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Half: (11) Texas 35, (3) Gonzaga 33
Jordan Pope scored nine points, including a deep 3-pointer in the final moments of the first half to help Texas take a 35-33 lead over the Zags. Texas' much-maligned defense has been good enough in the first 20 minutes, holding the Zags to just two 3-pointers and two free throw attempts.
Texas' legs will be one thing to monitor in the second half. It's the third game in six days for the Longhorns, and all three games are shaping up to be nail-biters. Do the Horns have enough left in the tank?
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Cam Boozer playing better in the second half has been a common theme this season
FINAL (1) Duke 81, (9) TCU 58
Seventeen of Cameron Boozer's 19 total points came in the second half during Duke's 81-58 win over TCU. Boozer shining and adjusting in the second half has been a common theme dating back to his first game at Duke, when he went scoreless against Texas. The numbers also back up the claim that Boozer has been better after halftime.
Here are his shooting splits this season.
First half: 10.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 63.5% on 2-pointers and 37% on 3-pointers
Second half: 11.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists while shooting 61% on 2-pointers and 43% on 3-pointers
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Duke advances to the Sweet 16
FINAL (1) Duke 81, (9) TCU 58
No. 1 overall seed Duke is moving on to the Sweet 16 after securing a 81-58 win over No. 9 seed TCU. The Blue Devils advanced to the second weekend for the third time in four years under coach Jon Scheyer. The other coaches who accomplished the feat in the same timeframe are Tommy Lloyd, Jim Boeheim and Steven Lavin, according to CBS Sports research.
Cameron Boozer finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds after a very slow start to the first half. Boozer attempted just one field goal attempt in the first 20 minutes but played much better after halftime. Seventeen of his 19 points came after halftime. The Blue Devils were able to pull away in the second half after going on a 37-14 run after the game was tied at 44 with 13:43 left. Duke also attempted 23 total free throws, compared to just 10 for TCU.
Still, it was far from a perfect game by Duke. The Blue Devils committed 17 turnovers and gave up 11 offensive rebounds. Duke will face either No. 4 seed Kansas or No. 5 seed St. John's in the Sweet 16 next week.
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Picking Illinois vs. VCU
(3) Illinois vs. (11) VCU | 7:50 p.m. | TNT
Illinois has met expectations when heavily favored this season. Coach Brad Underwood is 4-0 against the spread as a double-digit favorite in the NCAA Tournament. While history doesn't favor double-digit seeds following up a big upset, this pick isn't about fading VCU after its dramatic comeback. It's more of a nod to how Illinois handles these situations. The Rams will face a different caliber of backcourt pressure against Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell, and Illinois has enough shooters to punish teams that can't slow or stop the ball.
Illinois wins with size and shooting that most opponents can't match, and when the team presses, it can snowball quickly. Expect a similar dynamic in the nightcap in Greenville. Pick: Illinois -10.5
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Cam Boozer wakes up
11:48 2H: Duke 53, TCU 44
Cam Boozer has arrived. Duke's freshman phenom didn't make a shot from the floor for the first 24 minutes, but he's got seven quick points over the past four minutes while keying a Duke resurgence. The Blue Devils are on a 9-0 run and have reclaimed the momentum after taking a 6-0 punch from the Horned Frogs to begin the second half. TCU continues to deal with foul trouble, and Duke is just two fouls away from being in the bonus for the rest of the game. Impressive response from Duke.
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HALF: (1) Houston 46, (10) Texas A&M 28
Houston used an 18-0 run down the home stretch of the first half to seize control of this one. The Cougars have been relentless on the boards, ripping down 11 offensive rebounds. Emanuel Sharp leads the way with 14 points. Chris Cenac Jr. (10 points, five boards) and Milos Uzan (nine points, three assists, zero turnovers) have been steady.
Texas A&M has been a combustible unit all season. Bucky McMillan's crew needs one of its patented runs quickly. Keeping its composure will be vital, too. A technical and a flagrant foul gifted Houston four key points.
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Picking Gonzaga vs. Texas
(3) Gonzaga vs. (11) Texas | 7:10 p.m. | TBS
Gonzaga's late-night performance Thursday was less than inspiring. The Zags took 10 minutes to reach double digits, missing 11 of their first 15 shots. Though they ultimately won by nine, they failed to cover as 18-point favorites. Texas, meanwhile, enters with momentum after a pair of wins that have the Longhorns exceeding expectations by reaching the second round. Sean Miller has a strong track record in the Round of 32, and Matas Vokietaitis' first-round showing suggests Texas' versatile big man is in form ahead of a matchup with WCC Player of the Year Graham Ike.
The Longhorns have a legitimate chance to win outright, making them a compelling play to cover the spread. Pick: Texas +6.5
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TCU surges ahead
16:11 2H: TCU 40, Duke 38
TCU just started the second half on a 6-0 run to surge ahead of Duke. The Blue Devils are severely out of sorts and have already committed five turnovers less than four minutes into the half. Cam Boozer is still 0 for 2 from the floor and has been totally ineffective. The Horned Frogs are every bit as physical as this Duke team and then some. They are also winning 50-50 balls and baiting the Blue Devils into mistake after mistake.
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Duke ahead at halftime over TCU
HALF: (1) Duke 38, (9) TCU 34
The good news for Duke is that it's already off to a better start than last game against No. 16 seed Siena, when the Blue Devils trailed by 11 at halftime. Duke led for almost 12 minutes and controlled much of the first half. The difference in this game has been the play of Duke sharpshooter Isaiah Evans, who has a team-high 13 points. Duke ended the first half without a field goal for over four minutes.
Duke star Cameron Boozer attempted just one field goal in the opening half and has just two points. TCU is making a committed effort to limit the presumptive National Player of the Year on offense. TCU seems to be sending a double team at Boozer whenever he touches the rock.
TCU forwards Xavier Edmonds, the hero of the Horned Frogs' win over Ohio State earlier this week, has 12 points. Notably, Edmonds picked up his third foul with 50.9 seconds remaining in the half. Duke, as a team, attempted seven more free throws than TCU.
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Previewing Texas A&M vs. Houston
(2) Houston vs. (10) Texas A&M | 6:10 p.m. | TNT
Houston beat Texas A&M 100-95 in an overtime thriller during the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Matching that drama will be tough, but this one has the ingredients of a potential thriller.
A victory will send the Cougars home to the Toyota Center for the Sweet 16, but getting past the Aggies could be challenging. First-year coach Bucky McMillan brings relentless pressure, and A&M's human wrecking ball Rashaun Agee is a matchup nightmare. The Cougars counter with an elite trio of guards headlined by Kingston Flemings, a potential lottery pick. But he's a freshman who will be dealing with a constant barrage of bodies from an A&M team that ranks No. 8 nationally in Division I experience, according to KenPom.
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Louisville's season ends in disappointing fashion
FINAL: (3) Michigan State 77, (6) Louisville 69
Louisville's season is over. The Cardinals fell to Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Year 2 of coach Pat Kelsey's tenure. Winning an NCAA Tournament game on paper (against No. 11 seed South Florida) earlier this week is a fine achievement, but this is a program with high expectations. Louisville won 27 games last season with a less talented roster on paper. Simply put: This is a disappointing ending.
Louisville star Mikel Brown Jr. didn't play in the NCAA Tournament. He was ruled out for the entire weekend before his team even played a game. Brown, a projected top-10 pick, showed flashes of why he was such a highly-touted prospect coming out of high school, but he only managed to play 21 games. For context, a lot has been made about the availability (at times) of Kansas star Darryn Peterson. Brown played fewer games this season due to injury, including missing the last six games due to a back injury.
The Cardinals loaded up on guards during the last transfer portal cycle. Kelsey landed Isaac McKneely, Ryan Conwell, and Adrian Wooley. Conwell finished as Louisville's leading scorer, while McKneeley (11 points per game) and Wooley didn't play as big a role as expected.
This will be a critical offseason for Louisville. The Cardinals currently have zero players signed from the 2026 recruiting cycle. In-state foe Kentucky also has zero high school signees so far. Louisville will likely use the transfer portal again to build out its roster.
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TCU aiming for an upset against Duke
(1) Duke vs. (9) TCU | 5:15 ET | CBS
Jamie Dixon has built a roster with a handful of guys who look more like Big 12 defensive linemen than college basketball players. With Micah Robinson, David Punch, and Xavier Edmonds in the rotation, TCU possesses the physical width to bruise with Cam Boozer and body up Duke's slighter-framed lineup. TCU's resume—featuring wins over the likes of Florida, Wisconsin, Texas Tech and Iowa State—proves it can handle just about anyone in the sport on a given night.
Patrick Ngongba II's return provides Duke some much-needed interior depth, but the Blue Devils' margin isn't what it was. If the Horned Frogs can turn this into a physical grind, Duke might find itself fighting to survive the first weekend.
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Jeremy Fears Jr. keys Michigan State win
Final: (3) Michigan State 77, (6) Louisville 69
Michigan State is headed to the Sweet 16 to meet either UCLA or UConn after keeping Louisville at arm's length. Jeremy Fears set a school record for most assists in an NCAA Tournament game as he dished out 16 dimes while directing a Spartans attack that drilled 11 3-pointers. Fears has 27 assists through two games in this Big Dance. No player has had more through two NCAA Tournament games since UCLA's Earl Watson in 2000. One of Fears' favorite targets was high-flying forward Coen Carr, who finished with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Carr added 10 rebounds and two blocks.
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Best dunker in college basketball? Michigan State's Coen Carr
Michigan State forward Coen Carr is the best dunker in college basketball. It seems like every single game, he throws down a dunk that "wows" the crowd. The NCAA Tournament has been no different.
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Duke star Patrick Ngongba II expected to play vs. TCU
Duke star Patrick Ngongba II arrived in a walking boot on a scooter at the arena, but he is still expected to play, per CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson. Duke coach Jon Scheyer said that the scooter was "precautionary" so that he could stay off his feet as long as possible. He hasn't played since Duke faced NC State. If he does play, he could come off the bench/have his minutes limited.
Ngongba was listed as questionable on the final injury report.
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Half: (3) Michigan State 36, (6) Louisville 31
Michigan State is shooting 7-for-14 from downtown (didn't predict that!) and is winning the battle on the glass (entirely predictable), but Louisville is still within striking distance at the half. All things considered, it's an encouraging first 20 minutes for Pat Kelsey's outfit. Ryan Conwell and Adrian Wooley have combined for 18 points, and that guard duo has hurt MSU in transition.
The Spartans will need a bit more bucket-getting from star point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. in the second half. The MSU All-American hopeful is just 1-for-6 from the field and has turned it over three times.
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Will Duke star Patrick Ngongba II play vs. TCU?
Duke star Patrick Ngongba II just arrived at the arena a few hours before his team is set to face No. 9 seed TCU. Ngongba, who has missed Duke's last five games, arrived at the arena in a walking boot and on a scooter, per multiple reports. Ngongba is officially "questionable," but you have to think that his arrival in a walking boot might limit his chances of playing.
If he doesn't go, expect No. 1 overall seed Duke to start Cameron Boozer/Maliq Brown in the frontcourt. The Blue Devils have gone with a seven-man rotation since the injuries to Ngongba and Caleb Foster.
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Michigan is going to the Sweet 16
FINAL: (1) Michigan 95, (9) Saint Louis 72
The first ticket to the Sweet 16 has been punched. For the second consecutive season under coach Dusty May, Michigan is advancing to the second week of the NCAA Tournament. Saint Louis played Michigan competitively throughout the first 25 minutes before the Wolverines pulled away down the stretch. Michigan All-American forward Yaxel Lendeborg finished with 25 points, while Aday Mara stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and four blocks.
Michigan will face the winner of No. 4 seed Alabama vs. No. 5 seed Texas Tech in the Sweet 16 on Friday.
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Yaxel with a poster
MID 2H: (1) Michigan 66, (9) Saint Louis 57
How about this dunk from Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg? Good luck trying to stop the 6-foot-9 forward in transition.
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Half: (1) Michigan 48, (9) Saint Louis 39
Michigan vs. Saint Louis is making for a captivating matchup to begin the second round. Both teams play aesthetically pleasing offensive basketball and have myriad capable weapons making their mark. To no one's surprise, Michigan's size is a problem for Saint Louis, just as it is for everyone in college basketball. Aday Mara has four blocks to go with 10 points and four rebounds. A positive development for the Wolverines is that Elliot Cadeau is one 3-pointer away from tying his season-high. Without LJ Cason, Michigan needs other perimeter weapons to step up. Cadeau is doing his part.
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March Madness scores, winners and losers: St. John's rolls, Miami (Ohio)'s storybook season ends
St. John's got dealt a trash hand, on paper. A No. 5 seed? This resume looked every bit worthy of a No. 4. A trip all the way across the country to San Diego? Woof. Oh, and the opponent is Northern Iowa, who looked poised to give the Johnnies plenty of schematical issues with its plodding pace and connected defense.
None of it mattered.
St. John's took Northern Iowa's soul with a 16-2 haymaker in the opening minute and rolled into Sunday's Round of 32 with a 79-53 victory. The Johnnies proved to be too big, too strong and too athletic, and maybe most importantly, Rick Pitino forced this game to be played on his terms. The Red Storm unleashed a vicious press that knocked Northern Iowa on its tush from the jump, and the damage was all but done.
This version of St. John's is one terrifying unit with The Captain, Zuby Ejiofor, leading the way. Like so many seniors this time of year, Ejiofor seems determined not to go out quietly. Ejiofor had 14 points,11 rebounds, two assists, four blocks and one steal while picking up Northern Iowa for all 94 feet and wreaking havoc from start to finish. It's St. John's second-largest NCAA Tournament win in school history, and the Red Storm are 40 good minutes away from advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999.
March Madness scores, winners and losers: St. John's rolls, Miami (Ohio)'s storybook season ends
Isaac Trotter
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March Madness without the mayhem: NCAA Tournament short on upsets, Cinderellas after first round
Those expecting mayhem and memorable finishes during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament have to hope the Round of 32 delivers more theatrics than the first two days of March Madness following a chalk-filled slate. The favorites went 16-0 during Friday's schedule for the first time since 1992, and according to CBS Sports' research team, 14 teams won by 20 or more points during the first two days of the tournament -- the most in Round of 64 history.
No. 1 seed Florida set numerous single-game NCAA Tournament records during Friday's 114-55 win over Prairie View A&M, including total points, field goals made (45), field goal percentage (64.3), assists (29) and margin of victory (59). The Gators were one of six teams to eclipse 100 points, the most in any round in NCAA Tournament history.
High Point (12), VCU (11), Texas (11) and Texas A&M (10) were the only double-digit seeds to win in the opening round. High Point's first NCAA Tournament victory in program history came Thursday against fifth-seeded Wisconsin, while VCU upended sixth-seeded North Carolina a few hours later after wiping out a 19-point deficit. VCU's comeback was the largest in the first round ever and the sixth-largest in NCAA Tournament history.
March Madness without the mayhem: NCAA Tournament short on upsets, Cinderellas after first round
Brad Crawford
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2026 March Madness predictions: NCAA bracket expert picks odds for second round games on Saturday
When the sun rises on Saturday, the 2026 NCAA Tournament field will be cut in half. The 32 teams that make it to the weekend all enter into the "championship game" of their respective two-game tournaments, with a spot in the Sweet 16 serving as the prize. They don't cut down nets for this round, but teams certainly understand the importance of that weekend win and extending their stay in the Big Dance.
For some, the March Madness experience might be tampered by a busted bracket or a bad pick in your Bracket Games. Luckily, the tournament always provides many ways to predict how things play out, and here in the Expert Picks corner, we have found a couple of unique angles to spotlight from Saturday's slate.
2026 March Madness predictions: NCAA bracket expert picks odds for second round games on Saturday
Chip Patterson
