The first weekend of college basketball is finally over. After numerous upsets, high-flying dunks and a seemingly unstoppable Peacock squad, there are just 16 teams remaining. Here’s a look at the biggest stories from last weekend.
To grasp how monumental of an upset 15-seeded St. Peter’s beating No. 2 Kentucky was, look no further than the fact the school’s website crashed following the win. The Peacocks did the unthinkable, knocking off the Wildcats, 85-79, in overtime Thursday night. Kentucky has far better resources, recruits and overall history than the New Jersey school, but this is March.
It was the fourth-largest upset in terms of betting odds in tournament history, and the Peacocks didn’t stop there. They then became just the third 15 seed to advance to the Sweet 16 by knocking off No. 7 Murray State, which had lost just two games all year. And they didn’t just beat the Racers, they led from nearly start to finish.
The Peacocks will have a tall task ahead of them on Friday. They will face Purdue, one of the more talented teams in the country with Jaden Ivey and 7-foot-4-inch center Zach Edey. But the time to be doubting St. Peter’s has passed. So do that at your own risk.
Complaining about refereeing is annoying. It makes the game less fun and enjoyable, so I tend to leave my thoughts about officiating in my head. But poor officiating was definitely one of the biggest themes of the weekend.
North Carolina blew a 25-point lead in part because of an ejection to Brady Manek for a questionable flagrant 2 foul call and the officials’ unwillingness to call a foul on Baylor’s aggressive press.
The end of regulation in the TCU vs. Arizona game was decided on a swallowed whistle.
Illinois’ guard R.J. Melendez was called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim too long. It was pretty petty and not a call that should be made with a season on the line.
Officiating will always be a talking point in college basketball, but it’s concerning when it’s a storyline.
The greatest turnaround in college basketball belongs to Iowa State. After going 2-22 last season, the Cyclones’ top three scorers transferred out of the program.
Last season, the team ended the year with 18 consecutive losses, then hired coach T.J. Otzelberger to lead a revamped squad. Now, Iowa State is one of the final 16 teams remaining. Led by transfers Gabe Kalscheur, Izaiah Brockington and Aljaz Kunc, the Cyclones aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing offensive team, but they can play some defense and win some games. They’ll face No. 10 Miami in the Sweet 16.
Whether you love, hate or don’t care for Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, every Duke game has added meaning. A Blue Devils loss will be the last for the winningest coach in college basketball history.
Duke cruised against Cal State Fullerton in the first round, but Sunday’s game against Michigan State was not as easy. The Spartans had Duke on the ropes and led in the final minutes. Duke got hot, however, and the farewell will have to wait at least one more game.
Max Baker can be reached at max@chathamnr.com and @maxbaker_15.
