Opening day of March Madness has always been my favorite day of the year. I remember one spring break in middle school, when most of my friends were on vacation, I was thrilled to sit in front of the TV and watch every single game. My family of five spent a lot of my childhood remodeling our house while we lived in it, and when that particular tournament came around, it was in the plywood walls and floors stage. My dad put the TV on the floor, and we huddled around it in plastic, outdoor chairs. Most of my childhood memories revolve around sports, and the best ones – like this memory – revolve around March Madness. Day one is magical. It was then and it is now.
Allow me to break down the magic of this year’s opening day:
Jordan Hobbs goes off as No. 6 Michigan defeats No. 11 Iowa State
The future of Michigan basketball is in the hands of freshmen Olivia Olson, Syla Swords and Mila Holloway, but in an 80-74 win over Iowa State, the present belonged to senior Jordan Hobbs. The 6-foot-3 guard is the only returning starter for Michigan, playing alongside the three freshman and fellow senior Greta Kampschroeder. Hobbs has been the ultimate team player for Michigan over the last four years, with an increasing role season after season. This is her best year as a Wolverine, averaging 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Friday’s performance served as a sort of ode to the program, as Hobbs did everything possible to make sure her team moved on.
“I get to wear the Michigan uniform again Sunday, which is really special,” she said. “I cherish every single minute that I’m in this uniform.”
Hobbs finished with a career-high 28 points to secure the first-round win.
“Jordan Hobbs was not going to lose that game today,” said coach Kim Barnes Arico. “She just gave everything she had.”
Georgia Amoore heroic effort to hold off Liberty
Fifth-year senior guard Georgia Amoore has plenty of NCAA Tournament experience. She led her previous team, Virginia Tech, to a Final Four in 2023 on a 23-point scoring performance against Ohio State in the Elite Eight. That was Virginia Tech’s first Final Four in program history.
Now, Amoore is trying to do the same with the No. 4 seed Kentucky Wildcats, a program that last played in the Elite Eight in 2013, but has never made a Final Four.
“The mentality has always just been the same, to just go out and put your best effort out,” Amoore said of her five NCAA Tournament appearances.
Amoore’s experience is part of the reason coach Kenny Brooks brought her to Kentucky when he took the head coaching job this season, leaving behind a Hokies program that he built over eight years. But Amoore’s last March Madness, and Brooks’ first at Kentucky, almost came to an early end. No. 13 Liberty outscored Kentucky 28-15 in the fourth quarter, before the Wildcats escaped with a 79-78 win. Amoore was able to hold off the Flames thanks to 34 points, eight assists and six made three-pointers.
“It’s a situation where, yeah, we might be the higher seed, but Liberty had nothing to lose,” Amoore said. “They wanted to come out and win and had all the energy. So I think in a positive light to recognize that everyone wants that spot. Everyone wants to advance. It’s not the non-conference from conference where it’s up 20 and ride it out. We have to keep the pedal down.”
Ayoka Lee makes triumphant return
Since 6-foot-6 center Ayoka Lee first came to Kansas State in 2018, she has experienced incredible highs – like notching the Division I record for most points in a game with 61 – and devastating lows – like multiple season ending injuries.
Lee was injured again in a January 19th win over Arizona State, suffering a foot fracture that required surgery. Lee was sidelined for a month before playing briefly in a rivalry game against Kansas. But she only lasted five minutes before leaving the game and getting yet another minor procedure. Lee and Kansas State made the decision to shut her down with March Madness quickly approaching. Coach Jeff Mittie called Lee the best player and leader he’s coached in his 33-year career. He also said Kansas State is a top-10 squad with her, but a top-25 squad without her.
So it makes sense that the Wildcats opted to rest her until the NCAA Tournament. It paid off in a dominant 85-41 over 13-seed Fairfield on Friday in which Lee needed to play just 15 minutes to record 17 points and 10 rebounds.
“It felt great to be out there,” Lee said. “It’s been a minute. I think our support staff, our strength and training coach did a great job. They put me through everything I needed to go through to make sure I was ready for this.”
Lee has achieved a slew of individual accolades during her time at Kansas State, owning the scoring record, rebound record and block records. But she’s yet to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. The Wildcats will have the chance to remedy that on Sunday in a second-round matchup with 4-seed Kentucky.
Molly Miller impresses in potential last game at Grand Canyon
No. 13 Grand Canyon entered Friday’s first round game against No. 4 Baylor on a 30-game winning streak that included the program’s first conference title. The auto-bid out of the WAC was also appearing in its first March Madness, not that anyone could tell. The Antelopes pushed Baylor to the brink of upset and were down by just two points with 2:10 left in the third quarter. Grand Canyon remained in striking distance for most of the fourth quarter until Baylor finally went up double-digits with 2:11 left in the game.
“To see them go out there and compete like that, it’s what it’s all about,” Miller said. “I couldn’t have been prouder in this moment. Just to see all 14 really come together and rally around one another and show what GCU basketball, that brand is all about.”
It was a remarkable performance for a first-time tournament team. It also showed why head coach Molly Miller’s name has been floated for several high-profile coaching vacancies like Auburn, Arkansas and Arizona State. Miller didn’t say whether or not she had plans to leave Grand Canyon following the loss.
“I’m here with my team enjoying it, soaking up this moment, making core memories that will last a lifetime,” she said.
But while Miller was addressing the media in Waco, several reports confirmed that she will be the next head coach at Arizona State. Miller spent five years at Grand Canyon, amassing a 117-37 record and improving her team’s record year after year.
Oregon wins first tournament game since 2021
Last season, Oregon coach Kelly Graves ended his season sitting at a podium after a first-round Pac-12 Tournament loss. His team went 11-21 and ended the season on a 14-game losing streak. The Ducks would miss the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row and Graves was forced to answer questions regarding his ability to lead the program.
This year, Graves’ 10-seed Ducks are back in the NCAA Tournament and still dancing after holding off 7-seed Vanderbilt in a 77-73 overtime victory. It’s the first time Oregon has advanced to the second round since 2021.
“The last couple years, we just weren’t the program that we’d been for a variety of reasons,” Graves That’s why this has been so sweet honestly. I’ve been reenergized. This team has made me, even at 62 years old, feel a lot younger, and they’ve been fun to coach.”
Senior guard Deja Kelly has been a huge part of Oregon’s rediscovered success, leading the Ducks in scoring and assists with 11.6 points and 3.4 assists per game. The transfer, who spent her first four years at North Carolina, is back in familiar territory, playing the opening two rounds in Durham, as her former rival Duke serves as the host school. Kelly led the Ducks against Vanderbilt, finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists. She also kept Oregon on track as Vanderbilt mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Ducks 24-12 to force overtime.
During the game’s more difficult stretches, Graves said Kelly stepped up as a leader, coaching her teammates during the timeouts. She was so involved that Graves joked about having to make her sit down so he could coach.
“That’s the kind of person we were hoping we would get out of Deja and that we did get,” Graves said. “She’s exceeded every expectation. So we’re really happy for her success.”
He’s happy for his team’s on-court success as well and hopes he can finally put Oregon’s previous struggles behind him.
“Hopefully this win will get us kind of on the right trajectory back right back to where we want to be as a program.
UCLA Headed to Final Four After Clutch Shooting Ices LSU
Bruins earn first Final Four in NCAA era. LA-native Gabriela Jaquez and transfer Timea Gardner step up with Lauren Betts in foul trouble.
South Carolina Survives and Advances to Fifth-Straight Final Four
The Gamecocks defeated Duke 54-50 on Sunday
Richmond secures first ever March Madness win
It has been a season of firsts for the Richmond Spiders. They have played in five NCAA Tournaments, including last season, but never advanced out of the first round. Until now. And they did it in dominant fashion, defeating 8-seed Georgia Tech 74-49 on Friday.
The Spiders had also never received an at-large bid, something that changed this season. They were upset 50-49 by St. Joes in the Atlantic 10 semifinal, but still made the tournament thanks to an impressive resume that included a top-35 NET ranking.
Prior to Friday’s game, junior forward and A-10 Player of the Year Maggie Doogan reflected on the season and what it would mean to finally get an NCAA Tournament victory.
“It would be an incredible feeling,” she said. “I feel like we’ve done a lot of firsts this year, but I think this would obviously top everything, just being with this kind of group that we worked so hard and we’ve been through so much that we just want to play for each other, we want to play for the coaches, we want to play for the university.”
Doogan did her part and then some, recording 30 points, 15 rebounds and six assists to lead her team into the round of 32. The win exceeded her expectations.
“It’s what you just dream of,” she said. “My family is here, so to be able to do that in front of them is really cool. They have seen my progress from when I was really little. You know, a lot of them have been to almost every single one of my games. It’s a special feeling. I’m not going to forget it, definitely.”
Doogan sat in a postgame press conference at 10 p.m., fielding questions about her stellar performance, when coach Aaron Rousell suddenly paused the proceedings.
“Maggie,” he said. “What are we, two hours away from your birthday?”
Doogan leaned into the mic. “Great birthday present,” she said with a smile.
