MIDWEST REGION
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 90, MICHIGAN STATE 81
ST. LOUIS -- Reality hit Middle Tennessee State guard Jaqawn Raymond as he walked triumphantly off the floor. Giddy Potts thought it might come later, once he returned to the team hotel and flipped on the TV.
It sunk in immediately for Michigan State.
Relying on the same balanced scoring that carried them to the NCAA Tournament, the No. 15 seed Blue Raiders ended the second-seeded Spartans' title hopes in convincing fashion Friday. They never trailed in a 90-81 first-round victory that sent brackets around the country into trash cans.
"We wanted to win this game as bad as anybody wanted us to win," said Potts, the Blue Raiders' hot-shooting sophomore guard. "We played our (butts) off today."
Reggie Upshaw had 21 points and Potts finished with 19 for Middle Tennessee State (25-9), which became the eighth No. 15 seed to knock off a No. 2 since seeding began in 1985. The last time it happened was 2013, when Florida Gulf Coast beat Georgetown on its way to the Sweet 16.
The Blue Raiders will try to do the same against No. 10 seed Syracuse on Sunday.
"I'll be honest with you, in my wildest dreams I didn't think they'd hit some of the shots they hit," Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo said. "We didn't guard them good, but man, they made some shots."
The Spartans (29-6) were a trendy pick to win the national championship after capturing the Big Ten Tournament title. Part of it had to do with the experience of Denzel Valentine and the seniors, and part of it had to do with Izzo's postseason pedigree.
"I'm more mad and disappointed because I know what this team could accomplish," Valentine said. "It kind of fell apart, and it just stinks right now because I know the capability our team had."
The Spartans' Matt Costello matched a career-best with 22 points, but it wasn't enough to offset Valentine's miserable afternoon. The senior had 13 points and 12 assists, but he also had six turnovers -- one of them coming with the Spartans (29-6) trailing 79-76 and less than three minutes to go.
Michigan State twice had chances to tie the game after that, but Valentine missed an open three from the top of the key, and Bryn Forbes missed another. The Blue Raiders eventually scored on back-to-back runouts to establish some breathing room, then coaxed the final few seconds off the clock.
Darnell Harris and Perrin Buford scored 15 apiece, and Raymond had 11, as the Conference USA champion Blue Raiders won their first NCAA Tournament game since 1989.
SYRACUSE 70, DAYTON 51
ST. LOUIS -- Malachi Richardson scored 21 points, Syracuse stumped seventh-seeded Dayton with its trademark zone and the No. 10 seed Orange rolled to a victory.
Tyler Roberson added 10 points and 18 rebounds for the Orange (19-13), banned from the field last season following an NCAA investigation into academic misconduct and improper benefits.
They looked right at home in the first round of the Midwest Regional.
Tyler Lydon had 14 points, Trevor Cooney had 13 and Michael Gbinije added 10 as Syracuse advanced to play No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee State on Sunday.
Charles Cooke led the Flyers (25-8) with 14 points, but he was just 2 of 9 from beyond the arc, as the regular-season Atlantic 10 champions shot 32 percent from the field.
Sports on 03/19/2016