Donte’s first time
It was Donte Di Vincenzo‘s third 20-point game of the season, but he kept his best for the biggest stage and added 13 rebounds to his 21 points to record his first career double-double. He did miss a couple of dunks, but this was by far the best game of his career. On the other hand, Villanova played an awful first half, only to outscore Mount St Mary’s by 20 in the second half to cruise to a comfortable win. Kris Jenkins shot 2-for-13 for the night, but Jay Wright said Jenkins’s performance is not a source of concern as much as the team’s approach to the game. To be fair, Jenkins proved that when it matters, he is more than capable to deliver.
Top teams in the West in cruise control
Arizona did find the right mix of youth and experience and had an easy time against North Dakota. The Wildcats built a 16-point lead on 61% shooting in the first half, their whole starting five scored in double figures, Lauri Markkanen (20 points) and Allonzo Trier (18 point) feasted on the Fighting Hawks defense and Rawle Alkins scored 20 points on a perfect 8-for-8 from the field.
South Dakota State stayed in the game for a whole fist half against Gonzaga. The Bulldogs had a slow start, in part because William-Goss and Perkins had a bad shooting night (7-for-24 combined). Luckily, coach Mark Few had a skilled frontcourt to take care of things: Zach Collins scored 9 of its total 10 points in the first half, Gonzaga ran their offense through Przemek Karnowski in the second half and his personal 6-0 run made it a 20 point lead with 5 minutes left. Most of the credit for the win, however, should go to Jonathan Williams, who finish with 6 points and 14 rebounds while doing a great job on defense guarding Mike Daum, who scored 17 points on 16 shots.
The least surprising of them all
Middle Tennessee wins 81-72 against Minnesota in the first and most expected upset of the tournament. The Golden Golphers did not look like a #5 seed during the season, and the whole game felt like a #8 vs #9 battle. Reggie Upshaw was the best player in the game without a doubt, while Minnesota saw their game plan messed up by foul troubles in the frontcourt. The Blue Raiders advance once again to the second round, after the upset over Michigan State in 2016.
Reggie Upshaw (Middle Tennessee)
Mr Efficiency
In case you are wondering why Monte Morris is an Nba prospect, just watch the game against Nevada. The Iowa State guard put up an offensive and defensive clinic, scoring 19 points on an efficient night, gaining trips to the free throw line, and adding 8 rebounds and 8 assists. His leadership, together with his teammates experience and with multiple threats on offense (6 players finished with at least 8 points) left no chance to Nevada. Cameron Oliver and Jordan Caroline did try (20 and 22 points respectively), but they had to shoot three times as much as their opponents.