With a little kiss! Derik Queen hits the winner of the game while Maryland gives up the state of Colorado

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In the three and a half days of this year’s NCAA tournament, one of the biggest and most interesting stories was how little excitement seemed when it was in line with big dances. This was the first time since 2017, for example, when the four best seeds combined to finish 16-0 in the first round, denying basketball fans at the highest bending faculties. And from teams that have progressed up to 32 rounds, only five have come beyond the power conference in a reflection, perhaps, increasing financial gap in sports. Two of these middle major, no. 11 Drake and no. 12 mcneese, they were overthrown on Saturday to dilute the ranks even more.

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But with the fearless at the beginning of the Colorado state with the 12th seed against the fourth seed MarylandThe possibility of a two -core middle -aged ovar reached Sweet 16 began to feel a little real. Until that moment, the only double-digit seed that reached this year’s second weekend was 10 Arkansas, although Razorbacks started the season in 16th place in the AP survey after hiring the main coach Hall-Fame from Kentucky, subjugating part of the warmth and fertilization of low seed. The rams, however, were surely answered by a description of potential Cinderella as the champion of the West Mountain.

And a better part of 40 minutes on Sunday night – in 39 minutes and 57 seconds, more precise – Colorado state was undoubtedly a better team. The group of main coach N Rams stayed in front of more than 31 minutes of play, before the Terrapina scorers finally came to life. Even when Maryland took the lead of four points and left 2:30 after four quick points Julian Reesewho ended up with 15 points and 11 rebounds, Colorado State returned to the amazing 3-poen from Lake Jalen With: 06 left the game beautifully drawn, which is Medved in a time limit. His team led, 71-70.

But Maryland chief coach Kevin Willard pulled his own game, although simple, which brought the ball to the Star Center Queen DerikaA real freshman and an assumed first choice in this year’s NBA draft. The Queen caught that in the borders pass near the top of Kljuc and twice dropped left against the Colorado state forward Ethan Mortontransfer from Purdue. Two long steps brought the queen within 10 or 12 feet from the hoop, and in which he faded and delicately kissed the jumper from the glass as the final buzz sounded. He squeezed his fists and bent as the therapy collapsed from the bench to join him. Maryland 72, Colorado 71.

Just like that, the boring iteration of the NCAA tournament roared into life.

Florida survives as UCONN’s search for three peats

The national return championship, which were full of one victory after the other, gave this: the second round of the NCAA match match for which almost no one expected Connecticut and Dan Hurley to win. Not against Florida, probably the hottest team in the country after winning the Sec’s SEC tournament last week. Not after such a strenuous regular season in which a list that is far less talented, far less deep than what Ucon has exposed to the last two years, exposed numerous shortcomings. Not after Huskia barely knocked Oklahoma in the ninth place in the first round, while the Gators raised 95 points against 16. Norfolk seeds.

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Yet, after 20 minutes in the car 32 from Raleigh, North Carolina, where many expected that UCONN’s search for three fives officially failed, the result was in charge of the break while Hurley and his staff vibrated with Glee. It was a kind of defensive effort that ran into the whole season: limiting the most effective offense in the country at 38.5% of shootings and a total of 31 points. It was a kind of intensity of Hurley is not sure that she existed on his team: five stolen balls, two blocks, nine forced twists and nine offensive jumps. If they had made only 4 of the 18 attempts from the range of 3 points, they did not matter because they were aggressive, relentless and proud Hurley’s students discovered. A by -product of 13 consecutive NCAA wins of the tournament in the last three years.

The connected nerves and pressure on Florida, the popular selection of the national championship, were visible from the moment the second half began, both in terms of body speech and on the field. Gators missed five free throws in the introductory seven minutes of the second stanza only after they performed all seven attempts in the first. They concluded the 22-with-34 as a whole on the screen that reflected some team on the whole team on this type of stage. Perhaps the first time the third title was being persecuted all over the season, which acted in Uconn’s benefit, the expectations for so much part of this campaign were difficult. With every minute, the potential for the first monumental upset of the tournament was swollen.

No one could ask more about the initial center Samson Johnsonwho turned to perhaps the best career performance with 10 points, 10 jumps and a comprehensiveness that he rarely flashed. Or the guard point Hassan Diarrawho struggled tendinitis in the knee for a better three months and broke through for 32 minutes against Florida, running an offense at one end of the floor and playing the choke on the defense on Walter Clayton Jr. In the second, limiting Clayton to only 13 points in the introductory 35 minutes. Or any other player who allowed UCONN to end up with the benefits of offensive jumps (14-12), color points (32-24), steals (8-4) and assists (16-12).

But Husky was able to fight the growing tide for so long, they could only neutralize a team with a top talent for a number of estates before the law of average came into play. Their leadership evaporated with the remaining 2:54 when Clayton buried his trademark by sliding 3-poen from the right wing, pushing Florida ahead for the first time since he passed the seconds of the first half. It was a psychological reinforcement that Todd Golden’s head coach and his team was to mount a rush into a late game that Uconn could not reconcile. Six consecutive scales scored the field goals during the last five minutes and changing the eight points of Clayton himself, which ended with high games, the 23s officially extinguished Husky’s search for a third direct national title.

Florida 77, UCONN 75. Gatori returned from the edge to reach the sweet 16.

Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for Fox Sports. Follow it on Twitter @Michael_cohen13.

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