ESPN
Mar 21, 2021, 04:36 AM
Ready for another day of March Madness? How's your bracket? The first round of the 2021 NCAA tournament had its fair share of drama.
Friday's first-round games were not kind to the Big Ten. The league lost two top-four seeds (Ohio State and Purdue). According to ESPN Stats & Information, that was the first time that had happened to the league since the tournament expanded in 1985.
The day wasn't kind to the ACC, either. The league had four teams lose (Clemson, UNC, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech) on the same day in the NCAA tournament for the first time in conference history. But Buddy Buckets and Syracuse went off.
Here's a look at the best stuff from Saturday's NCAA tournament action:
An all-Texas upset
The last game of the night wasn't without drama -- 14th-seeded Abilene Christian squeaked out an upset win over third-seeded Texas. The win sends four teams seeded 13 or lower to the round of 32 for the first time in NCAA tournament history, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
It's not alright, alright, alright. π#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/JkQE7EjPyK
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2021
To add salt to the wound ... we have a Horns Down sighting.
He did the horns down after taking Texas out of the tournament π― pic.twitter.com/HIgbeTWXwg
β ESPN (@espn) March 21, 2021
And the Texas shade didn't stop there, with rival TCU and Oklahoma football coach Lincoln Riley chiming in.
Hey, @ACU_MBB... pic.twitter.com/ZSgrA5uTpz
β TCU Football (@TCUFootball) March 21, 2021See AlsoMarch Madness bracket facts for men's 2022 NCAA tournamentMarch Madness bracket facts for 2021 NCAA tournament'He's like a polar bear and a ballerina': The incomparable DJ Burns is powering NC State
Congrats @CoachGoldingACU on a great win...big win on the big stage!
β Lincoln Riley (@LincolnRiley) March 21, 2021
Down go the defending champs!
For the second time in three NCAA tournaments, the Virginia Cavaliers have been upset in the first round. This time, the loss came at the hands of the 13th-seeded Ohio Bobcats. The Cavs are the fourth reigning champ to be eliminated in the round of 64 (UConn 2012, UCLA 1996 and Indiana 1988), per ESPN Stats & Information.
Ohio dethrones the defending champs! π@OhioMBasketball | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/N1Sy6a8zcw
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2021
The game wasn't without its nervous moments for Bobcats fans, though.
Do you have your emotional support buddy, @OhioMBasketball fans? pic.twitter.com/XJGEWf0sRn
β March Madness TV (@MarchMadnessTV) March 21, 2021
Big 3s and clutch free throws helped send the Bobcats to the next round. It was the team's third straight opening-round victory in the NCAA tournament.
β Ohio Basketball (@OhioMBasketball) March 21, 2021
β Ohio Bobcats (@OhioBobcats) March 21, 2021YES SIR!
The win was a reminder that another team from the state of Ohio deserves respect.
THE. OHIO. UNIVERSITY. π#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/46EEBJvQ3T
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2021
And the Bobcats even got a shout from Joe Burrow, who went to Athens High School in Ohio.
How bout those Bobcats
β Joey Burrow (@JoeyB) March 21, 2021
Pac-12 power
Following a win over Michigan State in the First Four, the UCLA Bruins kept it rolling on Saturday with a win over BYU.
BRUINS WITH THE UPSET π¨β°β°(11) UCLA handles (6) BYU 73-62 to advance to the Second Round. #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/ON7NpG7xVw
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2021
The win moved the Pac-12 to 6-0 in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
The Jabari Walker show
Colorado absolutely dusted Georgetown. It was the Buffaloes' biggest NCAA tournament win, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Freshman Jabari Walker had a career-high 24 points and was 5-of-5 from the 3-point line, his most 3s in a game in his career and a Colorado NCAA tournament single-game record. Walker hadn't even attempted four 3s in a game before Saturday. Teammate D'Shawn Schwartz also hit 5 threes Saturday and now shares that record with Walker.
McKinley Wright IV had 13 assists, a CU tournament record. That included 8 assists in the first half alone. In the previous six NCAA tournaments, only one player had at least 13 assists in a game: Murray State's Ja Morant in 2019 (16).
Socially distant Madness
Unprecedented times call for new solutions. The Gonzaga Kennel Club found a unique way to bring the game to the fans.
March Madness in Covid times. @ZagKennelClub is hosting an outdoor watch party here on campus where students were able to register in groups of 6 for socially distant pods to catch the game on a 27' outdoor screen. pic.twitter.com/TddvB9GXtP
β Austin Getz (@AustinGetzTV) March 21, 2021
Garden State pride
It's no question who the New Jersey Devils are rooting for after seeing UConn junior R.J. Cole's shoulder, especially after Rutgers already advanced on Friday.
We feel the love, @rjuice_.#MarchMadness | #JerseyPride pic.twitter.com/zIwSYR72lu
β New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) March 21, 2021
Boom-er Sooner
Oklahoma controlling both ends β@OU_MBBall | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/skWvgFOtDa
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 20, 2021
Big-time jams!
MILES NORRIS THROWING IT DOWN π³@UCSBbasketball | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/CXamN6U1kS
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 20, 2021
BISHOP REVERSE πͺ@BluejayMBB |#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/ZywVkvRTPO
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 20, 2021
Michigan's Isaiah Livers' sideline fashion statement
Isaiah Livers in the #NotNCAAProperty shirt FTW pic.twitter.com/IkTBBrKOFr
β Tammi Gaw (@tammigaw) March 20, 2021
Eastern Washington's burgeoning cult heroes
No. 14 seed EWU put up a fight against No. 3 seed Kansas. That was in large part thanks to the Groves brothers. Tanner (the bearded star of Saturday) had 35 points and Jacob had 23.
The Groves bros are filling it up for EWU! π¦ @EWUMBB | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/jGIvSyw5XD
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 20, 2021
β EWU MBB (@EWUMBB) March 13, 20212nd 16:55 | More great ball movement by the Eags leads to a Tanner Groves triple! He's got all seven for Eastern so far in the second half!
π¦ 51
π» 17#GoEags #BigSkyinBoise pic.twitter.com/vyazWD76BG
Early top plays
Florida State hates rims π€@FSUHoops | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/x9rVaHB7cS
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 20, 2021
The Buffs drained 11 threes in the first half π―@CUBuffsMBB | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/HOA1NY6Dha
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 20, 2021
WHOLE SQUAD HYPED! π₯π₯π₯@CUBuffsMBB #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/qtz3O2jYYJ
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 20, 2021
Michigan's managers doing work
They don't call them our managers THE LEADERS & BEST for nothing! #GoBlue γ½οΈπ#MarchMadness#ForCompetitorsOnly pic.twitter.com/ZVIGJUAYxj
β Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) March 20, 2021
We are all this drummer today
#MarchMadness energy right here pic.twitter.com/Ka8Hak7ogb
β Kansas Jayhawks (@KUAthletics) March 20, 2021
Football shoutouts
Wishing @CoachEwing33 and the Hoyas good luck in the Tournament! #HoyaSaxa x #MarchMadness https://t.co/sW8ZqqUOP5 pic.twitter.com/iEUECWLqKu
β Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) March 20, 2021
Time to dance, @FSUHoops & @fsuwbb!!#NoleFamily | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/08EitIY6Ro
β FSU Football (@FSUFootball) March 20, 2021
Here's what else you missed on Friday:
β NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 20, 202116 Games.
3 OTs.What a day. π₯΅ #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/4Lc16RCUvf
