The number of regional college basketball teams remaining in the men’s and women’s NCAA tournament continues to dwindle; however, the Louisville women and Purdue men have both secured a spot in the Sweet 16.
Looking at college tournament games from the weekend, first with the women from Saturday, Indiana pounded the 14th seeded 49ers from Charlette, 85-51. The 3rd seeded Hoosiers hit 55 percent from the floor and had a minus-8 advantage in turnovers.
Ohio State beat the 11th seeded Bears of Missouri State 63-56 despite getting outrebounded by 18. The sixth seeded Buckeyes offset the glass issues by forcing 12 more turnovers than committed and winning the free throw count 20-12.
Sixth seeded Kentucky lost to Princeton 69-62. The 11th seeded Tigers had a better shooting day making 26-of-53 while the Cats were just 20-of-56.
Notre Dame defeated the 12th seeded Minutewomen of UMass 89-78. The Irish won the battle of the boards by 15 and hit 58 percent from the floor (34/59).
One other regional women’s game from Saturday saw 13th seeded IUPUI fall to No. 4 Oklahoma 78-72. The Jaguars gave the Sooners all they wanted as OU never dominated any single phase.
There was one women’s regional team of interest in action Sunday. Top seeded Louisville beat the ninth seeded Bulldogs of Gonzaga 68-59. The Cards forced the Dogs into 18 turnovers. The Redbirds move on to the Sweet 16 to face either fourth seeded Tennessee or 12th seeded Belmont who play tonight.
Women’s games of regional interest this evening include fifth seeded Notre Dame and fourth seeded Oklahoma at 6 pm, third seeded Indiana and 11th seeded Princeton at 8 pm, and also at 8, it’s sixth seeded Ohio State and third seeded LSU. Winners will advance to the Sweet 16.
No regional men’s teams played Saturday but a few played Sunday.
Seventh seeded Ohio State lost to the second seeded Wildcats of Villanova, 71-61. Nova outshot the Buckeyes 17-6 at the line.
Eleventh seeded Notre Dame fell 59-53 to the third seeded Red Raiders of Texas Tech. Tech missed 10 of its last 11 field goals but hit their free throws and made some key defensive stops late to get the win.
And in the final game of the night Sunday, third Purdue pulled off an 81-71 win over the sixth seeded Longhorns of Texas. The Boilermakers advance to the Sweet 16 to play the Cinderella 15th seeded Peacock’s of St. Peter’s.