Men's March Madness scores: Texas vs Xavier in First Four of NCAA Tournament

USA Today

20-03-2025

Men's March Madness scores: Texas vs Xavier in First Four of NCAA Tournament
Show Caption
Hide Caption
How Alabama, Duke, and Michigan State can go deep in March Madness
USA TODAY Network reporters break down the top key for Alabama, Duke, Michigan State and more to make a deep March Madness run.
The final spots in the men's NCAA Tournament are up for grabs.
The No. 16 Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers and the No. 16 American University Eagles will face off during March Madness' First Four at the University of Dayton's UD Arena on Wednesday (6:40 p.m. ET; truTV). The winner will secure a date to go dancing against the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils in the first round, which kicks off in full on Thursday.
The matchup will be immediately followed by the final play-in tournament matchup between the No. 11 Xavier Musketeers and No. 11 Texas Longhorns (9:10 p.m. ET; truTV), with the winner moving on to face the No. 6 Illinois Fighting Illini in the Midwest region during the first round.
Only two First Four teams have made it to the Final Four: VCU in 2011 and UCLA in 2021. Can either First Four team this year be next?
IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY's Bracket Challenge contest for a chance at $1 million prize.
Xavier went on an 8-2 run to take a 78-74 lead over Texas with 4:36 remaining in the game, marking the Musketeers' first lead since 14:48 remaining in the first half. Xavier's John Hugley IV hit a three to take the lead 75-74, followed by a layup by teammate Dailyn Swain. Swain was fouled on the layup and knocked down his free throw to go up 78-74.
Xavier forward Zach Freemantle picked up his fourth foul after pulling on the jersey of Texas' Kadin Shedrick as he cut for the basket. Shedrick knocked down both free throws to give Texas a 69-67 advantage with 7:10 remaining in the game. Freemantle was immediately subbed out of the game due to foul trouble.
We're all tied up! Xavier's Jerome Hunter knocked down a three to tie it up, 65-65, with 8:10 remaining in the game. The Musketeers' run was fueled by six Texas turnovers in the second half. The Longhorns are up to 10 turnovers in the game, which Xavier has cashed in for 16 points. Hunter has nine points off the bench and is a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Xavier closed Texas' lead to four points, but the Longhorns responded and built up a double-digit advantage again. Texas' Tre Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer to go up 62-52 over Xavier with 12:00 remaining in the game. Johnson has a game-high 18 points and four rebounds.
Can Xavier rally and make a come back? History is not on their side. The Musketeers are 7-11 when trailing at halftime. Three of Xaviers' starters each have three fouls — Zach Freemantle, Ryan Conwell and Dailyn Swain.
Xavier opened the second half on a 7-3 run to come within four points of Texas. Zach Freemantle was held to two points in the first half after picking up two early fouls, but his presence was immediately felt to start the second half. Freemantle hit a 3-pointer and, following a steal from teammate Dailyn Swain, slammed down a dunk in back-to-back possessions to send the crowd into a frenzy. He's up to seven points. The Musketeers trail 50-46 with 17:00 remaining in the game.
Xaviers' Jerome Hunter knocked down a 3-pointer with 23 seconds remaining in the first half to cut Texas' lead to six. Longhorns' Tramon Mark answered right back, hitting a jumper as time expired to extend Texas' lead to 47-39 at halftime.
Texas led by as many as 13 points in the first half and dominated the paint, outscoring Xavier 26-16. Texas' Tramon Mark has a game-high 11 points, while Tre Johnson added 10 points and four rebounds.
Xavier's Dante Maddox Jr. has a team-high 10 points off the bench. Ryan Conwell added seven points.
Miscues are starting to pile up for Xavier, which trails Texas 41-30 with 3:24 remaining before halftime. The Musketeers have surrendered four turnovers so far, which Texas has converted into five points. Xavier is also only shooting 40% from the free throw line. To make matters worse, Xavier's Zach Freemantle (2) and Ryan Cowell (3) are limited due to foul trouble.
Texas extended its lead over Xavier to double digits, leading 32-21 with 7:15 remaining in the first half. The Longhorns have superb shooting to thank for that. Texas is collectively shooting 57.1% from the field and 4-of-7 from three, led by eight points from Tre Johnson. Meanwhile, Xavier is shooting 40% from the field and 3-of-9 from three. Texas has held Xavier's Zach Freemantle to two points so far (1-of-5 FG, 0-of-2 3PT).
Xavier's Zach Freemantle went to the bench early after picking up his second foul with 14:11 remaining in the first half. Texas capitalized and went on a 9-0 run to take an eight-lead, 18-10, with 13:16 remaining in the half. Texas' Tre Johnson has a team-high six points (2-of-5 FG, 1-of-3 3PT) for the Longhorns. Freemantle has zero points.
We are underway in Dayton, Ohio for the final First Four matchup between Texas and Xavier, marking a 2023 Sweet Sixteen rematch. (Texas won 83-71). Both teams have struggled offensively to open the game on Thursday, with the Musketeers shooting 2-of-6 from the field, while the Longhorns are 2-of-8 from the field.
Xavier's Ryan Cowell is responsible for all five of the Musketeers' points so far. Things are all tied up 5-5 with 15:58 remaining in the first half.
The Mountaineers will move into the Round of 64, where they will take on Duke, the East Region's No. 1 seed. Dola Adebayo and Jedy Cordilia each finished with 22 points for Mount St. Mary's, and Dallas Hobbs added 17.
American was led by Geoff Sprouse's 18 points, all which came on 3-pointers.
After American made it a nine-point game with a pair of Matt Mayock free throws, Eagles coach Duane Simpkins earned an untimely technical foul when he flopped to the court in disagreement to a foul call. Arlandus Keyes made both free throws to stretch the Mountaineers' lead back to 11 at 83-72.
The Eagles are not going away, staging a 7-0 run to cut their deficit to 81-70 with 3:27 remaining.
After Dolan Adebayo made two free throws to put Mount St. Mary's ahead by 18 points, American got a dunk by Matt Mayock, a 3-pointer by Geoff Sprouse and a layup by Lincoln Ball in a span of 1:31.
Mount St. Mary's has been dominant in the paint all game long, but that came to a front with seven minutes left in the game when the Mountaineers' Dalo Adebayo got up for a loud dunk right in the face of American's Greg Jones.
Adebayo reached 20 points on the night with that bucket.
As if on cue, the Eagles' shooters have suddenly gone cold. Their inability to score has led to a 5-minute scoring drought for American.
Mount St. Mary's is taking full advantage, winning in transition and finding consistent looks close to the basket. Dola Adebayo and Dallas Hobbs have taken control of this game. If they're not the ones scoring for the Mountaineers, they're the ones that are driving in and forcing American defenders into the middle before kicking it out to Lipscomb or any of Mount St. Mary's shooters.
The Mountaineers lead by 19 with nine minutes to play.
American is staying close in this game thanks to lights out shooting from beyond the arc. However, this reliance on three-pointers could prove volatile down the stretch. Any cold streak could give Mount St. Mary's an insurmountable lead.
As it stands though, American's shooters − Sprouse, Stephens, Mayock − are the only thing keeping the Eagles in this game. Mount St. Mary's leads 61-51 with 13 minutes to play.
So far in the second half, it's been much of the same, great offense on both sides. However, American has made an effort to limit the Mountaineers' high-percentage looks down low. That hasn't stopped the Mountaineers though. They're making off-balance shots, finding lanes, and getting to the line regardless.
You can tell that the Eagles have improved defensively, but Mount St. Mary's is getting a lot of lucky bounces and staying just out of reach of American, even if the Eagles are hitting three-pointers at a solid rate.
Five minutes into the second half, Mount St. Mary's is up eight.
It was a spectacular offensive half for Mount St. Mary's, particularly Jedy Cordilia and Dallas Hobbs. Cordilia was incredibly efficient, shooting at an 8-of-9 clip in the first half to lead the Mountaineers with 16 points. Hobbs, meanwhile, was 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, including a buzzer beater at the end of the first half that likely decimated American's spirits.
The loss of Matt Rogers hurts American's chances moving forward, but there were some positives. Geoff Sprouse has been phenomenal from three-point land, leading the Eagles in scoring. Their defense will certainly need to make some changes going forward if they want any hope of earning a spot in the Round of 64.
American's top scorer Matt Rogers was announced out for the rest of this game after re-aggravating a knee injury he suffered early in tonight's tilt. Rogers had played spectacularly when he was on the court, but after hurting his knee for the second time, he was barely able to walk into the locker room on his own.
The Eagles will be forced to play the rest of this game without their best offensive weapon. Thankfully for them, Elijah Stephens and Geoff Sprouse have been shooting extremely well in the first half. If they maintain their hot hands into the second half, they could very well win this game.
Eagles Geoff Sprouse and Elijah Stephens avenged their fallen ally Rogers with back-to-back threes to bring the Eagles back within two points. Although the Mountaineers were able to answer back with a layup to make it a two-possession game, the Eagles have shown an ability to score points quickly. Any lapse in defense from Mount St. Mary's could give the lead right back to American.
Rogers has been the best offensive player for American since he returned to the floor, but his knee took a bad turn while defending a spin move from Jedy Cordilia.
Rogers was able to return after suffering the injury early on, but he could barely put any weight on his leg as he left the court. Thankfully, he did start walking under his own power as he entered the locker room. Mount St. Mary's leads 36-28.
Despite the close score, American has not been very careful with the ball, committing five turnovers already. Most recently, Matt Rogers lost the ball while trying to back down his defender in the paint. That led to an uncontested three-point attempt for Mount St. Mary's. They missed, but American proceeded to commit an illegal screen for another turnover which led to a pair of Mountaineers free throws at the other end. Mount St. Mary's leads 26-22 with eight minutes to play.
After an early injury scared fans, Matt Rogers has returned to the floor. Given American's ability to score with ease, Rogers' presence could elevate American to a another level. Rogers led the Eagles in scoring leading into the tournament with 17 points per game.
While they certainly hadn't gotten off to a slow start, they picked up stream coming out of the first TV timeout. A combination of patience and offensive rebounding put American on top 18-15.
The Eagles bounced back nicely though, hitting a corner three to get to 20 points, but American has matched them blow for blow early on.
While injuries have already started to take their toll in this contest, the offense from both teams has been spectacular to start this contest. Through just four minutes, both teams are on pace to score over 80 points in this game. In all fairness though, each team has been putting up their points in different ways.
Mount St. Mary's has been able to find consistent space and hit three-pointers, but American has been incredible down low, scoring most of their points in the paint. It's 15-10 Mount St. Mary's.
What time is March Madness First Four games today?
March Madness continues with a second night of First Four action. No. 16 Mount St. Mary's takes on No. 16 American University at 6:40 p.m. ET. That will be followed by the 11-seed game between Xavier and Texas, with an estimated tip off time of 9:10 p.m.
How to watch First Four Wednesday: TV, streaming coverage
TV channels: TruTV
Live stream: Max and Sling
Watch March Madness and First Four with Sling
March Madness First Four odds, according to BetMGM.
Odds as of Tuesday, March 18
Mount St. Mary's vs. American University
Spread : American (-2.5)
: American (-2.5) Moneyline : American (-145); Mount St. Mary's (+118)
: American (-145); Mount St. Mary's (+118) Total: 129.5
Xavier vs. Texas
Spread : Xavier (-2.5)
: Xavier (-2.5) Moneyline : Xavier (-155); Texas (+125)
: Xavier (-155); Texas (+125) Total: 149.5
ESPN: American has 53.4% chance to beat Mount St. Mary's
ESPN's matchup predictor gave American a 53.4% chance to win its First Four game against Mount St. Mary's, as of Tuesday afternoon.
NBC Sports: Go with American
"American University earned the right to play in the NCAA Tournament as champions of the Patriot League. Winners of their last four games, American is led by Matt Rogers who averages 17 points per game. Rogers scored 25 in the Patriot League title game against Navy. ... These teams have met in years past with American winning the last four meetings and six of the last ten."
Sports Illustrated: American wins
"The key will be for American to dictate the pace. It ranks in the bottom 10 in adjusted tempo according to KenPom ... It can do that against a conservative (Mount St. Mary's) defense that won't generate turnovers and allow the team to run its preferred offense throughout."
Arizona Republic: Mount St. Mary's 69, American 66
"Both of these schools went 22-12 in the regular season. Both have four-game win streaks. Both won their conference tournaments. We're taking the underdog in a very close game in Dayton."
ESPN: Texas has 53.6% chance to beat Xavier
ESPN's matchup predictor gave Texas a 53.6% chance to win their First Four game against Xavier, as of Tuesday afternoon.
Arizona Republic: Xavier 75, Texas 70
"The SEC sent 14 of 16 teams to the tournament and Texas was No. 14. Did the Longhorns deserve the bid? We're about to find out against an Xavier team that won seven straight games before losing in the first round of the Big East Tournament."
NBC Sports: Take Xavier
"Xavier lost to Marquette in the Big East Tournament, 89-87. The loss snapped a seven-game win streak for the Musketeers. Zach Freemantle is averaging 17.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game to lead Xavier."
Action Network: Xavier
"A rematch of the 2023 Sweet 16 game that helped Rodney Terry earn the full-time head coaching job at Texas, this game could end up being a full-circle moment for Terry's tenure in Austin, as rumors about his job security have been rampant in recent weeks ... Xavier has an element that Texas lacks: a go-to interior scorer in sixth-year senior Zach Freemantle."
Tuesday, March 18
First Four games
Click for your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket
Jordan Mendoza
Full bracket
Final Four : Michigan State, Florida, Duke, Houston
: Michigan State, Florida, Duke, Houston Final : Florida vs. Houston
: Florida vs. Houston National champion: Houston
Paul Myerberg
Full bracket
Final Four : Auburn, St. John's, Duke, Tennessee
: Auburn, St. John's, Duke, Tennessee Final : Auburn vs. Duke
: Auburn vs. Duke National champion: Duke
Erick Smith
Full bracket
Final Four : Michigan State, Texas Tech, Duke, Tennessee
: Michigan State, Texas Tech, Duke, Tennessee Final : Michigan State vs. Duke
: Michigan State vs. Duke National champion: Duke
Eddie Timanus
Full bracket
Final Four : Auburn, Florida, Duke, Houston
: Auburn, Florida, Duke, Houston Final : Florida vs. Duke
: Florida vs. Duke National champion: Florida
Dan Wolken
Full bracket
Final Four : Michigan State, Florida, Duke, Houston
: Michigan State, Florida, Duke, Houston Final : Florida vs. Duke
: Florida vs. Duke National champion: Duke
Bracket Predictions: March Madness expert picks: Bracket predictions for 2025 NCAA Tournament
All times Eastern
Tuesday, March 18
First Four games
Wednesday, March 19
First Four games
FIRST FOUR PREVIEW: Breaking down the opening games of March Madness 2025
Thursday, March 20
Round of 64 games
Friday, March 21
Round of 64 games
On the men's side, the Final Four is scheduled for Saturday, April 5. The NCAA Championship Game will take place three days later on Tuesday, April 7. Starting at the Final Four, all games will played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
For the women, the Final Four will be played on Friday, April 4 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The championship game will Sunday at 3 p.m. at the same venue.
Here is the women's schedule:
First Four: March 19-20
March 19-20 First round: March 21-22
March 21-22 Second round: March 23-24
March 23-24 Sweet 16: March 28-29
March 28-29 Elite Eight: March 30-March 31
March 30-March 31 Final Four: Friday, April 4, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Second game starts 30 minutes after first game ends.
Friday, April 4, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Second game starts 30 minutes after first game ends. NCAA championship game: Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn't influence our coverage.