The first round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament's West Regional had a few surprises in store for the University of Miami and Ohio State University.
The Hurricanes were blitzed by the University of Missouri 93-80 in the opening game of the regional's first round. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes had to stave off a determined group from Davidson University before prevailing 69-64.
MISSOURI 93, MIAMI (FLA.) 80
The Tigers raced to a 12-0 lead in the opening minutes of the game and answered every run the Hurricanes made as they moved into the second round of the tournament for the second straight year.
Missouri had six players score in double figures and overcame some early foul trouble from star guard Kareem Rush, who scored only two points in the first half. Rush responded in the second half, though, and scored 13 points to lead the Tigers in the second half as they expanded their advantage to as much as 17 points.
Clarence Gilbert led Missouri with 20 points, including five in the opening outburst.
Tiger head coach Quin Snyder said he has stressed togetherness to the team in the last part of the season and, despite struggling after a 9-0 start and a No. 2 national ranking, that has made it a better team.
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"We think that this game reflects that and that commitment by this team," Snyder said. "We are becoming a good basketball team right now. I think we are playing our best basketball and it is because these guys really believe in one another right now."
It helped that the Hurricanes shot only 30 percent in the first half and struggled from the start. Still, Miami got on track with a 13-4 run to cut a 19-4 lead to 23-18 with 9:50 left in the half on a fast break slam dunk by forward Darius Rice. But Missouri quickly widen the lead to 29-18 with a 6-0 run after a time out. Miami made one last run to cut the lead to six, but Missouri steadily bounced back.
Missouri put the finishing touches on the game by pounding the glass to start the second half. The Tigers recorded six offensive rebounds in the opening two-and-a-half minutes and extended its lead to 44-31on a 3-pointer by Rush.
Miami center Elton Tyler stated the difference between his team and the Tigers bluntly.
"They just beat us to a lot of loose balls and got a lot of offensive rebounds," Tyler said. "They just played a little harder than us."
OHIO STATE 69, DAVIDSON 64
The underdog Wildcats and their Goliath center Martin Ides gave the Buckeyes all they could handle, but, in the end, it was guard Brian Brown who could not be stopped as he poured in 33 points in the win.
Brown carried the Buckeyes with a wide array of shots, including a layup to give the Buckeyes a 60-69 lead they would not relinquish. Brown hit two free throws to give Ohio State a 65-61 lead with 2:35 left, but Davidson would not go quietly and cut the lead back to one on a trey in the corner by Peter Anderer with 35.7 seconds left.
Two free throws by Brent Darby with 24.2 seconds left upped the lead to 67-64, and Davidson saw its last opportunity slip away when Wayne Bernard's layup rolled ever so slowly off the back of the rim.
Brown said he was determined not to let this season end like last year, when the Buckeyes lost to Utah State University 77-68 in overtime as the fifth seed in the east Region.
"I just remember how Ken Johnson was crying in the locker room because he knew that was his last collegiate game," Brown said. "I just want to make sure I move on with my college career at least one more game and just as far as we can take it."
Davidson was in control of the game from the outset, racing out to a 26-18 lead with 4:50 left in the first half. Ides led the charge with 12 points as none of the Ohio State frontline players could slow the 7-foot-2 player from the Czech Republic. Ides finished the game with 20 points.
It was Brown and forward Terence Dials who led the comeback, combining for 11 of the Buckeyes' last 15 points. Brown gave Ohio State the lead with a three with three seconds to go in the game.
