Sweet 16 Action

  Headlines

 First half helps Baylor dominate St. Mary's 72-49.

 Lucious turn-around helps Michigan State hold off Northern Iowa 59-52.

 Kyle Singler helps Duke hold off Purdue 70-57.

 Tennessee vs. Ohio State

      In a region where Kansas was supposed to dominate there has been a lesson learned. Never take a team lighty. That's probably what eliminated Kansas and Georgetown, as well as #4 Maryland. Ohio State didn't want to be the next victim. William Buford hit a pull-up 3 and scored 9 of Ohio State's first 13 as the Bucks took a 13-7 lead. But a Bobby Maze driving layup soon had Tennessee up 17-13. Jerimie Simmons made back-to-back threes for Ohio State, but Wayne Chism answered. Kyle Madsen and J.P Prince each scored 4 for their teams, and Brian Williams gave the Volunteers a 27-25 lead. Josh Bone hit a 3 for Tennessee, but threes by Jon Diebler and Buford gave OSU a 35-32 lead. A jumper by Buckeyes star Evan Turner gave them a 42-37 lead and the Bucks led 42-39 at the half. Evan Turner hit a 3 and scored the first 7 early on for Ohio State to give them a 49-43 lead, then he hit a jumper, and converted a 3 point play to give him 12, then another jumper to give him Ohio State's first 14 second half points. But Tennessee clawed their way back, and after a 3 point play on a dunk the score was tied at 59. J.P Prince converted on another 3 point play (dunk) as Tennessee led 62-61. After a Wayne Chism layup, Tennessee led 68-63. But a David Lighty jumper and then a 3 put Ohio State up 70-68. Wayne Chism scored 4 for the Vols, but Turner hit a 3 for Ohio State. Then, Brian Williams hit a tip-in, Ohio State couldn't score and Tennessee made 2 foul shots. Turner missed a 3, and then Prince blocked a second attempt as the Midwest Region, the region that Kansas was supposed to dominate, has #5 Michigan State vs. #6 Tennessee in the Elite 8. 

 Elite 8 Games today

 #5 Butler vs. #2 Kansas State, CBS, 4:30 PM ET

 #1 Kentucky vs. #2 West Virginia, CBS, 7:05 PM ET

 Elite 8 Games Tomorrow

 #5 Michigan State vs. #6 Tennessee, 2:20 PM ET, CBS

 #1 Duke vs. #3 Baylor, 5:05 PM ET, CBS

  Headlines

Kentucky staves off Cornell, advances to Elite 8.

Second half run propels West Virginia against Washington.

  Xavier vs. Kansas State

      Kansas State is actually one of the most powerful teams left in the country. Maybe Xavier didn't see that, or maybe Kansas State didn't see it. But, one thing we know is that that set up a classic. Xavier took a 4-2 lead, but Jacob Pullen made 2 layups and a 3 pointer, then Wally Judge scored his only 4 of the night and put K-State up 19-4. But Dante Jackson started an 8-0 Xavier run that cut the deficit to 19-12. Pullen hit a 3, but Terrell Holloway kept Xavier in it with 5. Holloway started another 8-0 run with a 3 and Xavier cut the deficit to 28-27, and they led 32-31 at the half. Denis Clemente scored 4 to start the second half, and a Pullen 3 from the left perimeter gave the Wildcats a 40-36 lead. Clemente made a layup, but the Musketeers didn't give up. With 13:41, Dante Jackson made a 3 pointer to cut the deficit to 44-43. Clemente put K-State up by 5, but Brad Redford answered with a 3. Then Jamar Samuels scored on a dunk and hit a free throw. After a tip-in by Curtis Kelly, Kansas State led by 7. Brad Redford hit a 3, then Clemente hit a runner, and then Crawford hit from the left wing to make it a 1 point game. Trailing 61-60, Denis Clemente threw up a 3 from the let perimeter and made it and drew a foul, then he hit the free throw. But Crawford hit a fadeaway 3 from the left wing to follow a Dante Jackson three that gave Xavier a 67-66 lead. K-State sank one of 2 foul shots, then with :28 Pullen made a pull-up 3 from the right wing. Both teams scored 2, then a huge no-call was made before a foul on a 3 pointer and Xavier made 3 free throws. Pullen missed a 3, and it went into overtime. Jordan Crawford made a layup for Xavier, but then K-State went up by 4. Holloway made a 3, but Curtis Kelly hit 2 free throws. With :50 Holloway made a 3, but Jacob Pullen answered with a layup. Xavier failed to convert, and Chris Meriweather of K-State hit one of 2 free throws. Jordan Crawford pulled up and... made a 35 foot 3 to send the game into double overtime! Kelly and Crawford scored 4 each for their respective squads, then Jordan Crawford made a 3. But Pullen hit from the right perimeter, and K-State led 94-93. Xavier made a free throw, then Pullen hit another 3. Pullen and Clemente hit 2 free throws each to secure the win. Pullen scored 28, Clemente scored 25, and Kelly scored 21 in the 101-96 2OT win.

 Butler vs. Syracuse

      Now that Kansas went down, Syracuse thought they were the championship favorite. Butler didn't. Shelvin Mack hit a pull-up 3, and Willie Veasley scored 4, then after Gordon Hayward hit a 3 Butler led 10-1. They led 12-1, but Syracuse's guards helped them cut the deficit to 17-12. Mack scored 4, then he converted on a 3 point play to give Butler a 24-14 lead. Andy Rautins added to a 3 with 3 foul shots, but after Shawn Vanzant hit a 3 Butler led 31-19. Ronald Nored scored 2 on a fastbreak, and Mack scored again on a fastbreak. Butler led 35-25 at the half. But Rautins connected on 2 early 3's, and Wes Johnson scored 4 before giving Syracuse a 40-39 lead with a pull-up 3 from the middle. Gordon Hayward scored 6 straight for Butler, then he hit a 3 from the right wing to give Butler a 48-43 lead. But Scoop Jardine hit another 3, and after a jumper by Johnson Syracuse tied it up. Andy Rautins made a 3, and a Kris Joseph dunk had Syracuse up 54-50 with less than 4:00 to play. Butler got a steal with 3:36, and Ronald Nored hit a 3 from the left perimeter. Matt Howard made a layup, and :23 later Willie Veasley hit a quick 3. Veasley gave Butler a 60-54 lead with :59, and Gordon Hayward sank 3 out of 4 free throws to give Butler a 63-59 win. Hayward scored 17, Vealsey 13 and Mack 14.