The McNeese State Cowboys head coach celebrates after beating the Clemson Tigers 69-67 in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, held in Providence, Rhode Island on March 20, 2025. Emily Chin/Getty Image hides captions
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Emily Chin/Getty Images
Wichita, Kansas – It’s nothing labeled as March Madness.
The first day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament did not pass without surprise. However, Friday presents another day game for men as a whole day and is the beginning of the women’s tournament, so there’s no problem due to gasps that are more provocative by the outcome.
In the final minutes of an upset victory over the University of Missouri Tigers, 11th seed Drake University, sixth seeded by the University of Missouri Tigers, intra-store arranging Drake Bulldog fans chanted “overrated seconds.”
Despite losses by the SEC’s Missouri Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs in the previous game, Auburn as one of the two No. 1 seeds on Thursday caused the strength of the meeting.
The SEC has sent 14 of the 16 teams to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament this season. Auburn made his way forward after a 83-63 victory over Alabama. Texas A&M and Tennessee have also made progress from the SEC.
The University of Houston advanced on Thursday with a 68-team bracket, beating 78-40 Siu-Edwardsville, the first seed. No. 1 since the NCAA Tournament seed system began in 1979. 16th seed knocked out No. 1 seed only twice.
Despite the unsolved outcome of the victory over Houston’s Schweedward Bill, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson believes that schools at lesser known conferences, such as the Ohio Valley Conference, where SIU-E is a member, should still be included in the field.
Speaking about the NCAA Selection Committee, Sampson said, “Some people sit in these back rooms and try to make decisions about their children’s experiences, some have forgotten where they came from.”
“Most of these low-middle meetings are one-bid leagues, and I don’t know if they’ll be able to catch lightning bolts with a bottle,” Sampson said.
However, Missouri fell to the team under the first year leadership of coach Ben McCollum, who had four NCAA Division II national titles from within Missouri. McCollum coached at Northwest Missouri State for 15 years before taking over the Bulldogs.
The only team representing the Missouri Valley Conference, Drake will make his first appearance in the second round since 1971.
“I was hoping for this. I did,” said McCollum after the Bulldogs’ first round victory. “If I said I didn’t, I’d lie. I know I tried to humble others, but I believe in these kids.”
The biggest upset of the day happened in Providence, Rhode Island. There, the 12th McNeis State of the One-Bid Southland Conference surprised fifth-seeded Clemson University, 69-67. This was MSU’s first NCAA Tournament victory in program history.
Oddly, MSU coach Will Wade reportedly has already agreed to a contract to become North Carolina head coach after the end of the NCAA tournament.
Drake and McNees State were the first day exceptions when the One-Bid League absorbed the losses.
On Friday, Connecticut, the two-time defending champion, as the eighth seed of the year, will face another ubiquitous SEC team, in this case the newly advertised Oklahoma Soulers.
The first day of the game at the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament will also stir up the madness associated with March. There is already an ongoing debate as to whether UCLA or the University of South Carolina deserves the No. 1 overall seed.
Now is the time for each team to prove it in court as the women’s teams compete for their final trip to Tampa for the Women’s Final Four.
