Portland Pod Recap
In Portland two Sweet 16 spots were up for grabs. One spot in the West and one spot in the South region.
West Region
#2 Arizona vs #10 Ohio State
South Region
#4 Georgetown vs #5 Utah
The first game between the Wildcats of Arizona (33-3) and the Buckeyes of Ohio State (24-11) was a rematch from an NCAA Tournament game two years ago. Ohio State delievered a crushing blow in that one as they moved on 73-70 in the Sweet 16 matchup at the Staples Center. LaQuinton Ross hit a three pointer with two seconds to play to get the win.
This time, Arizona turned the tables on Ohio State, but they didn’t need any last-second heroics to get the job done. The Wildcats outscored the Buckeyes 20-7 in points off turnovers, all while limiting OSU’s best player and scorer D’Angelo Russell to 3/19 from the field, in their 73-58 win.
At halftime Arizona lead by only 26-25, but halftime adjustments by Sean Miller of Arizona were key into getting the Wildcats back to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season.
“We won our way,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said, happily.
“We’ve weathered a couple of storms,” Miller said. “I think we’ve learned in this region, this tournament, a couple things this week leading to L.A. that we have to make sure we’re sharp and ready to go. Now that we have two more games on a neutral court, I think it becomes easier to go out there and be yourself.”
Gabe York hit five threes which helped him to score 19 points, and T.J. McConnell had a superb all around game with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals while only committing 1 turnover.
Second half scoring punched Arizona’s ticket to the Sweet 16. #MarchMadness #StepUpPerformance http://t.co/BcDNLEwdhf
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 22, 2015
On the flip side of the coin, Russell’s struggles for Ohio State left him with a mere 9 points after going off on VCU for 28 in their opening round win. “I would say they played great D on a few of them, but a lot of them were great shots. I just missed,” Russell said.
Sam Thompson chipped in 18 points, and Shannon Scott added 10 points for Ohio State, who led by six points in the first half before the Wildcats’ size just took over. Arizona beat them up on the boards 43-26.
“This is probably, without a doubt, maybe his best team,” Thad Matta said of Miller after losing to his former assistant.
Up next for Arizona is #6 Xavier on Thursday.
The second game of the double header featured the Hoyas of Georgetown (22-11) vs the Runnin Utes of Utah (26-8).
Brandon Taylor of Utah dreamed of the Utes playing well and marching deep into this NCAA Tournament. He didn’t know how great it would feel however. “I knew we were due at beginning of the season, I just didn’t know how the feeling would be. I saw it: We have the personnel. We put the work in during the summer,” Taylor said. “But I just didn’t imagine what the feeling would be like. To experience it now, I’m lost for words.”
Taylor scored 14 for the Utes, and backcourt mate Delon Wright added 12 as the 5th seeded Utes moved past Georgetown 75-64 on Saturday night.
HIGHLIGHT: Utah slams it home http://t.co/vU5rV94WLk
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 22, 2015
This is the first time Utah has advanced to the Sweet 16 since 2005, where as a 6 seeded they fell to 2 seeded Kentucky in an almost annual NCAA Tournament matchup (having played them in 1993, 1996, 1997, the 1998 National Title game, and the 2005 Sweet 16 – all losses). This is the Utes’ first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2009, and they are making it worth the wait.
Georgetown led by as much as eleven in the first half 21-10, but Utah climbed back into the game, and when the Hoyas cut the lead to 61-57 with 3:06 left, Taylor hit a three pointer to surge the lead to 64-57. The Hoyas would not get any closer and their season ended in the round of 32. Georgetown hasn’t been to the Sweet 16 since 2007 after their loss to Ohio State in the Final Four.
L.J. Peak lead the Hoyas with 18 points.
The Utes will now face #1 Duke in Houston.