Juwan Howard back in NCAAs, takes top-seeded Michigan to 2nd round

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Juwan Howard won his first NCAA Tournament game since taking over at Michigan, guiding Mike Smith and the top-seeded Wolverines to an 82-66 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday.

Smith scored 18 points, and Hunter Dickinson added 16 as Michigan rolled into the second round without Isaiah Livers, who is out with a foot injury. Eli Brooks and Brandon Johns Jr. had 11 points apiece.

Howard and the Wolverines (21-4) had little trouble with the No 16 seed.

Michael Weathers had 24 points for the Tigers (17-9).

LSU 76, St. Bonaventure 61 — Freshman Cameron Thomas scored 27 points in another impressive performance, and his LSU teammates provided the rebounding muscle, leading the eighth-seeded Tigers past ninth-seeded St. Bonaventure.

LSU (19-9) can reach its second straight Sweet 16 if it beats Michigan.

Darius Days and Aundre Hyatt had 13 points each, and Trendon Watford had 11. Days and Watford also had 11 rebounds each, and Hyatt grabbed 10. The Tigers have won five of six.

Colorado 96, Georgetown 73 — Colorado used an early 3-point barrage to parlay its highest seeding ever into a win over Georgetown and coach Patrick Ewing.

Led by freshman Jabari Walker’s 5-for-5 shooting clinic from 3-point range, the fifth-seeded Buffs (23-8) made 16 3-pointers and shot 64% from long range.

Florida State 64, UNC Greensboro 54 — RaiQuan Gray scored 17 points, and Florida State began what it hopes will be another deep run under coach Leonard Hamilton, holding off 13th-seeded UNC Greensboro.

Florida State went 0 for 9 from 3-point range, winning a game without a made 3 for the first time since February 2018. The Seminoles still managed to shoot 50% overall.

Alabama 68, Iona 55 — Herb Jones scored 20 points, and second-seeded Alabama pried open a tight game to beat coach Rick Pitino’s underdogs from Iona.

Jones had a steal and layup that highlighted an 11-0 run and gave Alabama (25-6) breathing room at 54-46 after the teams seesawed with the lead through much of the second half. The Crimson Tide advanced to face UConn or Maryland.

Isaiah Ross scored 19 points on 8-for-18 shooting for the Gaels (12-6). The rest of the team went 15 for 41.

Maryland 63, UConn 54 — Eric Ayala led the Terps with 23 points, and Darryl Morsell had seven rebounds as the No. 10 seed dispatched No. 7 seed UConn. The Huskies were led by James Bouknight’s 15 points.

West

Ohio 62, Virginia 58 — Virginia’s unusual title defense ended with another upset loss in the NCAA Tournament, falling to Jason Preston and Ohio.

Some familiar problems showed up again for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers, who struggled to score during a key stretch in the second half and shot 35% from the field for the game.

Creighton 63, UC Santa Barbara 62 — Christian Bishop made both ends of a one-and-one with 16 seconds left to give fifth-seeded Creighton the lead, and the Bluejays hung on to beat 12th-seeded UC Santa Barbara.

Creighton’s turbulent season, which included a one-game suspension for coach Greg McDermott after he made a racially insensitive remark in the locker room, continues Monday in the West Region when the Bluejays (21-8) face Virginia or Ohio.

Southern Cal 72, Drake 56 — Evan Mobley had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and No. 6 seed USC used smothering defense to beat Drake.

Mobley, a 7-foot freshman forward and AP second-team All-American expected to be a lottery pick if he declares for the draft, made 7 of 15 field goals and blocked three shots.

Kansas 73, Eastern Washington 84 — David McCormack returned from his covid-19-caused hiatus just in time to rescue No. 3 seed Kansas, piling up 22 points and nine rebounds as the slow-starting Jayhawks rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to beat No. 14 seed Eastern Washington.

Ochai Agbaji scored 21 points, Marcus Garrett fought foul trouble to add 20 and Dajuan Harris Jr. had 13 for the Jayhawks (21-8).

Iowa 86, Grand Canyon 74 — Iowa got 24 points from Luka Garza and avoided the early exit that befell other high seeds. The second-seeded Hawkeyes (22-8) used a strong shooting display to advance, hitting 54% from the floor while going 10 of 22 from behind the arc.

Oklahoma 72, Missouri 68 — Austin Reaves scored 23 points, Brady Manek added 19 and Oklahoma slipped by ninth-seeded Missouri. The eighth-seeded Sooners (16-10) are on to the second round for fourth time in the last six tournaments.