Saturday saw eight men’s teams punch their tickets to the Sweet Sixteen while the women finished up their opening round will a full slate of games. There was exhilaration, disappointment, and drama. What perhaps stood out the most, though, were the storylines and performances of individual players that keep us coming back for more.
Caitlin Clark and (1) Iowa began their title push with a 91-65 win over (16) Holy Cross. Clark may not have been overwhelming as much as she was inevitable, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists. She was the best player on the floor, which you new because you saw it with your eyes and because the broadcast told you she was, and because during breaks Clark was there in advertisements for State Farm and Xfinity. This moment belongs to her. Caitlin Clark is very much the now.
If Caitlin Clark is now, then JuJu Watkins is next. The freshman phenom is taking the women’s basketball stage that her predecessors grew and making it her own. She led (1) USC to an 87-55 win over (16) Texas A&M Corpus Christi, finishing with 23 points, five rebounds and four blocks. Watkins is bigger and faster and more skilled than her opponents, which seems like just about all you could hope to be. She averaged 27 points this year and scored 51 points in a win against a Stanford team that is a legitimate title contender. USC could very well win it all this year, but if they don’t, they’ll have a chance to for as many seasons as Watkins sticks around.
Clark and Watkins were just two of Saturday’s standout stories. Let’s get in to a few more.
1. Not To Be
Jack Gohlke, Trey Townsend and their (14) Oakland teammates demanded our attention with their opening round win over (3) Kentucky Thursday afternoon. On Saturday, the duo did their best to make their breakout last beyond a one-weekend March Memory. Gohlke picked up right where he left off, hitting six more three-pointers on his way to 22 points while Townsend carried the Golden Grizzlies with 30 points and 13 rebounds.
The Sweet Sixteen was not to be, however, as (11) NC State’s (and BRST favorite) DJ Burns had 24 points and 11 rebounds with the rest of his Wolfpack doing just enough to eliminate Oakland in a 79-73 overtime victory.
Say something like: “You know, honey, I was planning to file our taxes with HR Block until Jack Gohlke caught fire this weekend and recorded a TurboTax ad in a Pittsburgh hotel conference room.”
2. A Few Good Men
(5) Gonzaga was locked in a close game with (4) Kansas Saturday afternoon, trailing the Jayhawks by one point at halftime, 44-43. Whatever the message was from Gonzaga coach Mark Few, it seemed to get across as the Bulldogs stormed out of the break to earn an 89-68 win. Senior forward Anton Watson led the way with 21 points and six rebounds as the Bulldogs secured their ninth straight trip to the Sweet Sixteen, tied for the second-longest streak in tournament history.
Say something like: “Gonzaga goes to more Sweet Sixteens than an MTV Production Crew!”
3. Extra Time
Fans in Pittsburgh that watched the Oakland-NC State game live were treated to another thriller immediately following as (3) Creighton and (11) Oregon needed two overtimes to determine a winner. Both teams effectively relied on just seven players as Creighton ultimately outlasted the Ducks, 86-73. Steven Ashworth and Ryan Kalkbrenner each hit huge three-pointers in the second overtime to spur the Bluejays to victory. For Oregon, 60 of the Ducks’ 73 points came from seniors Jermaine Couisnard (32) and N’Faly Dante (28).
Creighton will take on (2) Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen next Friday.
Say something like: “Creighton belongs to the Big East conference, but is just a 200-mile drive from the geographic center of the United States.”1
4. Heel Turn
Two tournament mainstays faced off Saturday, and while (1) North Carolina got off to a slow start, it eventually found its footing to earn an 85-69 win over (9) Michigan State. Seniors RJ Davis (20 points) and Armando Bacot (18 points, seven rebounds) led the way for the Tar Heels. The duo are looking to get back to the National Championship game, were they were key contributors to a UNC team that lost a close contest to Kansas in 2022.
Say something like: “I’m a Tar Heel born, I’m a Tar Heel bred, And when I die I’m a Tar Heel dead.”
5. Seeing Orange
In a matchup loaded with Vitamin C, Big Orange (#FF8200) shone brighter than Burnt Orange (#BF5700) as (2) Tennessee defeated (7) Texas, 62-58. Dalton Knecht had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Volunteers while coach Rick Barnes got a nice win over the school where he coached from 1998-2015.
Say something like: “Why did I spend time researching my bracket when Greg picked by team colors and is winning the office pool?”
We’re still hung up on geography