PITTSBURGH — DJ Burns Jr. scored 24 points, including a go-ahead putback that started a 9-0 run in overtime, and 11th-seeded North Carolina State defeated 14th-seeded Oakland 79-73 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night.
Led by their versatile 6-foot-9, 275-pound forward, the Wolfpack (24-14) progressed to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015 by finally pulling away from 3-point specialist Jack Gohlke and the Golden Grizzlies (24-12) in the extra period.
N.C. State will take on either second-seeded Marquette and 10th-seeded Colorado in Dallas on Friday in the South Region semifinals.
Michael O’Connell had 12 points for the Wolfpack. DJ Horne and Casey Morsell added 11 each. Jayden Taylor came off the bench in overtime to hit a 3-pointer that put N.C. State ahead by five.
Oakland, which eliminated third-seeded Kentucky on Thursday, just missed becoming the first 14 seed to reach the Sweet 16 since Chattanooga in 1997.
Trey Townsend, the Horizon League Player of the Year, had 30 points and 13 rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies. Gohlke, who made 10 3-pointers against Kentucky, made six more 3s and finished with 22 points.
ARIZONA 78, DAYTON 68
SALT LAKE CITY — Caleb Love scored 19 points and second-seeded Arizona reached the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons, defeating No. 7 seed Dayton in the second round.
The Wildcats (27-8), who also reached a regional semifinal in 2022 in coach Tommy Lloyd’s first season, will face either the West Region’s No. 6 seed, Clemson, or third-seeded Baylor in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
Arizona’s two wins in Salt Lake City helped the program ease the sting of last year’s first-round loss to 15th-seeded Princeton.
“We’re really excited to be back,” Wildcats guard Pelle Larsson said. “I feel like it’s been a (long) journey to come back here. But I think the journey has made us stronger and this team is ready for it.”
Keshad Johnson and Larsson both had 13 points and seven rebounds for Arizona. Larsson also had six assists, and Jaden Bradley scored 12 points off the bench. The Wildcats shot 53% from the field and made eight 3-pointers.
DaRon Holmes II had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Flyers (25-8), who were denied their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2014. Koby Brea added 14 points and Kobe Elvis scored 13 for Dayton, which trailed by 17 points in the first half but stayed within striking distance nearly to the end.
“We weren’t as aggressive as we wanted to be at the start, and ultimately, when we started with the pressure, we had some success,” Elvis said.
Arizona fended off a potential rally when Bradley finished a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer to give the Wildcats a 66-51 lead with 6:51 remaining. Two front-end misses by Holmes on one-and-one trips to the line foiled Dayton’s comeback attempt.
Dayton reduced the gap to single digits multiple times, coming within 71-64 on a couple of free throws from Nate Santos with 55.1 seconds left. The Wildcats went 7 of 8 from the line in the final minute to secure the win.
Kevin Love emphasized the importance of staying calm and sticking to the plan during challenging moments, like when the opposing team is making a comeback.
IOWA STATE 67, WASHINGTON STATE 56
T.J. Otzelberger, the Iowa State coach, urged his players at halftime of their NCAA Tournament game against Washington State to remember their identity and what had brought them close to the Sweet 16.
The coach's straightforward speech had a strong impact on the Cyclones before they returned to the court.
Right from the start of the second half, Iowa State increased its intensity, putting pressure on Washington State with aggressive defense, which also led to scoring opportunities. Tamin Lipsey made 15 points, Curtis Jones scored 14, and the Cyclones secured a victory, advancing to the next round for the second time in three years.
Otzelberger praised the composure and togetherness of his team, acknowledging the adversity they faced against Washington State. He credited the opponent for creating challenges but also recognized his team's ability to stay focused and wait for the momentum to shift.
Next, the Cyclones will compete against either the third-seeded Illinois or the eleventh-seeded Duquesne in the East Region semifinals on Thursday night in Boston.
Otzelberger admitted that their best performance was crucial, and they were fortunate to deliver that in the second half.
Jaylen Wells scored 20 points, and Myles Rice contributed 13 for the Cougars (25-10), who had a strong first-round victory but couldn't secure their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2008.
Washington State coach Kyle Smith expressed pride in his team's competitive spirit but acknowledged that they couldn't perform well enough to beat a top team like the Big 12 champs.
