March Madness, indeed! The men’s NCAA Tournament has included all the mayhem expected during this time of year – with bracket-busting commonplace.
“The No. 1 overall seed doesn’t guarantee you’re going to win,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said on the TBS broadcast after his team was upset.
After Friday’s action, the Elite Eight was officially set, and it didn’t feature a No. 1 seed for the first time in history, the Sweet 16 seeing No. 1 overall Alabama and No.1 Houston fall to No. 5 San Diego State and No. 5 Miami (Florida), respectively. Additionally, No. 6 Creighton and No. 2 Texas clinched spots into the weekend.
The Elite Eight began Saturday when No. 3 Kansas State battled No. 9 Florida Atlantic at 6:09 p.m. ET on TBS. No. 3 Gonzaga and No. 4 Connecticut will complete the day’s slate with a scheduled 8:49 p.m. (TBS) tip.
NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKETS: See who’s alive as March Madness continues
Florida Atlantic’s Brandon Weatherspoon (23) and Kansas State’s Nae’Qwan Tomlin (35) fight for a loose ball during the first half.
Here’s everything you need to know to be ready for the action:
Half: No. 9 FAU 42, No. 3 Kansas State 38
Despite turning the ball over a dozen times, Florida Atlantic entered halftime with a four-point lead on Kansas State. The Owls maintained a slight lead by controlling the glass, outrebounding the Wildcats 22-9.
Vladislav Goldin is closing in on a double-double with eight points and eight rebounds, including four offensive rebounds. Alijah Martin added nine points.
Markquis Nowell leads Kansas State with 15 points and seven assists.
Half of the Elite Eight is set after a series of regional semifinals highlighted by perhaps the best game of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
That would be No. 3 Kansas State’s 98-93 overtime win against Michigan State that included a historic performance by senior point guard Markquis Nowell, who dished out a tournament-record 19 assists.
Also on Thursday, No. 4 Connecticut ran all over No. 8 Arkansas to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since winning the 2014 national championship; No. 9 Florida Atlantic pulled away from No. 4 Tennessee by leaning into the Volunteers’ physical style; and No. 3 Gonzaga traded late buckets with No. 2 UCLA and pulled out a last-second win.
Story continues
– Paul Myerberg
Parity creating ultimate March Madness chaos
In a span of mere minutes Friday night, two programs that have had lots of good seasons but rarely seemed like they’re on the cusp of anything significant, evicted the last two No. 1 seeds left, from this NCAA men’s tournament.
And with those back-to-back results, this is officially the maddest March of them all.
For the first time in the history of the tournament, we don’t have a No. 1 seed in the Elite Eight.
— Dan Wolken
March Madness strikes again: No. 1 overall Alabama goes home
Oh, how the mighty fell on Friday.
Alabama, the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA men’s tournament, buckled late in a 71-64 loss to fifth-seeded San Diego State and were eliminated in the Sweet 16 of the South Regional.
The Crimson Tide squandered a nine-point lead in the second half as its quest for the first national championship in school history came to an abrupt end.
— Josh Peter
1 and done: Houston is out
Fifth-seeded Miami did more than upset top-seeded Houston in a Sweet 16 matchup Friday.
The Hurricanes walloped the Cougars 89-75 in the men’s NCAA Tournament that ended Houston’s hopes of playing for the school’s first national championship in its hometown.
And it means there will be no No. 1 seed in the Elite Eight for the first time.
— Josh Peter
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bracket Elite 8 updates: Final Four spots are on line
