With March Madness just around the corner, teams are jostling for NCAA tournament seeding.
It's the last Saturday of February! With only 15 days until selection Sunday, 146 Division I men's games today (and notably four matchups between ranked teams) have additional meaning as teams seek to make their case for the NCAA's selection committee.
Sports Illustrated will keep you updated throughout the day with the biggest takeaways from Saturday's loaded slate and what it means for March.
Gonzaga takes first WCC loss in two years
To date, Gonzaga had not even played a conference game decided by single digits. But the Bulldogs' dominant reign in the WCC was halted for at least one night by St. Mary's, who hatched a wonderful game plan to suck the lives out of one of the sport's most explosive offenses. Gayle restricted Gonzaga to just 21 points in the first half and reached a 15-point halftime edge, then scored enough shots in the second half while Gonzaga pushed through. The Bulldogs' frontcourt pair Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme scored only 12 points in 17 of 5 shoots, one of the most impressive defensive displays of the season by any team. With every other projected top seed losing today, Gonzaga will likely remain as the No. 1 overall seed and remain in the West Regional. And on the other hand, it's a signature win for St. Mary's, who has built up a hugely impressive résumé and will jump a seed line or two with this win.
Baylor's frontcourt Tchamwa shines without Tchachoua
Losing Jonathan Tchamwa Tchachaua to a knee injury at the end of the season felt devastating for Baylor - both because of how good he was at both ends and because of how big a leader he is for the Bears club. But in Baylor's biggest game of the season to date, Scott Drew saw his other two frontcourt players make massive strides. Freshman Jeremy Sochan played the best game of his youth career, scoring a career-high 17 points as well as making a significant impact defensively. Veteran center Flo Thamba held Balor early when Kansas threw a mower and posted 18 points of his own in the best offensive performance of his career. The win over the Jayhawks is a big boost to Baylor's hopes of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, especially considering SI's Friday update saw all four No. Baylor now have more Q1 wins than any other team in the country with 11.
Arizona Digs to Deep a Hole vs. Colorado
Tommy Lloyd's Wildcats has had its share of slow starts and sleepy half lately, but has relied on an explosive offense to turn things around and pull away. Today at high altitude against Colorado was a different story. The Buffaloes forced the game into halfcourt and never allowed Arizona to make a true push, winning an upset by restricting the Wildcats to just 26 second-half points. The biggest implication for Arizona is that the loss essentially wipes out the Wildcats' chance for the No. 1 overall seed and a chance to play in the West Regional. But with several other losses in the top 10, the path to the No. 1 seed is still relatively straight for Lloyd's team.
Arkansas continues to dominate Fayetteville
For the third time this month, Arkansas hosted an elite rival and found a way to win. The Razorbacks made an elite defensive effort in the first half and fired late shots to beat Kentucky 75–73, completing an SEC trifecta in Fayetteville that included victories over Auburn and Tennessee.
Hog guard JD Notte made his case as one of the best perimeter players in the game, putting up 30 points and providing eight assists in one of the most impressive performances of the season by a lead guard. And while Kentucky's offense was going into the second half thanks to Oscar Tshibwe's 30 points, the Arkansas defense stepped up once again and slowed down the offense, ranked in the top five nationally, according to Kenpom.
After starting 0-3 in SEC play and losing five of six games in late December and early January, Arkansas has turned its season around and become one of the best teams in the country. The Hogues lead 13-1 since January 8, with four wins against top-20 Kenpom teams. Expect the Razorback to be on the No. 4 line in SI's next bracket update.