Oregon State won 65-58. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)INDIANAPOLIS – Picked to finish dead last in the Pac-12, Oregon State instead might be the last one standing. Then the Ramblers, who failed to take advantage of their defense, proceeded to miss 11 consecutive shots as Oregon State flip-flopped between man-to-man and zone defenses. Oregon State built on Warith Alatishe's buzzer-beating bucket to end the first half by getting some shots to go in the second. Oregon State has never played Syracuse, but it beat Houston in the 1966 West Region semifinal and again in the 2009 CBI Tournament.

Michigan guard Eli Brooks celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of a second-round game against LSU in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium Monday, March 22, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)Michigan's second-round game against LSU was intense from the start. One player for the Wolverines seemed calm and steady — guard Eli Brooks. In fact, Brooks' coach — Fab Five standout Juwan Howard — played a big role in setting that trend. Oregon's three senior starters — Chris Duarte, LJ Figueroa and Eugene Omoruyi — combined for 61 points in a second-round win over Iowa.

And if Sister Jean didn’t have any plans for next weekend, well, she does now. Loyola Chicago carried out its 101-year-old superfan's plans to a T on Sunday, moving to the Sweet 16 with a 71-58 win over Illinois, the first No. To anyone outside of Champaign — or now holding a freshly obliterated bracket — it’s hard to argue this Loyola team isn’t the breath of fresh air this tournament-in-a-bubble sorely needed. But there’s nobody quite like Sister Jean to put the whole thing in perspective. The point guard sparked Loyola’s national-championship run in 1963 — a win, of course, that Sister Jean watched on an 11-inch TV loaned to her by a friend.

(AP Photo/AJ Mast)INDIANAPOLIS – Loyola Chicago might be the only team that feels as though little has changed about the NCAA Tournament. 9 seed Georgia Tech at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Georgia Tech wiped it right out by making eight of its first 11 second-half shots. The Ramblers clogged up the paint to prevent drives to the basket, forced Georgia Tech into long jumpers and made life difficult for its perimeter players. UP NEXTThe Ramblers play the top-seeded Fighting Illini for a spot in the Sweet 16.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)The Latest on the first round of the NCAA Tournament (all times Eastern):___6:50 p.m.Another first-round upset as 12th-seeded Oregon State defeated No. 9 seed Georgia Tech 71-60 on Friday to mark a triumphant return to the NCAA Tournament. Senior guard Bubba Parham, who is 5-10, got the start instead as Georgia Tech went with a guard-heavy look. AdIllinois will face eighth-seeded Loyola Chicago or ninth-seeded Georgia Tech in the second round of the Midwest Regional on Sunday. Ad___2:10 p.m.Players from several NCAA Tournament teams took a knee during the playing of the national anthem before their first-round games.

(AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)Gonzaga and Baylor spent almost the entire season holding down the top two spots in the Top 25. Makes sense they'd hold down a bunch of spots on The Associated Press All-America teams. The Bulldogs' Corey Kispert and the Bears' Jared Butler led the way with first-team nods Tuesday from the national panel of 63 media members that vote each week in the AP Top 25 poll. Just like the first- and second-team All-Americans, their teams also will be playing in the NCAA Tournament this week. ___AP Basketball Writer John Marshall and AP Sports Writers Michael Marot and Stephen Hawkins contributed to this report.

20 Loyola Chicago to a 75-65 win over Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game Sunday for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. He sent Loyola Chicago on a 7-0 run with a hook shot from the lane that broke a 24-all tie. Loyola Chicago, which hit 10 of 24 shots (63%) in the opening half, won its three tournament games by a total of 50 points. BIG PICTURELoyola Chicago: Heading to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time and first since 2018 team reached final four. AdUP NEXTChicago Loyola: Will be making its second NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 31 years.