With March Madness in the air, the first round of the NCAA tournament in Spokane, Washington, lived up to the famous name of March Madness, with crazy finishes, replacement bands and crazy upsets.
UAB vs SDSU
In the first matchup of the day, the No. 5 San Diego State Aztecs defeated the No. 12 University of Alabama-Birmingham in a thrilling 69-65 game to open the day. SDSU, behind some clutch defensive stops and free-throw shooting, was able to fend off UAB to advance to the next round.
SDSU, after a hard-fought opening 20 minutes, took a 35-29 lead into halftime and wanted to close the game strong. The Aztecs continued to push their lead, extending it to 44-32. UAB did not go away. The Blazers went on an 8-0 run capped by a layup by junior guard Tony Toney to get the Blazers within four.
Two minutes later, the Blazers went on a 9-5 run, and behind an Efrem Johnson three-pointer, they tied the game at 49. From there, the game went back and forth, with each team answering the call at the highest stakes.
With SDSU clinging to a 66-65 lead over UAB in under a minute, the Aztecs showed their poise down the stretch. The Aztecs made clutch stops and turned those stops into three free throws to claim a 69-65 victory to advance to the round of 32 on Sunday.
Aztec Senior forward Jadeon Ledee had 32 points and eight rebounds to lead SDSU to victory. Senior guard Lamont Butler helped with 15 points and four assists to close out UAB.
“First of all, congratulations to UAB on an outstanding season. They were the ultimate opponent. It went back and forth, and we were fortunate to win,” SDSU Head Coach Brian Dutcher said. “I told the team after the game that experience means something. I think all that experience we got last year paid off. When they came back and took the lead, we didn’t panic, stayed focused, played hard and found a way to win.”
Leader guard Lamont spoke on the team’s resilience throughout the game.
“We just didn’t panic. We have been in that position before where teams came back on us. In the Mountain West, it happens all the time. So, we were kind of used to it,” he said. “We have experience, we didn’t panic and we knew that the game wasn’t over.”
SDSU will face Yale on Sunday, March 24, at 6:40 p.m.
Yale vs Auburn
In the next game, the No. 13 Yale Bulldogs pulled off some March magic and upset No. 4 Auburn Tigers in a game with a little of everything. Yale stormed back in the second half behind nine three-pointers, key baskets and a little help from the University of Idaho.
With the Yale band unable to come from Connecticut, the Idaho band filled in, and Head Coach James Jones felt their presence was key in the upset victory.
“I saw them out there, and they had their sheets, so they knew the music in terms of what to play,” he said.”It was great. Having that atmosphere and the people coming out and supporting us, there’s nothing better than that, and we can’t appreciate them more than to be Bulldog fans.”
The added support did not help the Bulldogs in the first half, as the Auburn Tigers came out looking like the four seed they were. Behind a solid first half, they held a 41-34 lead and looked to put the Bulldogs down early in the second half.
Despite one of Auburn’s best players, junior guard/forward Chad Baker-Mazara, being issued a flagrant two personal foul and being ejected from the game in the first three minutes, the Tigers looked strong going into the second half.
The Bulldogs, however, had other ideas. They came out of the half on fire and went on a 10-2 run to take a 44-43 lead over the Tigers and squash any momentum they had. The Tigers continued to push their lead, and the Bulldogs kept fighting back.
With the Bulldogs trailing 72-70, Junior guard John Poulakidas calmly knocked down a step-back contested three-pointer to give Yale a 73-72 lead.
The following two minutes were full of chaos, and with six seconds remaining, Auburn had a chance to tie the game at the line and potentially send the game into overtime.
Sophomore guard Tre Donaldson, in the biggest moment of his college career, missed both free throws. Auburn, however, got the offensive rebound, but Yale’s brick wall of defense prevented Auburn from getting up a good enough shot. Yale’s Cinderella story continues as they march into the Round of 32, defeating Auburn 78-76.
Poulakidas was a significant factor in Yale’s victory and had a game to remember. He posted 28 points, was 10-for-15 from the field, was an electric 6-for-9 from the three-point line and made clutch shots when Yale needed him.
Senior August Mahoney added 14 points of his own to help the Bulldogs to victory. Despite the loss, Junior All-American center Johni Broome was a huge help for the Tigers. Broome posted 24 points and 13 rebounds.
Junior guard Denver Jones had a great game, posting 17 points, and was a big second option offensively for the Tigers.
The win by Yale was huge for the sport of college basketball and is why so many people love March Madness.
“I don’t know if that’s the best win in Yale basketball history, but I will tell you that’s the best basketball team that we’ve beaten in Yale basketball history, as far as I’m concerned,” Jones said.
“But the guys just had enough guts and sticking together and staying together to give us a great victory, and I couldn’t be prouder of my guys. I couldn’t be prouder and love these guys more than I do right now.”
Mahoney, one of the key players for Yale in the victory, relives the moment many kids dream of.
“It’s a dream come true; every basketball player grows up watching March Madness. You see Cinderella stories every year, and the underdog wins some big games. It’s a dream come true when you come to a school like Yale to make it and win that game,” he said.
“To do it with this locker room with these guys that each and every one of them I love so deeply, and I look at them as brothers,” he said. “It hasn’t hit yet, but I’m sure when it’s all said and done, I’m going to look back and be really proud. It’s special, and I am at a loss for words.”
Yale, a team that beat the odds, the experts and Auburn now get to keep their Cinderella season going as they take on San Diego State and try to book their second Sweet Sixteen and their first since 1949.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected]