Numbers to know for each of the 16 teams remaining in March Madness
The smaller the number, the larger the impact at this year's NCAA Tournament.
Arkansas, the No. 10 seed in the West Region, is the only double-digit seed still alive heading into the regional semifinals. All four No. 1 seeds and three of the four No. 2 seeds are still standing.
But the seeds aren't the only numbers that bear watching as the tournament enters its second week. Here's a look at a notable statistic for each of the remaining 16 teams, starting with the two regions playing Thursday.
East
Alabama: The Crimson Tide score a Division I-leading 90.8 points per game. The 90-81 first-round victory over Robert Morris marked the DI-leading 19th time this season they've scored at least 90 points.
BYU: The Cougars outrebounded each of their first two tournament opponents by nine boards, and they have a plus-6.2 rebound margin this season that ranks 19th in Division I. They now face Alabama, which ranks 20th nationally with a plus-6.1 rebound margin. The Tide beat Robert Morris despite getting outrebounded.
Arizona: Caleb Love scored 28 points when North Carolina beat Duke 81-77 in the 2022 Final Four. He hasn't been as successful the four times he's faced Duke since that game, twice with North Carolina and twice with Arizona. Love has averaged 10.5 points in those four games while shooting a combined 14 of 50 overall and 4 of 27 from 3-point range. Love's teams went 1-3 against Duke in those games. Love faces Duke again in a regional semifinal.
Duke: The Blue Devils have a net rating of plus-39 according to kenpom.com. That represents the highest net rating for any team since Duke in 1998-99 had a rating of plus-43.01. Net rating is calculated by subtracting a team's defensive efficiency from its offensive efficiency. The resulting number – 39 in Duke's case – measures its expected margin of victory over an average team.
West
Florida: Walter Clayton Jr. has gone 22 of 43 from 3-point range over his last five games (13 of 26 in the Southeastern Conference Tournament and 9 of 17 in the NCAA Tournament). The former Iona guard has gone 16 of 33 from 3-point range in four career NCAA games.
Maryland: Derik Queen, who made a buzzer beater against Colorado State in the second round, puts up 16.2 points per game for the highest scoring average of any Maryland freshman since 1947-48. Queen is actually behind only Joe Smith, who had 19.4 points per game in 1994-95 before getting taken first overall in the 1995 draft.
Arkansas: John Calipari is the third coach to take four different schools to the Sweet 16. He got here eight times with Kentucky, four times with Memphis and three times with UMass. The other coaches to accomplish this feat were Eddie Sutton (six times with Oklahoma State, four with Arkansas, two with Kentucky and once with Creighton) and Lon Kruger (twice with Oklahoma and once each with Kansas State, Florida and UNLV).
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders play in the Big 12 and Arkansas is in the SEC, but they used to be rivals in the old Southwest Conference. They've faced each other 80 times before, and the series is tied at 40-all.
Midwest
Houston: The Cougars have the nation's longest active streak with six straight Sweet 16 appearances. Gonzaga had the longest streak with nine straight regional semifinal berths before losing 81-76 to Houston in the round of 32.
Purdue: Trey Kaufman-Renn has made 287 baskets this season to lead all Division I players. Zach Edey, Kaufman-Renn's former Purdue teammate, led Division I last season with 336 baskets.
Kentucky: Not a single player on Kentucky's roster scored a point for the Wildcats last season. The only other power conference team that didn't return any of its scoring production from last season was Louisville, which lost to Creighton in the first round.
Tennessee: Chaz Lanier has gone 7 of 12 from 3-point range in the first two rounds and has a school-record 120 3-pointers this season, the sixth-highest total in Southeastern Conference history. The SEC record is held by Auburn's Bryce Brown with 141 in 2018-19. Lanier went a combined 3 of 17 from 3-point range in Tennessee's two regular-season losses to Kentucky, its Sweet 16 opponent.
South
Auburn: Johni Broome is the only player in Division I men's basketball history to have 2,500 points, 1,500 rebounds plus 400 blocks in his career. Broome, a fifth-year senior who spent two seasons at Morehead State and three at Auburn, is averaging 18.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks this season.
Michigan: Tre Donaldson came to Michigan after spending two seasons at Auburn, the Wolverines' Sweet 16 opponent. After averaging 6.7 points, 3.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds at Auburn last season, the 6-3 guard averages 11.5 points, 4.2 assists and 3.6 rebounds for Michigan.
Mississippi: Sean Pedulla has scored at least 19 points in each of his three career NCAA games. He scored 19 points in just 19 minutes while playing for Virginia Tech in a first-round loss to Texas in 2022, and he has collected 20 points in each of the first two rounds this season.
Michigan State: The Spartans have outscored their first two NCAA opponents 96-66 in the second half. That includes a 71-63 victory over New Mexico in which they trailed by two points at halftime. Now they face an Ole Miss team that has outscored its first two tournament opponents 84-55 in the first half.
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Oregon State-Louisville baseball live updates: Time, TV for College World Series game
Hear this story Oregon State baseball snapped a seven-year College World Series drought by winning the Corvallis Super Regional, and it now looks to continue its "road warrior" mentality with an opening win in Omaha. The eighth-seeded Beavers' first opponent also happens to be another team that is back at the Mecca of college baseball for the first time in quite some time. Oregon State and Louisville are slated to close down Day 1 of the 2025 CWS with a 7 p.m. ET first pitch on June 13 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mitch Canham's Beavers, who are competing as an independent this season, are led by Aiva Arquette, a 6-foot-5 junior shortstop who is one of the top prospects in the upcoming MLB draft. Trent Caraway has been on a heater at the plate this postseason for Oregon State as well, with a single-postseason program record of six home runs. He enters Omaha with 14 RBIs on the postseason, which is six RBIs off Adley Rutschman's single-postseason program record. Expert MLB daily picks: Unique MLB betting insights only at USA TODAY Louisville took two of three games against Miami in the super regionals to return to Omaha for the first time since 2019. The Cardinals have been one of the more streaky teams in the NCAA baseball tournament this season, as they have won five of their last six games after losing five of six before the NCAA Tournament. USA TODAY Sports is providing live updates, scores and highlights of Oregon State vs. Louisville at the College World Series. Follow along below. Oregon State vs Louisville baseball live score This section will be updated during the game Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 F L'ville — — — — — — — — — — OSU — — — — — — — — — — Oregon State vs Louisville CWS live updates This section will be updated closer to first pitch Pregame Oregon State, Louisville arrive at CWS The Beavers and the Cardinals have arrived at Charles Schwab Field Omaha for their CWS game. It is the first time both teams are facing each other since the 2013 College World Series. How did Louisville make College World Series? The Cardinals' appearance at the 2025 College World Series has come by way of catching some last-season fire. Louisville began its road to Omaha by sweeping its way through the Nashville Regional, which included a second-round win over top overall seed Vanderbilt. The Cardinals would secure their first regional title since 2022 with a 6-0 shutout win over Wright State. Dan McDonnell's squad would then take two of three games in the Louisville Super Regional against their ACC foe, Miami. The Cardinals' super regional win over the Hurricanes sent them back to Omaha for the sixth time in program history and the first time since 2019. How did Oregon State make College World Series? The Beavers advanced to the College World Series for the first time since winning it all in 2018 by taking two of three games in the Corvallis Super Regional against No. 9 Florida State. Oregon State also played itself out of the "elimination bracket" of the Corvallis Regional to advance out of the first weekend. Oregon State's appearance in Omaha is a bit of a historic one, as it comes as an independent. The Beavers are the first independent to make the eight-team CWS field since Miami in 2004. Click here to read more on why Oregon State is competing as an independent. What time does Oregon State vs Louisville baseball start? Date: June 13 June 13 Time: 7 p.m. ET 7 p.m. ET Where: Charles Schwab Field Omaha (Omaha, Neb.) Oregon State and Louisville are scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET first pitch at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska in the opening round of the College World Series. What TV channel is Oregon State vs Louisville baseball on today? The CWS opening-round game between Oregon State and Louisville will air on ESPN. Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Kyle Peterson (analyst), Chris Burke (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline reporter) will be on the call for ESPN. Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app (with a TV login), ESPN+ — ESPN's subscription streaming service — and Fubo, the last of which carries ESPN and offers a free trial to potential subscribers. Oregon State vs Louisville baseball predictions, picks, odds Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, June 12 Spread: Oregon State -1.5 Oregon State -1.5 Over/under: 10.5 10.5 Moneyline: Oregon State (-175) | Louisville (+135) NCAA baseball schedule The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament began on May 30 with the regional round of play. The tournament has since advanced to the super regionals, which began June 6 and will run no later than June 9. The College World Series is the final step of the postseason and began on June 13. It will run through June 22 or 23, depending on whether the championship series requires two or three games. Here is more detailed look at the latest college baseball schedule and NCAA Tournament bracket update. Regional round: May 30-June 2 May 30-June 2 Super Regional round: June 6-9 June 6-9 College World Series: June 13-22/23 June 13-22/23 CWS finals: June 21-22/23 The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
College World Series Schedule: Complete lineup for day one in Omaha
LSU baseball heads to Omaha as one of eight teams a part of the College World Series. It takes the field at Charles Schwab Stadium on Saturday against Arkansas. The Tigers and Razorbacks are the two betting favorites to win the national championship but one of them will head to an elimination game after the tournament opener. LSU will face either UCLA or Murray State on Monday or Tuesday. Advertisement Head coach Jay Johnson seeks his second national title since taking the reins in Baton Rouge. Before arriving at LSU, Johnson was the head man at Arizona. With the Wildcats on the other side of the bracket, there's a chance Johnson meets his former school in the final. The Wildcats are one of four teams opening play on Friday in the College World Series. They join another recent champion in Coastal Carolina, as well as West Coast powerhouse Oregon State and Louisville, representing the ACC. Here is the Friday schedule for the College World Series. Game One: Coastal Carolina vs Arizona Time: 1 p.m. CT TV Channel: ESPN Game Two: Oregon State vs Louisville Time: 6 p.m. CT TV Channel: ESPN This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: College World Series Schedule: Complete lineup for day one in Omaha
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Olivia Thompson's journey from South Carolina women's basketball reserve to podcast host
COLUMBIA — The day before Olivia Thompson was set to drive up to Lenoir-Rhyne University, her mom got a phone call. Thompson had committed to the Bears and was ready to sign paperwork when South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley called and offered Thompson a preferred walk-on spot. Advertisement The Lexington, South Carolina, native took one day to decide and then became part of the Gamecocks' 2023 signing class. "I had to adjust my perspective," Thompson told The Greenville News. "I had to disconnect myself from the basketball side of it a little bit. It was still something I really loved, but I was going to South Carolina for the impact, the experiences and for the people I would meet. I just wanted to pour myself into and learn as much as I could." Thompson earned a scholarship prior to the 2020-21 season, and graduated with three SEC tournament titles, three Final Four appearances and a 2022 national championship ring but only played 312 minutes across four seasons. Now, she's found a new career based entirely around what she always made sure to do when part of Staley's program: appreciate everyone involved. How Olivia Thompson started a podcast about South Carolina After graduation, Thompson approached the Garnet Trust, South Carolina's official NIL collective, about doing a podcast that highlighted people within the women's basketball program that play major roles, but aren't often talked about. Advertisement People like sports performance coach Molly Binetti and athletic trainer Craig Oates. At the time, the Garnet Trust didn't have the facilities for a podcast, and Thompson didn't know much about editing or producing. Before she could teach herself, the NIL collective partnered with 1801 Media last fall, which is an "athlete-driven media network designed to drive new NIL revenue for Garnet Trust," and one of the first ideas was for Thompson to start the podcast. "I wanted to create a space for these people to be highlighted," Thompson said. "To hear about their lives and journeys." On Oct. 9, 2024, the first episode of her podcast "The Coop" dropped and Binetti was her first guest. She's since had guests ranging from former players like Kaela Davis, Zia Cooke, Markeshia Grant and Laeticia Amihere to assistant coaches like Khadijah Sessions. Advertisement She had Te-Hina Paopao and Sania Feagin on the podcast before they moved onto the WNBA, and rising senior forward Chloe Kitts as well. Her most recent episode was a sit down roundtable talk with Feagin's mom, Joyce Edwards' mom and Kitts and Tessa Johnson's parents, recorded during the Final Four run in April. The podcast has expanded to other women's sports teams on campus, and Thompson wants the proceeds to go back to whatever program the person being interviewed is from. Why South Carolina basketball alum Olivia Thompson got into podcasting Though Thompson had a concrete understanding that her role in the iconic "Freshies" class was different then one of Aliyah Boston or Cooke, she was still dedicated to the basketball side of the program. Limited playing time didn't mean she had a lack of care or motivation. Advertisement Her brain just had a little bit more time to soak in the intricacies of the program as a whole. "I wanted to immerse myself in the experience," Thompson said. "I was so grateful for the times that I did get playing time. That was amazing but the people is what really drew me to South Carolina. When I graduated, I had so much love and appreciation for (people in the program). I just wanted to create something that would lift them up, give back to them, and pour into them, for all that they poured into me." A podcast felt like a natural fit, especially since she had brief experience doing color commentary in 2024. Growing up, she was always the one sparking up conversations with adults, and time spent with her friends' parents wasn't anxiety inducing like it was for some of her peers. Unlike her teammates, playing in the WNBA was never the goal. After graduating, she took the entire summer to travel instead. Advertisement When on a 36-foot white water raft in the middle of the Grand Canyon with her family, she soon realized she knew nothing about everyone else around her. "You just slowly start to befriend these people that you're on the raft with," Thompson said. "The community aspect is really important. And I think that's the parallel between traveling and podcasting is just meeting people. Being curious about their lives and who they are." DAWN STALEY: Dawn Staley's home is with South Carolina women's basketball but she's forever Philadelphia She aims to have that same conversational tone with guests on her show. She acknowledges that her former teammates or coaches, there's a comfortability factor with her as the host, but now that she's expanded beyond basketball, her goals remain the same. Advertisement "Everyone's journey is different, but just getting to know people is really important to me, and hearing them talk about themselves and their life is really cool," Thompson said. "Express themselves, and show listeners and viewers their personalities and sides that people wouldn't ordinarily see on any other given day." Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@ and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Olivia Thompson's journey from South Carolina basketball to podcast host
