While supports across the country may already be broken, college basketball fans they are just beginning.
Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament kicked off Thursday with a bang as 13 Seed Furman she defeated fourth-seeded Virginia in the closing moments.
A last-second 3-pointer by JP Pegues gave Furman his first NCAA Tournament victory since 1974.
15th seed Princeton shocked the world, defeating 2nd seed Arizona in the South Region on a 9-0 run to finish the game with a 59-55 victory.
Day 2 of the first round of the NCAA tournament is todayand there are some fantastic matchups with surprises that certainly fill the afternoon.
FURMAN RECORDS FIRST STOP OF MARCH 2023 MADNESS, DOWNLOADING VIRGINIA WITH WILD LATE SEQUENCE
Let’s take a look at four games to watch on Day 2 of the NCAA Tournament.
Here’s more madness today.
12 VCUs vs. 5 Saint Mary’s – 2:00 p.m. ET
Get ready for a landslide in Albany, New York.
Saint Mary’s enters the tournament fresh off a beating at the gonzaga hands in the WCC Championship Game, but the Gaels are not to be taken lightly.
Making the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season, head coach Randy Bennett He has a team that can shoot three and defend the basket.
SEVENTH-YEAR GUARD LEADS CHARLESTON COLLEGE AGAINST SDSU IN NCAA TOURNAMENT: ‘I’M YOUNG FOR MY AGE’
The Gaels rank 39th in the country in 3-point shooting percentage (37.2%) and allow just 60.1 points per game defensively, fifth-best in the country.
They play slow, rank in the bottom 10 for pace, according to ESPN, and average just 71.4 points per game.
Saint Mary’s has an impressive handful of wins on its schedule, beating Oral Roberts, San Diego State and Gonzaga while playing Houston in December.
VCU enters the tournament on a hot streak, winning nine straight games, including a victory over Dayton in the A10 championship game.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The Rams are tournament legends (they made it to the Final Four in 2011) and will block you defensively as well.
Allowing just 62.9 points per game (24th in the country), VCU is led by junior guard Adrian Balwin Jr..who was named A10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
11 Pittsburgh vs. 6 Iowa State – 3:10 p.m. ET
An interesting matchup in Greensboro as the Panthers find their way into the tournament after beating Mississippi State in the First Four game.
It’s been hell trade for pitt in Jeff Capel’s fifth season as head coach.
After going 11-21 in 2021-2022, Pittsburgh experienced a 12-game improvement, going 23-11 in 2022-23.
The Panthers take 25.4 shots per game from beyond the three-point line (37th in the country) and knock them down at a rate of 36.2%.
KANSAS’ BILL WILL MISS OPENING MARCH MADNESS GAME VS HOWARD
for the state of iowathey win on the defensive end, holding teams to 62.8 points per game and forcing nearly 17 turnovers per game, according to ESPN.
The Cyclones are led by two senior guards: Jaren Holmes and Gabe Kalscheur. – who combine to average 26.3 points per game.
Iowa State may struggle offensively, averaging just 68.4 points per game.
The Cyclones have two starters from last year’s team that made it to the Sweet 16.
11 Providence vs. 6 Kentucky – 7:10 p.m. ET
John Calipari began the season by imploring the fans of the Wildcats to have patience.
“I like the pieces,” Calipari said in a video prior to the year. «We’ve got Player of the Year, we’ve got another first-team all-conference, we’ve got good young guys. But let me explain, and you know I’m honest about things. We’re not where we need to be right now.»
BAYLOR’S SCOTT DREW HELPS TEAM BROTHER’S GRAND CANYON AFTER COMING INTO NCAA TOURNAMENT WITHOUT A TEAM
«And I’m looking at November and December saying, ‘We might be a little shaky.'»
Calipari was right, as the preseason No. 4 team went 1-3 in the SEC to start the year.
But Kentucky righted the ship, finishing the season 12-6 in conference play.
They are led by reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tsheibwe, who is averaging 16.5 points and 13.1 rebounds per game.
do not forget, kentucky was shocked for St. Peter’s in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Wildcats will face a providence team who can score, 36th in the country with 78.1 points per game.
The Friars are led by second-year forward Bryce Hopkins, a transfer from Kentucky, who leads the team in points (16.1) and rebounds (8.5) per game.
No. 13 Kent State vs. No. 4 Indiana – 9:55 p.m. ET
It’s a matchup between two excellent players in Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kent State’s Sincere Carry.
Jackson-Davis is averaging 20.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.7 blocks per game and was named an Associated Press First Team All-American.
TEXAS A&M-CC PASSES SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI STATE IN FIRST FOUR MEETINGS
«I’ve probably pushed him more than any other player on this team, and I know there have been days where he’s walked out of here thinking, ‘Hey, is this guy really in my corner, based on how he’s pushing me?’ «. Indiana coach Mike Woodson. he said, according to ESPN. «But at the end of the day, he has improved as a player.
«We’ve benefited from that, you know, with our baseball club, in terms of how we play as a team. And he’s been the driving force behind it.»
PITTSBURGH NARLY DEFEATS MISSISSIPPI STATE IN FIRST FOUR GAME
Carry leads Kent State, the MAC tournament champions, averaging 17.6 points and 4.9 assists per game.
«He is the best player I have coached here at Kent.» Head Coach of the Golden Sparkles Rob Senderoff said Sunday: «He’s had an incredible run. Obviously we all got to this point, but boy, did he take us to a high, very high level here all year and especially in Cleveland? [location of MAC Tournament].»
Kent State is battle-tested, playing a tough non-conference schedule that included close losses to Houston, College of Charleston and Gonzaga.
The Hoosiers have had an up-and-down season, going 15-2 at home but 5-7 on the road.