The NCAA tournament for the men continues today with eight second-round March Madness games. Top seed North Carolina takes on No. 9 Michigan State this evening. The team with Thursday’s biggest upset — No. 14 Oakland — is back on the court tonight, facing No. 11 NC State. Eleven seeds Duquesne and Oregon contiue their runs to cap off the night.
Men’s NCAA tournament games are airing and streaming across CBS, TBS, TNTand truTV. USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest news, scores, analysis and more all day. Follow along
March Madness scores today
Here is the complete scoreboard for the men’s NCAA tournament second-round games on Saturday. Catch up on all of Friday’s first-round action.
NCAA tournament games today
Here is the complete schedule for the NCAA men’s tournament games on Saturday.
FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.
Arizona grounds Flyers, head to Sweet 16
No. 2 Arizona withstood comeback attempts from No. 7 Dayton to win the first game of the NCAA Men’s Tournament’s second round, 78-68.
The Flyers pulled to within three points with 11:40 left to play, but their offense cooled down the stretch. Dayton also couldn’t overcome a disadvantage it had all day in the paint, yielding 38 points there.
Arizona had four players in double figures, with guard Caleb Love leading the way with 19. The Wildcat bench, however, outscored Dayton’s by a margin of 23 to 2.
In the Sweet 16, the Wildcats will face the winner of the matchup between No. 3 Baylor and No. 6 Clemson. –Lorenzo Reyes
Flyers can’t capitalize on hot second half
Dayton slashed the deficit to three points midway through the second half, but the Flyers have not been able to break through. Now, it’s getting late.
Arizona is up, 71-62, with 2:14 left to play.
Dayton is desperately trying to force turnovers with full-court pressure and traps, but Arizona has managed to make enough baskets to keep the Flyers out of reach. -Lorenzo Reyes
Arizona winding clock with Sweet 16 ticket on the horizon
Arizona, with a lead that may be too much to overcome, is now content to use as much clock as it can down the stretch.
The Wildcats are holding a 68-57 lead with 3:39 left in the game, as Dayton’s shooting touch has cooled late in the second half. Arizona has ramped up its defensive intensity, particularly on star Flyers forward DaRon Holmes II, who last recorded a field goal with 10:03 left in the period.
Dayton still hasn’t cracked 40% shooting and is 21-of-54 from the field, and only 7-of-24 (29.2%) from beyond the arc.
Compare that with Arizona, which is 27-of-50 (54%) from the field and 8-of-17 (47.1%) from three. -Lorenzo Reyes
Time running out for Anthony Grant, Dayton as Arizona pulls ahead
That’s the problem with falling into an early hole: the margin for error, especially against a good team like Arizona, becomes minimal.
Arizona has forced Dayton into turnovers and lapses on the defensive end have led to open Wildcat looks – shots that Arizona is now flushing. The Wildcats are on an 11-2 run, with guard Pelle Larsson’s open 3-pointer giving the Wildcats momentum.
Arizona is up 63-51, with 7:28 left to play. –Lorenzo Reyes
Where is the University of Dayton?
The University of Dayton is located in Dayton, Ohio. The school is a member of the Atlantic-10 Conference and is making its 19th NCAA tournament appearance.
Dayton keeping it close as matchup vs. Arizona speeds up
Dayton isn’t going away – and the pace of the game has picked up.
The Flyers have cut the deficit further, down to just five, and the Flyers seem to have found a winning formula on offense. Dayton is relying on pick-and-roll actions with forward DaRon Holmes II being the screen man on most plays. This has led to Arizona 7-foot center Oumar Ballo getting sucked out of the paint to defend Holmes, creating open space in the paint. The Wildcats have done a poor job rotating with their help defense, creating driving opportunities for Dayton.
If the Wildcats do get to the paint, Holmes and guard Koby Brea are wholly comfortable operating on the perimeter.
The good news for Arizona: star guard Caleb Love hit a jump shot with 11:24 left to play, his first field goal since there was 8:38 left in the first half.
Dayton, Oumar Ballo keeping it close
Dayton continues to tweak its defensive looks.
After getting shredded in the paint, particularly by Arizona 7-footer Oumar Ballo, the Flyers started doubling him any time he touched the ball in the paint. After having success late in the first half with a full-court press, Dayton continued to pressure the Wildcats after made field goals.
That defense has fueled Dayton’s offense, with the Flyers playing with more fluidity and urgency, getting into their sets earlier in the shot clock. The catalyst has been forward DaRon Holmes II, who continues to get to his spots to get the looks he wants.
Still, scoring was sluggish to open the second half, with both teams combining to start 3-of-14 from the field.
Arizona is up, 45-39, with 14:27 left in the game. -Lorenzo Reyes
Arizona takes lead into halftime; Dayton getting hot
Credit Dayton’s defense, and head coach Anthony Grant, for changing this game.
The Flyers closed the first half on a 10-0 run to close the margin to seven points and seized momentum against Arizona headed into halftime.
The Wildcats are still up 40-33, but the Flyers deployed different zone defenses and a full-court court press to force turnovers and create transition opportunities. Dayton also struck gold with pick-and-roll actions with star forward DaRon Holmes II (team-high 14 points) and guard Koby Brea (nine); both players can shoot the 3-point ball well and Arizona’s front-line defenders are out of their comfort zone when defending Holmes on the perimeter. Holmes is 2-for-3on 3-point attempts.
Arizona has turned the ball over 11 times — to Dayton’s six — but the Wildcats still maintain a healthy edge in rebounding (18 to 12) and points in the paint (20 to 10). Arizona guard Caleb Love leads the Wildcats with 13 points, though he did not score in the final 8:37 of the first half. –Lorenzo Reyes
Caleb Love fueling Arizona lead
Dayton is learning how dangerous Arizona can be when Caleb Love gets going.
The North Carolina transfer has put his mark all over the second round matchup against the Flyers, dropping a team-high 13 points with three 3-pointers and three assists. A rising star during North Carolina’s Final Four run in 2022, Love’s tournament experience has already proved to be valuable for Arizona. In the first round rout against Long Beach State, Love had 18 points with a career-high 11 rebounds and five assists.
It’s no secret Love is a big reason why Arizona is a national title contender, and his team hasn’t shied away from his impact on the team. Head coach Tommy Lloyd previously told USA TODAY Sports he is “lucky to have him.”
“Caleb is our best player,” said senior center Oumar Ballo. “He got us here.” –Jordan Mendoza
Dayton down big, in familiar waters vs. Arizona
Dayton was down 17 points in the first round when it clawed back to beat Nevada. The Flyers, again, have already been down by 17.
Arizona opened its largest lead of the game late in the first half, though Flyers forward DaRon Holmes II drilled a 3-pointer at the top of the key to cut the deficit to 14 points. Holmes has been Dayton’s best player all season long, averaging 20.3 points per game this year, and he’ll need to be the key to any potential comeback. Holmes leads the Flyers with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting.
Arizona is up, 37-23, with 3:44 left to play in the half. –Lorenzo Reyes
Celeb Love, Arizona operating offense with ease
As good as Arizona’s offense has been – and it has been scorching – the Wildcat defense is forcing Dayton to run its sets deep into shot clocks.
That has led to rushed and contested shots. The Flyers have been bailed out by a couple of Koby Brea 3-pointers, and he leads the team with six points on 2-of-3shooting.
But, back to that Wildcat offense. Caleb Love is in his bag, scoring inside and out, though he has already hit three 3-pointers. He’s 5-of-6 from the floor with a game-high 13 points. Arizona is moving the ball, operating with ease and up 28-16 with 7:57 left in the first half. –Lorenzo Reyes
Arizona pulling away midway through the first
The Wildcats have built a solid lead here midway through the first half, thanks to a 11-3 run.
Arizona clearly feels it has an edge in the post and is doing a tremendous job of spacing the floor, allowing for its big men to establish position and its guards to attack. The Wildcats have the early edge on points in the paint over Dayton, 10-4.
The Flyers went ice cold with some turnovers and couldn’t counter Arizona’s smothering perimeter defense; Dayton had a stretch of 5:35.
Ultimately, it’s coming down to shot making: Arizona is shooting 8-of-13 (61.5%) from the floor, while Dayton is just 4-of-12 (33.3%).
The Wildcats are up 20-11. –Lorenzo Reyes
Dayton and Arizona close early
The early action in the second round has been crisp, marked by good defense and better offense.
The focus for Arizona, whether on the tail end of pick-and-rolls or in designed sets when he has secured position in the block, has been to feed 7-foot senior center Oumar Ballo. That has forced Dayton to collapse. On the defensive end, the Wildcats have been playing tight on the Flyers, even fronting players up near halfcourt.
Arizona senior guard Caleb Love, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, has started hot, going two-for-two with five points.
Dayton star junior guard DaRon Holmes II has also made his first two shots and has four points.
Arizona is up early, 9-8. –Lorenzo Reyes
Dayton and Arizona tip off, kick off Round 2 of NCAA tournament
The West No. 7-seed Dayton takes on No. 2-seed Arizona in the first matchup of Round 2. The Flyers knocked off Nevada in the first round, and look for their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2014. The Wildcats routed Long Beach State in their first-round matchup and look for their second Sweet 16 bid in the last three seasons.
How to watch March Madness 2024
CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV will air first- and second-round games. CBS and TBS will air Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games. CBS will air the men’s Final Four and championship game.
What to know about R.J. Davis, UNC’s senior star and ACC player of the year
During his senior year, R.J. Davis averaged a career-high 21.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 43.3% from the field and 41.1% on 3-pointers. Davis’ 21.1 points per game leads the ACC this year. Here’s everything to know about him.
What to know about Caleb Love, the North Carolina transfer who is now leading Arizona
The Arizona Wildcats are once again a high seed in the men’s NCAA Tournament, but leading the team is a newcomer with plenty of NCAA Tournament experience: Caleb Love. In his fourth college basketball season, Love has been a leader for a Wildcats team that will be a No. 2 seed in the West region of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Pac-12 Player of the Year’s teammates have called him their best player and head coach Tommy Lloyd said he is grateful to have on his team.
“This is a guy who’s had the highest of highs in college basketball and the lowest of the lows. His experience is invaluable to us,” Lloyd told USA TODAY Sports. “I love him, and I’m lucky to have him.” Here is what you need to know about Arizona star guard Caleb Love.
What to know about Dalton Knecht, leading scorer for No. 2 seed Tennessee Volunteers
Who is Dalton Knecht? Well, he just might be one of the breakout players of March Madness. Knecht (pronounced like “connect”) is the leading scorer for the Tennessee Volunteers – in fact, he was one of the leading scorers in men’s college basketball this season, averaging 21.1 points per game. His impressive 2023-24 campaign helped the Vols snag the Midwest Region’s No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
And this tournament will be his first. Knecht is new in Knoxville, the fifth-year senior having played his college ball until this year in his home state of Colorado. Given that he’s a fresh face to March Madness, here’s everything you need to know about the Tennessee star.
Who will win the West Region? Arizona
The long wait is over for the Wildcats. They’ll win the West Region and head to the Final Four for the first time since 2001.
Sure, the skeptics are howling: But Arizona lost two of its past three games! Including a 78-65 setback against lowly Southern California! Nonetheless, these Wildcats are built for an extended run thanks to a versatile eight-man rotation. Scoring? Got it. Arizona ranks third in scoring offense with 87.7 points per game. Caleb Love, the senior guard, leads the team in scoring at 18.1, and each of the team’s four other starters are averaging at least 9.8.
Size? Ample. Oumar Ballo, the 7-footer from Mali, is averaging 13.1 points, a team-best 10.1 rebounds and leads the team in blocks with 40. Arizona also can bring in 7-2 freshman Motiejus Krivas and cause shooters to think twice in the paint. The bench? Good enough to keep the starters fresh. Yes, Arizona lost to Oregon in the Pac-12 Conference Tournament semifinals. But don’t forget the Wildcats also beat Duke in Durham, North Carolina, when the Blue Devils were ranked No. 2. — Josh Peter
Why NC State is the sleeper pick in the South Region
As we all know, North Carolina State had to win five games in five days in the ACC tournament just to get here, a feat previously accomplished by Connecticut in the 2011 Big East tourney. Hmmm…anyone remember how that UConn team fared in the Big Dance? Oh yeah, thanks to a dude named Kemba Walker, those Huskies just kept rolling all the way to the title. The Wolfpack face long odds of making a similar run. Their opening contest against Texas Tech will be challenging enough. But with the team’s leading DJ’s, D.J. Horne and D.J. Burns, spinning all the right tunes, a little belief can go a long way. — Eddie Timanus
Tennesse’s path to the Final Four
Putting Purdue as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest and Tennessee as the No. 2 increases the odds that one of the Boilermakers and Tennessee advances to the Final Four. For the Boilermakers, a Final Four bid would be the program’s first since 1980 and help erase some of the bad vibes still lingering from last year’s loss. The Volunteers have never been. Barnes made his first tournament appearance as a head coach at Providence in 1989 but has made the national semifinals just once across stops with the Friars, Clemson, Texas and Tennessee That came with point guard T.J. Ford and the Longhorns in 2003. — Paul Myerberg
Tennesse’s path to the Final Four
Putting Purdue as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest and Tennessee as the No. 2 increases the odds that one of the Boilermakers and Tennessee advances to the Final Four. For the Boilermakers, a Final Four bid would be the program’s first since 1980 and help erase some of the bad vibes still lingering from last year’s loss. The Volunteers have never been. Barnes made his first tournament appearance as a head coach at Providence in 1989 but has made the national semifinals just once across stops with the Friars, Clemson, Texas and Tennessee That came with point guard T.J. Ford and the Longhorns in 2003. — Paul Myerberg
Why Jim Nantz isn’t calling 2024 March Madness games
As the men’s NCAA Tournament begins, fans may be wondering where Jim Nantz, voice synonymous with one of the most popular events in college sports is.
Nantz decided the 2023 NCAA Tournament would be his last so he could focus on his family and other broadcasting commitments. Nantz didn’t retire from broadcasting; He’s still calling The Masters and serves as the lead play-by-play person for CBS’ NFL coverage alongside Tony Romo. The duo were in the booth for Super Bowl 58 in February. – Jordan Mendoza
March Madness expert picks: Our bracket predictions for 2024 NCAA men’s tournament
The experts have dissected the men’s NCAA Tournament bracket, providing sleepers, Final Four matchups and upset predictions. Your chances of filling out a perfect bracket are miniscule, but maybe you need a few tips to win your office pool. We’ve got you covered with a look at how to pick an upset and a look historically at how the seeds have performed in the NCAA Tournament. Three of our five USA TODAY experts have UConn as their picks to win the national title on April 8. Here are our expert picks.
How to stream March Madness on your phone
You can catch every second by streaming every game through a few different options. All games will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV, but here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.
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