Second-seeded Alabama and seventh-seeded Saint Mary’s are preparing for a thrilling East Region second-round matchup on Sunday in Cleveland. Both teams survived a nail-biting first round and are looking to advance to the Sweet 16. The Crimson Tide (26-8) fought off a valiant effort from Horizon League champion Robert Morris to claim a 90-81 victory on Friday. Mark Sears shined with 22 points and 10 assists, while Grant Nelson, recovering from a knee injury, made a crucial seven-minute contribution to help secure the win. “We’re not going home, put me in,” said Nelson, demonstrating his commitment to the team despite the injury. Coach Nate Oats praised his determination, emphasizing the importance of Nelson’s presence, especially with Saint Mary’s presenting a

After cruising through the first round of the NCAA Tournament, two former Pac-12 rivals are set to rekindle their rivalry when No. 4 Arizona faces No. 5 Oregon on Sunday night in Seattle. Though the game is part of the East Region bracket, the matchup has a distinct West Coast flavor that brings out the best in both programs. The Oregon Ducks (25-9) made a strong statement in their first-round win, dismantling Liberty 81-52 on Friday night. Their hot shooting and early dominance helped them secure a comfortable lead, starting the game with an 18-2 run and never looking back. Key players like Jackson Shelstad (17 points), Nate Bittle (14 points, 10 rebounds), and Keeshawn Barthelemy (10 points) led the

The Kent State Golden Flashes are in for a long, eventful journey as they head west to face the Stanford Cardinal in the second round of the NIT on Sunday night. Fresh off their impressive win over St. Bonaventure, Kent State (23-11) is determined to keep their postseason hopes alive as they battle the No. 2 seed Stanford Cardinal (21-13) on their home turf. The Golden Flashes made a pit stop back home in Ohio after their convincing 75-56 victory against St. Bonaventure, where they showcased balanced scoring and dominant performances from Cli’Ron Hornbeak and Delrecco Gillespie. Both players recorded double-doubles, with Hornbeak posting 11 points and 12 rebounds and Gillespie adding 12 points and 10 boards. Now, they find

The Colorado State Rams, riding high on an 11-game winning streak, find themselves one victory away from their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1969. After clinching a surprise ticket to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Mountain West postseason tourney, the 12th-seeded Rams are gearing up to face the No. 4 seed Maryland Terrapins in the West Region second-round matchup in Seattle. Colorado State (26-9) earned their spot with an impressive 78-70 victory over No. 5 Memphis. Meanwhile, Maryland (26-8) dismantled 13th-seeded Grand Canyon with an 81-49 rout — the largest margin of victory for the Terrapins in NCAA Tournament history. Colorado State head coach Niko Medved emphasizes his team’s mentality of ignoring labels and focusing on their strengths. With