Indianapolis, IN – The first day of the NCAA men’s tournament brought a whirlwind of upsets and excitement, leaving brackets across the nation shattered. With three No. 11 seeds pulling off surprising victories and Jack Gohlke leading the charge, the tournament kicked off with a bang.
Starting with a remarkable upset of Kentucky by No. 14 seed Oakland, the underdogs made their presence known. No. 11 Duquesne followed suit by defeating No. 6 BYU in a thrilling matchup. Oregon continued the trend by securing a convincing win over sixth-seeded South Carolina, led by Jermaine Couisnard’s outstanding performance.
The surprises did not stop there, as NC State continued the trend by defeating No. 6 Texas Tech, extending their impressive winning streak. The dominance of the No. 11 seeds in this year’s tournament raises questions about their potential for a deep run, akin to UCLA’s memorable Cinderella story in 2021.
Among the standout performances of the day was Marcus Domask’s triple-double for No. 3 Illinois, a rare feat in NCAA tournament history. The day also featured a controversial ending as No. 4 Kansas narrowly escaped a late comeback by No. 13 Samford, aided by a questionable foul call in the final seconds.
As the tournament progresses, fans can expect more thrilling matchups and potential upsets from the remaining No. 11 seeds. With the perfect bracket rate dwindling after the first day, the unpredictability and excitement of March Madness are in full swing. Stay tuned for more action-packed games in the coming days.