Wegs Pool Contest: 2 Rounds Down…

The NCAA Tournament is usually full of upsets, Cinderellas and high drama at the end of games. Well, in 2025, we certainly have had some good games, but most of the top seeds have advanced and only one buzzer beater in the bunch yet.

South Region Recap

• 1st Round Highlights
  • 5 Michigan Held Off 12 Tritons – The Wolverines led by as many as 14 in the 2nd half and were on cruise control over the popular Cinderella UC San Diego Tritons. Then, even with their top player in foul trouble, UC San Diego stormed back as G Tyler McGhie had 25 points who scored 8 straight to take the lead 65-63 with 2:29 left. Michigan responded by closing the door on the Tritons not allowing another point and beating the upstart team, 68-65.
  • 6 Ole Miss Stop 11 Heels – After a blowout loss in the First Four validating UNC’s inclusion in the field, Ole Miss got out to a huge 22 point lead early in the 2nd half. Then, the Heels turned on the juice cutting the lead to just 2 with 1:09 to play on RJ Davis’s 2 free throws, 66-64. However, G Sean Pedulla thwarted that rebellion (pun intended) scoring the final 5 points to win the game, 71-64.
  • 10 New Mexico Upset 7 Marquette – One of the few 1st round upsets took place in this one, as the Lobos led most of the game led by G Donovan Dent’s 21 points and 6 assists. New Mexico moved on, 75-66.
• 2nd Round
  • 5 Michigan Flipped the Script – 4 Texas A&M were in control early – leading at the half and led by 10 with 13:17 to play in the game. Then, the Wolverines got hot with G Roddy Gayle’s 26 points from the bench who got them over the top and Vlad Goldin’s 23 points, 12 rebounds. In the end, Michigan rolled to a 91-79 win on to the Sweet 16.
  • 1 Auburn outlasted 9 Creighton – The Bluejays were coming off a complete blitz of Louisville, and even led at the half, 37-35. However, the Tigers have what they call spurtability, and from with the game was tied 50-50 with 14:13 to play to 6:20 – Auburn outscored Creighton 18-4 which gave them enough room to win this game, 82-70.
  • 6 Ole Miss Crushed 3 Iowa State – The Rebs have been a strange team this year, but they are playing great in the first 2 games of the tournament. Iowa State had no shot in this one, and Chris Beard has yet another team in the Sweet 16 with the 91-78 win.

West Region Recap

• 1st Round
  • 10 Razorbacks Slide Past 7 Kansas – A great coaching matchup between Coach Calipari and Coach Self, and it was a little dicey at the end of this one, but it came down to an inbound pass with just 13 seconds – Arkansas up 75-72. Two timeouts later, the Razorbacks got the ball in and closed the game making free throws, 4 players in double figures to get the 79-72 win.
  • 11 Drake Finally Advanced – This Drake team has been in the Dance 3 straight years with 2 disappointing losses. This year with a new coach some Division II players, they controlled the tempo and won fairly easily in Round 1 over Missouri, 67-57. G Bennett Stirtz led scoring with 21 points.
  • 12 Rams Rallied Past 5 Memphis – Colorado State showed why they should be in the Dance after trailing at the half, C Dain Dainja (22 points, 12 rebounds) was dominant setting up Tigers’ lead, 36-31. The Rams responded by rebounding better and hitting 11 triples – G Kyan Evans had 6 of those, as Colorado State advanced with the 78-70 win.
• 2nd Round
  • 10 Arkansas Scored Bigger Upset – This time the Hogs took on a great defensive team in Coach Rick Pitino’s St. John’s Red Storm. The problem is you still have to score to win. Arkansas held St. John’s to a terrible 28% shooting including 3 of 22 from deep. Pitino held RJ Luis, Jr. on the bench for the final 4 minutes (3 of 17 from the floor), meanwhile F Billy Richmond III led all Razorbacks with 16 points and 9 rebounds in the 75-66 win.
  • 1 Gators Squeaked Past 8 UConn – I’ve been a major critic of UConn and Coach Danny Hurley’s antics all year, but give them credit in this one. They had Florida on the ropes all game. The Huskies led by 6 with 9:24 to play, but G Walter Clayton, Jr. would not let his squad down. He had 14 of his 23 points over that last 9 minutes to push them to win, 77-75. There will be no three peat.
  • 4 Terps Beat the Buzzer – My 12 Rams had won 11 straight and led the game at the half, 37-30. In the second half, CSU led the most of the half, but the Terps put up a late 9-0 run to grab a 4 point lead late with 2:32 to play. Then, we got a finish we all wanted. The Rams fought back with 2 free throws from F Nique Clifford (). Then, G Jalen Lake hit a mid-range jumper to tie the game at 68 with 56 seconds. The Terps came back by missing a three with the shot clock running down, but F Julian Reese grabbed the board and was fouled. He hit 2 free throws with just 22 clicks left, 70-68. CSU took the ball over half, called a timeout to set up a play. The inbound went to Clifford again, who found Lake across the court with a one-handed pass for the three and the LEEAADD!!! With just 6 seconds left, Maryland advanced the ball, called the timeout, C Derik Queen got the ball, drove left, shot the ball high off the glass, and GOOODDD!!! The Terps go to the Sweet 16 with the 72-71 win breaking the hearts of Rams’ fans like me, but best game of the tourney.

East Region Recap

• 1st Round
  • 9 Baylor Took Out 8 Miss State – Not a ton of seed upsets this year, but the Bears had 4 players in double figures in this tight contest. G Josh Hubbard did his part for the Bulldogs with 26 points, but Baylor was able to hit their free throws to win the game, 75-72 and advance.
  • 7 St. Mary’s Slid Past 10 Vandy – Not a high scoring affair, but the Gaels played their methodical game in this game – 4 players in double figures while Vandy relied heavily on G Jason Edwards. Still, St. Mary’s moved on 59-56.
• 2nd Round
  • 6 BYU Outlasted 3 Wisconsin – The Cougars can score, and they came out strong again in this game leading 47-36 at the half. The Badgers would not go down without a fight hitting 12 threes in this one and forcing a nailbiter as John Tonje’s 6 points in back to back possession to cut the lead to 2 with 1 minute, but neither team scored late as the Badgers did not get off a good shot a time expired, BYU survived 91-89 to get to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011.
  • 1 Duke Dominated 9 Baylor – It certainly looks like Cooper Flagg is healthy now, which is trouble for the field. Plus, G Tyrese Proctor hit 7 of 8 treys in this one leading to a huge 89-66 throttling of the Bears.
  • 4 Arizona Kept 5 Oregon at Bay – Another barnburner in Seattle, easily the best games were there on Sunday. Oregon came out early to build a quick 21-7 lead, but Arizona roared back to take the lead at the half, 42-38. In the 2nd half, it was mostly uphill for Oregon. Arizona’s G Caleb Love (29 points, 9 rebounds) played well with a stretch with 10 straight points to build a 9 point lead. In the final minutes, the Duck quacked back to cut it to 1 with 10 seconds. Arizona hit 2 to get the lead to 3, then fouled smartly with 5.7 seconds to not allow a 3 to tie, but the Ducks hit the free throws. Dell’orso had a one and one again with 5.2 seconds, which he hit both again – another early foul to force free throws – made the first, but intentionally missed the 2nd, Love rebounded the ball, and the game was over – Arizona advanced, 87-83.

Midwest Region Recap

• 1st Round
  • 12 McNeese Survived 5 Clemson Comeback – The Cowboys and their boombox wielding manager came into this one hot. In the first half, it was probably not their defense alone, but McNeese held Clemson to a woeful 13 points in the half and led 31-13. In the 2nd half, the Tigers showed fight and scored 54 points to cut the lead to 3 with 11 seconds, but a made free throw to end the run, despite the layup at the buzzer for Clemson – McNeese won, 69-67.
  • 4 Purdue Battled Past 13 High Point – Another Cinderella in the making, 13 High Point was a popular upset pick, but the Boilers dominated the glass 45-24 to get out to a sizable lead. Still, the Panthers fought back to within 3 points with 7:44 to play. However, Braden Smith and company took care of business at the line enough to win easily, 75-63.
• 2nd Round
  • 1 Houston Ended 8 Zags Streak – Gonzaga had reached the Sweet 16 in 9 straight years, so they were ready for the Cougars. Houston led by 8 at the half and were in control most of the 2nd half. The Zags made a late run though down 11 with 4:29 left, but closed the gap to one with 20 seconds. after the LJ Cryer free throws, the Zags could not get the triple to tie, and the Cougars advanced, 81-76 ending the streak.
  • 3 Kentucky Took Out 6 Illinois – The SEC may have been a little bloated, but Kentucky played well this weekend. The Cats outmuscled the high scoring Fighting Illini who had scored over 90 points in most contests. Kentucky limited Illinois to 9 of 32 shooting from deep and converted 14 turnovers into 26 points for the 84-75 win.

Wegs Pool Update

The Pool returned with 166 entrants this year. Like some years, 4 didn’t lock in their picks completely, so we are at 162 pending payments. Some have lost champions in St. John’s and a few others (16 of 162 – 9.87%), but most people are still in the running.

Standings After 1st 2 Rounds

Enjoy the break until the Sweet 16.

Wegs