NCAA Tournament Early Upsets
March Madness is bringing the heat — early NCAA men's basketball tournament games saw Pittsburgh barely beat Stanford 64-63, SMU dominated Syracuse 86-69, and Maryland topped Oregon 70-60 [https://x.com/i/status/2031541717174784379]. Biggest upset so far: Iowa State crushed Arizona State 91-42 [https://x.com/i/status/2031541717174784379].
Damarco Minor's putback with 0.7 seconds remaining lifted Pittsburgh to a 64-63 victory over Stanford in the ACC Tournament opening game. Minor, who struggled shooting, secured the win after Stanford's Ebuka Okorie gave his team the lead with a three-point play. Pitt's victory might have crushed Stanford's NCAA hopes, while keeping Pitt's hopes alive. SMU defeated Syracuse 86-69 in the first round of the ACC Tournament, led by Boopie Miller's 25 points. The Mustangs dominated the second half, outscoring Syracuse 47-31. SMU's victory advanced them to face Louisville in the second round. Maryland's strong first half propelled them to a 70-60 victory over Oregon in the Big Ten Tournament. The Terps held Oregon to a season-low 12 first-half points. Maryland's David Coit led the team with 17 points. Iowa State dominated Arizona State 91-42 in the Big 12 Tournament, marking the third-largest margin of victory in a conference tournament game since 2000. The Cyclones' victory showcased their strength heading into the later rounds. Following the game, Arizona State fired head coach Bobby Hurley.
