March 28, 2024

Last-in Syracuse rallies past Arizona State

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Freshman Oshae Brissett had a double-double and led Syracuse's second-half comeback, and the Orange — the last team to make the NCAA Tournament — held on for a 60-56 victory over Arizona State on Wednesday night in the First Four.
The 11th-seeded Orange plays No. 6 seed TCU (21-11) on Friday in Detroit in the Midwest Region.

Syracuse (21-13) had to sweat out Selection Sunday and wound up as the last one to make the bracket, sent to the First Four.

The Orange prevailed in a matchup of teams that started fast and then faded onto the tournament bubble.

Texas Southern 64,

North Carolina Central 46

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Playing all but the last minute or so of the game, Damontrae Jefferson dynamo scored 25 points, pulled down eight rebounds, flexed and crowed as Texas Southern got its first ever NCAA Tournament win, a 64-46 rout of North Carolina Central in a First Four game at University of Dayton Arena.

No. 16 seed Texas Southern (16-19) also became the first team with a losing record to win a tournament game. The Tigers started the season 0-13 against a big-boy schedule — and didn’t win a game until Jan. 1. Now they’re moving on to face No. 1 seed Xavier on Friday.