In Omaha, Nebraska, Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot humorously mentioned that his team's win over BYU prevented him from achieving success before retiring.
The second round of the NCAA tournament is often referred to as the promised land.
Dae Dae Grant scored 19 points, including four decisive free throws in the final 10 seconds, securing the No. 11 seed Dukes' 71-67 victory over the sixth-seeded Cougars on Thursday.
Jakub Necas contributed 12 points and Jimmy Clark III scored 11 for the Atlantic 10 tournament champions, who secured their first NCAA win since 1969. The Dukes (25-11) will face third-seeded Illinois on Saturday for a spot in the Sweet 16.
“I’m trying to retire,” the 65-year-old Dambrot said, “but if we keep winning games, they’re going to make me an old man.”
The tense ending on Thursday would make any coach feel old in a hurry.
The Cougars (23-11) trailed 46-32 in the second half before tying the game at 60-all with 1:45 remaining.
Clark made crucial free throws for Duquesne, helping them secure a 65-60 lead with 26.9 seconds left.
Dallin Hall tried to bring the Cougars back with free throws and a deep 3-pointer in the final 20 seconds, but Grant's composed free throw shooting ensured the Dukes' victory.
“Bust those brackets, baby! Bust those brackets, baby!” Clark shouted as Duquesne headed back to the locker room.
Jaxson Robinson scored 25 points for the Cougars, who have suffered five consecutive losses in the NCAA Tournament, the last four to teams with double-digit seeds.
“It's a devastating day for us. We lost, won't move on, and won't get in the gym together again,” expressed BYU coach Mark Pope.
The Cougars struggled throughout the game.
Hall suffered a facial injury and had to have tissues inserted into his bleeding nostrils in the first half. Richie Saunders was hit in the midsection, causing him to double over in pain. Johnson even lost a shoe while playing defense, allowing the Dukes to take advantage and extend their lead.
“We made them work for everything they got,” Dambrot said.
Robinson, recognized as the top substitute in the Big 12 this season, tried to keep the Cougars competitive with 12 first-half points, but Necas, a Czech freshman averaging 2.3 points per game, countered with eight of his own to help Duquesne take a 38-30 lead at halftime.
The stress of the NCAA Tournament appeared to overflow during the beginning of the second half.
The Dukes’ Fousseyni Drame and the Cougars’ Noah Waterman got tangled up while going for a rebound and ended up wrestling on the floor, leading to technical fouls for both and setting the tone for a tough game ahead.
“It was a difficult game. They’re very physical,” Dambrot said. “The most important thing is that our strength was evident, and if you're a strong team both mentally and physically, you have a chance to win.”
GONZAGA 86, McNEESE 65
SALT LAKE CITY — Graham Ike scored 16 points and Anton Watson added 13 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists to lead fifth-seeded Gonzaga to victory over No. 12 seed McNeese State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Ike made all six of his field goals and all four free throws while grabbing 10 rebounds.
Ben Gregg had 12 points, Nolan Hickman scored 11 and Dusty Stromer finished with 10 for the hot-shooting Bulldogs (26-7), who spoiled McNeese State’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 22 years.
They will face either No. 4 Kansas or 13th-seeded Samford second round of the Midwest Region.
Gonzaga, which shot 52% from the field and 48% from 3-point range, feels right at home in Salt Lake City, playing here more than any other site over the years and posting a 9-3 record.
Christian Shumate and Shahada Wells each scored 19 points for the Cowboys (30-4).
Watson dunked on a fast break to cap a 16-2 run that lifted Gonzaga to a 44-20 lead with 2:58 to play in the first half. McNeese State couldn’t get any closer until the final minutes.
The Bulldogs’ quick passing led to a bevy of wide-open 3s and they made eight of their first 10 from beyond the arc in the first half to put the Cowboys in their biggest hole of the season.
The Cowboys stayed close for a while on sheer grit and hustle but the Bulldogs’ efficiency prevented them from running.
Most McNeese State possessions ended in off-balance jumpers and circus shots. The Cowboys didn’t record their first 3-pointer or assist until Javohn Garcia found DJ Richards Jr. for a long-range shot with 1:24 remaining in the first half.
Located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, McNeese State is a public school with 7,626 students and a sparse record of basketball success beyond producing Hall of Famer Joe Dumars.
Coach Will Wade led LSU back to prominence, including a Sweet Sixteen in 2019, before he was fired in 2022 after a lengthy FBI and NCAA investigation related to recruiting violations.
His Cowboys had the largest scoring margin (18.9) in the country but hadn’t faced a skilled, well-rounded team like the Bulldogs. Gonzaga was McNeese State’s first ranked opponent of the season.
The Bulldogs are hitting their stride, winning 10 of their last 11, with the only blemish a conference tournament loss to fellow NCAA Tournament team Saint Mary’s.
TEXAS 56, COLORADO STATE 44
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Max Abmas and Dylan Disu each scored 12 points, and No. 7 seed Texas held Colorado State to 11 points in the first half en route to a victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Longhorns (21-12) will face the winner of second-seeded Tennessee and No. 15 St. Peter’s on Saturday.
Isaiah Stevens and Joel Scott led the Rams (25-11) with 10 points each. The Rams had a 29% field goal percentage.
Colorado State, which limited Virginia to 14 first-half points in their First Four game on Tuesday, took an 8-2 lead before encountering difficulties.
The Rams missed 18 of their next 19 shots and scored only three points during the final 15 1/2 minutes of the first half. Texas ended the half with a 25-3 run to go into the locker room with a 27-11 lead after Abmas made a buzzer-beating shot from downtown.
Colorado State became just the 10th team in tournament history to score 11 points or fewer in the first half. The most recent instance was in 2008 when UNLV led Kent State 31-10 at halftime in a first-round game.
