ESPN Men's Basketball

There's no mystery to it: Fred Hoiberg did an excellent job in his second season at Iowa State. He took in Minnesota castoff Royce White -- who struggled with anxiety and flamed out in epic fashion in Minneapolis -- and unleashed his unique and versatile talents on an unsuspecting Big 12. He got the rest of the team, full of transfers and holdovers from the Greg McDermott era, to play focused, defensive basketball. And he got the Cyclones to the second round of the NCAA tournament, the once-proud program's first NCAA tournament appearance since 2005.

Hoiberg was insanely popular before he came back to Iowa State, his alma mater, to be the head men's basketball caoch. After 2012's immediate turnaround, the Mayor's approval rating couldn't possibly be higher. Zing.

Still, Hoiberg's return was fraught with risk. What if he didn't get the job done? What if the merry transfer bandwagon plan didn't work? What if Hoiberg's return only sullied his standing among the ISU fans who worship him? What if -- gasp -- the Mayor couldn't coach?

Turns out, despite never having been a head coach before taking over at Iowa State, Hoiberg has chops to spare. And SI's Luke Winn crunched the statistics to prove it. Luke re-evaluated the coaching performances of 2012 based on our beloved efficiency stats. Kentucky's John Calipari is named thrice, for good reason: His team was really, really good. But Hoiberg also deserves mention in a category you might not expect. From Winn:

So much for the concerns about Hoiberg having zero coaching experience prior to being hired by ISU: He was the game's best timeout tactician this season, even ahead of well-established coaches such as Thad Matta and Calipari. I ran strength-of-schedule adjustments on Synergy Sports Technology's After-Timeout Efficiency data, and the Cyclones ranked No. 1 at 1.093 adjusted points per possession, followed by Ohio State at 1.066 and Kentucky at 1.019. While the Buckeyes and Wildcats had top-10 overall offenses, the Cyclones ranked 23rd, making their national-best ATO figures even more significant.

In other words, the Cyclones were never better on offense than when Hoiberg had time to pull his team aside and draw up a play. There are a lot of different ways to gauge coaching ability; drawing up a nifty out of bounds play is hardly the only one. (Recruiting, in-year team growth, chemistry, defense, you name it.) But it's one that cuts to the heart of the in-game coaching process itself.

At the very least, that ATO stat should dispel any notion that the Iowa State coach is merely good at collecting talent, that his time in NBA front offices didn't allow him to study the intricacies of the game. The guy can coach. Case closed.

NEW ORLEANS -- Iowa State and Baylor have played each of the participants in Monday night’s NCAA championship game between Kentucky and Kansas. Here is a breakdown of each team by the head coach of each program as well as a player.

IOWA STATE HEAD COACH FRED HOIBERG

You’ve got the two elite shot-blockers in the country in [Jeff] Withey and Anthony Davis. The big thing for Kansas is their transition game. They’re so good at getting out and running. Against Kentucky, if you’re setting up in the half court every time down the floor, you’re going to be grinding it out against that length and athleticism. It’s going to be very difficult to score. From Kansas’ standpoint, the more they attack, they better off they’ll be. They’ve got players capable of doing that with [Tyshawn] Taylor and [Elijah] Johnson spacing the floor. I really think they need to attack before Kentucky gets a chance to set up in that half-court defense where they’re so effective. For Kentucky, Anthony Davis can do so many things. He’s expanded his game as the season has gone on. You have to be so selective on when you try to take it at him, because when he blocks a shot, it usually leads to a layup on the other end.

When Kentucky is in their transition game, you’re not going to stop them, so the other thing Kansas has to do a good job of is taking care of the basketball. They’ve got to limit their turnovers and get up quality shots, and try to get Kentucky into a half-court game going back the other way, which is pretty tough to do. When Kentucky is hitting shots, they’re almost unbeatable. It starts with [Marquis] Teague. If he can get that thing out there and beat everyone in transition, everyone collapses in. That’s how they get all those lobs. If you can take away those highlight plays by Kentucky, that hurts their mojo a little bit. But they’re so fast and explosive, that’s very difficult to do.

With Kansas, Bill [Self] has done as good of a coaching job as anyone in the country this year. You look at what they lost, with the Morris twins and [Brady] Morningstar and [Tyrel] Reed ... Bill still found a way to build his new guys up and to get them to play with so much confidence. That’s a testament to Bill and his staff. Bill is as good as there is in this business. It’s fun to compete against him, and it’s great to have him in our league. Tyshawn is the key to their team. He’s what makes them go. He gets it up and down the floor so quickly. You’ve got to do your best to stay in front of him. They’re using a lot of pick-and-roll in their offense. Tyshawn has handled that very well and shown he can make the right decisions. They're so precise in their offense. I think they’ve got a shot. Don’t ever count out Bill Self. Every time they look like they're down and out, they find a way to come back. If Kentucky is hitting their shots, there just isn’t much you can do. But if they’re having an off night, and Kansas is hitting their shots, they have a very good chance to win.

IOWA STATE GUARD SCOTT CHRISTOPHERSON

[The Wildcats] have great length at pretty much every position. Even if they don’t call out a screen quick enough, they can just switch everything because they [have] such a great help side on their defense. They can cover up minor mistakes. When we played them, [Darius] Miller played really well. Teague played really well. He hit some outside shots. When those two and [Doron] Lamb are hitting their outside shots -- combined with their inside game -- they’re pretty much impossible to stop. On defense, they have guys that are good perimeter defenders, but more than anything, even if you are able to get by them, they have such good length, even on the help side. ... You’re just not used to playing against guys like Anthony Davis and [Michael Kidd-]Gilchrist and Jones -- guys that can just come from the weak side out of nowhere and get your shots. We shot the ball very poorly from 3 because we had never seen length like that. At times you’re actually able to get into the paint on them. I’m not saying they’re not good perimeter defenders, because they are. But it’s not like they’re impossible to get by.

The problem is that you have to expend so much energy getting by them, and then you’ve got Anthony Davis waiting for you at the rim -- it poses a lot of problems. If you’ve got a guy on the low block that can really be physical, it will certainly help. Kansas will be able to utilize Thomas Robinson, because he’s physical and very strong. I’m sure Kansas is hoping he’ll be able to get some easy baskets inside and maybe draw some fouls on Kentucky’s big guys. The biggest thing is just getting the ball moved from one side of the court to the other. If you come down and just have it sit on one side and try to break Kentucky down that way, with their length, you’re not going to be very successful. I would try to drive the ball into the paint and kick it out as many times as I could. But I’d get as many paint touches as I could and get the defense distorted as much as possible. And if you can get out in transition and get some easy buckets, that will help your confidence, too. Kansas has always been very good in transition.

With Kansas, we were able to do a good job of mixing up our post defenses on Robinson. Defensively, we played about as well as anyone did against them in both of our games. You’re going to have to rebound and be physical with them. Defensively they’re always in position. They’re very well-coached, very disciplined. You just have to be very sharp and solid. You can’t try to be a hero against them. You have to make simple plays and play very hard. I think Kentucky’s length makes them a little bit better defensively, just because they’ve got guys like Kidd-Gilchrist that can guard the 4-man or the point guard. But Kansas, year-in-and-year-out, is the best team in the Big 12 defensively. Withey has come a really long way. He does a good job of doing what he does. He blocks shots, runs the court, rebounds, finishes around the rim. To me, the difference in the game is going to be who wins between Doron Lamb and Darius Miller, and Elijah Johnson and Travis Releford. And Tyshawn Taylor has to outplay Teague. Johnson is a really good defender. And when he’s able to stretch the defense with his perimeter shot, it does a lot of things for Kansas. When you have to close out long on him, it gives Robinson so much more room to work on the inside.

BAYLOR HEAD COACH SCOTT DREW

You have to score in transition if you want to have any shot of beating Kentucky. You can’t just hope to score in the half court against them. They’re so good defensively. You have to get easy ones when you can. When you can’t, you really have to make them work on the defensive end. Kansas will do that. But you also have to get some easy ones, and Kansas has always done a great job of pushing it. If Kansas is scoring and not turning it over, that means Kentucky isn’t getting out and running. And if Kentucky isn’t getting out and running, Kansas has a chance. Sometimes people make the mistake of saying, ‘OK, we want to slow it down and play a half-court game against Kentucky.’ That means they never push it and get easy buckets. I don’t know if you can score enough to beat them if you slow it down.

Juniors and seniors don’t want to go home. Kansas is very good, but out of almost all of the good tournament teams, they’ve had the most experience. They start all juniors and seniors, and juniors like Releford and Withey are four-year guys. They’re starting three fourth-year guys and two true juniors. That’s a veteran group. The more experienced at something, the better you are at what you do. They’ve been there, done that. It may mean more to them because they’ve been there three or four years. So they have the experience, but they also have that mental toughness. Winning a national championship may mean more to them than it does a freshman.

When Withey is on, Kansas goes to another level. You know what you’re going to get night in and night out from Tyshawn and Thomas. But if you had Withey knocking down shots and rebounding and scoring, they’re on another level. In their two wins against us, he was the difference. Tyshawn Taylor is probably the main key, though. If you keep Tyshawn from getting it in the paint, and if you can keep him from creating for others ... you can guard Thomas Robinson if you don’t give him angles and just play solidly behind him. And Withey, if he doesn’t catch it deep, I don’t know how bad he’s going to hurt you. But the reason Robinson is able to get angles, and the reason Withey is able to catch it deep is because of Tyshawn’s ability to get into the paint. He’s as good with his first step and at blowing by defenders as any point guard in the country.

BAYLOR GUARD BRADY HESLIP

[Kentucky's] athleticism can be overwhelming, even to us. They’ve got five guys that can handle the ball. Their outlet passes are so impressive. One second after they rebound, the ball is at half court. They get out in transition so quick. They can all handle it. It makes things easy for them. Defensively, Anthony Davis gets a lot of attention for blocking shots, but the guys on the perimeter really pressure the ball. I was watching yesterday, and Louisville would dribble around for 15 or 20 seconds because they were having so much trouble getting it into the paint and getting Kentucky in foul trouble.

Teague can guard. He’s fast. Tyshawn Taylor is probably a little stronger than him. Lamb is strong. Kidd-Gilchrist can defend 1 through 4. Jones is so physical, and then Davis has that great length. You’ve got to do a good job of answering their runs and hope to get some easy baskets. When you try to slow it down, on defense they can really stop you. They forced us into taking bad shots, and they forced us into turnovers. Those result in the first pass of their transition offense. They run the floor and convert it, and get to the free throw line.

Kansas is an amazing team with all of their pieces. They’ve got strong guys that are athletic and physical. They play well and they defend. Kentucky, statistically, is the best defensive team. But Kansas on defense is ridiculous. They rotate like a machine. They’ve got Withey blocking shots. Releford is a great defender, and so are Taylor and Johnson. Those guys are relentless on defense, and they can get out and run, too. It should be an up-and-down game. Taylor is the key for them. At this time of year, you’ve got to have a great point guard to still be playing. He does a great job of scoring and making things happen, because he’s so athletic. Once he gets going, that’s a tough freight train to stop. He does a great job of getting into the paint. If he gets into the paint against Kentucky and guys help out, he can throw lobs to Robinson and Withey. I think it could be a good game. Kansas is too good of a team and Bill Self is too good of a coach to let it get out of hand. It’ll be a close game.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- What are you gonna do?

Seriously, how are you going to beat Kentucky in this NCAA tournament? That's what Iowa State -- and maybe the rest of America -- must be thinking after watching the preposterously gifted Wildcats break out a new weapon and push back the Cyclones' upset bid with extreme force in Saturday's 87-71 third-round NCAA tournament victory.

Just when it looked like Iowa State was going to create the first real drama of the weekend at the KFC Yum! Center and put the No. 1 overall seed on red alert, the Wildcats unleashed a 10-minute tsunami. Along the way, they threw safety nets over all their potential postseason pitfalls, such as:

Point guard play. John Calipari's best teams have had great point guards, but Big Blue fans haven't been sold on Marquis Teague most of the season. Truthfully, he's been solid most of the way after a shaky beginning. But he's rarely been much more than a game manager, and the fear was that his lack of offense and decision-making might prove a liability in a tournament often dominated by guards.

Teague, though, had his best game of the season against Iowa State. He erupted for 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting, scoring eight more points than he had in any other game of his freshman season. He finished in transition and sank jump shots as ISU sagged off him. He also had seven assists with only two turnovers.

Teague knew skeptics had wondered whether he would be the team's weak link.

"I heard a lot people say that, but I knew my time would come if I just continued to work," he said. "On a team like this, they don't really need me to score. I know I can step up and do that, but because we have so many scorers around, I don't have to."

Kentucky already is really, really good. If Teague is going to operate like an elite point guard, it's scary good.

"He did a great job not only scoring, but being a floor general," teammate Darius Miller said. "When he's playing like that, we're a totally different team."

Outside shooting. Vanderbilt beat the Wildcats in the SEC tournament final in large part because the Commodores went to a zone and Kentucky missed shots late. Iowa State collapsed its defense to try to handle Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones, hoping UK's guards would have an off night.

They didn't. Miller, who was slumping during the early rounds of the SEC tournament, and Doron Lamb combined to hit eight of their 13 3-point attempts. The Wildcats made their first six 3s of the second half and were 10-for-20 for the game, shooting 64 percent overall in the final 20 minutes.

"We don't shoot a lot because we get to the rim, we throw lobs," Calipari said. "We play different -- we get a lot in transition. If you make us shoot 3s, we will shoot them."

And if they're making them as well as they did Saturday night, forget it.

Terrence Jones' psyche. The talented sophomore forward has had a tendency to disappear in big moments, as he did in the loss at Indiana in December. But Calipari rightly described Jones as a beast for the way he's played so far in March.

In his past six games, Jones is averaging 15 points and nine rebounds while attacking the rim. He scored only eight against Iowa State, mainly because he concentrated on trying to slow down the Cyclones' version of Charles Barkley, Royce White. But Jones ignited the team's backbreaking 18-2 second-half run with a drive for a dunk and a lob to Davis. He also pulled down 11 rebounds.

"I've just been trying to be a little hungrier and step up my role on this team," he said. "I felt I was letting my team down by not being as aggressive and thinking too much. I wanted to change that for [the] postseason and get us as deep as I could."

Three-point defense. Anybody can go down in March if another team starts raining home 3s. Indiana did it in the Dec. 10 upset in Bloomington and just might do it again next week in Atlanta.

But Calipari has the luxury of letting his players defend tightly on the perimeter, because Davis and Jones can erase mistakes if they are beaten on dribble penetration. Iowa State is one of the most prolific 3-point-shooting teams in the country, with four shooters ready to snipe from outside at any given time. The Cyclones went just 3-of-22 from the 3-point line Saturday night. After making six of their first seven shots of the second half to tie the score at 42, they hit only 28 percent the rest of the game.

Kentucky was content to let White get his points -- he had 23 -- and stop the shooters.

"Coach Cal told us that it was just like last year against Ohio State," Davis said. "If Sully [Jared Sullinger] gets 30 and nobody else can score, then they can't win. So we just tried to contain their [guards] with high hands and make it hard for them to score."

Foul trouble. Calipari usually goes only seven deep, and on Saturday, his top six guys played all but three minutes of the game. Lamb picked up his fourth foul early in the second half, and Jones fouled out after 33 minutes. That's pretty close to the doomsday scenario, yet Miller's fiery play off the bench more than made up for Lamb's extended absence. And even though White is built like a bull and tried to go into Davis' chest, Davis continued to get his hands on the ball without fouling. He had only two fouls Saturday night.

Kentucky is not unbeatable, and its next opponent definitely knows that. While the players said all the right things Saturday night about the rematch, it's no secret the Wildcats have been itching for another shot at the Hoosiers. Expect them to be incredibly motivated for next week in Atlanta. An effort similar to the one they gave in Louisville should be plenty good enough.

"[Calipari] after the game came up to me and told me that's the best game they played all year," Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said. "They can't play any better than they did."

The rest of the tournament better hope that's true.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky comfortably survived the first weekend of the NCAA tournament in its own backyard, and now we have a pretty sweet rematch on tap for next week in Atlanta.

But first, here's a quick look at the No. 1 seed Wildcats' 87-71 victory over No. 8 seed Iowa State at the KFC Yum! Center.

Overview: The top overall seed faced its first test of this tournament early in the second half, when Iowa State tied the score at 42. The sea of blue in the stands began to squirm.

But Kentucky turned in a brilliant response, seizing control of the game in breathtaking fashion, zooming ahead by 24 points in just 10 minutes of action. Point guard Marquis Teague had the best offensive game of his young career, Darius Miller scored 19 points off the bench and Terrence Jones' defense finally slowed down Iowa State's multidimensional Royce White.

The Wildcats hit 6 of 7 3-pointers and shot better than 60 percent in the second half. If they are going to make shots from the outside like that, nobody is going to beat them. Iowa State, which played a pretty solid game, found that out the hard way.

Turning point: After Iowa State erased an 11-point halftime deficit in short order, Kentucky went on a devastating run that showed how much talent it has. Jones, who's been on a tear all of March, started things off with a baseline drive for a dunk. Moments later, Jones grabbed a tough rebound in traffic, dribbled the length of the court and threw a lob to Anthony Davis for another slam. Then the rest of the Wildcats started getting into the act, and suddenly the Cyclones were blindsided by an 18-2 spurt.

Key player: Teague is not normally a big scorer for Kentucky, but Iowa State gave him open looks and he drained them on Saturday. Teague scored a career-high 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting. The freshman had not scored more than 16 points all season.

Key stat: Teague, Miller and Doron Lamb went a combined 22-of-33 for the field and made nine 3-pointers. Iowa State was just 3-of-22 on 3-point tries.

Miscellany: Twice early in the second half, White went coast-to-coast for dunks with no Kentucky players even attempting to impede his progress. After the second one, which started when he blocked Davis, White yelled out, "I'm the best player in the country!" White -- who had 23 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists before fouling out -- was very impressive here this week and likely made himself some money with his performance against Kentucky's future pros. ... Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg was slapped with a technical foul with 11:35 left when he disputed a Cyclones turnover. Davis sank the ensuing two free throws. It was the first technical foul of Hoiberg's two-year coaching career. Kentucky's Jones got a technical for unsportsmanlike conduct with 10:11 left. That was the second technical levied against the Wildcats in two games, as Davis picked one up Thursday night for hanging on the rim. ... Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's mysterious late-season offensive swoon continues. The Wildcats freshman did not score before a meaningless layup in the final minute, though he did have seven rebounds.

What's next: Kentucky advances to play No. 4 seed Indiana in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Atlanta. The Hoosiers, of course, handed the Wildcats their only regular-season loss in a 73-72 thriller on Dec. 10 in Bloomington.

Brian Bennett and Kentucky guard Doron Lamb preview the Wildcats' match with Iowa State.

Have you caught your breath yet? Me neither. But the glorious first weekend of the NCAA tournament rolls on undaunted, and so must we. Thirty-two teams remain. By the end of tomorrow, there can be only 16.

You know the math. And since you know the players and the teams and coaches, and there's more on the line today than even Thursday, let's avoid exclusions and run through each specific game quickly.

East Region

No. 1 Syracuse vs. No. 8 Kansas State, 12:15, p.m. ET, CBS: Syracuse barely survived UNC Asheville on Thursday, and it required at least some small measure of fortuitous officiating to do so. So perhaps it's natural to see Jim Boeheim's team as shaky, even vulnerable, and the matchup won't do much to quell such fears. The Orange are a famously poor defensive rebounding team, ranking No. 341 in the country in opponents' offensive rebounding percentage this season, while Kansas State, with Jamar Samuels, Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez, just so happen to be one of the 10-best offensive rebounding teams in the country. K-State isn't pretty, but it defends and rebounds.

Will that be enough? Boeheim's team is masterful at creating turnovers and scoring easy points in transition, and the Wildcats turn the ball over on a whopping 21.2 percent of their possessions, No. 237 in the country. If K-State coughs it up, there won't be enough wayward rebounds to collect in the first place, and Syracuse — warts and all — will advance.

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Gonzaga, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS: Make shots, get to the line, make free throws. That is, in incredibly simplified form, what Gonzaga will have to do against Ohio State to win this game. It doesn't look altogether likely: OSU guard Aaron Craft is the nation's best perimeter defender, and he could take star Zags freshman point Kevin Pangos out of the game entirely. That will leave Elias Harris, Robert Sacre and Sam Dower to do work in the middle. Few teams can match up with that forward rotation; Ohio State is most definitely one of them. We saw some clunkers from this OSU offense down the stretch, but its defense never wavered. If the Buckeyes are locked in on both ends of the floor, well, look out.

No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT: Two great coaches. Two intelligent, veteran-led teams. Two very good, if not great, programs yet to achieve (to varying degrees, of course) ultimate NCAA tournament glory. This is a fantastic Round of 32 game, one of the best in the bracket, and one that should come down to (a) how difficult Wisconsin can make it for guard John Jenkins and the rest of the Commodores to knock down outside shots, and (b) whether Vandy forward Festus Ezeli can extend his defense away from the basket far enough to check Jared Berggren, a solid outside shooter, without losing sight of Jordan Taylor and the rest of the Badgers' attack. Both of these teams probably deserve a spot in the Sweet 16. Only one will get it. Shame, that, but it'll be awfully fun time watching them duke it out all the same.

West Region

No. 3 Marquette vs. No. 6 Murray State, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS: Before Norfolk State and Lehigh and any other mid-major darling-come-lately, the Murray State Racers and their near-undefeated regular-season run captured the college hoops world's collective consciousness. Is that run near its end? It would appear so: Few teams are as well equipped to handle star Murray guard Isaiah Canaan, and Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder look like too much for the Racers to handle. But hey: Crazier things have happened. (Understatement of the year? Understatement of the year.)

No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 5 New Mexico, 8:40 p.m. ET, TBS: Another fascinating No.4-No.5 matchup here, and another one that's difficult to predict. Here's one thing we do know: Both teams really defend. On a per-possession basis, the Cardinals' defense ranks in the top five nationally, while New Mexico's ranks in the top 15, and both teams are adept at stopping opponents in the half court specifically. New Mexico forward Drew Gordon may dictate whether the Lobos — who will struggle to find quality looks against Rick Pitino's defense — can collect enough second-chance opportunities to keep pace. And, as usual, Louisville guard Peyton Siva will play a major role. Should be a good one.

South Region

No. 12 VCU vs. No. 4 Indiana, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS: VCU will bring the "HAVOC." How does Indiana react? Can point guard Jordan Hulls and off-guards Will Sheehey and Victor Oladipo protect possessions and make good decisions once they cross half court? Can Indiana get Cody Zeller touches, and can Zeller finish those touches — or pass out of VCU's shapeshifting double-teams — without getting bogged down in the Rams' scrapping, digging half-court defense? The Hoosiers will have to do all this and more to get past the best turnover-forcing team in the country, one that pressures relentlessly and attacks opposing defenses with similar gusto. Havoc, indeed.

No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 11 Colorado, 7:40 p.m. ET, TNT: Old-school Big 12 matchup ahoy! The Bears haven't seen this edition of the Buffaloes this season, but they may remember Andre Roberson — CU's hyper-active rebounding big man, who ranks second in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage — from Colorado's last season in the old conference. The Bears will have to contain Roberson on the glass, but if they do, their offensive weapons, from Pierre Jackson to Perry Jones III to Quincy Miller to Quincy Acy and on down the line, should be too much for the Buffaloes to handle.

No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 8 Iowa State, 7:45 p.m. ET, CBS: Apparently, everybody "wanted" to see the talented Connecticut Huskies take on the Kentucky juggernaut, but not me. For one, I like to watch teams that don't constantly appear apathetic. For another, I'm fascinated by Royce White, the most versatile big man in the country. Few players mix size and skill like White, and his unique talents — and the sharpshooting of the Cyclones' perimeter — have reignited a once-dormant, now-frenzied fan base in central Iowa. Unfortunately for those fans, though, the Cyclones couldn't ask for a worse matchup for White. The Wildcats are the Wildcats; they're the most talented team in the country, with Anthony Davis, the nation's most impactful defender, and a guy who mixes size and athleticism in once-in-a-generation style. It would be a shock to see White and Co. get past this Kentucky team.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Thursday's slate of second-round games at the KFC Yum! Center didn't offer a lot of intrigue. All four higher seeds won by an average of 16 points.

Maybe they were just setting the stage for a dramatic doubleheader Saturday. On paper, at least, we have the possibility of two great games. The opener features teams with similar, fast-paced styles, while the nightcap pits the tournament's No. 1 overall seed against an upstart that might have the right ingredients for an upset.

Here's a closer look at Saturday's two third-round games in Louisville:

No. 3 seed Marquette (26-7) vs. No. 6 Murray State (31-1), 5:15 p.m. ET


What to watch: Each team must feel like it's looking into a mirror when scouting the other. Both like to crowd passing lanes and push the pace, and though neither is particularly big, their frontcourt players are active around the rim. So the question is, which one does it better? Marquette has more ability to switch up styles and pound the ball inside, especially when 6-foot-8, 290-pound forward Davante Gardner comes off the bench. He is averaging 17 points and six rebounds in three games since returning from a knee injury. But Murray State should have a significant crowd advantage from its fans who made the short trip here, and from Kentucky backers who likely will pick up their fellow state school's cause.

Who to watch: Both teams have terrific lead guards who could match up against one another. Murray State will almost assuredly need a big game from star Isaiah Canaan to have a chance to advance. The Racers' backcourt will have to slow down Darius Johnson-Odom, who can fill it up from outside or stutter-step and drive the lane. But the Golden Eagles' Jae Crowder presents the toughest matchup problem with his versatility. The 6-6 slasher had 25 points and 16 rebounds in the win against BYU. It's not height but bulk that might bother Murray State, as players like Johnson-Odom and Crowder look like they've spent as much time on their bench press as their jump shot. "They look like they should all be in spring practice at Alabama and LSU playing defensive back and linebacker," Racers coach Steve Prohm said.

Why to watch: This has all the makings of an entertaining, up-and-down game that shouldn't tax the shot clock operator. Canaan and Crowder are among the best players in the country. The winner of this game has a very real chance at making it to the West Region final and beyond.

What they're saying: "For people to look at us as a Cinderella story, it's an honor. But we try to stay level and remember the things that got us to this point, and try to remember to do those things. Because we know if we do that, everything else will take care of itself." -- Murray State guard Isaiah Canaan.

"You just visualize what the moment will be like when you see your 14 guys celebrating going to the Sweet 16. And that's how you're preparing right now, so those guys can have that moment." -- Murray State coach Steve Prohm.

"It's like watching Syracuse. You watch six or seven games, and by the time you're watching the eighth game, you're like, 'Yeah, they just do the same stuff over and over and over. Not to be over-simplistic, but maybe that's why they win." -- Marquette coach Buzz Williams, on scouting Murray State.

"They've got good guards, their bigs run in transition. We've got to get back in transition and keep the ball out of the paint. They look like they come to play and fight every night, and that's how we play." -- Marquette guard Junior Cadougan.

Of note: Donte Poole took an elbow to the nose on Thursday against Colorado State. The Murray State guard said his nose was sore and congested, but he plans on playing Saturday without a protective face mask. ... Marquette is looking to make its second straight Sweet 16 appearance and 15th overall. Murray State has never advanced that far. ... This is just the second meeting between the schools. The first came in the 1969 NCAA tournament, with Marquette winning 82-62.

No. 1 seed Kentucky (33-2) vs. No. 8 Iowa State (23-10), approximately 7:45 p.m. ET


What to watch: Kentucky should get its first real challenge of the tournament against an Iowa State team that took out defending champion Connecticut with ease Thursday night. The Cyclones can bury you from 3-point land by putting four shooters outside the arc on most possessions, but they also can get physical inside, as they showed against UConn. Of course, Kentucky still has Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones and all that other NBA talent, and it will be playing in the friendliest Big Blue confines outside of Rupp Arena. So Iowa State will be a heavy underdog, but that's a role this team has wholeheartedly embraced.

Who to watch: Iowa State's Royce White nearly transferred to Kentucky from Minnesota two years ago. John Calipari visited him in Minneapolis and said "it was done." But when it came time for White to enroll in summer school, he balked. White, who has an anxiety disorder, said he felt uncomfortable getting on a plane, and the mother of his first son had just found out she was pregnant again. Could White come back to haunt the Wildcats? He's one of the most unorthodox players in the country, a 6-8, 270-pounder who serves as the team's primary ball-handler and distributor. If he can throw his weight around inside and find open shooters, look out. But Kentucky also has big men who can play on the perimeter. "He's not LeBron James," Michael Kidd-Gilchrist said. "Can we pressure him? Yeah. He's not special."

Why to watch: The tournament favorite against a very game underdog? That's appointment television.

What they're saying: "We've got to do a great job of trying to keep their guards in front of us and try to make them shoot contested jump shots over us. Because if you do give up guard penetration to the middle, they have incredible athleticism and length, and they can just kind of flip it up there on the rim." -- Iowa State guard Scott Christopherson.

"I think I read somewhere that we were only picked in 32 percent of the brackets on the ESPN challenge. We have played that underdog role, and we have played it well. Our guys have gone out there and taken it personally. And hopefully, we'll do that again [Saturday] night." -- Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg.

"It's not nerves that I'm worried about. Iowa State is a really good team. I watched some tapes where I had to stop watching because I started getting worried that we can't beat this team. So I'm trying to watch a tape or two where they've lost. ... This is going to be one of the toughest games we've played in a while." -- Kentucky coach John Calipari.

Of note: Hoiberg played against Kentucky in the second round of the 1992 NCAA tournament when he was a Cyclones freshman. Hoiberg scored two points and fouled out of a 106-98 loss. "It was the only game in my college career that I fouled out," Hoiberg said. ... Looking ahead? Kentucky guard Marquis Teague said he hopes to see No. 4 seed Indiana -- which handed the Wildcats their only regular-season loss -- in next week's Sweet 16. "We want to play them because of the way they beat us," he said. "We're upset about that." ... White is Iowa State's only starter taller than 6-6, but the Cyclones have outrebounded their past 10 opponents. ... Kentucky's Jones is on a roll in March, averaging 20.8 points and 11 rebounds in his past four games.

Brian Bennett and Gene Wojciechowski recap Thursday's action in Louisville and look ahead to Saturday's Round of 32 matchups.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Early in the first half of Kentucky's game against Western Kentucky on Thursday evening, as the Wildcats tried to scrape the 16th-seeded Hilltoppers from the bottom of their sneakers, a chorus of boos arrived without warning.

From the upper reaches of the KFC Yum! Center to the lower bowl, thousands of UK fans made their displeasure known to the 14 players walking slowly to their seats three rows behind the baseline. They wore dark blue sweatsuits and a school logo despised by Kentucky followers.

UConn.

Big Blue Nation has a long memory. It remembers what happened last April 2, when the Huskies defeated the Cats in the Final Four semis by a single point. Kentucky went home, Connecticut went on to win a national title.

But come Saturday, in the South Region round of 32, UK would exact its revenge. At least, that was the office pool plan.

One problem: Iowa State beat Kentucky to it.

Actually, ISU beat UConn 77-64 and threw a very large water balloon in the face of everyone who assumed the Huskies and Wildcats would get their 2012 NCAA tournament rematch. Instead, Iowa State advances and the Huskies are a one-and-done.

For the full story, click here.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Chris Allen played his first three years at Michigan State, experiencing two Final Fours and a Sweet 16 with the Spartans.

His old team expected to do great things in March. Back in the NCAA tournament as a senior with Iowa State, Allen senses an entirely different feeling.

"People see us and say, 'That's Iowa State. Who are they?'" Allen said. "But you can't worry about the name on the front of the jersey. You just have to worry about the players."

Plenty of folks saw the name Connecticut and automatically assumed the Huskies would brush past Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA tournament. UConn was the defending national champion, after all, while the Cyclones were a collection of castoffs at a program that hadn't gone dancing in seven years. Forget that Iowa State was seeded one spot higher, at No. 8, than Connecticut. Everybody was already looking forward to a third-round matchup between UConn and top seed Kentucky.

Except that Iowa State's players were better than Connecticut's. A lot better, and they showed it during Thursday's 77-64 dethroning at the KFC Yum! Center.

The Cyclones felt disrespected leading into the game and believed they would win. In the waning seconds, big man Royce White barked at the Iowa State radio crew, "I told you!"

"Nobody picked us to win," White said. "That bothered me a lot. Personally, I was as tuned-in as I've been all year to this game as far as my effort."

White showed it on the first possession of the game, throwing down a dunk off a rebound to set an early tone. Twelve minutes later, Iowa State led 36-14 after what coach Fred Hoiberg called his team's best stretch of the season.

The Cyclones hit eight of their first 11 shots and drilled six 3-pointers in the first half. But this wasn't simply the story of a team getting hot from outside and pulling off an upset. Iowa State didn't make a 3-pointer in the second half and instead took it to the Huskies physically, outrebounding them 41-24 and just wanting it more. After UConn cut the lead to six points at the under-eight-minutes timeout, Iowa State responded by scoring seven consecutive points and grabbing four offensive rebounds during that stretch.

"That's just hunger," White said. "That's us being the underdog."

UConn suffered from the same disinterested, disjointed vibe that plagued the team all year. At one point after a Cyclones run, Jim Calhoun called timeout and just stared at his team from the court for several moments, unsure of what to say. He later said the Huskies got caught "being nothing more than a street sign as [Iowa State] went by us by a thousand miles." With a 2013 tournament ban looming plus Calhoun's uncertain future, who knows what path Connecticut takes the next couple of years?

Truth is, Iowa State presents a tougher matchup for Kentucky than UConn ever did. This is a team that beat Kansas, Kansas State and Baylor this season and plays an odd style that is not easy to prepare for in one day.

"We have a lot of stuff that's abnormal to the college game," guard Chris Babb said.

That starts with White, a 6-foot-8, 270-pounder who often brings the ball up the court and initiates the offense. Hoiberg puts four shooters on the court with him most of the time. Teams that can spread Kentucky out and shoot -- think Vanderbilt and Indiana -- can beat the Wildcats, though it will still take a monumental effort.

There's very little that's conventional about Iowa State. Hoiberg had never coached at any level before he was hired two years ago. Looking for a quick fix, he brought in six transfers, four of whom are playing for the Cyclones in this tournament. Some of them had checkered pasts.

"It's kind of weird, because we have so many different people coming from so many different places," said guard Scott Christopherson, who transferred in from Marquette in 2008. "But we have all bonded together."

They used that togetherness to knock off the defending champions. Up next is the No. 1 team in this year's tournament. Win that one, and people will know all about Iowa State.

"There's nothing better you could have as far as a plot line for an underdog that wants to achieve something great," White said. "We've got to embrace the spot we're in now."

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Looking for something interesting in the Thursday night session at the KFC Yum! Center? Well, we've got the NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed and the defending national champions each playing and possibly charting a collision course toward one another. Is that something you might be interested in?

Here's a closer look at the two late games here in Louisville:

No. 1 seed Kentucky (32-2) vs. No. 16 Western Kentucky (16-18), 6:50 p.m. ET

What to watch: Western Kentucky was 9-18 on Feb. 18. Now the Hilltoppers have an NCAA tournament win under their belts and will face the No. 1 overall seed in what also happens to be an in-state rivalry. So they're playing with house money and can give Kentucky their best shot with no pressure on their backs. The Wildcats will open up in front of an extremely friendly crowd, but they need to shake off the disappointing loss to Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament final.

Who to watch: Player of the year candidate Anthony Davis begins his first and only NCAA tournament, and the Wildcats will likely go as far as he can carry them. Western Kentucky's Teeng Akol, a rail-thin 6-foot-11 junior, has the unenviable task of trying to contain Davis. Don't be surprised to see the Hilltoppers play a lot of zone, as Vanderbilt did with great success. Do be surprised if they come close to approaching the 53-30 rebounding edge they held over Mississippi Valley State in Round 1.

Why to watch: Kentucky is the commanding favorite in this tournament, but don't forget this team starts three freshmen who have never experienced March Madness as players. They'll need to work out the butterflies early. Western Kentucky has manufactured two ridiculous comebacks, first just to get to the NCAA tournament and then in erasing a late 16-point deficit in Tuesday night's win. If the Hilltoppers find a way to upset the Wildcats and become the first No. 16 seed to oust a No. 1, the city of Bowling Green may never stop partying.

What they're saying: "It was a very intense practice. We don't like losing. Coach Cal doesn't like losing, so we tried to pick it up a little bit. We tried to get focused on what we need to do going into this tournament. That has been our main goal all year." -- Kentucky guard Darius Miller on the mood of the team after the Vanderbilt loss.

"You don't want to start out the game bad against a team like this because ... it's kind of like horse racing. When you're racing a really big horse, you don't want to get behind too much because the race is only so long." -- Western Kentucky forward Vinny Zollo.

Of note: Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Western Kentucky leading scorer Derrick Gordon were high school teammates and close friends at St. Patrick in New Jersey. "It's like a dream come true for both of us," Kidd-Gilchrist said. "I can't wait to play them." Kidd-Gilchrist will likely be assigned to defend Gordon. ... Zollo committed to Kentucky as a high school freshman but dropped his pledge after Billy Gillispie was fired in 2009. ... The two schools haven't played since Western Kentucky upset then-No. 4 Kentucky 64-52 in November 2001.

No. 8 seed Iowa State (22-10) vs. No. 9 seed UConn (20-13), approximately 9:20 p.m.

What to watch: UConn is the defending national champion, but Iowa State is actually the higher seed. And don't discount the Cyclones, who were good enough to beat Kansas, Baylor and Kansas State this season. The Huskies, who needed to win two games in the Big East tournament last week to feel secure about getting here, have looked indifferent at times this season, especially in their perimeter defense. That could spell trouble against an Iowa State team that was one of the most prolific 3-point shooting clubs in the country while making nearly nine treys per game.

Who to watch: Iowa State forward Royce White is the only player in the country to lead his team in scoring, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. So, yeah, he can do it all. But can the 6-foot-8 Royce do it all effectively inside against UConn shotblocker Andre Drummond?

Why to watch: The Huskies begin their title defense, and with Jim Calhoun back on the bench they have to be taken seriously. This is still a talented team with two future pros in Drummond and Jeremy Lamb, though the chemistry has seemed off most of the season. Iowa State is better than many think. Whoever wins this game has a chance to cause No. 1 Kentucky some problems in the next round.

What they're saying: "I mean, Kemba Walker's not coming back, is he? Obviously, we know Connecticut is one of the most storied programs in all of college basketball. We know they're the defending national champs. [But] we feel like we earned our way to be here, too. We respect them, but I don't think there's like a fear factor with them at all." -- Iowa State guard Scott Christopherson.

"You definitely hear it from the fans. They definitely want to see the UConn-Kentucky matchup. We're just trying to beat Iowa State and then play Saturday." -- Connecticut forward Alex Oriakhi.

Of note: Calhoun is 16-1 all time in the first round, with a 2008 loss to San Diego his only blemish. ... The Huskies haven't been seeded this low since they were ninth in the 1992 tournament. ... Iowa State scores 36.4 percent of its points from 3-point range, the fifth-highest among power six conference teams. Connecticut is allowing its opponents to score 33.9 percent of their points from 3-point range, the second-highest rate among power six conference teams.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Moments before a final half of basketball that may have decided the fate of Texas’ season, coach Rick Barnes stood before a dry-erase board in the Longhorns’ locker room.

On one side, Barnes scribbled three letters: “N-I-T.”

Then he took a step to his right and jotted down four more: “N-C-A-A.”

Barnes put down the marker and looked at his team.

“Who are we?” he asked the Longhorns. “Which one would you put your name under?”

By the time Texas left the Sprint Center, the question had been answered.

In a game that so many predicted they would lose, the Longhorns fought back from an 11-point deficit and defeated Iowa State 71-65 in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament. Along with propelling them into Friday’s semifinal against Missouri, the victory significantly enhanced the résumé of a Texas team that entered the contest on the NCAA tournament bubble.

Now 20-12, the Horns feel much better about their chances of earning a 14th consecutive bid under Barnes, who isn’t the type to politick to the selection committee.

He shouldn’t have to.

Texas finished 9-9 in what is generally regarded as the second-best league in the country behind the Big Ten. The Longhorns’ strength of schedule is No. 20 in the country according to ESPN's InsideRPI, and they have only one defeat (at Oklahoma State) that can be viewed as a “bad loss.”

Thursday’s victory over Iowa State also should turn some heads considering the Cyclones -- who tied for third in the Big 12 standings -- entered the game touting wins in four of their previous five contests. Texas’ win Thursday came before 18,792 people, most of whom were in support of Iowa State.

“You love to walk into other gyms and quiet their fans,” UT guard J’Covan Brown said.

Texas led 65-59 with 2 minutes, 55 seconds left before Iowa State scored six consecutive points to force a tie. But rather than flounder in the face of adversity, the Longhorns flourished.

With 36 seconds left, Brown spun into the lane and swished a floater as he was fouled. He sank the ensuing free throw to convert the 3-point play to give Texas a 68-65 lead. It was yet another huge shot for a player whose career has been defined by gut-check moments.

Brown scored seven of his game-high 23 points in the second half.

“A few seconds before I hit that shot, Coach was like, ‘Are you feeling it?’” said Brown, a junior. “I told him I was, and he let me go out and do my thing. It gives you a lot of confidence when your coach has your back like that.”

Brown’s performance this season -- he averages a Big 12-best 20.1 points -- is even more impressive considering he’s on a team that features five freshmen among its top seven players. Opposing defenses are geared to stop Brown, yet he still finds ways to score. His game winner Thursday came against Iowa State’s Chris Babb, who is regarded as one of the top defenders in the Big 12.

“[Brown] is a gifted offensive player,” Barnes said. “He has such great vision. On that last play he had three or four different options, and he picked the right one to get the ball where it needed to be.”

The Cyclones still had a chance after Brown’s clutch basket, but standout Royce White lost control of the ball on the perimeter, and it ended up in the hands of Texas forward Jonathan Holmes. Iowa State immediately fouled Holmes, and the freshman made both free throws to make it 70-65 with 22 seconds left.

Ballgame.

As proud as he was of Brown, Barnes was also ecstatic about the play of freshman point guard Myck Kabongo, who has been on a steady incline all season. Kabongo finished with 11 points, five assists and no turnovers -- Texas had only six turnovers as a team -- and he played excellent defense on Iowa State 3-point ace Scott Christopherson.

A senior, Christopherson entered Thursday’s game averaging 21.8 points in his previous five contests and had made 19 of 36 3-point attempts during that span. Pestered by Kabongo, he scored just 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting and missed four of his six attempts from beyond the arc.

As a team, the Cyclones made just five 3-pointers Thursday. They came in averaging nine per game.

Texas now advances to play another strong shooting team in Missouri. The Tigers are shooting 49.9 percent from the field, a mark that ranks third in the nation. Mizzou defeated Texas 84-73 in Columbia on Jan. 14 and 67-66 in Austin on Jan. 30.

“We feel good about this win,” Brown said. “But we can’t let our young guys celebrate too much. We’ve got another big one tomorrow.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Quick thoughts from Texas' 71-65 victory over Iowa State.

Overview: Texas' streak of 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances under Rick Barnes may be extended another year. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but the Longhorns certainly have to feel much better about their chances of earning an at-large bid after defeating the No. 3-seeded Cyclones in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament at the Sprint Center. Texas, which improved to 20-12 overall, entered the game on the bubble. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi had Texas as one of his last teams in before Thursday's tipoff.

Just as he has countless times throughout his career, junior guard J'Covan Brown came through in the clutch. The conference's leading scorer broke a 65-65 tie by converting a three-point play with 36.3 seconds remaining. Iowa State turned it over on the other end, and Texas' Jonathan Holmes came up with the loose ball. Holmes was fouled and hit both free throws to make it 70-65. Iowa State had no chance after that.

Brown had a game-high 23 points for Texas while point guard Myck Kabongo added 11. Royce White had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Cyclones.

Turning point: Texas trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half before going on a 26-8 run that was capped by Kabongo's deep 3-pointer with 11:12 remaining. The scoring march provided a huge jolt of momentum for Texas. Iowa State fought back and tied the game twice but could never take the lead.

Key player: Because of Texas' up-and-down season, Brown hasn't received the attention he deserves. He is one of the best pure scorers in the nation - and the fact that he's averaging 20 points a game on a team dominated by freshmen makes his success even more impressive, because he is the focal point of opposing defenses.

Key stat: Iowa State's biggest strength is its 3-point shooting. But the Cyclones were just 5-of-18 from beyond the arc Thursday.

Miscellaneous: Texas won despite playing without senior forward Alexis Wangmene, who is out for the season after breaking his wrist in Saturday's loss at Kansas. Wangmene averages just 4.6 points and 4.7 rebounds, but his energy and post presence was invaluable for the Longhorns.

What's next: Texas advances to play No. 2 seed Missouri in Friday's semifinal. The Longhorns lost twice to the Tigers this season, including a 67-66 defeat in Austin on Jan. 30. Iowa State's season is far from over, as the Cyclones are a lock to make the NCAA tournament. Fred Hoiberg's team is 22-10 and 12-6 in Big 12 play. Iowa State was 3-13 in conference games last season.

Andy Katz gives his take on five games he's looking forward to on Thursday, including a pair of stellar matchups in the Big 12 and a couple of bubble teams in need of a win.

Iowa State clinches the No. 3 seed in the Big 12 tournament with an 80-72 victory over visiting No. 10 Baylor.