The UCLA Bruins’ injuries finally caught up to them, and the UConn Huskies sent them packing. The two other Big Ten teams that played Sunday in March Madness won in different ways. For Iowa, it was a game-winning shot that completed an epic upset over Florida. Purdue found great success in the second half against Miami to show they are a force to be reckoned with in the tournament.
Here are the scores and the rest of my analysis from the Big Ten games in the NCAA Tournament from second-round Sunday:
No. 2 Purdue 79-69 vs No. 7 Miami
Fletcher Loyer has the game of his life, only missing 1 shot to lead the Purdue Boilermakers to a sweet 16 berth. It took many players stepping up for Purdue, but that is when this offense is most dangerous. Braden Smith did not have his best shooting day, but he still helped propel other stars to have big games with his impactful 8 assists. Trey Kaufman-Renn had 19 points and 9 rebounds as the second option. This game was too close for comfort in the final stretch of it, but Purdue did not shrivel up; instead, they went on an 11-3 run to take full control of this one. Purdue continues on, and they keep adding more and more momentum along the way with great performances.
No. 9 Iowa 73-72 vs No. 1 Florida
Who knew Iowa had it in them? This is one of the biggest wins in the Big Ten this season. Upsetting a #1 seed without your star having a big night, especially given how reliant they are on Bennett Stirtz, is a huge win for the Hawkeyes. The reigning champs and the only first seed to be eliminated so far, the Florida Gators fall at the hands of a game-winner. March Madness creates legends, and Iowa forward Alvaro Folgueiras will be forever remembered for his game-winning shot and helping Iowa get its first Sweet 16 berth since 1999. It took some magic to take down a team of the Florida Gators caliber, but Iowa showed fight and looked like a very formidable opponent for the title favorite Gators.
No. 2 UConn 73-57 vs No. 7 UCLA
After his dominant showing, it was a quieter day for Tarris Reed Jr., but that still opened the door for someone else to have a career high as Alex Karaban had 27 points and was 4-8 from downtown. The Bruins just did not have enough juice without forward Tyler Bilodeau. A 14-0 run to end the first half really separated the two teams, and then a 9-0 run by the Huskies in the last minutes of the second half pulled the plug on this game. UConn looked as advertised, and they took care of business. Still a good season by the Bruins, unfortunately, the injury bug hindered what other success they could have had this season.
Top performers
Tavion Banks did not hit the game-winning shot, but it was he stepping up and being the guy for Iowa that really gave them a chance to upset Florida. On Sunday, Banks had 20 points and 6 rebounds. All season long, he was a consistent 10.1 points per game type of player, but in the biggest game of the season, he took full advantage of his opportunity and led his team to victory.
It was not Braden Smith who led the way for the Boilermakers; it was instead Fletcher Loyer, who only missed 1 shot in the game against Miami. Loyer was 6-7 from the field and 4-4 from downtown, leading to his stellar 24-point game. Loyer saw his moment and made sure he did not let his team down. On any given night, it can be Loyer, it can be Braden Smith, or it could be Trey Kaufman-Renn; this Boilermaker team is deep.
Overview
The Bruins’ season comes to an end after an injury really set back what else they were able to achieve this season. Both Purdue and Indiana prevail and head to the sweet 16 with an opportunity in front of them for a deep playoff run. Purdue seems to be moving up the ranks as a favorite to win the whole thing.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: NCAA Tournament Big Ten report— Iowa and Purdue make Sweet 16
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
