What happened in Thursday and Friday's first round

This is a defensive clinic by Duquesne. Getting into BYU's bodies coming off off-ball action. Cougars have no space anywhere. The pressure and physicality has just had them out of sorts all day.

Dan Monson rode shotgun while his wife, Darci, steered the car down I-15 through the deserts that separate Las Vegas from California. Outside his window, the barren wasteland stretched on to the horizon, offering a view to everywhere and nowhere all at once. The irony of that view was not lost on Monson, who suddenly finds himself on a similar road. He is headed to college basketball paradise, to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He also is no longer employed by the school he will represent once he gets there.

Long Beach State and Monson parted ways after 17 years a week ago Monday; six days later the Beach completed an improbable three-wins-in-three-days run to capture the Big West tournament and the automatic bid that comes with it. No. 15 Long Beach State will play No. 2 Arizona in the first round of the West Region on Thursday in Salt Lake City. “I guess you could say I’m in the middle of nowhere in a lot of respects,” Monson says as he and Darci cut through Barstow, Calif., racing home to prep for the selection show party they’d host for the players in a few hours. “I’m in a desert in my car and in my career.”

It is a bizarre and yet somehow oddly fitting arc for Monson.

Twenty-five years ago, Monson was the hotshot coach after launching a tiny Jesuit school into the national basketball conversation. In 1999, Gonzaga rolled to the Elite Eight, the first step in what would eventually become one of the most impressive building projects in all of college athletics. Monson, though, wasn’t there to see the seeds he planted blossom. Lured into the Icarus draw of college basketball potential, he jumped for a bigger job, taking over a Minnesota team mired in a massive academic scandal. He thought it made sense, figured the run he took at Gonzaga could easily be recreated with the better resources Minnesota offered.

He managed to scrub the Gophers’ image, but not find the success the school wanted. He resigned in 2007, at the start of his eighth season, while Mark Few and Gonzaga made their ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance (the streak will reach its 25th season this week). He wound up at Long Beach State which, like Minnesota, needed a clean-up job. The NCAA hit the Beach with three years’ probation for infractions committed by Monson’s predecessor. He found a good life there, stretching his stay to 17 years, a veritable lifetime in a profession that typically has the shelf life of a browning banana.

But nothing lasts forever in college sports. Two years ago, then-athletic director Andy Fee talked about a contract extension, but then Fee left for a position at the University of Washington in August 2022. His replacement, Bobby Smitheran, came aboard this August, while Monson’s contract was nearing its end.

After an 18-9 start, the Beach lost its last five games of the regular season, limping into the conference tournament at 18-14. After the final loss, to UC Davis on March 9, Monson texted Smitheran to set up a meeting. He understood the program might need a new voice, and recognized perhaps a change would do him good, too. He offered to resign after the tournament, but Smitheran said he preferred it happen immediately. Monson said he didn’t want to quit on his team, so they agreed Monson would coach them through the conference tourney, but announce the decision immediately.

Continue reading.

Mississippi State hasn’t led in its game against Michigan State, and it’s on the verge of being blown out and eliminated in the first game of the tournament.

The Spartans’ largest lead is 17 points, and they lead by 16 (66-50) as the game nears the final media timeout of the second half.

With Arizona and Long Beach State tipping off, we've reached the "four games at once" portion of the day.

Enjoy.

OMAHA, Neb. — Chippy moment here as Duquesne and BYU get rolling in the second half. Both players going for the ball, referee ends up in the middle of it.

After review it's a double tech. Both coaches came off the bench to help de-escalate and walk players back.

Our staff picks for No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 15 Long Beach State:

• Nicole Auerbach: Arizona
• John Hollinger: Arizona
• Brendan Marks: Arizona
• Austin Mock: Arizona
• Joe Rexrode: Arizona

No. 2 seed, West Region

Opponent/time/TV: Long Beach State, 2 p.m., TBS

Team in 16 words: The most balanced team in Tommy Lloyd’s tenure. Can score, have a go-to guy, are improved defensively.

Record: 25-8 (15-5 Pac-12)

Coach: Tommy Lloyd (2-2 in NCAA Tournament)

Player to watch: Caleb Love (Pac-12 Player of the Year)

Numbers:

BetMGM title odds: +1200

Sweet 16 projected chance: 64.2 percent

Final Four projected chance: 26.1 percent

Strengths: The Wildcats have been a terrific offensive team in all three seasons under Tommy Lloyd. Caleb Love can be erratic, but he transferred in from North Carolina and filled a major need of a guard who can go get a bucket. Arizona has no shortage of experience, and added another transfer in Keshad Johnson who has Final Four experience from a year ago at San Diego State.

Weaknesses: When point guard Kylan Boswell doesn’t play well, it usually results in a loss for the ‘Cats. In their eight losses, Boswell shot 21 percent from the field and averaged 4.8 points per game. And Arizona doesn’t have another true point guard when Boswell is struggling. There’s also the concern of when Love struggles, he can really struggle.

Outlook: Lloyd has a team capable of getting to the Final Four, but it depends on the guard tandem of Love and Boswell. If they play well, Arizona can beat anyone in the country because Pelle Larsson is a terrific role player, Johnson is a terrific defender and Oumar Ballo is one of the better big men in the country. But it’s truly up to the consistency of Love and Boswell.

— Jeff Goodman

PITTSBURGH — Shot making has been a problem for Akron much of the season. The Zips shot 33 percent from 3 and their 8.1 3s per game ranked 112th in the country.

But they've gotten great looks early against Creighton and have already made five 3s within the game's first nine minutes.

CHARLOTTE — Hello, Jaden Akins! The first poster dunk of the NCAA Tournament — possibly the first highlight of this postseason — belongs to the 6-foot-4 Michigan State guard, who just took off from a few feet outside the paint and absolutely slammed one on Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard.

Akins has been hugely important for Tom Izzo’s team so far today, with 12 points, four rebounds, and most importantly, two of the Spartans’ six made 3-pointers.

The Bulldogs have broken out a full-court press in the second half at times, which has given AJ Hoggard some issues, but Akins stepping up has negated some of that game pressure. Akins came into today having only scored double-digit points in two of his last six games.

No. 15 seed, West Region

Opponent, time, TV: Arizona, 2 p.m., TBS

Team in 16 words: With their coach already fired, The Beach thrived off turnovers and second chances to sneak in.

Record: 21-14 (10-10 Big West)

Coach: Dan Monson (3-3 in NCAA Tournament)

Player to watch: Marcus Tsohonis (first-team All-Big West)

Numbers:

BetMGM title odds: +100000

Sweet 16 projected chance: 1.4 percent

Final Four projected chance: 0.1 percent

Outlook: Coach Dan Monson, effectively canned just before the Big West Tournament by the school’s athletic director, is laughing last. Soaking up the sunshine, The Beach — with Monson still coaching — played inspired ball and propelled themselves into the Field of 68. Shocking.

Long Beach stands out by applying on-ball pressure and snagging offensive boards. Over the regular season’s final month, The Beach forced a turnover on nearly 19 percent of opponent possessions. They grabbed an offensive rebound nearly 35 percent of the time. The Big West reps hung with San Diego State in November, their only encounter with an NCAA Tournament team this year. Energized by Monson’s dismissal, they could scare a big boy, provided they limit turnover mistakes and continue to generate ample additional opportunities.

— Brad Evans

Someone we should thank for the NCAA Tournament adding Turner and putting all the games on different channels is outgoing AAC commissioner Mike Aresco, who led the change while at CBS.

PITTSBURGH — Wasn't expecting a 3-point shootout between Ryan Kalkbrenner and Enrique Freeman, but here we are ... Akron center Freeman only made 17 3s all year but has already made three triples from the top of the key in the first six minutes, including one that banked in by accident, as the Zips try to pull Creighton's giant Kalkbrenner away from the rim.

For his part, Kalkbrenner hit a 3 of his own, and Creighton lets 16-14 behind his seven points.

Though it is a No. 14 seed, Akron enters Thursday's game with Creighton with the benefit of being close to home. The Zips are in Pittsburgh, just 91 miles from their home arena back in Ohio.

In the Midwest Region, only Purdue — in Indianapolis, 61 miles from home — had a shorter trip.

Jakub Necas has now scored eight points in three straight games, which is his career high. He averages 10 minutes per game and has already played 15.

The freshman does not seem intimidated by this stage. Pretty unreal to have your best game in your first-ever NCAA Tournament.