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March Madness: 10 key takeaways from the tournament's first-round action

Buffalo and Loyola of Chicago authored the biggest stunners during the first round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Marques Townes #5 of the Loyola Ramblers shoots against Lonnie Walker IV #4 of the Miami Hurricanes in the second half in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at American Airlines Center on March 15, 2018 in Dallas, Texas.

1. Buffalo busted brackets everywhere. The Bulls' jaw-dropping first-round domination of Arizona — in a nightcap stunner — was by far the biggest upset of the Big Dance thus far. There was no need for a buzzer-beater in Boise, as No. 13 seed Buffalo drubbed No. 4 Arizona, which was coming off a Pac-12 tournament title and had won eight of its last nine amid a controversy-filled February and March.

The Wildcats have an NBA lottery pick in 7-footer Deandre Ayton. Yet coach Nate Oats' team used a gritty, collaborative effort while shooting nearly 50% from beyond the arc and out-rebounding the Wildcats to pull off this shocker. This Arizona squad that was a Final Four preseason pick and and seemed to rekindle some of that potential heading into the NCAAs was completely flat, and shot just 11% from 3 — leaving coach Sean Miller and Arizona faithful equally awestruck.

"I thought we played harder," Oats said bluntly after the game, "the team that plays harder when the talent is close wins."

2. The Pac-12 struck out in these NCAAs big time. With Arizona's unexpectedly early exit and UCLA and Arizona State's First Four play-in losses in Dayton, the Pac-12 went 0-for-3 in this year's tournament. That's not to mention USC's snub by the selection committee.

3. NCAA darling Loyola-Chicago has all the ingredients to make it to the second weekend. The Ramblers stunned No. 6 seed Miami (Fla.) 64-62 on a last-second buzzer-beater by Donte Ingram for the first bracket-busting upset of the tourney. But don't expect this to be a one-hit wonder Cinderella. Coach Porter Moser's veteran-laden group has what it takes to beat Tennessee on Saturday and reach the Sweet 16.

What makes this team so tough to guard was encapsulated in Ingram's game-winner: The unselfish Ramblers spread the floor and knock down dagger three-pointers. There's no star, and Ingram was just the open man to play hero. Come Saturday, it might be one of his teammates taking on the role.

4. The almost-Cinderellas left us a bit unsatisfied. Looking at you, No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin (lost by 10 to Texas Tech after leading late), No. 13 seed UNC-Greensboro (lost by four to Gonzaga), No. 12 seed Davidson (lost by five to Kentucky), No. 12 seed South Dakota State (lost by nine to Ohio State after pushing it close late), and No. 11 seed San Diego State (lost by two to Houston). Five near-upsets were poised to bust brackets but instead left the better-seeded opponents advancing and robbing the luster college hoops fans were craving more of. March Madness is always better than March Sadness.

5. Houston's Rob Gray (and his manbun) is a March star you need to know. The do-everything senior guard put on a show with 39 points and a game-winning scoop-shot (to go with a several ice-in-his-veins jumpers) to send No. 6 Houston past San Diego State and into the second round. Gray and his charismatic on-court personality are exactly the type of March Madness star fans deserve.

Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images, 2018 Getty Images
Rob Gray #32 of the Houston Cougars scores the game-winning basket with 1 second left in the game against the San Diego State Aztecs during the second half of the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

6. Rhode Island is the dark horse we thought it would be. It was Oklahoma freshman Trae Young who drew all the headlines heading into Thursday's contest. But it was the Rams' E.C. Matthews who made clutch plays down the stretch to help his team advance and Young who went home. Such is the case for a team that's been there before. This roster features the same core that was one possession away from the Sweet 16 last year. A No. 7 seed, this group plays with a grit and tenacity that mirrors their coach, Dan Hurley. That chip-on-the-shoulder mojo is the key to going far in March.

7. The SEC went 4-0. Tennessee (clocked Wright State), Kentucky (fended off Davidson), Florida (dropped St. Bonaventure) and Alabama (clipped Virginia Tech) all notched first-round victories — a solid overall day for the conference. Auburn, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Missouri are in action Friday.

Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images, 2018 Getty Images
Herbert Jones #10 and Galin Smith #30 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrate after defeating the Virginia Tech Hokies in the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018.

8. We were wrong about Ohio State. Sorry, Chris Holtmann. The first-year coach took a sarcastic jab at the news media members who selected South Dakota State to beat the fifth-seeded Buckeyes — after Ohio State dispatched the Jackrabbits 81-73. "I just want to thank all the fine, smart, clever journalists who didn't pick us," Holtmann said in a postgame television interview on TNT. "And trust me, our guys were aware of that. So...appreciate that." On another note, Michigan was the most impressive Big Ten team on Thursday (handling Montana), sorry to say, coach Holtmann.

9. Devonte' Graham isn't going to let Kansas lose. The Big 12 player of the year made his statement as a Wooden Award finalist with his 29 points, six assists and six rebounds in the Jayhawks' 76-60 win over Penn, a super dangerous No. 16 seed that would have hung close had it not been for Graham's barrage of jumpers and playmaking. KU was playing without a true big man (Udoka Azubuike was out) and couldn't afford a cold shooting night from the perimeter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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