March Madness chaos
The tournament delivered wild finishes — Folgueiras hit a go‑ahead three to knock off defending champ Florida, High Point scored 21 points in the final five minutes to edge Wisconsin 83‑82, and VCU rallied 19 points to erase UNC in another upset — all part of the volatile Sweet 16 build‑up. (x.com) (x.com)
Under first-year coach Ben McCollum, No. 9 Iowa reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999 and will face No. 4 Nebraska in the South Region semifinals in Houston after the Mar. 22 game that ended Florida’s run. (espn.com)) The final play had been designed for Bennett Stirtz, who kicked the ball to Alvaro Folgueiras in the corner; McCollum called Folgueiras’ decision “irrational confidence” as the Hawkeyes broke Florida’s full‑court press. (espn.com)) No. 12 High Point collected its first NCAA Tournament win in program history with an 83‑82 upset of No. 5 Wisconsin in Portland on Mar. 19; Rob Martin finished with 23 points and 10 assists while High Point used late scoring to erase an eight‑point deficit. (espn.com)) Graduate guard Chase Johnston made four 3‑pointers — including a logo triple that sparked the rally — and converted his first two‑point field goal of the season with an 11.7‑second breakaway layup to put High Point ahead. (espn.com)) No. 11 VCU erased a 19‑point second‑half deficit to beat No. 6 North Carolina 82‑78 in overtime, with Terrence Hill Jr. pouring in 34 points (23 after halftime) and hitting a late go‑ahead triple in OT. (espn.com)) The opening weekend jolted the bracket: a No. 1 seed (Florida) and multiple top‑6 seeds (Wisconsin, North Carolina) were sent home within three days, reshaping the Sweet 16 matchups and advancing lower‑seeded teams into Thursday’s regional rounds. (espn.com))
