ESPN Men's Basketball

From a sheer NBA draft perspective, it's hard to imagine there being a better time for Lehigh junior guard C.J. McCollum to leave school and enter his name in the professional ranks. McCollum just had his best year in an already stellar career -- he averaged 21.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals per game in 2012 -- a year he capped by running roughshod over No. 2 seed Duke's vaunted backcourt and an upset win for his No. 15-seeded Mountain Hawks. (Lest we forget, McCollum went for 30 points, six rebounds and six assists against Duke. He was so good.)

Besides, it's a notoriously weak draft for potential NBA guards, and McCollum's chances of getting drafted in the first round -- Chad Ford ranks him as the No. 7 shooting guard, but at 6-foot-3, McCollum might have as good a chance of proving himself as a point guard in a draft that lacks them -- would only be boosted accordingly.

And yet, McCollum has decided to return to school. He announced as much Monday morning via this column in the Sporting News, and his reasoning is both kind of cool and very sound:

My family and I believe another year in college will be more beneficial for me on and off court. If I were in a situation where I needed money, I would definitely consider taking my career to the next level. But both of my parents work hard to ensure my brother and I can live comfortably, which takes away any added pressure to pursue a professional career at this time. The fact that my brother plays professionally over in Israel doesn’t hurt, either.

I believe that finishing up my degree at Lehigh University is an essential and pivotal step in the right direction for my future career in Journalism and Sports Broadcasting. Growing up, I promised my mother I would complete my degree and although there is no time limit, I feel like the time is now.

McCollum also cites his teammates and coaches as a reason for his return, and given his unique importance to his program -- players like McCollum simply don't come along all that often at programs like Lehigh -- the selfless aspect of his decision is admirable, too.

But more than anything, McCollum's decision lends even more credence to the argument in re: Kentucky earlier this afternoon in this space. McCollum's financial situation is sound. His parents have made it possible for him to return to school without worrying about where the next new computer will come from, let alone the next meal. Other young athletes don't have the same chances, the same buffer zone. Other young athletes' internal NBA clocks -- I've got to get to the league, because I've got to make money, because I've got to get my mom/dad/family/guardians out of this as soon as possible -- begin from the moment they turn, like, 15. McCollum doesn't have that sort of pressure. Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger and North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes didn't, either. They could afford to wait a year, for various reasons.

In other words, there are varying reasons behind every draft decision. Even now, we're a little too quick to praise those who come back, a little too quick to criticize those who don't. See, say, Josh Selby. Until you walk a mile in a man's Nike-approved team sneakers, well ... you know the rest.

Anyway, the non-philosophical portion of this post goes as follows: With McCollum back, Lehigh is destined to be a force in the Patriot League yet again. This is good news not only for Mountain Hawks fans, but also those of us looking forward to seeing McCollum dominate his league again, not to mention those of us who like watching great mid-major guards topple the nation's marquee programs in March. If all goes well, this time next year, we'll be celebrating another McCollum-led upset, and (unless you're a Duke fan) there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Well, it's that time of year again here. The last double-digit seeds in the NCAA tournament were knocked out two rounds ago. We've stretched our Giant Killers model to new heights of speculation, and drawn as many lessons as we can from the results. There's not a whole lot left to do except to click 'Save As' on our spreadsheets for the last time.

And we'd also like to thank you for all your feedback. We are seriously proud of the loyalty of our readers to Giant Killers, and of the thoughtfulness of the ideas you have sent to us, both in the comments to our posts and via the GK Mailbag. And we will be incorporating your suggestions over the coming months, as we make what will almost certainly be the biggest changes yet to our Giant Killers statistical model.

Of course, we also need to add the final cherry to this edition of the GK sundae: the third annual All-Giant Killers Team. As you might remember, last year we awarded naming rights to this squad to honor two members of the 2004 and 2005 UAB Blazers, the first and, and until VCU this year, only Killers to slay Giants in back-to-back tournaments. In 2004, the Blazers, a No. 9 seed, knocked off Kentucky, a No. 1, and then in 2005 they beat LSU in an 11-6 matchup.

Over those two seasons, the Blazers stole the ball on nearly 16 percent of opponent possessions, while hardly ever turning the ball over. If you want an example of how they played, check out this video of Ronell Taylor swiping a Kentucky pass and passing it, backward, two-handed and over his head, to his twin brother Donell. We like to think that's how we throw stats around here at GK Central.

To see the list on insider, click here.

Teams from the state of Ohio make up one-fourth of the schools in the Sweet 16 this season after Cincinnati and crosstown rival Xavier won their games. The Bearcats and Musketeers join the Ohio Bobcats and Ohio State Buckeyes in the next round.

It's the first time in NCAA tournament history that four schools from a single state have advanced to the Sweet 16 in the same season.

East Region
(6) Cincinnati 62, (3) Florida State 56
The Bearcats will be making their sixth Sweet 16 appearance and first since 2001. Cincinnati went on a 12-6 run over the final minute and a half of the game, which began with a Dion Dixon steal and dunk.

Sean Kilpatrick led the Bearcats with 18 points and Cincinnati recorded 13 steals to just five for Florida State. Florida State fails to reach consecutive Sweet 16s for the first time since 1992-93.

Cincinnati now takes on No. 2 seed Ohio State in the Sweet 16 Thursday. These schools met twice for the National Championship in 1961 and 1962 with the Bearcats winning both times.

South Region
(10) Xavier 70, (15) Lehigh 58
Another team from Cincinnati, Xavier, will be making its sixth Sweet 16 appearance as well. Kenny Frease scored a career-high 25 points shooting 84.6 percent (11-13) from the floor and also grabbed 12 rebounds. He's the first player to record those numbers in a NCAA tournament game since Blake Griffin in 2009.

Lehigh which scored 19 points in transition versus Duke on Friday scored just seven against Xavier. The Mountain Hawks entered the tournament averaging nearly 16 points per game in transition, which ranked in the top 25. Lehigh's loss brings No. 15 seeds to 0-6 all-time in the Round of 32.

Xavier next takes on No. 3 seed Baylor on Friday.

(2) Kansas 63, (10) Purdue 60
After a late scare, Kansas is headed to its 19th Sweet 16 and fifth in its past six seasons. Thomas Robinson scored 11 points and 13 rebounds for his 25th double-double of the season, which ties Drew Gooden's school record in 2002. The Jayhawks scored 17 points in transition including their final six points.

Robbie Hummel ends his Boilermakers career scoring a team-high 26 points as Purdue loses in the Round of 32 for the second straight year.

Kansas faces No. 11 seed North Carolina State on Friday hoping to advance to the Elite Eight for the second straight season. The Wolfpack have not been to the Regional Finals since 1986.

Through the Round of 32, no games in this year's Men's Basketball Championship have gone to overtime. It's the first time since seeding began in 1979 that there hasn't been a single overtime game in the Round of 64 and Round of 32.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - It didn't take Xavier long to realize center Kenny Frease was the biggest man on the court in Sunday night's South Region third-round game against No. 15-seed Lehigh.

Frease, a 7-foot, 270-pound senior from Massillon, Ohio, was 3 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than any of the Mountain Hawks' post players.

"I'm just a lot bigger than those guys," Frease said.

The Musketeers kept feeding Frease the ball and he kept shooting, scoring 25 points on an 11-for-13 effort to lead No. 10-seed Xavier to a 70-58 victory at Greensboro Coliseum. Xavier advances to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time since 2008 and will play No. 3 seed Baylor in Atlanta's Georgia Dome on Friday.

"When you've got your back against the wall and it could be your last game ever, you get a little fire," Frease said. "I just got in position to score and my teammates did a great job of getting me the ball."

Frease went 6-for-6 from the floor in the first half, but the Musketeers still trailed by as many as 15 points. Xavier closed the half with a 17-8 run and scored the first seven points of the second half to take its first lead.

Over the final 10 minutes, Xavier's backcourt put the clamps on Lehigh guard C.J. McCollum, the Patriot League Player of the Year. After the Mountain Hawks tied the score at 50 on McCollum's jumper with 10:35 to play, Lehigh scored only one basket over the next 9 1/2 minutes.

McCollum, who scored 30 points in Lehigh's 75-70 upset of 2-seed Duke on Friday night, scored 14 points on 5-for-22 shooting.

"It was a team plan," said Xavier guard Tu Holloway, who marked McCollum for most of the night. "I had him one-on-one, but I just wanted the guys to be there when he went around me and came off a ball screen. He's a great player. His shots just didn't fall tonight."

McCollum had several 3-pointers rim out and never seemed to find his rhythm after missing much of the first half with two fouls.

"I'm not one to make excuses," McCollum said. "I just wasn't making shots. I'm not going to blame picking up two fouls with shooting a basketball; it has nothing to do with it. I just missed some shots tonight and offense is going to come and go. We still have to get stops on defense and we didn't do that tonight."

Lehigh was attempting to become the first 15-seed to advance to the Sweet 16. After Norfolk State lost to Florida earlier Sunday, 15-seeds fell to 0-6 when playing in their second games of the NCAA tournament.

"It's a amazing high note to be here," Lehigh guard Mackey McKnight said. "It was an amazing honor to play Duke. It's just basketball and we love it. It's a dream come true to be here. It's a dream come true to even beat Duke and to even to play Xavier and even to lose to them. I think we just enjoyed every single moment of it and we'll always remember this. We'll never forget it."

Xavier, the team college basketball seemed to forget after it was involved in an ugly fight with rival Cincinnati early December, will continue its postseason run in the Sweet 16.

"People forget we were No. 8 in the country and 9-0 (actually 8-0)," Frease said. "We all knew in our hearts that we were capable of doing it."

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Breaking down No. 10-seed Xavier's 70-58 victory over No. 15-seed Lehigh in a South Region third-round game at Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday night:

Overview: A No. 15 seed has never advanced to the Sweet 16 since the NCAA tournament field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Lehigh, which stunned No. 2 Duke on Friday night, won't become the first.

The Musketeers ended the upstart Mountain Hawks' run on Sunday night, after trailing for the entire first half and by as many as 15 points. Xavier advances to the round of 16 for the fourth time since 2008.

After cutting Lehigh's lead to 37-33 at the half, Xavier scored the first seven points of the second half to take its first lead of the game. The Mountain Hawks tied the score at 50 on guard C.J. McCollum's jumper with 10:35 to go, but then they made only one field goal in the next 9 1/2 minutes. Xavier took a 60-52 lead on forward Andre Walker's bankshot with 3:02 left.

Guard Mackey McKnight's 3-pointer pulled the Mountain Hawks to within 60-55, but the Musketeers made six foul shots in the final minute to secure the win.

Turning point: The Mountain Hawks had a 29-16 lead when McCollum, the Patriot League Player of the Year, picked up his second personal foul with 7:00 to play in the first half. He went to the bench, and the Musketeers quickly chipped away at Lehigh's lead. Xavier closed the half with a 17-8 run and then carried its momentum into the second half.

Player of the game: Lehigh had absolutely no answer for Xavier center Kenny Frease, a 7-foot, 275-pound senior from Massillon, Ohio. Frease made his first eight shots and finished with 25 points on 11-for-13 shooting. Frease also grabbed 12 rebounds and man-handled Lehigh's smaller post players on defense.

Stat of the game: 3-for-22 -- That's what the Mountain Hawks shot on 3-pointers, after making 6-of-18 in their 75-70 upset of Duke on Friday night.

Miscellaneous: Xavier guards Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons harassed McCollum for much of the night. After scoring 30 points against the Blue Devils, McCollum had 14 points on 5-for-22 shooting against the Musketeers, including 0-for-6 on 3-pointers. ... After Florida routed Norfolk State and Xavier beat Lehigh, No. 15-seeds are now 0-6 in their second games of the NCAA tournament. ... Xavier freshman guard Dezmine Wells, from Raleigh, N.C., sprained his ankle after playing eight minutes in the first half and never came back.

What's next: The Musketeers advance to play No. 3-seed Baylor in the semifinals of the South Region in Atlanta's Georgia Dome on Friday.

Slowly but surely -- OK, quickly and furiously -- we've arrived at the final day of the first weekend of the greatest sports competition in the world. (I used to be somewhat sheepish writing that, what with the World Cup and the Olympics and so on, but after this weekend? After two wins for two No. 15 seeds in three hours? I don't feel so sheepish now.)

After an occasionally ugly but universally hard-fought (and almost always exciting) Saturday, we have but eight spots for advancement available for the remaining 16 teams in the tournament.

The math is cruel. Someone has to go home. Let's take a look how that process may unfold:

Midwest Region

No. 3 Georgetown vs. No. 11 NC State, 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS: The Hoyas were a relatively popular upset-pick victim in brackets, but they snuffed out any such notion against the plucky, this-could-be-their-year Belmont Bruins with ease Friday afternoon. How? Defense first. The Hoyas employ a downright stifling zone defense, one that allows the lowest opponent 3-point field goal percentage in the nation.

The Hoyas aren't quite so dominant on offense, but they are effective. Center Henry Sims has developed into a go-to post scorer whose best feature, believe it or not, is his passing, and the Hoyas have mastered John Thompson III's open-air Princeton system. Few teams that play this deliberately slow -- the Hoyas average 63 possessions per game -- are this much fun to watch. (The backcuts, the screens, the pivots, Sims' passing ... it can be downright beautiful.)

The Wolfpack happen to be playing their best basketball of the season -- they scored 1.17 points per trip against No. 6 San Diego State on Friday -- and their size and athleticism, especially that of emerging sophomore forward C.J. Leslie, gives them a chance to hang around by creating second chances on the offensive glass. Georgetown should win this game, sure, but this isn't the same NC State team we saw in the regular season, even down the stretch.

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 8 Creighton, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS: You know the deal: Highly touted UNC star Harrison Barnes and long-ignored Creighton forward Doug McDermott both hail from Ames, Iowa, where they starred on the same state-title-winning high school hoops team, before Barnes made the Skype call heard 'round the college hoops world. Since then, McDermott -- who was passed over even by his own father, Greg McDermott, before the coach decided to leave Iowa State and take the vacant gig at Creighton -- has since morphed into a national player of the year candidate while Barnes, still a top NBA lottery prospect, has had two very good but-not-quite-great seasons for the ballyhooed Tar Heels. That matchup is the stuff of storyline legend -- my home state is certainly excited about it -- and it should be a lot of fun.

But there are other concerns here, too. Will Creighton choose to run with the fast-breaking Tar Heels, or try to hash things out in the half court? Can UNC guard Kendall Marshall provide the point of defensive attack required to stop a Bluejays team that enters the game ranked No. 1 in the nation in effective field goal percentage? Will Carolina forward John Henson play? And even if he doesn't, can Creighton -- a very good offensive team plagued by mediocre defense -- survive the Tar Heels onslaught? Signs point to no, but it will be fun to watch McDermott and Co. give it their best shot.

No. 12 South Florida vs. No. 13 Ohio, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS: You may have picked South Florida to topple Temple. You might have imagined an Ohio upset of Michigan. The odds you picked both are slim. But these teams -- two Friday upset winners lost amidst the mania that rightfully surrounded Norfolk State's and Lehigh's legendary victories -- will hardly mind. USF continues to play its rather ugly brand of basketball, but that slow, defensive style works. It got the Bulls into the tournament, and with Anthony Collins and Augustus Gilchrist leading the way, it remained successful Friday.

Ohio, meanwhile, held a very good Michigan offense in check while scoring 1.14 points per trip in its own right. Last time the Bobcats were here, they upset Georgetown before falling in the second round. This is just South Florida's third appearance in tournament history; Friday was their program's first win. Needless to say, both programs would like to stick around for just a little bit longer.

No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 10 Purdue, 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT: Purdue was excellent down the stretch in Friday's first-round win over Saint Mary's, and Matt Painter has gotten more out of this team -- whose only real "star," Robbie Hummel, made a redemptive return from two straight ACL surgeries this season -- than anyone might have reasonably expected coming into the year. This just in: Painter can really coach.

But, for the record, Bill Self can, too, and his team has a major advantage over the Boilermakers for one obvious and simple reason: The Jayhawks have really, really good big guys. Purdue does not. How do the Boilers, who started essentially a five-guard lineup Friday (with Hummel and D.J. Byrd serving as stretch forwards) stop Thomas Robinson? How does an overmatched big man corps of Sandi Marcius and Travis Carroll give Purdue anything inside with block machine Jeff Withey patrolling the paint? The answer: I don't know. I'd wager a guess Painter doesn't, either.

West Region

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 9 Saint Louis, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS: Admit it, the moment you saw Memphis' name pop up next to No. 1 seed Michigan State in the West Region on Sunday's selection show, you thought, "Wow, that's a brutal No. 8 seed for the Spartans." And it was. But as Saint Louis proved, that No. 9 seed was no slouch, either. Rick Majerus' team boasts one of the 10 best defenses in the country, one that held a previously scorching (and immensely talented) Tigers team to just 0.86 points per trip Friday afternoon. For the Spartans to avoid the same fate, they will have to limit turnovers and prove equally stout on their own defensive end (the latter of which just so happens to be a specialty). "Majerus in the tournament" is scary enough, but nothing will come easy against these Billikens.

No. 7 Florida vs. No. 15 Norfolk State, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT: Can the magic continue? Can tiny Norfolk State take down another high-major heavy? Can forward Kyle O'Quinn -- who, after Friday's shocking upset of No. 2-seeded Missouri, gave one of the greatest on-air postgame interviews in college hoops history and later told reporters "We busted my bracket, too!" -- go to work on the Gators the way he went to work on the Tigers?

The Cinderella optimist would say that Norfolk matches up just as well with Florida as it did with Missouri; the Gators are another guard-oriented, 3-point reliant squad with just one true big man (Patric Young) left to rebound and patrol the paint. The pessimist would say Young is much more of a defensive force than Missouri's Ricardo Ratliffe, and more than athletic enough to contain O'Quinn while the Gators' sharpshooting guards (Kenny Boynton and Bradley Beal, chiefly) go to work on the offensive end.

Still, you have to like Norfolk State's chances. There's something special going on in the Spartans' first NCAA tournament appearance. Could more history -- the first No. 15-seeded insurgent in the Sweet 16 -- be on the horizon?

South Region

No. 10 Xavier vs. No. 15 Lehigh, 7:45 p.m. ET, TruTV: Xavier has made a habit of attending Sweet 16s in recent years -- before last season, the Musketeers had played into the second weekend in three straight seasons -- and thanks to the miracle that was C.J. McCollum's 30-point performance in an upset over Duke, their chances are suddenly looking downright likely. But to make that happen, they'll have to get great perimeter defense from Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons. If McCollum is slicing and dicing the Musketeers like he sliced and diced the Blue Devils, Chris Mack's team may yet be one more victim on McCollum's ride to NCAA tournament immortality. But if he isn't? Xavier might just get into the Sweet 16 again. Given the depths this team experienced this season, the way the Dec. 10 brawl with Cincinnati derailed a once-promising year, that would be an upset in and of itself.

No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 6 Cincinnati, 9:40 p.m. ET: Speaking of Cincinnati, the Bearcats are still here, too, and they've played the best basketball of their season at the best moments. They overcame a weak RPI to seal a tournament bid, then toppled Syracuse in last week's Big East tournament, then handled, in impressively clutch fashion, a better-than-its-seed Texas team that stormed back from a deep deficit in Friday's win. But do they have enough to get past Florida State?

The Seminoles are the Seminoles: They still play one of the toughest, most physical brands of straight-up man-to-man defense in the country. They still occasionally struggle on the offensive end. But FSU's improvement from beyond the arc led to its ACC conference tournament title and, in general, the most successful season of Leonard Hamilton's slow-burn tenure. If FSU is merely good on the offensive end, and its usual self on defense, the Noles should get through to the Sweet 16. But Cincinnati will be the toughest -- with all due respect to Murray State -- sixth-seeded out in the tournament field.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Previewing the round of 32 games at Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday:

No. 10 seed Xavier (22-12) vs. No. 15 seed Lehigh (27-7), 7:45 p.m. ET

Point guard Mackey McKnight seems to be Lehigh’s unofficial spokesman, or at least the Mountain Hawks’ master motivator.

McKnight, a sophomore from New Orleans, wrote Lehigh’s team motto -- “One team. One dream.” -- on the outside of his left sneaker.

He also helped coin another Lehigh motto: “Built to Last.”

“We’re trying to build something that has redemptive value over time,” said Lehigh coach Brett Reed, one of only three NCAA Division I coaches to have earned a doctorate degree.

McKnight’s biggest motivation comes from the worst tragedy of his life. His best friend, Joseph McMillan II, was killed on a Los Angeles County Metro bus in Inglewood, Calif., on Oct. 13, 2010. Police said the bus stopped at a red light and a gunman walked up and fired multiple shots, killing McMillan, who was 18. Police said the crime was gang-related, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“He was just a big-time influence on me,” McKnight said.

McKnight will carry McMillan’s memory into Sunday’s South Region third-round game against 10th-seeded Xavier. With one more victory, the No. 15-seeded Mountain Hawks will become the NCAA tournament’s latest unlikely Sweet 16 participant.

“We just believed in each other,” McKnight said. “You feel confident with your family. We knew every man was going to have everyone’s back. It’s just a beautiful thing playing as one. There are no selfish players in this family. We can rise together as a family.”

Mackey cried after the Mountain Hawks’ 75-70 upset of No. 2 seed Duke in Friday night’s second round. McMillan was a native of Holly, N.C., and McKnight knew his friend would have cherished his team’s upset of the Blue Devils. McKnight said he and McMillan grew up together in New Orleans, where they often played one-on-one games in the driveway of his family’s home.

“He used to pretend he was North Carolina, and I always had to pretend I was Duke,” McKnight said. “I just miss him so much and I’m so grateful he blessed us with this win and is watching over us."

McKnight’s steady play helped the Mountain Hawks get hot at the right time. He has 88 assists in his past 21 games and had only one turnover against Duke. McKnight scored 11 points on 3-for-7 shooting against the Blue Devils, but knows his primary role is to put Patriot League Player of the Year C.J. McCollum in positions to score. McCollum scored 30 points against the Blue Devils.

“Our young guys like Mackey are getting used to the bright lights, and we think we can play with anybody in the country,” McCollum said.

McKnight and McCollum will have to slow down Xavier’s backcourt of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons, who register a combined 32.5 points and 7.8 assists per game. The Mountain Hawks were able to limit Duke guards Seth Curry and Austin Rivers to only 6-for-23 shooting.

“I think their backcourt is absolutely terrific, to be honest with you,” Reed said. “They have guards that seem to live in the paint. They’re aggressive, they have a tough mentality, they go to where they want to go on the floor. And one of our primary responsibilities is going to be containing dribble penetration.”

McKnight won’t have to look far for motivation.

Rece Davis, Hubert Davis and Jimmy Dykes break down the No. 2 seeds Missouri and Duke falling on Friday.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- When Lehigh guard C.J. McCollum was a freshman at GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio, he was only 5 feet, 2 inches.

He grew 5 inches as a sophomore, 4 inches as a junior and 3 inches as a senior.

"I knew the growth spurt was coming," McCollum said. "I just prayed it came before graduation."

McCollum's growth spurt came before he left high school, but his lack of height caused him to get overlooked by most major college basketball programs.

On Friday night, McCollum finally had a chance to show those teams what they missed, as he scored 30 points to help lead the 15th-seeded Mountain Hawks to a 75-70 upset of No. 2 seed Duke in a South Regional second-round game at Greensboro Coliseum.

For Mark Schlabach's full column, click here.

On a day in which lower-seeded teams played even with higher-seeded teams, the biggest story in college basketball was 15th-seeded Lehigh’s stunning win over No. 2 seed Duke.

This was the second 15-versus-2 win of the day. It marked the first season in which a pair of 15 seeds won an NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game.

The Blue Devils lost for only the fourth time in the round of 64 under Mike Krzyzewski. They entered the day 28-0 all-time against teams seeded 12th through 16th, but could not handle C.J. McCollum and his Mountain Hawks teammates.

McCollum scored 30 points and drew 13 fouls, the second-most by a player in a game in the last three tournaments (Jimmer Fredette drew 14 last season against Wofford).

Lehigh outscored Duke 19-4 in transition Friday during the Mountain Hawks' second-round win. Lehigh entered the championship tournament with the 16th-best transition defense in the nation. The Blue Devils, on the other hand, had been outscored by 1.9 transition points per game this season, the second-worst differential in the ACC.

Lehigh also attempted 37 free throws, the most by a Duke opponent in a tournament game since 1955, when Villanova attempted 42.

This was the first loss for current ACC members against a 15 or 16 seed in the Round of 64. It wasn’t the only big upset of the evening.

Here’s a snapshot look of the rest of the games from Friday night.

Midwest Region
(2) Kansas 65, (15) Detroit 50
Thomas Robinson had his nation-leading 24th double-double this season. It is the first time that a Horizon League team hasn't won a Men's Basketball Championship game since 2004.

(10) Purdue 72, (7) Saint Mary's 69
Purdue has won 14 straight Round of 64 games, including one in each of the last six seasons.

(12) South Florida 58, (5) Temple 44
South Florida gets the win in its first Round of 64 appearance since 1992. Temple has lost in the Round of 64 in four of its last five Men's Basketball Championship appearances. The Owls scored at least 64 points in every other game this season.

(13)Ohio 65, (4) Michigan 60
The Bobcats became the sixth team to win a tournament game as both a 13 and 14 seed (they beat Georgetown as a 14 seed two seasons ago).

Ohio scored 63 of its 65 points in the half court, shooting nearly 16 percentage points higher than Michigan in half-court sets. In their last tournament victory over Georgetown in the 2010 Men's Basketball Championship, the Bobcats shot 57 percent and outscored the Hoyas by 18 points in the half court.

Since 2004, Ohio is 2-2 in tournament play. All other MAC teams are a combined 0-6.

Michigan is now 10-1 all-time versus teams seeded No. 12 or worse.

West Region
(1) Michigan State 89, (16) LIU Brooklyn 67
Draymond Green had 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the Spartans, his second consecutive triple-double in the Men's Basketball Championship (he had a triple double in Round of 64 loss to UCLA last season).

Green joins Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as the only players with multiple triple-doubles in Men's Basketball Championship history (Robertson had four, Johnson two).

(9) St Louis 61, (8) Memphis 54
Saint Louis wins a Men's Basketball Championship game for the first time since 1998. Head coach Rick Majerus is now 11-1 in round of 64 games. It is only Saint Louis' fourth tournament victory in program history.

South Region
(10) Xavier 67, (7) Notre Dame 63
Xavier wins in the Round of 64 for the fifth time in six seasons. Tu Holloway moved past Jamie Gladden for 7th on Xavier's all-time scoring list (1,790) and led all scorers with 25 points.

Notre Dame assisted on 76 percent of its field goals Friday against Xavier. It was the first time this season that Notre Dame has lost when assisting on at least 60 percent of its field goals (previously 19-0).

Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas, Hubert Davis and Rece Davis break down the Friday night upsets of No. 2 seeds Duke and Missouri.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski talks about his Blue Devils' 75-70 loss to No. 15 seed Lehigh.

Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg breaks down No. 15-seeded Lehigh's 75-70 upset of second-seeded Duke.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Breaking down No. 15 seed Lehigh's 75-70 upset of No. 2 seed Duke in a South Region second-round game Friday night at Greensboro Coliseum.

Overview: We waited 11 years to see a No. 15 seed upset a No. 2 seed again in the NCAA tournament.

It happened twice Friday.

Only hours after No. 15 seed Norfolk State stunned No. 2 seed Missouri 86-84 in a West Regional game in Omaha, Neb., Lehigh pulled off an equally impressive upset, surprising No. 2 seed Duke 75-70 in Greensboro Coliseum.

Before Friday, a No. 15 seed hadn't defeated a No. 2 seed since Hampton upset Iowa State in 2001. It was Lehigh's first victory in the NCAA tournament and a Patriot League team's third in 24 NCAA tournament games since 1991.

The Mountain Hawks gave Duke early notice that they weren't going to simply bow down to its blue-blood tradition. Duke led only 30-28 at the half, and it didn't take Lehigh very long to grab control in the second half. Lehigh took a 55-51 lead on guard C.J. McCollum's brilliant wrap-around pass to Gabe Knutson for an easy layup with 5:05 to play. The Mountain Hawks led by as many as seven points in the final two minutes.

Turning point: Duke guard Seth Curry picked up his fourth foul with 17:49 to go in the second half. He didn't go back into the game for more than eight minutes, after Lehigh had grabbed the lead. With Curry and injured starting forward Ryan Kelly on the bench, the Blue Devils didn't have many offensive options on the floor, and Lehigh knew it.

Key player: McCollum, a junior from Canton, Ohio, certainly looked like the best player on the floor, scoring 30 points on 9-for-22 shooting with seven rebounds and six assists. Duke's guards struggled to guard him all night. His highlight came on a nasty crossover move against Tyler Thornton in the first half, which should become a YouTube sensation.

Key stat: Duke's recent cold perimeter shooting continued, as the Blue Devils made only six of 26 3-pointers.

Miscellaneous: It was Duke's first loss in an NCAA opening-round game since falling to No. 11 seed VCU 79-77 in 2007. ... Kelly, who injured his foot in practice before last week's ACC tournament, dressed out for the game but didn't participate in warm-ups.

What’s next: Lehigh will play No. 10 seed Xavier in Sunday's third-round action in the South Region.

After a relatively mild third day of NCAA tournament action Thursday, does Friday promise more excitement? Close games? A buzzer-beater? Something?

Beggars can't be choosers, but we can be hopers. As we pray to the basketball gods for all the tournament has to offer, here's what you should keep an eye on as Friday unfolds.

Five best games:

No. 8 Creighton vs. No. 9 Alabama: Arguably the most intriguing stylistic clash in the entire round of 64, this one puts Creighton's all-offense attack up against one of the nation's most athletic and physical defensive teams. The Bluejays' offense and the Tide's defense both rank among the nation's 10 best per-possession in their respective categories, but the inverse is also true: Creighton's defense (ranked No. 180 in kenpom) and Alabama's offense (ranked No. 112) serve as each team's obvious weakness. It's unstoppable force/immovable object stuff, and it should be fascinating to watch.

No. 8 Memphis vs. No. 9 Saint Louis: It's not uncommon to see a team that looks considerably better than its NCAA tournament seed. It is uncommon to see two in the same second-round game, but that will be the case when the streaking Tigers and the defensively stalwart Billikens match up Friday. Both teams are ranked among kenpom.com's top 15 in overall adjusted efficiency. Memphis boasts a hyper-talented lineup led by forward Will Barton; Saint Louis has the benefit of Rick Majerus' tried-and-true defensive style and his strategic tournament superiority. If Saint Louis can keep Barton in check, and find a way to keep forward Tarik Black off the offensive glass (no easy feat, that), it may be able to hold off a Memphis team capable of a very deep run in this field.

No. 6 Cincinnati vs. No. 11 Texas: The Longhorns limped into the tournament, but as a team with talented guards -- like leading scorer J'Covan Brown and steady freshman Myck Kabongo -- and one that challenged the top teams in the Big 12 throughout the season (usually coming up just short), they represent a fantastic value as a No. 11 seed. Cincinnati forward Yancy Gates will have to take advantage of a favorable matchup with Clint Chapman in the post. If he doesn't, Texas has the chops to hang around in this game for 40 minutes -- and maybe even finish with a win.

No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Virginia: Before we crown Creighton-Alabama with the "most stylistically fascinating" superlative, let's reserve some consideration for Florida-Virginia. The Cavaliers play a drastically slow, packed-in defensive style. The Gators play a spread-out offense that relies primarily on 3-point shooting. Fortunately, they have the players for it, including guard Kenny Boynton, who has put together a quietly remarkable season launching the basketball from range. But Florida's lack of defense leaves it vulnerable if the shooters go cold, and UVa will look to take advantage on the other end.

No. 7 Saint Mary's vs. No. 10 Purdue: Though the Boilermakers would never admit it, they may have breathed a sigh of relief when they saw their second-round tournament matchup. Don't get me wrong: Saint Mary's is for real, an excellent offensive team led by the peerless point guard play of veteran Matthew Dellavedova. But the Gaels don't have much of an interior presence, which is the one personnel area in which the Boilermakers -- who rely on the guard play of Lewis Jackson, Ryne Smith and outside-in forward Robbie Hummel -- are legitimately vulnerable. Expect a lot of fluid motion offense, a lot of outside shots and a close, hard-fought game in Omaha.

No. 5 Temple vs. No. 12 South Florida: More stylistic clash potential! Take three! The Owls -- for years a grind-it-out defensive team under coach Fran Dunphy -- have flipped the script in 2012, morphing into a high-flying offensive juggernaut led by guards Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt. South Florida, on the other hand, looks a bit like Temple used to ... but even uglier and slower and practically impossible to score against.

Upset alert:

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 16 LIU Brooklyn: Just kidding! All due respect to the Blackbirds, it ain't happening. (Just had to make sure you will still paying attention is all.)

No. 3 Georgetown vs. No. 14 Belmont: If America has a favorite sleeper candidate this season -- other than VCU and the now-lamented Long Beach State 49ers -- it is Rick Byrd's Belmont team. The Bruins were a sleeper favorite last season, too, but they caught a bad matchup in the second round in Wisconsin. They're back with much the same team this season, and laptops love them; Belmont ranks No. 9 in LRMC, No. 23 overall in the kenpom.com rankings and No. 35 overall in the BPI. But they've got another tough matchup in Georgetown, which plays a stifling, lanky zone defense that makes everything difficult for its opponents. But if Scott Saunders and Mick Hedgepeth can handle Georgetown center Henry Sims, the Bruins are more than capable of knocking off the Hoyas -- and sticking around for a while, too.

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh: Do I think this will happen? No. Duke has too much on the perimeter to be shut down by this Lehigh bunch. But could it? Sure. The Blue Devils beat a lot of good teams this season, which helped them to a No. 2 seed, but by per-possession efficiency standards Duke is easily the weakest of the No. 2 seeds. Lehigh, on the other hand, is not your typical No. 15 seed, and it has a secret weapon -- guard C.J. McCollum, one of the nation's most underrated scorers, who at the very least will give Duke's occasionally suspect guard defenders something to think about for all 40 minutes.

No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 15 Detroit: Speaking of deceptive 15-seeds, Detroit might be the most talented 15-seed in the history of the tournament. That's because guard Ray McCallum Jr. -- son of coach Ray McCallum Sr. -- turned down a host of elite programs to play for his dad two years ago, while transfer forward Eli Holman, a former Indiana prospect, patrols the middle with more athleticism than you usually see from Horizon League forwards. Kansas should win this game but the Titans have talent and they'll definitely give it a go.

No. 11 NC State vs. No. 6 San Diego State: San Diego State has achieved in remarkable fashion this season, relative to its talent, but will the run come to an end Friday? There's reason to think so: NC State enters the tournament playing the best basketball of its season (it dispatched Virginia and nearly took down UNC in the ACC tournament last weekend), and the young Wolfpack will be eager to prove they are already ready for the bright lights.

Players to watch:

Doug McDermott, Creighton: You know the deal by now: McDermott is at once one of the nation's most productive and most efficient scorers, and his twin abilities to turn on both shoulders in the post or step outside and knock down the 3 makes him a lethal offensive option. But he'll have to be extra-good Friday, as Alabama's JaMychal Green is one of the few defenders in the country able to guard McDermott both inside and out.

Tu Holloway, Xavier: It wasn't pretty, but Xavier made it to the tournament. Now what? This team is still talented, particularly on the perimeter, and if Holloway and running mate Mark Lyons can summon some of what led them to clutch comeback wins over Vanderbilt and Purdue before their brawl with Cincinnati, they could be an interesting out in the West region.

J'Covan Brown, Texas: Brown is always scoring. The question is whether he's getting his points efficiently, and whether the Longhorns' offense is conducive to scores in the flow of the offense. If they are, they can hang with Cincinnati.

Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure: In the Bonnies' A-10 title win over Xavier, Nicholson dropped 26 points, 14 rebounds and 8 -- yes, eight -- blocks. He's an NBA talent with the body to match. But will Nicholson be able to dominate the Seminoles' physical frontcourt? With Bernard James lined up across from him, this will the most difficult matchup Nicholson has seen all season.

Mike Scott, Virginia: If the Cavaliers are going to drop No. 7-seeded Florida in the second round Friday, they're going to have to get a massive effort from Scott, the dominant focal point of their slow, cautious offense. Scott has been hyper-efficient on the offensive end all season, but he could struggle against Florida forward Patric Young, one of the few big men in the nation with the athleticism and height to check Scott effectively. And if Scott doesn't score, UVa's chances are probably slim.