Skip To Main Content

Southwest Maui Invitational

2017 NCAA Tournament Graphic

General

2017 NCAA Tournament Central

Up to the Minute NCAA Tournament Bracket

Champions From Start to Finish: North Carolina Claims its Sixth National Championship

Their season started with a championship. They ended it with one too.
 
North Carolina secured its sixth NCAA title in program history Monday night, knocking off 2018 Maui participant Gonzaga 71-65. It is the third time the Tar Heels have won the national championship after claiming the Maui Jim Maui Invitational title earlier in the season, having also achieved the feat in the 2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons.
 
Overall, they are the seventh team to start their season at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, then ended it as national champions.
 
Named MVP of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in November, Joel Berry II earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors after carrying the North Carolina offense against the Bulldogs. He finished with a game-high 22 points and six assists – scoring or assisting on 13 of the Tar Heels 26 field goals in the game – to lead the Tar Heels to the championship.
 
Justin Jackson added 16 points and Isaiah Hicks finished with 13 in a game that saw the teams combine for 52 free-throw attempts.
 
The Tar Heels scored the final eight points of the game, holding Gonzaga scoreless in the final 1:50. Down 68-65 with under 20 seconds to go, the Bulldogs had a chance to cut the lead to one, but Nigel Williams-Goss' runner in the lane was blocked by Kennedy Meeks and Jackson covered a breakaway dunk to seal the game.
 

Championship Night for North Carolina, Gonzaga

Tonight, the champion from the 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational or a participant from the 2018 field will take home this year's national championship.
 
#1 North Carolina vs. #1 Gonzaga
Glendale, Ariz.
9:19 p.m. ET, CBS
 
North Carolina looks to become the fifth team in history to win both the Maui Jim Maui Invitational and the NCAA championships in the same season. They would join Michigan (1988-89), North Carolina (2004-05 and 2008-09) and UConn (2010-11) as teams to have achieved the double. 
 
In fact, North Carolina's last two national championships (2005 and 2009) have come in years in which they took home the title in Maui earlier in the season. A win tonight would give the Tar Heels six national championships in program history, ranking them third all time behind only UCLA (11) and Kentucky (8). It would be their third national championship in Roy Williams' 14 years with the program. Carolina's first three championships came in 1957, 1982 and 1993.
 
Gonzaga will play for its first national championship in school history tonight. Mark Few, who will guide the Bulldogs to the 2018 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, is in his 18th season as Gonzaga's head coach and owns a 503-112 record, good for a .818 winning percentage, during his tenure. Przemek Karnowski was part of the Gonzaga program that played in Maui in 2013, where he averaged 8.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
 

One Win Away: North Carolina Headed To Monday's National Title Game

Behind the efforts of Kennedy Meeks, who was named to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational All-Tournament Team in November, and Justin Jackson, North Carolina defeated Oregon 77-76 to advance to its second straight national championship game.
 
The Tar Heels will take on 2018 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant Gonzaga in the tournament final on Monday night.  
 
Meeks and Jackson carried the offensive load for the Tar Heels, combining to score 47 of the team's 77 points. Meeks finished with a game-high 25 points and added 14 rebounds – eight of which came on the offensive glass and the last of which came after a missed North Carolina free throw with four seconds to go to seal the victory. Jackson had 22, while Joel Berry II, hampered by an ankle injury, finished with 11.
 
Their last two national championships have come in years in which they claimed the Maui Jim Maui Invitational title to begin the season (2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons). North Carolina would become the fifth team to win the titles in Maui and the NCAA Tournament in the same season, along with Michigan in 1988-89 and UConn in 2010-11.
 
Tipoff for Monday night's national championship game is set for 9:20 p.m. ET and will be televised by CBS.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Maui Meeting in the Final Four: North Carolina Takes on Oregon in the Final Four

North Carolina and Oregon will square off in the national semifinals on Saturday evening, ending the season in a place that has become typical of teams that have opened the season at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.

#1 North Carolina vs. #3 Oregon
Glendale, Ariz.
8:49 p.m. ET, CBS
 
The Tar Heels and Ducks are the 17th and 18th teams to advance to the Final Four after having participated in Maui to start the season. With the two teams squaring off in the national semifinals, it will be the 10th time that a team from the Maui Jim Maui Invitational will play for the national championship. The winner will take on either Gonzaga, a 2018 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant, or South Carolina on Monday night.
 
Saturday's matchup will be the first meeting between the programs since they met in the 2008 Maui Jim Maui Invitational semifinals, a contest won by the Tar Heels. North Carolina is 4-0 all-time against the Ducks.
 
For the Tar Heels, history has shown that winning the Maui Jim Maui Invitational has led to success in the NCAA Tournament. Their last two national championships have come in years in which they claimed the Maui Jim Maui Invitational title to begin the season (2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons). It is the fourth time the Tar Heels will appear in the Final Four after winning the title in Maui, having also achieved the double in the 1999-00 season. This year's Carolina team looks to join the 2005 and 2009 squads, along with Michigan in 1989 and UConn in 2011, to win both the Maui Jim Maui Invitational and the NCAA titles in the same season.
 
Meanwhile, Oregon had to knock off teams from the 2015 and 2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational fields to reach the Final Four. The Ducks upended Michigan in the Sweet 16 before upsetting top-seeded and 2015 Maui champion Kansas in the regional finals. A victory over North Carolina would give the Ducks three straight wins over Maui programs, including the last two champions. Should Oregon face Gonzaga on Monday night, the Ducks would play their final four games of the NCAA Tournament against teams from the 2015-2018 Maui Jim Maui Invitational fields.
 

Tar Heels Edge Kentucky to Join Ducks in the Final Four
 
North Carolina punched its ticket to its NCAA record 20th Final Four after knocking off Kentucky in the Memphis Region final, 75-73, on Sunday night. The win comes after the Tar Heels dropped a 103-100 contest to the Wildcats earlier this season.
 
The win sends the Tar Heels into a national semifinal matchup with Oregon, guaranteeing that a team from the 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational will play for the national championship. It marks the 10th time that a team started its season in Maui and ended it by playing for the national championship.
 
With time winding down, Luke Maye drilled the game-winning basket from just inside the 3-point line with 0.3 seconds remaining. Maye came off the bench to score 17 points, behind only 19 points from Justin Jackson. Joel Berry II added 11 points while Kennedy Meeks finished with a game-high 17 rebounds and four blocks.
 
The Tar Heels return to the Final Four with hopes of history repeating. The last two times they won the national championship, they took home the Maui Jim Maui Invitational title earlier in the season (2005, 2009).  North Carolina looks to become the fifth team to win both the Maui Jim Maui Invitational and the national championship in the same season.
 
It is also the fourth time North Carolina has advanced to the Final Four after winning the Maui Jim Maui Invitational earlier in the year, previously achieving the feat in the 1999-00, 2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons.
 
With North Carolina and Oregon both in the Final Four, it is the fifth time that two teams that played at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational to begin the season advanced to the national semifinals at year's end.
 
North Carolina will take on Oregon next Saturday at 8:49 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast by CBS.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

North Carolina Eyeing Final Four Berth
 
North Carolina seeks its NCAA-best 20th Final Four appearance when they take the floor this afternoon against Kentucky in the Memphis Region final.
 
#1 North Carolina vs. #2 Kentucky
Memphis, Tenn.
5:05 p.m. ET, CBS
 
The Tar Heels are 19-7 overall in the regional finals and seeks its second straight trip to the Final Four. Should the Tar Heels earn the win this afternoon, it will mark the fourth time they will advance to the national semifinals after competing in Maui earlier in the season, having previously achieved the feat in the 1999-00, 2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons.
 
A victory would also mark the first time since 2011 that two teams that played in Maui to start the year will participate in the semifinals to conclude the season (Kentucky, UConn). Oregon punched its ticket to the Final Four on Saturday night.
 

Final Four Bound! Ducks Fly Past Kansas to Reach National Semifinals
 
For the first time since 1939, Oregon will be playing in the Final Four. Behind 27 points from sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey, the Ducks knocked off No. 1 seed Kansas in the Midwest Region final, 74-60, to punch their ticket to the national semifinals.
 
Dorsey once again led the way for Oregon, shooting 9 of 13 from the field, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Dillon Brooks finished with 17 points and Dylan Ennis chipped in 12 to lead the balanced Ducks' offense.
 
The Ducks led for virtually the entire contest, with Kansas' only lead of the game coming when the Jayhawks led 3-2. An ensuing Dylan Ennis layup put the Ducks ahead and they would not trail again.
 
Defensively, the Ducks held Kansas to just 35 percent shooting, including 20 percent from long range. In the second half alone, the Jayhawks were limited to just 28 percent (9 of 32) and 7 percent (1 of 15) shooting, respectively. Jordan Bell was a force on that end of the floor for Oregon, blocking eight shots and hauling in 13 total rebounds.
 
The Ducks (33-5) are the first team since Kansas in 2012 to reach the Final Four after participating in Maui earlier in the season. Should North Carolina defeat Kentucky on Sunday, it will be the first time since 2011 that two teams that played in Maui to start the year will participate in the semifinals to conclude the season (Kentucky, UConn).
 
Oregon, which finished 2-1 at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational - with those two wins serving as the kick start to a 17-game winning streak - will take on the winner of the North Carolina-Kentucky Elite Eight matchup in the national semifinals next Saturday in Glendale, Ariz.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Oregon Takes on Top-Seed Kansas for a Spot in the Final Four
 
The third seed Oregon Ducks will take on the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks in the Midwest Region Final, with a spot in the Final Four on the line.
 
#1 Kansas vs. #3 Oregon
Kansas City, Mo.
7:49 p.m. CT, TBS
 
Oregon looks for its first Final Four appearance since 1939, when the Ducks won their lone NCAA Championship. The Ducks went 2-1 at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, with their two wins serving as the kick start to a 17-game winning streak that helped them claim a share of the Pac-12 regular season championship. Their opponents, Kansas, claimed the 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
 

Berry, Jackson Carry North Carolina to Victory Over Butler and a Date in the Elite Eight
 
Paced by 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational Most Valuable Player Joel Berry II and Justin Jackson, North Carolina raced past Butler for a 92-80 victory and a spot in the South Region Final on Sunday night.
 
Berry finished with a game-high 26 points and Jackson added 24 to lead the way for the Tar Heels, while Luke Maye chipped in 16 points and finished with 12 rebounds. The Tar Heels led by 16 at halftime and never let their lead dip below double-digits throughout the second half. North Carolina shot nearly 55 percent from the floor and outscored Butler 42-26 in the paint.
 
Next up for North Carolina is the Elite Eight, where the Tar Heels will make their 27th all-time appearance on Sunday. They will take on the Kentucky-UCLA winner with a spot in the Final Four on the line.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Florida Knocks Out Wisconsin at the Buzzer in Sweet 16 Thriller
 
One of the year's best NCAA Tournament games ended with Florida hitting a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to knock off Wisconsin 84-83. The Badgers, which advanced to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational championship game last November, ended the season with a 27-10 record.
 
The Badgers were down eight in the final two minutes of regulation, but battled back to force overtime after Zak Showalter drilled an off balance 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds to go. The teams went back and forth in overtime, and Wisconsin held a two-point lead with four seconds to play, but a running 3-pointer by Florida's Chris Chiozza were the decisive tallies.
 
Wisconsin's starting five accounted for 80 of the team's 83 points and each scored in double figures, paced by Nigel Hayes' 22 points. Ethan Happ finished with 21 points, Zak Showalter had 14, Bronson Koenig added 13 and Vitto Brown had 10.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

North Carolina, Wisconsin Look to Join Oregon in the Elite Eight
 
North Carolina eyes a return trip to the Elite Eight, while Wisconsin looks for the third regional final appearance in the last four years when each team takes the floor in their respective Sweet 16 matchups.
 
#1 North Carolina vs. #4 Butler
Memphis, Tenn.
7:09 p.m. ET, CBS
 
#4 Florida vs. #8 Wisconsin
New York, N.Y.
9:59 p.m. ET, TBD
 
With North Carolina, Oregon and Wisconsin's appearance in the Sweet 16, It is the first time since 2002 that three teams that played in Maui to begin the year ended the season by advancing to at least the regional semifinal rounds. Should all the Tar Heels and Badgers join the Ducks in the Elite Eight, it would be the first time since 2001 that three teams reached the at least the regional finals.
 

Late Dorsey Layup Sends Oregon to the Elite Eight
 
Tyler Dorsey scored the game-winning layup with 1:08 to play and the Oregon defense withstood two late game-winning attempts from Michigan to hold on for a 69-68 victory, sending the Ducks to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season.
 
Dorsey scored a game-high 20 points, one of four players to score in double figures for Oregon. Jordan Bell posted a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, Pac-12 Player of the Year Dillon Brooks finished with 12 and Dylan Ennis had 10. The win moves Oregon to 32-5 on the season, giving the Ducks the most wins in a single season in program history.
 
The loss ends an incredible run for 2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant Michigan. The Wolverines won four games in four days to capture the Big Ten Tournament title, then knock off Oklahoma State and Louisville to advance to the Sweet 16. The Wolverines are set to return NCAA Tournament stars Moritz Wagner and D.J. Wilson, the team's third- and fourth-leading scorers, to next year's squad.
 
The Ducks are set to take on the winner of Kansas-Purdue in the Elite Eight on Saturday with a trip to the Final Four in Phoenix at stake.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Berth in the Sweet 16 on the Line for Maui Teams Oregon and Michigan
 
2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational squad Oregon and 2017 participant Michigan will square off with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line to open the regional semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
#3 Oregon vs. #7 Michigan
Kansas City, Mo.
6:09 p.m. CT, CBS
 
The winner of tonight's game will take on the Kansas-Purdue winner on Saturday with a berth in the Final Four on the line.
 

Dorsey's Late Three sends Oregon to the Sweet 16
 
Oregon scored the last seven points of the game, capped by Tyler Dorsey's decisive 3-pointer that broke a 72-all tie to send the Ducks to the Sweet 16 with a 75-72 victory over Rhode Island.
 
Dorsey's triple marked the final three tallies of his 27-point effort. He was nearly perfect from the floor, going 9 of 10 from the field, including 4 of 5 from long range, to lead all scorers. Dillon Brooks added 19 as the Ducks secured their second straight appearance in the regional semifinal round.
 
They will take on seventh-seeded Michigan on Thursday in Kansas City, with the winner taking on either top-seeded Kansas or fourth-seeded Purdue for the right to play in the Final Four
 
Recap | Box Score

North Carolina Rallies to Defeat Arkansas and Advance to the Sweet 16
 
Down five points with 3:29 to play, North Carolina ended the game on a 12-0 run to earn a 72-65 victory over eighth-seeded Arkansas. The win sends the Tar Heels to their 35th regional semifinal in program history and third straight.
 
Kennedy Meeks led the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Justin Jackson finished with 13 and Joel Berry II added 10, while Isaiah Hicks scored six of his nine points in the final two minutes of the contest. North Carolina finished with a 48-34 rebounding edge, including 21 offensive rebounds.
 
The Tar Heels will face Butler in the South Region semifinals on Friday.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Wichita State Falls in Memorable Second-Round Showdown to Kentucky
 
Wichita State found itself on the losing end of one of the more exciting NCAA Tournament games of the opening weekend, falling to Kentucky, 65-62. The Shockers ended the season with a 31-5 mark, recording 30 or more wins for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
 
Landry Shamet, the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Conference performer, led all scorers with 20 points in a contest that had 11 lead changes. The Shockers had the ball in the final seconds trailing by three, but Shamet's potential game-tying shot was blocked at the buzzer to give Kentucky the win.

The Shockers are slated to return nearly their entire roster to next year's team that will spend Thanksgiving at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. Each of the four players that garnered All-Conference honors are underclassmen and will bolster a team that will be once again eye a deep NCAA Tournament run.
 
Recap | Box Score

Michigan's Tournament Run Rolls On to the Sweet 16 After Eliminating Louisville
 
Michigan sophomore Mo Wagner finished with a career-high 26 points and the Wolverines rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to defeat second-seeded Louisville, 73-69, and advance to the Sweet 16.
 
Three other Wolverines finished in double figures, including junior DJ Wilson who had 17 points and seniors Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton Jr., who finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Michigan is heading to the regional semifinal round for the third time in the last five seasons, and will face the winner of the Rhode Island-Oregon contest on Thursday in Kansas City.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Four Maui Teams Look to Join Wisconsin in the Sweet 16
 
#2 Louisville vs. #7 Michigan
Indianapolis, Ind.
12:10 p.m. ET, CBS
 
#2 Kentucky vs. #10 Wichita State
Indianapolis, Ind.
2:40 p.m. ET, CBS
 
#1 North Carolina vs. #8 Arkansas
Greenville, S.C.
6:10 p.m. ET, TNT
 
#3 Oregon vs. #11 Rhode Island
Sacramento, Calif.
7:10 p.m. ET, TBS
 

Wisconsin Knocks Off Defending National Champions; Punch Ticket to Sweet 16
 
Against defending national champion Villanova, the eighth-seeded Wisconsin Badgers erased a seven-point deficit by outscoring the Wildcats 15-5 in the final 5:28 to earn a 65-62 victory and a spot in the Sweet 16 in New York City. It marks the fourth straight year Wisconsin will appear in the regional semifinal round, the only team in this year's field of 68 to boast that accomplishment.
 
With the scored tied at 62 in the final seconds, Nigel Hayes scored on a reverse layup with 11 ticks to play to give the Badgers the lead. A defensive stop and a free throw by Vitto Brown was the final point in the Badgers' win.
 
Hayes posted a game-high 19 points and was joined in double figures by Bronson Koenig (17 points), Ethan Happ (12) and Brown (10). Wisconsin, which advanced to the championship game of the 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, will face the winner of Sunday's Virgina-Florida contest in the Sweet 16 next Friday in New York.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Irish Fall in Second Round to West Virginia
 
Notre Dame saw its 2016-17 campaign come to a close on Saturday afternoon after a hard-fought 83-71 defeat at the hands of West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Irish concluded their season with a 26-10 record, reaching the 25-wins mark for the fourth time in the last seven seasons.
 
The Irish were paced by junior Bonzie Colson, who finished with a 27 points to lead all scorers. West Virginia was efficient from long range, connecting on 57 percent of its 3-pointers and never trailed en route to the win.
 
The Irish are set to return three of their top five leading scorers from this season, including Colson, Matt Farrell and Rex Pflueger, to next year's squad that will take part in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Notre Dame and Wisconsin Set for Second-Round NCAA Tournament Action
 
2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational runner-up and 2017 participant Notre Dame will kick off the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
#4 West Virginia vs. #5 Notre Dame
Buffalo, N.Y.
12:10 p.m. ET, CBS
 
#1 Villanova vs. #8 Wisconsin
Buffalo, N.Y.
2:40 p.m. ET, CBS
 
Wisconsin and Villanova will face for just the second time, with the first coming in the 1995 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, a contest won by the Wildcats.
 

Wichita State Dominates the Boards in First-Round Victory over Dayton
 
Wichita State used a dominant effort on the glass and a strong defensive effort in the second half to pull away for a 64-58 victory over Dayton in the first round. The Shockers outrebounded the Flyers 49-28 and had a 19-8 edge in second-chance points, while holding Dayton to 27 percent shooting after halftime. Landry Shamet led the way with 13 points, while Rashad Kelly came off the bench to score eight points, haul in 11 rebounds and block three shots.
 
The Shockers, who will head to Maui this coming November, will take on the Northern Kentucky-Kentucky winner on Sunday.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Late Second-Half Surge Lifts South Carolina Over Marquette
 
Marquette found itself in a back-and-forth contest with South Carolina for most of the game, a second-half offensive slump allowed the Gamecocks to pull away for a 93-73 victory. The Golden Eagles ended the season with a 19-13 overall mark.
 
Senior JaJuan Johnson led the way with 16 points while freshman Markus Howard and junior Andrew Rowsey each chipped in 13 points Marquette, which will take part in the 2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, will return Howard and Rowsey, who were two of the team's three leading scorers, next season.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Michigan Hangs on for 92-91 Victory over Oklahoma State
 
A pair of Maui Jim Maui Invitational participants squared off in the first-round on Friday, with 2017 participant Michigan knocking off 2016 squad Oklahoma State, 92-91. The Wolverines set an NCAA Tournament program record with 16 3-pointers, converting on 55 percent of their attempts and 73 percent on 11 of 15 shooting in the second half. Derrick Walton Jr. finished with 26 points to lead all scorers to lead the Wolverines to the victory.
 
Michigan will face Louisville on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Cowboys were paced by Jawun Evans, who was named to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational All-Tournament team. He finished with 23 points and 12 assists, while Jeffrey Carroll had 19 points. Oklahoma State returned to NCAA Tournament play in Brad Underwood's first season at the helm. He guided the Cowboys to a 2-1 mark in Maui and a 20-13 record this season.
 
Recap | Box Score
 
 
Oregon Cruises Past Iona, 93-77
 
Oregon's prolific offense was on full display on Friday afternoon, cruising past Iona 93-77 in first-round NCAA Tournament action. Tyler Dorsey led the way with 24 points, Dillon Brooks added 18, Jordan Bell had 17 and Payton Pritchard finished with 16. The Ducks, which went 2-1 at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational this past November, will take on Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Friday at the NCAA Tournament Features Six Maui Teams
 
#7 Michigan vs. #10 Oklahoma State
Indianapolis, Ind.
12:15 p.m. ET, CBS
 
#3 Oregon vs. #14 Iona
Sacramento, Calif.
2 p.m. ET, TBS
 
#1 North Carolina vs. #16 Texas Southern
Greenville, S.C.
4 p.m. ET, TNT
 
#7 Dayton vs. #10 Wichita State
Indianapolis, Ind.
7:10 p.m. ET, CBS
 
#7 South Carolina vs. #10 Marquette
Greenville, S.C.
9:50 p.m. ET, TBS
 
 
Marquette Golden Eagles (19-12 overall, 10-8 Big East)
  • No. 10 seed in the East Region and will face South Carolina on Friday
  • Will make their 32nd all-time NCAA Tournament appearance
  • Newcomer Markus Howard was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team and junior Andrew Rowsey earned the conference's Sixth Man Award
  • Head Coach Steve Wojciechowski played in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational with Duke in 1997
Michigan Wolverines (24-11 overall, 10-8 Big Ten)
  • No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region and will face 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant Oklahoma State on Friday
  • Will make their 23rd all-time NCAA Tournament appearance
  • Has won 20 or more games in seven of head coach John Beilein's 10 seasons with the Wolverines
  • Claimed their second Big Ten Tournament Championship, having last won the event in 1998
North Carolina Tar Heels (27-7 overall, 14-4 ACC)
  • No. 1 seed in the South Region and will face Texas Southern on Friday
  • Earned their 16th No. 1 seed in program history, the most in NCAA history
  • Will make their 48th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance
  • Secured their 31st ACC regular season championship, and second consecutive
  • Won their fourth Maui Jim Maui Invitational title last November
  • Each of its last two national championships (2005, 2009) came after going 3-0 in Maui earlier in the season
  • Will be making its 48th NCAA Tournament appearance, the second most in NCAA history
 Oklahoma State Cowboys (20-12 overall, 9-9 Big 12)
  • No. 10 seed in the Midwest Region and will face 2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant Michigan on Friday
  • Secured their 28th overall NCAA Tournament berth, and fourth in the last five season
  • Went 2-1 at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, securing a third-place finish
  • Jawun Evans, a first-team All-Big 12 performer, was named to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational All-Tournament Team
 Oregon Ducks (29-5 overall, 16-2 Pac-12)
  • No. 3 seed in the Midwest Region and will face Iona on Friday
  • Makes their 15th NCAA Tournament appearance, and fifth consecutive under coach Dana Altman
  • Notched 20 or more wins in each of Altman's seven seasons with the Ducks, including three straight years with at least 25 victories
  • For the second straight year, won the Pac-12 regular season championship
  • Advanced to the championship game of the Pac-12 Tournament
  • Went 2-1 at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational
 Wichita State (30-4 overall, 17-1 Missouri Valley)
  • No. 10 seed in the South Region and will face Dayton on Friday
  • Will make their 14th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance, including each of the last six seasons under Gregg Marshall
  • Won the Missouri Valley regular season and tournament championships
  • Reached the 30-wins mark for the fourth time in the last five seasons
  • Tied for the third most wins (207) in the nation since the start of the 2010-11 season

Wisconsin Pulls Away from Virginia Tech for 84-74 Victory
 
Badger senior Bronson Koenig drained eight 3-pointers, setting a new program record in NCAA Tournament games, and Wisconsin outrebounded Virginia Tech 21-9 on the offensive end to score an 84-74 victory on Thursday night. The win sends the 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational runners-up to a second-round matchup against No. 1 and defending national champion Villanova.
 
Koenig finished with 28 points and was one of four Badgers in double-figures, including Nigel Hayes, who recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

First-Half Deficit Too Much to Overcome as VCU Falls to Saint Mary's
 
A 15-point halftime deficit proved to be too much to overcome as VCU saw its season come to a close with an 85-77 defeat at the hands of Saint Mary's on Thursday night. JeQuan Lewis led all scorers with 30 points, but the Rams were whistled for 32 fouls, sending the Gaels to the line 39 times.
 
The Rams finished the season at 26-9 overall and will return All-Conference performer Justin Tillman to next year's squad that will take part in the 2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
 
Recap | Box Score
 

Irish Hold off Princeton to Advance to the Round of 32
 
Bonzie Colson scored a game-high 18 points, and two other Irish scored in double-figures to help Notre Dame escape its first-round NCAA Tournament opener against Princeton, 60-58. The Tigers were able to get off a 3-pointer in the waning seconds, but the potential game-winner was off the mark, sending Notre Dame to the second-round.
 
Matt Farrell added 16 points and Steve Vasturia finished with 12. Notre Dame will face off against West Virginia or Bucknell in the Round of 32.

Recap | Box Score
 

2016 Runner-Up Wisconsin, 2017 Participants Notre Dame and VCU Begin Tournament Action Thursday
 
#5 Notre Dame vs. #12 Princeton
Buffalo, N.Y.
12:15 p.m. ET | CBS
 
#7 Saint Mary's vs. #10 VCU
Salt Lake City, Utah
7:20 p.m. ET | TBS

#8 Wisconsin vs. #9 Virginia Tech
Buffalo, N.Y.
9:40 p.m. ET | CBS 

Wisconsin Badgers (25-9 overall, 12-6 Big Ten)
  • No. 8 seed in the East Region and will face Virginia Tech on Thursday
  • Will make their 23rd all-time NCAA Tournament appearance
  • Has made 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, tied for the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history and fourth-longest active streak
  • Advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship game
  • Went 2-1 in Maui this past year, finishing as runner-up
  • Ethan Happ, who was an All-Tournament Team performer in Maui, was named a first-team All-Big Ten performer
 
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (25-9 overall, 12-6 ACC)
  • No. 5 seed in the West Region and will face Princeton on Thursday
  • Will make their 36th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance
  • Advanced to the ACC Tournament championship game
  • Recorded 25 or more games four times in the last seven seasons
 
VCU Rams (26-8 overall, 14-4 A-10)
  • No. 10 seed in the West Region and will face Saint Mary's on Thursday
  • Will make their 16th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance, and seventh straight to continue the longest consecutive streak in program history
  • Advanced to the A-10 Tournament championship game
  • Reached 25 or more victories in each of the last eight seasons
Print Friendly Version