Hey Team 👋

The first four days of March Madness are, objectively, the best four consecutive days in sports. I mean, we go from 64 teams to 16 in just four days, and we get to watch nonstop basketball from lunchtime until bedtime. It is in these first two rounds that we tend to see the most upsets, hence why there are zero perfect brackets remaining. 

My bracket is currently a crime scene, and as a recent Gator grad, my heart isn't doing much better. I seriously considered calling in sick until 2027, but the upset coverage must go on. So, let’s take a look at some of the biggest shakeups of the first two rounds.

Letter Rip!

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First Four to Sweet 16…And Everything In-Between

Heartbreak for Florida

Florida’s back-to-back campaign ended Sunday night after losing 73-72 to No. 9 Iowa. In the Round of 64, the Gators defeated Prairie View A&M by 59 points, the largest margin of victory in the tournament since 1963. During a media timeout, Prairie View coach Byron Smith literally called on help from the heavens to stay in the game. But the tables turned for Florida as soon as Sunday’s game tipped off.

Iowa’s offense was relentless from the start, but its defense was the star of the show, refusing to allow Florida to find its rhythm. Going into halftime, the Gators trailed by only one point. Then, Iowa drained consecutive 3-pointers to take a 12-point lead, the largest of the game. The Gators clawed their way back, even taking a four-point lead late in the second half, but a go-ahead three from Alvaro Folgueiras with 4.5 seconds on the clock effectively ended the game. The Gators were unable to get a shot off, ultimately losing the game the same way they won the National Championship last year.

From First Four to Sweet 16

On Wednesday, Texas defeated NC State by three points to earn a spot as a No. 11 seed in the West region of the bracket. They may have had to battle for a spot in the tournament, but any doubt about the Longhorns’ capabilities was erased on Friday with their 79-71 win over No. 6 BYU. The Cougars had long been a tournament favorite, spending most of the regular season near the top of the rankings. But that all came to an end on Friday.

Texas continued to stun in the Round of 32, knocking off No. 3 Gonzaga and busting plenty of brackets in the process. The Longhorns mounted a balanced attack, seeing multiple double-digit contributions from the roster. Gonzaga’s Graham Ike managed 25 points, but the Zags couldn’t get much support outside of Ike to stay in the game. With the win, Texas became the first team in five seasons to make it from the First Four to the Sweet 16.

High Point’s High Note

The first major bracket buster happened relatively early in the tournament, as No. 12 High Point defeated No. 5 Wisconsin Thursday afternoon in the Round of 64. The game wasn’t defined by a crazy comeback from High Point or a major miscue from Wisconsin. Instead, it was a hard-fought battle from start to finish. Ultimately, Chase Johnston secured the victory with a layup at 11.7 seconds, his first 2-point basket of the season. Johnston ended with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. The Panthers entered the contest as 10.5-point underdogs but proved, once again, the irrelevance of spreads in March.

In the Round of 32, High Point was able to hang with Arkansas until the very end, giving the Razorbacks a scare. But the Panthers experienced the danger of Darius Acuff Jr. firsthand: Acuff finished with 36 points to help the Razorbacks survive and advance. While High Point’s campaign is over, Acuff and Arkansas move on to face No. 1 Arizona in the Sweet 16.

Pitino Prevails

St. John’s vs. Kansas was one of the most entertaining matchups of the entire weekend, and that’s saying a lot. The Red Storm and Jayhawks remained in a deadlock until the clock expired. Buzzer-beaters are always fun, but this one felt extra special.

Dylan Darling had not scored the entire game, yet the fate of St. John’s season lay in his hands during the final seconds of the game. It didn’t make any sense, but you don’t become a coach as esteemed as Rick Pitino without taking risks. Darling tore through the paint and laid up the ball to put St. John’s on top right at the buzzer. The best part? Darling didn’t even see the ball go in. He knew he made the game-winner only from the roar of the crowd. Pitino and St. John’s advance to their first Sweet 16 since 1999, where they will face Duke, the No. 1 overall seed.

Duke is, of course, a fearsome opponent (and probably will be until the end of time). But the Blue Devils haven’t had a totally seamless tournament run, and their extensive injury list appears to be catching up with them. Duke was on the ropes in the Round of 64 against Siena before pulling away late in the second half. I’m not saying the No. 1 overall team will get eliminated in the Sweet 16, but in March Madness, anything is possible. 

History for the Cornhuskers

No. 13 Troy over No. 4 Nebraska was a trendy upset many fans fell for, simply because Nebraska didn’t have a tournament win in school history. The concerns were valid, but there’s a first time for everything. The Cornhuskers silenced doubts with a dominant 76-47 win over Troy in the Round of 64.

Nebraska had finally notched its first win, but fans weren’t convinced yet. Next, they’d face red-hot No. 5 Vanderbilt. The Cornhuskers weren’t battle tested. Could they handle the Commodores? They answered with a resounding “yes” on Friday. The Commodores heaved a half-court shot as the clock expired, and at first, it appeared to go in. Ultimately, though, the shot rimmed out and Nebraska punched its first Sweet 16 ticket in school history.

Blue Blood Blues

Many speculated the Tar Heels weren’t exactly tournament-ready this season. But how do you write off a blue blood? Most people didn’t dare, and as a result, plenty of brackets were busted in VCU’s overtime win versus UNC. At one point, VCU trailed by 19, and it looked like this game would be chalk.

But after halftime, the Rams found their footing, erasing the 19-point deficit and taking the Tar Heels to overtime. During overtime, UNC continued to tire and ended up with an epic collapse. As electric as VCU’s win was, the Rams couldn’t maintain the pace in the Round of 32, as they fell to No. 3 Illinois.

Buzzer-beaters and OT

Now, I know No. 7 beating No. 10 isn’t technically an upset. But I couldn’t recap the weekend without highlighting this game. It had everything: Lead changes, a buzzer-beater, and overtime. No. 7 Kentucky defeated No. 10 Santa Clara in overtime, though for a long time, it looked like Santa Clara’s game to lose.

Allen Graves drained a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left to give the Broncos a three-point lead. But Otega Oweh saved the Wildcats, heaving from nearly half court to hit a buzzer-beater and force overtime. The conclusion of overtime wasn’t nearly as exciting as regulation, but Kentucky’s unlikely comeback is basically the definition of “madness.”

Volunteer Villain Arc

Right now, you either love or hate Tennessee. And you probably only love them if you’re a Volunteer fan. The Vols delivered a huge spoiler, ending Miami (Ohio)’s near perfect run and record-setting season in the Round of 64. Causing the downfall of “America’s Team” didn’t make the Vols fan favorites, but they don’t seem to mind.

They continued their “spoiler” trend by knocking off No. 3 Virginia in the Round of 32, ruining brackets across the nation. No. 6 Tennessee will face No. 2 Iowa State in the Sweet 16 Friday night, and everyone’s wondering whether their reign of terror will continue.