NCAA Midwest: Wolfpack, Hoyas, Heels, Blue Jays, Ohio U, Boilermakers, USF Bulls, Jayhawks Advance

Action in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament commenced on Friday with eight games.

At Columbus, Ohio:

In the first of two games to take place at Nationwide Arena, the #11-seeded North Carolina State Wolfpack (23-12), helped by the 22-point performance from Richard Howell,  defeated the #6-seeded San Diego State Aztecs (26-8) 79-65. Lorenzo Brown added 17 points, C. J. Leslie 15, and Scott Wood 10 to the NC State coffers.  Jamaal Franklin scored 23 points for the Aztecs.


In the second contest, Jason Clark scored 21 points while Otto Porter added 16 as the third-seeded Georgetown Hoyas (24-8) defeated the 14th-seeded Belmont Bruins (27-8) 74-59.


The Hoyas will take on North Carolina State on Sunday.


At Greensboro, North Carolina:

In the first of two contests as the Greensboro Coliseum, Doug McDermott scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as #8-seeded Creighton (29-5) erased an eleven-point deficit and nosed out #9-seeded Alabama (21-12) 58-57.  It was the Blue Jays' first NCAA tourney win in ten years.


In the second contest, top-seeded North Carolina dominated the sixteenth-seeded Vermont Catamounts 77-58.  Tyler Zeller scored 17 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Tar Heels, who will face Creighton on Sunday.

At Nashville, Tennessee:


In the opening contest at Bridgestone Arena, D. J. Cooper scored 21 points as the #13-seeded Ohio Bobcats (28-7) knocked off the #4-seeded Michigan Wolverines (24-10) 65-60.


In the nightcap, Victor Rudd, Jr. and Anthony Collins each scored 17 points as the South Florida Bulls (22-13), seeded #12, knocked off the #5-seeded Temple Owls (24-8) 58-44.  The Bulls will get Ohio U. on Sunday.  USF is the only remaining survivor from the First Four still in the tournament.

At Omaha, Nebraska:


In the first of two games at the CenturyLink Center, Lewis Jackson converted two free throws as 10th-seeded Purdue (22-12) came back from down eleven points to overtake seventh-seeded St. Mary's (27-6) 72-69.  Terone Johnson scored 21 points for the Boilermakers while Rob Jones scored 23 (while grabbing 14 rebounds) for the Gaels.


In the nightcap, a 16-point, 13-rebound night from Thomas Robinson helped guide second-seeded Kansas (28-6) to a 65-50 win over #15-seeded Detroit (22-14), setting up a Sunday match-up with Purdue.