UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA men’s basketball tournament continues without the defending champs.
Top-seeded Baylor erased a 25-point deficit in the second half to force overtime before North Carolina regrouped to beat the Bears, 93-86 in the second round. RJ Davis poured in a career-high 30 points and Brady Manek (MAN’-ehk) added a season-high 26 before being ejected for a flagrant foul. Baylor’s comeback started minutes after Manek drained a 3-pointer that gave the Tar Heels a 67-42 lead.
Armando Bacot (BAY’-kaht) had 15 points and 16 rebounds for the 26-9 Tar Heels. Adam Flagler had 27 points for Baylor, which finishes 27-7.
Two other No. 1 seeds struggled before reaching the Sweet 16.
Top overall seed Gonzaga rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat No. 9 Memphis, 82-78. Drew Timme (TIH’-mee) scored 21 of his 25 points in the second half to help the Bulldogs avoid an early ouster. Andrew Nembhard added 23 points for the Bulldogs. who trailed at halftime for only the fourth time this season.
Remy Martin led Kansas in scoring for the second straight game, providing 20 points in a 79-72 victory against Creighton. Ochai Agbaji (OH’-chy ahg-BAH’-zhee) furnished 13 of his 15 points in the second half, putting the Jayhawks ahead for good with his first basket shortly after intermission.
Meanwhile, the glass slipper still fits Saint Peter’s as the Peacocks became the third No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16. KC Ndefo dropped in 17 points as Saint Peters beat Murray State, 70-60.
Doug Edert came off the bench to score 13 points for the Peacocks, including some big baskets late. Saint Peter’s built a 13-point lead early in the second half and never trailed, but Murray State still made it tense got within two before the Peacocks closed on an 11-3 run.
In other second-round action:
— No. 11 Michigan booked the most surprising of its five straight trips to the Sweet 16 by beating third seed Tennessee, 76-68. Eli Brooks put Michigan ahead for good with a three-point play and delivered four critical points in the final minute. Brooks finished with 23 points and Hunter Dickinson had 27 with 10 rebounds, grabbing two boards in the closing seconds.
— Tyger Campbell scored 16 points and fourth-seeded UCLA advanced to the regional semifinals for the second straight year by beating fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s, 72-56. The Bruins lost star Jaime Jacquez (HY’-may HAH’-kehz) Jr. to a right ankle injury with 6:58 left in the game after he scored 15 points, all in the first half. Johnny Juzang (JOO’-zng) made three consecutive jumpers that put the Bruins up 54-44 with 9:41 left.
— Noah Horchler scored 16 points and No. 4 Providence moved into the Sweet 16 for the first time in 25 years by pounding Richmond, 79-51. The Friars had their best 3-point shooting performance of the season, hitting 54.5% from downtown on 12 of 22. Providence controlled the game from the start and went up 21 on the Spiders less than two minutes into the second half.
— Fourth-seeded Arkansas is in the Sweet 16 for a second consecutive year following a 53-48 win over No. 12 New Mexico State. JD Notae (NOH’-tay) scored 18 points before fouling out with 1:22 left and Jaylin Williams had 10 points and 15 rebounds for the Razorbacks
