah Hartsock 3-pointer with 2:28 to play. Brandon Davies hit a pair of late free throws, and a Brock Zylstra three-point play with 23 seconds to go gave BYU a 76-70 lead. More late free throws sealed the win for the Cougars.

It was the biggest comeback in NCAA tournament history. That followed the greatest comeback in the last five minutes during Western Kentucky's late push against MVSU in the first game.

The largest deficit of the game was 25 points, making this a 31-point turnaround for BYU. Welcome to March.

Key Player: Davies had 18 points, and Hartsock scored 23. Both were crucial in the win.

Key Stats: Iona scored 55 points and shot 69 percent from the field and 71 percent on 3-pointers in the first 15:26 of the game. But in the final 24:34 of the game, the Gaels scored 17 points, shot 20 percent from the field and made just 1 of 18 3-point attempts.

Misc.: Wow. Again. I know a lot of folks have knocked the First Four setup, but we were treated to a pair of thrilling finishes in Dayton. And that was only Day 1. ... How on earth did that happen? How did Iona blow that lead? I’ve never witnessed that kind of collapse in person.

Well, it’s early, but that doesn’t mean we have to wait to make predictions. And in my opinion, you don’t waiver. You make statements and projections and you stand by them, regardless of what happens in the coming weeks. Hold me to the following bold predictions about the NCAA tournament:

1. No Big East team will reach the Final Four: Another big haul for the Big East. Nine of its teams will participate in this season’s edition of the NCAA tournament. But I don’t think the conference will send any teams to New Orleans. I think Syracuse, a team that’s vulnerable due to its challenges on the glass, has a tough path in the East with Ohio State and a pair of hot squads (Florida State and Vandy) standing in its way. Georgetown, Cincy and UConn could lose in the first round. Marquette has to get through Missouri. I just don’t see it. No Big East in the Big Easy.
2. [+] Enlarge
   Peter G. Aiken/US PresswireKim English and the Tigers could be one of two teams representing the Big 12 in New Orleans.
   The Big 12 will send two squads to New Orleans: Among the 2-seeds, Missouri has the easiest path to New Orleans. The Tigers’ speed and perimeter versatility will pose matchup problems for every team in the West Region, including No. 1 seed Michigan State. Kansas losing in the first round to Detroit? Nah. The Jayhawks will beat every team in the Midwest, including the Tar Heels if they face them in the Elite Eight.
3. Vanderbilt will reach the Final Four: I know it’s the sexy pick following its win over Kentucky in the SEC tournament title game. But the Commodores shouldn’t be judged by that victory. And they shouldn’t be dismissed because of premature exits in past years. They have veterans. And they’ve built momentum down the stretch, a la Connecticut a year ago. They’ve hit nearly 40 percent of their 3s this season. The East Region is stronger than it looks with teams such as Syracuse, Ohio State, Florida State and Wisconsin in the mix. But the Commodores can emerge with their senior leadership and shooting. Plus, they have the confidence that comes from beating Kentucky, a team that they challenged in two previous meetings, too.
4. Iona will win two games: I don’t agree with the Gaels’ inclusion. Washington and Drexel had stronger arguments. But just because many don’t believe they belong doesn’t mean that they won’t prove critics wrong. I think the Gaels, who own the No. 1 scoring offense in the country (83.3 ppg), are dangerous. To reach the third round in the West Region, the Gaels will have to get through BYU in Dayton and Marquette in Louisville. Mark it down. The Gaels are playing a pair of shaky defensive teams. They have three NBA-level talents in Scott Machado, Michael Glover and Lamont “Momo” Jones. As much I thought Iona didn’t have a case for a slot in the field of 68, I think the Gaels can show doubters that they’re worthy.
5. The Badgers will go home early: I’m picking Montana over Wisconsin in the 13/4 matchup in the East Region. Wisconsin’s offense has stalled multiple times in recent weeks. Even though the Badgers are capable of neutralizing any offense, they’ve had problems capitalizing due to their own inconsistent offense. Montana will be ready. The Grizzlies beat their Big Sky rivals Weber state by 19 points in the conference’s tournament title game, their 14^th consecutive victory. Plus, Will Cherry (16.0 ppg) can match Jordan Taylor. Grizzlies will advance.
6. Long Beach State is a Sweet 16 team: Numerous NCAA tournament teams have hungry veterans. But few upperclassmen have gone through the things that T.J. Robinson, Larry Anderson and Casper Ware have throughout their careers. The seniors missed the past two NCAA tournaments after losing in the conference tournament title game to UC Santa Barbara twice. But this season they earned the Big West’s automatic bid. If Anderson’s not ready (knee injury), then that will change Long Beach State’s March Madness potential. But even without Anderson, the league’s defensive player of the year, this is a talented team that’s played the top nonconference schedule in the country. The 49ers will not be intimidated. They’ll beat New Mexico and Louisville on their way to the Sweet 16.
7. [+] Enlarge
   AP Photo/Lenny IgnelziCreighton's Doug McDermott may meet up with former high school teammate Harrison Barnes of North Carolina.
   Michigan State will be the first No. 1 seed to fall: Call me crazy. But I think Memphis’ athleticism will create problems for the Spartans in the third round. I understand the “How will the Tigers guard Draymond Green?” question. But what about Will Barton and Joe Jackson? In the Big Ten, the Spartans didn’t play teams that possessed the raw athleticism that’s anchored Memphis’ roster. The Spartans will be tougher than the Tigers in this East Region matchup, but the latter has an element that Michigan State hasn’t faced since its season-opening to loss to North Carolina.
8. Doug McDermott will outplay Harrison Barnes on Sunday: I expect North Carolina and Creighton to advance and set up a Sunday matchup in the Midwest Region between former high school teammates Doug McDermott and Harrison Barnes, who earned two state titles together at Ames High School in Ames, Iowa. The Tar Heels will win the game, but McDermott will be the star. Both guys have talked about this potential matchup in the past. The McDermott vs. Barnes buildup will be immense. But McDermott will outperform his prep teammate in their first collegiate meeting, albeit in a loss.
9. The VCU/Wichita State winner is headed to the Sweet 16: It’s unfortunate that this game will eliminate a potent mid-major. Wichita State and VCU, a Final Four team last year, are two of the best in the country. I predict that the winner of this game will end up facing Kentucky in the Sweet 16. They’re both tough, physical defensive teams that will pressure Indiana in the round of 32. The Hoosiers have struggled outside of Bloomington. And whether they face the Shockers or the Rams, they’ll be in for a battle, one that I expect them to lose.
10. The West Coast Conference won’t win one game: BYU will lose to Iona. Saint Mary’s will go down against Purdue. West Virginia will beat Gonzaga. I thought the WCC would turn the corner this year with the way BYU, Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga fought for the WCC title. But all three have looked vulnerable in recent weeks. I just don’t think they’re going to advance. Plus, tough matchups for all three teams in their first games. Iona is very talented. The Boilermakers are tough, too. Kevin Jones will lead the Mountaineers to a win over the Bulldogs.

Here are my quick initial thoughts on the 2012 NCAA tournament bracket:

• By going South (Atlanta), Kentucky was protected from a potential Elite Eight game in the Midwest (St. Louis) against Kansas. Wonder whether the Wildcats would have traded that for the chance to avoid Connecticut in a very likely third-round matchup.
• The price for "protecting" Kentucky is having North Carolina top the Midwest instead of the South, forcing both the Wildcats (by a little) and the Tar Heels (by a lot) into additional travel.
• Kansas was apparently ahead of Missouri on the committee's S-curve, as the Jayhawks got a more favorable No. 2 seed than the Tigers. Either way, I am glad the committee stayed at it long enough to award Michigan State (rightfully so) the final No. 1 seed.
• I thought for a moment that Colorado's relatively good seed (No. 11) might be a good sign for California or even Washington. Not so much. The Bears get an early-week trip to Dayton, and the Huskies become the first regular-season "big six" champion to miss the NCAA tournament.
• I'm guessing the somewhat surprising slot for the BYU-Iona winner (No. 14, West) might have something to do with BYU's "no Sunday play" rule. Either way, it is the worst at-large seed I can ever recall.
• I can totally understand the choice of Iona and applaud it. My guess is Drexel was ultimately done in, as expected, by its weak schedule-strength numbers. We might never know which team was ultimately knocked out by St. Bonaventure's winning the Atlantic 10 championship.
• Overall, my favorite thing about this year's field is that -- intentionally or not -- the "Joey Brackets Rule" is in effect for the most part. There was only one (UConn) at-large selection of a team under .500 in conference play. Bravo to that.

1. Illinois coach Bruce Weber has had multiple chances to leave. In hindsight, he should have gone. Weber will get paid millions if he’s out at season’s end. His comments after Wednesday's home loss to Purdue sounded like those of a defeated coach. I’ve said this many times. He’s a good man, who simply stayed too long in a high-pressure situation. If I were an athletic director at a Missouri Valley school, I wouldn’t hesitate to hire him.

2. Karl Benson had no choice but to abandon ship and go after the Sun Belt commissioner’s job. He will be announced later Thursday as the league's new commish. Benson had stayed true to the WAC, despite being betrayed multiple times by league members – most recently Nevada and Fresno State. Had they kept a promise and stayed, Benson had BYU, and the WAC would have been saved. Instead, the Mountain West survived for a bit before “merging” with Conference USA. Benson had done all he could do with the remaining WAC schools. The end is near for that league.

3. Benson’s decision to leave the WAC for the Sun Belt makes me wonder even more what Boise State was thinking in putting its men’s basketball program in the WAC. There is zero stability in the WAC going forward; the Broncos might have been better off pleading with the WCC to house their programs in the all-private-school league and at least be a partner with BYU.

A scan of the college basketball box scores each night guarantees all kinds of statistical oddities and standout performances. Here are some we found from Saturday:

Note of the Day
Six teams had three or fewer turnovers Saturday. Entering the day, only eight teams had had a game with three or fewer giveaways.

George Mason 54, Old Dominion 50
George Mason won despite shooting 27.7 percent from the field and committing 21 turnovers. The only other team to win a game this season despite shooting less than 30 percent and committing at least 20 turnovers was Kentucky on Dec. 31 against Louisville.

North Carolina 83, Maryland 74
North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall had 16 assists Saturday, matching the highest single-game total by any player this season. He had nine more assists than the entire Maryland team. That nine-assist margin is the highest this year by one player over the opposing team.

Indiana 78, Purdue 61
Purdue lost despite turning the ball over only three times. It’s the second time the Boilermakers have lost a game with three or fewer turnovers; all other Division I teams have combined to do it only four times on the year.

Valparaiso 63, Wright State 54
The Crusaders won despite registering just one offensive rebound. Only six teams this year have had a game with no more than one offensive rebound, and Valpo has done it twice. Those six teams are a combined 6-0 in those games.

Morehead State 56, Eastern Illinois 55
Morehead State attempted only 30 field goals in the win, the lowest number of field goal attempts by a team this season. The next-lowest total was achieved Saturday as well, as Valparaiso attempted only 32 shots in its win over Wright State.

Oakland 74, Western Illinois 70 (2 OT)
Oakland’s Lucas Laval-Perry did not score a point in 41 minutes of action, matching the longest scoreless appearance by any player this season.

Cal State Fullerton 99, UC Santa Barbara 86
Cal State Fullerton hit 17 of 26 3-pointers (65.4 percent), the highest percentage by any team in a game this season, minimum 25 attempts.

Drexel 65, Towson 57
Drexel’s Frantz Massenat made all 15 of his free throw attempts Saturday, one shy of the most free throw attempts without a miss by any player this season. Massenat has now made his last 33 attempts from the charity stripe.

BYU 79, Portland 60
BYU attempted 53 free throws Saturday at Portland, five more than any other road team in a game this season.

Davidson 88, Chattanooga 61
Davidson attempted 40 3-pointers in the win, only the second time since Jan. 1 that a team has attempted that many 3s. The other instance in 2012 happened Thursday in Chattanooga’s prior game, in which Western Carolina attempted 41 from long range.

Andy Katz and Doug Gottlieb break down all of Saturday's action. Included in the conversation: What happens now with Kansas and Iowa State, controversial finishes in Syracuse and Minneapolis, impressive wins by the SEC elite, disappointing performances from Kansas State and Dayton and another victory by the best of the West, Saint Mary's.

St. Mary's cruises to its 11th consecutive victory, winning 80-66 at BYU.

Editor's Note: For Myron's recap of Saturday's afternoon action, click here.

More Saturday games. More drama. A weekend slate that wasn’t supposed to offer much ultimately produced an impressive collection of games. Saturday night only added to the excitement.

Washington 69, Arizona 67

This game might have been a preview of the vibe we’ll see in the Pac-12 tournament. Not one team in this league can feel secure about its NCAA tournament hopes, but the conference's collective downfall does make for plenty of must-win drama.

Consider this: Between the 14:16 and 2:28 marks of the second half, Arizona recorded exactly one field goal. And yet, with two minutes to play, this was just a six-point game. Solomon Hill’s 3-pointer with 9 seconds to play tied the game at 67. He was awesome, scoring 28 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. But while he made nine of his 10 shots, the rest of team went 12-of-40 (30 percent) from the field.

And after Hill's big bucket, Josiah Turner committed a huge foul on C.J. Wilcox, who hit a pair of free throws before freshman Tony Wroten blocked Turner’s layup at the buzzer. The Pac-12 is certainly down. But it’s also a very scrappy league right now because of the uncertainty. Arizona was bad for a chunk of this game, but the Wildcats kept coming -- because, well, it's UA-UW and these matchups are always dramatic.

The Huskies, who lead the Pac-12 at 7-2, scored a crucial road win, while Zona’s at-large hopes took another major blow with its third home loss of the season. Fun game.

No. 21 Virginia 61, North Carolina State 60

The Cavaliers led 55-45 with 6:37 on the clock, but barely held on here. The Wolfpack was sloppy for the bulk of this game and finished just 2-of-15 from beyond the arc. Near the five-minute mark, Alex Johnson missed three shots on one possession. He botched a layup on a fast break, then missed a contested follow-up and a 3-pointer. It was that kind of evening for the Pack.

But they bounced back and chipped away at Virginia’s lead. They outscored UVa 15-5 in the final six minutes of the game and Scott Wood hit a late 3 to close the gap to 1. The Cavs missed a jumper in the final seconds so NC State had a chance to tie on the last possession, but Virginia’s defense clamped down on Lorenzo Brown, whose 3-point attempt at the buzzer was way off.

The Cavs continue to find ways to win and force teams to play their grind-it-out style of basketball. Mike Scott (18 points) certainly helped, but Virginia was outrebounded 42-25 -- it gave up more offensive boards (18) than it had defensive boards (17)! -- and still pulled out the win. The Cavaliers' 17th victory gives them one more than all of last season.

That’s certainly something to be proud of, but I’m not sold on the Cavs as a team that will do damage in the NCAA tournament. Not with struggles against Towson, a bad home loss against Virginia Tech and other so-so efforts this season. Their finish against NC State on Saturday showcased some of this team’s flaws.

No. 20 Saint Mary’s 80, BYU 66

Wait, wasn't this supposed to be the weekend that the Gaels fell in West Coast Conference play? As impressive as SMC's 8-0 start in the WCC was, there was a palpable buzz that suggested the Gaels' success was directly linked to the fact that they played five of their first eight conference games at home, including routs of BYU and Gonzaga.

A rematch with Brigham Young on the road -- the Marriott Center is one of the most challenging venues in the country -- spelled doom. Right? But Saint Mary’s truly separated itself from the rest of the league with a 14-point victory that really wasn't even that close, despite SMC's heavy turnover total (24). It was a scrappy game both on the floor and off it -- fans threw things onto the court at one point as the Cougars lost back-to-back home games for the first time ever under Dave Rose. Four Gaels recorded double-figure point totals, led by Brad Waldow (19 points, 8 rebounds). I already can't wait for that Saint Mary's-Gonzaga game in Spokane.

Some more observations from Saturday night ...

• Oh Dayton, you confusing Atlantic 10 contender (pretender?). From Dec. 7 through Jan. 7, the Flyers won seven of eight games, including victories over Alabama, Ole Miss, Saint Louis and Temple. They’ve now lost three of five after Saturday’s 86-81 home loss to … wait for it … Rhode Island (4-18, 1-6 Atlantic 10). That’s not OK. What a wacky league. Xavier, Saint Louis and Dayton, three teams expected to emerge from the crowd, all have three conference losses as La Salle, St. Bonaventure and UMass (a very impressive winner over the Billikens on Saturday) share the conference lead. The A-10 seems as wide open and as unpredictable as any league in the country. Who can call it right now? Not me.
• The last time Minnesota and Illinois faced off, the Gophers lost to the Illini in double overtime in Champaign. On Saturday, Minnesota got its revenge with a 77-72 OT win at the Barn. After losing their first four conference games, the Gophers have won four of their past five. They’re a young team with limited depth, but Tubby Smith has coached this team extremely well in this five-game stretch.
• It was a huge night in Conference USA as the league's top four teams squared off. What we learned is that Memphis and Southern Miss, which play each other Wednesday in Hattiesburg, are the conference's co-favorites. Behind a career-high 29 from Will Barton, the Tigers rallied in the second half for a hard-fought home win against Marshall. The Golden Eagles also had a huge second half to win in Orlando, where UCF had won 16 straight (including a recent victory over Memphis). Neil Watson and Kentucky transfer Darnell Dodson combined for 45 points as Larry Eustachy's underrated squad improved to 19-3. Yes, 19-3.
• Think the Mountain West is a pushover? No. 15 UNLV needed overtime to dismiss Boise State on the road and the Rebels needed an extra period again Saturday, when they beat Air Force 65-63. AFA is ranked 156th in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted tempo ratings and Vegas is 17th, but these two squads were even on the scoreboard until the closing seconds. But the Falcons committed two turnovers in the last 15 seconds of the contest and squandered their chances to win this one late. Still, it was more evidence that the Mountain West is deeper than it appears to be on the surface. Mike Moser continued his destructive streak with 27 points and 12 rebounds.
• Oklahoma scored a key road when it beat No. 24 Kansas State 63-60. The Sooners pressured the Wildcats, who committed 20 turnovers. Frank Martin has been preaching defense, but K-State didn’t have much against Steven Pledger, who scored 30 points. The Wildcats have lost three of their past six. Meanwhile, this had to be a satisfying win for Lon Kruger, who used to play and coach in Manhattan. What a great job he's done in his first year in Norman.
• Seton Hall looked like an NCAA tournament team after it followed a blowout road loss at Syracuse with a four-game winning streak. But the Pirates have lost their past four and looked lackluster in a 60-51 home defeat to Louisville. Boy, that surprising season turned sour really quick, didn't it?
• Speaking of New Jersey, how strange is this Rutgers season? After Saturday's victory over Cincinnati, the young Scarlet Knights now have wins over Florida, Connecticut and the Bearcats ... and losses to DePaul, Illinois State, Princeton and a down Richmond team.
• Wichita State and Drake took a combined 149 shots in their triple-overtime thriller Saturday night. The Bulldogs outplayed the Shockers and deserved their 93-86 victory. Kraidon Woods’ layup for Drake sent the game into the first extra period and Rayvonte Rice hit a pair of late free throws to take the game into a second overtime. Drake’s Kurt Alexander and Wichita State’s Ben Smith traded late 3s in the second extra period to send the game into a third OT. In that third overtime, Drake scored the first five points and WSU couldn’t close the gap. The Shockers suffered their first loss since New Year’s Eve, but this is still a quality team. Wichita State is now one game behind Creighton in the MVC. Let's all count down to that Feb. 11 rematch in Omaha.

Utah’s futile Pac-12 debut
Colorado defeated Utah 73-33 in the first Pac-12 game for both schools. It marked the fewest points allowed by Colorado since beating Kansas 42-30 in January 1949. Utah hasn’t had this low of a scoring total since 1980, and the Utes’ 22.8 field goal percentage was the fourth lowest in school history. The 40-point loss stands as the fourth worst in school history. Utah’s 11 first-half points are the fewest ever allowed by Colorado.

Oglesby hasn’t missed since November
Torian Oglesby made history on Sunday in Bowling Green’s overtime loss to UTSA. He came off the bech to hit all 10 of his field goals, setting a school record for attempts without a miss. Even more impressive than that? Oglesby hasn’t missed a shot since November. After finishing December 16-for-16 from the field, Oglesby has now hit a Division I record 26 straight shots. That broke the record set by Ray Voekel of American University, who hit 25 shots in a row in 1978.

Robinson impersonates Wilt
Thomas Robinson had career highs with 30 points and 21 rebounds in Kansas’ 84-58 win over North Dakota on Saturday. It was the first 30-point, 20-rebound game in the Big 12 since Blake Griffin did so. It had been 50 years since a Jayhawk had done it. The last 30-20 game in Kansas history came on February 13, 1961 against Missouri when Wayne Hightower scored 36 points to go with 21 rebounds. The only other Jayhawk to record a 30-20 game? Wilt Chamberlain, who did it seven times.

Gabriel makes Auburn history
In the 106 years and 2,322 games of Auburn basketball history, no one had recorded a triple double. Until Monday. Kenny Gabriel recorded the first triple-double in Auburn history as the Tigers beat Bethune-Cookman 67-41. Gabriel matched career-highs with 24 points and 13 rebounds, while setting a new career-high with 10 blocks. He’s the first SEC player with a points-rebounds-blocks triple-double since Jarvis Varnado in January 2010.

BYU’s 1st 20-20 game in over 35 years
Brandon Davies pulled down a career-high 22 rebounds to go with 21 points, as BYU defeated San Diego 88-52 for its first West Coast Conference win. The 22 rebounds are the most for a Cougar since Steve Trumbo’s 23 in January 1982. It’s the first 20-20 game by a BYU player since the 1974-75 season.