5.) Xavier tops the Terps
Maryland finished third in the rocky Big Ten Conference, but advanced metrics knocked the Terps for a weak schedule and a collection of close, less than impressive victories. Facing a Xavier squad playing without starting point guard Edmond Sumner seemed like a nice match-up in the first round.
Xavier had other ideas, with Travon Bluiett dropping 21 points in a Musketeers win.
For Maryland, squandering a six seed is a tough pill to swallow, but if Melo Trimble chooses another year over wading into the NBA, he’ll be joined by three rising sophomores who joined him in the starting lineup this season.
Mark Turgeon’s critics may be at his back today, though he should be able to deliver answers in the years to come.
6.) Caleb Swanigan might have had the game of the day
The Big Ten Player of the Year enters the NCAA Tournament with high expectations. Caleb Swanigan, the beefy double-double machine powering the Purdue Boilermakers, looked to start his March off right against Vermont.
The Catamounts entered the game with America’s longest winning streak, dating back to December. Freshman stud Anthony Lamb would go toe-to-toe with Swanigan, finishing with 20 points and 9 rebounds.
In the end, Swanigan was too good and too much for Vermont. He finished with a stat line that spoke to how much he affected the game, racking up 16 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocked shots.
Vermont was feisty, but Swanigan would not be denied.
7.) The Big East is a beast
Despite constant chatter about the depth and strength of the ACC this season, the Big East has submitted a quality resume as the best league in the land. Seven of the conference’s ten schools sent their teams to the Big Dance, including Villanova, the tournament’s top overall seed.
All three Big East teams who played on the opening day of tourney play picked up a win. Villanova eventually coasted by Mount St. Mary’s; Xavier upset Maryland; and Butler topped Winthrop.
Including the First Four games earlier this week, the league is 4-1 so far, with Creighton, Marquette, and Seton Hall set to take the floor on Friday in the first round. Each is playing in a toss-up game, though the Big East experience may give them a leg up this season.
8.) The state of Indiana featured prominently
Three Indiana schools made the tournament, all three of which picked up wins on Thursday. Purdue, Butler, and Notre Dame all moved on, as mentioned prior in this post.
This is particularly noticeable because Indiana University did not earn a bid to the Big Dance and chose to act on that misgiving on Thursday. Tom Crean was fired as head coach in Bloomington, within minutes of the first tournament game tipping off in the afternoon.
For the Hoosiers, it felt like a divorce that was bound to happen, with Crean and the fanbase turning on one another as success came and went. Seeing three in-state neighbors all make the tournament and advance had to be salt in the wound for Hoosier fans. Firing your coach the same day your rivals all win big games is a sad state of affairs.
The next Indiana head coach will take over during a rough moment for the program.
Shane McNichol covers college basketball for Larry Brown Sports. He also blogs about college basketball and the NBA at Palestra Back and has contributed to Rush The Court, ESPN.com, and USA Today Sports Weekly. Follow him on Twitter @OnTheShaneTrain.
