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WVU-Villanova bet is on
CHARLESTON -- U.S. senators from West Virginia and Pennsylvania have made a friendly wager on the upcoming NCAA Sweet 16 matchup between West Virginia University and Villanova.
Democrat Joe Manchin is offering pepperoni rolls from Chico's Bakery in Morgantown if the Mountaineers lose. Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey is putting up soft pretzels baked by the Philly Pretzel Factory.
The regional semifinal basketball game between the fifth-seeded Mountaineers and top-seeded Wildcats is set for Friday night in Boston.
Loyola continues improbable run
ATLANTA -- With Loyola-Chicago clinging to a one-point lead and only 6.3 seconds remaining, Marques Townes sank a 3-pointer from in front of the Ramblers’ bench to continue their improbable NCAA Tournament run.
Townes scored 18 points, including the key 3-pointer, to lead Loyola to a 69-68 win over the Wolf Pack in Thursday night’s NCAA South Regional semifinal.
Townes charged down the court, pumping his fist, as Nevada called a timeout following the crucial 3-pointer. Caleb Martin answered with a 3 for Nevada, but this time the Wolf Pack couldn’t extend their string of second-half comebacks in the tournament.
Michigan routs Texas A&M
LOS ANGELES -- This one was easy.
After reaching the NCAA Tournament’s round of 16 with an improbable buzzer-beater, Michigan shot 62 percent from the floor and routed Texas A&M 99-72 in the West Region semifinals on Thursday night to reach the Elite Eight for the third time in six years.
The Wolverines (31-7) dominated from start to finish, hitting 14 3-pointers -- 10 in the first half -- and extending their winning streak to 12 games.
Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman scored 24 points, Moe Wagner added 21 points and Charles Matthews had 18 points as third-seeded Michigan had five players in double figures.
K-State upsets Kentucky
ATLANTA (AP) -- Kentucky's latest group of fabulous freshman is all done.
Gritty Kansas State made sure of that Thursday night.
Demeaned by many pundits as the worst team still alive in the NCAA Tournament, ninth-seeded K-State got 22 points from Xavier Sneed and gave the South Regional one more upset with a 61-58 semifinal victory over Kentucky.
Next up in the bracket-busting South: the regional final against No. 11 seed Loyola, which continued its stunning run in the tournament with a 69-68 victory over Nevada.
Sneed wasn't around at the end -- he was among three Kansas State players who fouled out -- but Barry Brown Jr. came through with the shot of the game to seat it for the Big 12 school.
Brown darted into the lane with the shot clock running down, seemingly blowing by every Kentucky player to get to the basket, and banked one in with 18 seconds remaining to put K-State up 60-58.
Florida State upsets Gonzaga
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Florida State's upset run in the NCAA Tournament has stretched all the way to the brink of the Final Four.
Terance Mann scored 18 points and the ninth-seeded Seminoles advanced to the Elite Eight for just the third time in school history with a 75-60 victory over fourth-seeded Gonzaga on Thursday night in the West Region semifinal.
C.J. Walker and Braian Angola added nine points for the Seminoles (23-11), who knocked out a third straight higher-seeded opponent in a surprising run out West for a team that went 9-9 in ACC play and lost its conference tournament opener.
Associated Press