INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The PAC-12 continues to push teams into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, while the Big Ten stumbles.
Chris Duarte scored 23 points and seventh seed Oregon showed no signs of rust after a long layoff, beating No. 2 seed Iowa 95-80. LJ Figueroa hit five 3s while scoring 21 points for the Ducks, who were playing for the first time since the conference tournament and advanced to the second round when their game with VCU was canceled due to COVID-19 issues.
Will Richardson added 19 points for an Oregon attack that shot 56% and hit 11 3-pointers.
Hawkeyes center Luka Garza played like a two-time All-American, delivering 36 points and nine rebounds in his final college game.
Another Pac-12 squad advanced. UCLA started strong and only got better in a 67-47 rout of Abilene Christian. Johnny Juzang carried the 11th-seeded Bruins’ offense with a game-high 17 points, while Cody Riley added 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Bruins are the third school from the lightly-regarded Pac 12 to reach the regional semifinals and could be joined by conference member Southern Cal. UCLA is the first First Four team to reach the Sweet 16 since Syracuse in 2018.
USC’s 85-51 dismantling of third seed Kansas gives the Pac-12 four teams in the Sweet 16. Isaiah Mobley hit four 3-pointers and scored 17 points, while All-American big brother Evan added 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Isaiah White added 13 points and Tahj Eaddy had 12 for the Trojans, who more than doubled the worst margin of defeat for the Jayhawks in 49 trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Top-seeded Michigan is now the Big Ten’s only hope for tournament glory after getting 21 points each from Chaundee Brown and Eli Brooks in a a roller-coaster 86-78 victory over LSU.
In a game full of big runs, the Wolverines used a 14-1 spurt midway through the second half to pull away and preserve a glimmer of hope for a conference that has mostly tanked these four days in Indianapolis.
Brown did the most-lasting damage, making six free throws and a 3-pointer during the decisive stretch that gave the Wolverines a 72-64 lead with 5:55 left.
Michigan became the last Big Ten team standing when Alabama crushed Maryland, 96-77. Jaden Shackelford pumped in 21 points and John Petty broke out of a shooting slump to score 20 for the second-seeded Crimson Tide. Shackelford made five of Alabama’s 16 3-pointers as the second-seeded Crimson Tide advanced to their first Sweet 16 since 2004.
In Monday’s other second-round action:
— Drew Timme poured in a career-high 30 points and had 13 rebounds as unbeaten Gonzaga dumped Oklahoma, 87-71 to advance to the NCAA regional semifinals. The Bulldogs improved to 28-0 on the season and won their 32nd straight game in their quest to be the first undefeated champion since Indiana 45 years ago. Corey Kispert and Jalen Suggs each finished with 16 points for the 1st overall seed, who were tied before closing the first half on an 18-6 run.
— Anthony Polite scored a career-high 22 points and No. 4 seed Florida State pulled away in the second half to beat Colorado, 71-53 and advance to the Sweet 16 for the third straight NCAA Tournament. Polite had never scored more than 15 points in a game before hitting 8 of 12 shots, including 4 of 7 3-pointers. Raiquan Gray and Malik Osborne each had 11 points for the Seminoles, who shot 51% from the floor.
— Creighton is in the Sweet 16 for the first time in 47 years after Marcus Zegarowski scored 20 points to guide the Bluejays past Ohio, 72-58. Zegarowski finished 7 for 16 from the field with four 3-pointers and came up with some key late plays to keep Creighton in control. Damien Jefferson added 15 points for the fifth-seeded Bluejays, who led by 15 at halftime and never let the Bobcats get closer that nine points the rest of the way.
