Another day of March Madness awaited college basketball fans on Saturday.
With the first round complete, the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament progressed to the second round, which saw several high-profile team and coaching matchups on display.
Perhaps the biggest of those pitted national champion St. John’s and Arkansas against each other — or, perhaps more accurately, Rick Pitino and John Calipari. The two national title-winning coaches faced off against each other for the first time since December 2016, with Pitino, then with Louisville, beating his Kentucky counterpart.
Calipari got the better of his St. John’s counterpart on Saturday, however, with No. 10 seed Arkansas upsetting No. 2 St. John’s 75-66. Another notable game on Saturday includes No. 1 overall seed Auburn taking on a Creighton team that demolished 8-seed Louisville on Thursday.
Elsewhere, Kelvin Sampson and No. 1 seed Houston ended Mark Few and Gonzaga’s Sweet 16 streak, while Rick Barnes’ 2-seeded Tennessee kept alive its hopes of a first-ever Final Four appearance by beating Mick Cronin and 7 seed UCLA.
Check out all the bracket updates, scores, highlights and more from Saturday’s action:
Men’s March Madness games today
Saturday, March 22
(4) Purdue 76, (12) McNeese 62
(10) Arkansas 75, (2) St. John’s 66
(5) Michigan 91, (4) Texas A&M 79
(3) Texas Tech 77, (11) Drake 64
(1) Auburn 82, (9) Creighton 70
(6) BYU 91, (3) Wisconsin 89
(1) Houston 81, (8) Gonzaga 76
(2) Tennessee 67, (7) UCLA 58
Watch select March Madness games live with Sling TV
Tennessee beats UCLA 67-58
Mick Cronin and UCLA dragged it out a bit, but the foregone conclusion came to pass: Tennessee beats UCLA 67-58, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season under Rick Barnes.
Skyy Clark hits 3 to narrow gap between UCLA, Tennessee
Too little too late, but a Skyy Clark 3-pointer with 41 seconds remaining narrows UCLA’s deficit to Tennessee, with the Vols now leading 64-53. Credit to the Bruins for fighting till the last second.
Tennessee leading UCLA big
The final four minutes of play from Tennessee and UCLA’s second-round game is a mere matter of course. The Vols lead the Bruins 61-44 at the under-4 media timeout and, barring a massive breakdown, will advance to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time under Rick Barnes.
Chaz Lanier breaks Tennessee single-season 3-pointers record
Lanier hits a 3-pointer to reach 20 points against UCLA, breaking a Vols’ single-season record in the process.
His 119th 3-pointer of the season breaks the previous record of 118 set by Chris Lofton in 2007-08.
Houston ends Gonzaga’s Sweet 16 streak
Despite Gonzaga outscoring Houston 49-46 in the second half, the 1-seed Cougars hang on to defeat the Bulldogs 81-76 to reach their sixth straight Sweet 16.
Houston also ends Gonzaga’s previous record of nine consecutive Sweet 16 berths, with Houston taking over the active record.
L.J. Cryer was exceptional for the Cougars, scoring 30 points and nailing six 3-pointers to lead all scorers.
Tennessee leads UCLA 32-25 at halftime
Chaz Lanier is continuing his strong NCAA Tournament run, as the Vols’ leading scorer leads all players with 12 points as Tennessee leads UCLA 32-25 at halftime.
The Bruins are primed to give the Vols a tough test in the second half as Tennessee looks to move on to the second weekend for the third consecutive season.
BYU holds on, beats Wisconsin for Sweet 16 berth
John Tonje’s shot just before the buzzer is an airball, and BYU staves off Wisconsin’s late comeback attempt with a 91-89 win in Denver.
High-scoring game ends in upset fashion in one of the most exciting games of the NCAA Tournament so far. The Cougars make it to the second weekend for the first time since 2011.
John Tonje and-one!
Tonje is unconscious, as he shortens Wisconsin’s deficit to 91-89 on the 3-point play.
Wisconsin has a chance at pulling a comeback here, as BYU holds possession but calls timeout with 39 seconds remaining.
Richie Saunders having a career night
BYU guard Richie Saunders has the Cougars on the verge of reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, in large part to his huge showing against Wisconsin. The 6-foot-5 guard has 25 points and seven rebounds, shooting 9 of 16 from the field with three 3-pointers.
Wisconsin’s John Tonje has also been sensational, pouring in 34 points on 9-of-16 shooting. BYU leads 91-86 with 1:12 remaining.
Houston leads Gonzaga 35-27 at halftime
L.J. Cryer has been outstanding for Houston, leading all scorers with 16 points as the Cougars take a 35-27 lead into halftime over Gonzaga.
Both point guards for Gonzaga and Houston have been initiating offense well, as Ryan Nembhard and Milos Uzan have five and four assists, respectively.
BYU leads 47-36 at halftime
BYU takes a 47-36 lead into halftime against Wisconsin, as the Cougars look to continue their hot shooting into the second period.
BYU shot 6 of 14 from 3-point range in the first half and 17 of 36 from the floor. Richie Saunders and Egor Demin lead the way with 12 and eight points, respectively.
Wisconsin’s halftime deficit is the largest it has faced this season.
Auburn hangs on for Creighton win
Auburn avoids a scare, taking down Creighton 82-70 to advance to the Sweet 16 of the men’s NCAA Tournament.
The Bluejays proved to be a tough out, as their veteran roster that included Ryan Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth led 37-35 at halftime before the Tigers outscored them 47-33 in the second half.
Houston-Gonzaga tips off
Houston and Gonzaga, two teams in the top 10 of KenPom’s ratings, are midway through the first half. The Cougars have an early 17-8 lead as their stout defense is leading the charge early.
BYU with big 1st half lead over Wisconsin
The Cougars are firing on all cylinders early in the first half against Wisconsin, leading the Badgers 38-24 with under six minutes remaining until halftime.
Richie Saunders leads the way for BYU with 12 points, while Egor Demin has eight.
Chad Baker-Mazara injury update
Baker-Mazara left for the locker room but has since returned to the sideline with an ice pack on his hip. He hasn’t returned to game action, however.
BYU-Wisconsin tips off
The second-round matchup between BYU and Wisconsin has tipped off from Ball Arena in Denver. The Cougars jumped to a 7-5 lead in the first 1:31.
Auburn takes lead in second half over Creighton
The first media timeout arrived in the second half, and Auburn recaptured a 45-42 lead with 15:58 left in the game. The Tigers have connected on 4 of 7 shots to open the half.
Texas Tech beats Drake 77-64 to advance to Sweet 16
Texas Tech defeats Drake 77-64 to advance to the Sweet 16. The Red Raiders will play No. 10 Arkansas in the next round. Darrion Williams finished with 28 points, while JT Toppin added 25. Bennett Stirtz led the Bulldogs with 21 points.
Texas Tech leads Drake by 15 late
Drake hung around with Texas Tech most of the afternoon, but the Red Raiders lead 73-58 with 1:50 left and are headed back to the Sweet 16.
Creighton leads top-seeded Auburn 37-35 at halftime
The No. 1 overall seed in the tournament is officially on upset alert. Creighton holds a 37-35 lead over Auburn at halftime. Jackson McAndrews hit a 3-pointer before halftime to give the Blue Jays the lead. He has 12 points.
Michigan takes down Texas A&M
Michigan keeps the Big Ten’s success rolling in the NCAA Tournament by beating Texas A&M 91-79. The Wolverines trailed by 10 with 13:17 left in the game but dominated the Aggies over the final minutes to earn the win.
Rodd Gayle Jr. led the Wolverines with 26 points and Vladislav Goldin added 23. Pharrel Payne led the Aggies with 26 points.
Creighton leading top-overall seed Auburn
No. 9 seed Creighton holds a 25-23 lead over top-overall seed Auburn more than midway through the first half. We have arrived as the first media timeout with 7:33 left in the first half.
Michigan lead balloons to 9
Michigan leads 81-72 with 3:37 left in the game. It has been a 24-point swing in the second half for the Wolverines, as Texas A&M has gone cold from the field. The last field goal for the Aggies came 4:21 of game action ago.
Michigan takes lead after run
Michigan holds a 75-70 lead with 5:15 left in the game. The Wolverines are on a 14-3 run, including scoring nine unanswered points. Roddy Gayle Jr. leads Michigan with 22 points, while Vladislav Goldin has 18.
Pharrel Payne leads TAMU with 25 points.
Drake trails Texas Tech by three
Drake opens the second half with eight of the first 12 points and now trail Texas Tech by three points at the media timeout with 16:15 left in the game.
Texas A&M holding off Michigan
Wade Taylor IV hits a 3-pointer to push the Texas A&M lead to 70-66 with 7:56 left in the game. The Wolverines had cut the lead to one, but Taylor made sure Michigan would not have a chance to take the lead on its next possession.
The Aggies called a timeout after the basket, which led to the media timeout.
Michigan cuts Texas A&M lead to four
Early in the second half, Texas A&M pushed its lead to double digits, but Michigan cut the lead back down to four at 61-57 at the under-12-media timeout with 11:35 left in the game. The Wolverines have hit on five straight field goals.
Texas Tech leads Drake 37-30 at halftime
Texas Tech takes a 37-30 lead into halftime over Drake. JT Toppin leads the Red Raiders with 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting and eight rebounds. Darrion Williams has 14 points. The rest of the Red Raiders have four points.
Daniel Abreu leads Drake with nine points.
Texas Tech holds lead over Drake
Texas Tech holds a 31-27 lead over Drake with 3:31 left until halftime. The Bulldogs are sticking within striking distance against the Aggies.
Texas A&M leads Michigan at halftime
Texas A&M holds a 39-35 lead over Michigan at halftime. The Wolverines ended the half on a scoring drought, which lasted the final 2:19 and included seven missed shots in a row.
Pharrel Payne leads the Aggies with 14 points. Vladislav Goldin has 12 points to lead the Wolverines.
Texas Tech on upset alert?
Is No. 3 seed Texas Tech on upset alert early in its second-round game? No. 11 seed Drake holds a 18-12 lead over the Red Raiders at the under-12 media timeout following a 7-0 run. The Bulldogs upset No. 6 seed Missouri to advance to the second round.
Texas A&M holds narrow lead vs. Michigan
Texas A&M and Michigan are in a good one, with the Aggies holding a narrow 34-33 lead at the 2:18 mark in the first half.
Texas A&M and Michigan tied
At the second media timeout, Michigan and Texas A&M are tied 17-17 with 11:11 left in the first half.
Danny Wolfe leads the Wolverines with six points. Andersson Garcia leads the Aggies with his six points.
Michigan-Texas A&M underway
The third game of Saturday’s second-round action is underway between No. 5 Michigan and No. 4 Texas A&M. The winner of this matchup will face the winner of No. 1 Auburn and No. 9 Creighton in the Sweet 16.
John Calipari leads Arkansas to Sweet 16
John Calipari and No. 10 Arkansas are moving to the Sweet 16 following a 75-66 win over Rick Pitino and No. 2 St. John’s. The Razorbacks become the first double-digit seed to advance to the Sweet 16.
Billy Richmond III led Arkansas with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Karter Knox added 15 points and six rebounds. Zuby Ejiofor led St. John’s with 23 points in the loss.
Arkansas will play the winner of No. 3 Texas Tech and No. 11 Drake in the Sweet 16 next week.
St. John’s tightens game
With 2:51 remaining, it’s a four-point game with Arkansas leading 68-64. The Red Storm have gotten the game within two points a few times late in the second half, but have been unable to even the game.
Arkansas leads St. John’s by 8
The Razorbacks hold a 61-53 advantage at the under-8-media timeout with 7:57 left in the game. The Red Storm have continued to struggle from the field, shooting 18 of 62 (29%). However, they still have a shot to pull off the win if they can knock down a few more shots.
Arkansas lead up to 12 at media timeout
Arkansas is holding its largest lead of the game, 53-41, at the under-12-media timeout. The Razorbacks have outscored the Red Storm 18-9 in the second half. St. John’s is already at six fouls and will send Arkansas to the free throw line with each foul the rest of the game.
Arkansas’ lead balloons to 7
The Razorbacks’ momentum didn’t slow down during halftime, with Calipari’s team outscoring Pitino’s St. Johns’ team 5-1 in the opening two-and-a-half minutes to open the second half. Arkansas now leads 40-33 at the 17:29 mark.
Arkansas closes first half with 7-0 run vs. St. John’s
Following a disastrous run that included a flagrant and technical foul, John Calipari’s Razorbacks close the first half on a 7-0 run to give them a 35-32 lead over St. John’s.
St. John’s takes lead over Arkansas
After trailing for most of the first half, St. John’s holds a slim 28-27 lead at the under-4-minute media timeout. A flagrant foul against Arkansas helped the Red Storm in the comeback run.
St. John’s struggling from the field
At the under-8 media timeout, Arkansas holds a 22-14 lead over St. John’s with 7:58 left in the half. It’s been a struggle for the Red Storm from the court. St. John’s has missed 13 shots in a row and 14 of its last 16. The Red Storm is shooting 5 of 27 (18.5%) from the field and has not made a field goal in 6:25.
Arkansas leading St. John’s
Arkansas holds an 18-13 lead with 11:42 left in the first half at the second media timeout. Johnell Davis and Karter Knox each have seven points. Both teams are struggling from the field. The Red Storm are shooting 25%, while the Razorbacks are shooting 31.3%.
Arkansas holds early lead over St. John’s
Arkansas holds an early 11-6 advantage over St. John’s at the first media timeout with 15:55 left. Johnell Davis has five points to lead the Razorbacks, while Zuby Ejiofor has four points to lead the Red Storm.
St. John’s-Arkansas tips off
St. John’s and Arkansas have tipped off the second game of Saturday’s action. The second-round matchup pits legendary coaches Rick Pitino and John Calipari against one another. Pitino looks to make the Red Storm the fourth program he coaches to the Final Four.
Read Paul Myerberg’s article about the coaches’ respect for each other.
Purdue defeats McNeese 76-62
Purdue is onto the Sweet 16 following a 76-62 win over McNeese on Saturday. Trey Renn-Kaufman led the Boilermakers with 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Fletcher Loyer added 15 points and C.J. Cox added 11.
Sincere Parker led McNeese with 17 points in the loss. Purdue will take on the winner of No. 1 Houston and No. 8 Gonzaga in the Sweet 16.
Trey Renn-Kaufman leading Purdue
Trey Renn-Kaufman is up to 20 points after scoring five between media timeouts. The Purdue lead is 73-59 with 3:54 remaining.
The Boilermakers will play the winner of No. 1 Houston and No. 8 Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 next week.
Purdue up 21 over McNeese State in second half
Purdue is up 65-44 with 7:05 left in the game. Trey Renn-Kaufman has 15 points and 14 rebounds to lead the way for the Boilermakers. Javohn Garcia leads McNeese with 12 points.
Purdue leading, McNeese State losing cool
Purdue continues to lead, pushing the lead to 48-28 in the second half at the first media timeout. Will Wade and Christian Shumate were hit with technical fouls before the media timeout.
Purdue leads McNeese 38-20 at halftime
Purdue played a strong first half and lead McNeese 38-20 at halftime despite not scoring over the last 3:14 of the first half. Braden Smith leads the Boilermakers with 10 points and Trey Renn-Kauman has eight points.
Quadi Copeland leads McNeese with five points. The Cowboys shot 8 of 26 in the first half.
Purdue dominating McNeese in first half of second-round game
Purdue is in absolute control of the second-round matchup with McNeese. The Boilermakers have used a 7-0 run to push the lead to 20 at 34-14. Purdue is shooting 54.5% from the field and 50% from 3-point range.
McNeese is shooting just 5 of 19 from the field and has struggled to find a rhythm.
Purdue leads by 16 early
Purdue is not messing around today. The Boilermakers are shooting 11 of 15 from the field and hold a 27-11 lead with 9:35 left in the first half. Purdue’s defense has limited the Cowboys to 4 of 13 shooting.
Purdue builds early lead over McNeese
At the first media timeout, Purdue holds a 14-6 lead over McNeese with 15:05 left in the first half. The Boilermakers are shooting 6 of 8 from the field, including two 3-pointers early on. The Cowboys are shooting just 2 of 8 from the field.
Second round underway with Purdue-McNeese
The second round of the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament is officially underway, with Purdue and McNeese tipping off. The Boilermakers have jumped out to a 7-6 advantage in the first two minutes.
How to watch Round 2, starting with Purdue vs McNeese
Meet Amir Khan
Bracket reset for Round 2
Need to catch up on what’s happened before Round 2 starts? Here’s a look at the current bracket and who’s remaining, along with which teams have been eliminated to date.
Houston, Gonzaga put Sweet 16 streaks on the line
Kelvin Sampson and Mark Few are no strangers to the second round, but something has to give in Houston vs Gonzaga Saturday. Houston has made five straight Sweet 16 appearances, whereas Gonzaga has nine straight second-weekend showings. Which streak will snap Saturday, and can the No. 8 Bulldogs upset the No. 1 Cougars?
Breaking down the full Round 2 slate Saturday
Michigan looks to get back Sweet 16
After two years of missing the Sweet 16, Michigan basketball hopes to get back to the second weekend in its second season under Dusty May. The Wolverines have a staunch test in Texas A&M, which is seeking its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2018. The Aggies, led by Buzz Williams in his sixth season, survived a tough Yale team to advance whereas Michigan barely held on against UC San Diego in Round 1.
Rick Pitino, John Calipari gear up for marquee coaching showdown
The players play the game, but coaches often act as figureheads for their teams.
Four Big Ten, SEC teams back in action Saturday
The Big Ten and the SEC sent a record eight teams each to the Round of 32, and both conferences will have four teams each playing Saturday.
For the Big Ten, (4) Purdue will tip off against (12) McNeese, (5) Michigan plays (4) Texas A&M, (3) Wisconsin will see (6) BYU, and (7) UCLA has the nightcap against (2) Tennessee.
On the SEC side, John Calipari and (10) Arkansas play Rick Pitino’s (2) St. John’s, the aforementioned Aggies will play Michigan, No. 1 overall seed Auburn plays a tough No. 9 Creighton, and the Vols will play the Bruins to end the day.
McNeese looks to prove it’s not an underdog
At this point, everyone already knows the saga of Amir ‘Aura’ Khan and Will Wade at McNeese. But the Cowboys didn’t just get by Clemson on good vibes. They outplayed the Tigers to advance.
Today, McNeese gets an early opportunity to go to the Sweet 16 against Matt Painter and Purdue. The resumes couldn’t be more different. It would be McNeese’s first Sweet 16 appearance vs Purdue’s 14th, and sixth since 2010.
Where to watch March Madness
TV channels: CBS | TBS | TNT
Streaming: March Madness Live | Sling TV | Fubo (free trial)
Each of CBS, TBS and TNT will carry men’s March Madness games on Saturday. Streaming options include March Madness Live, which requires a valid cable login.
Other streaming options include Sling TV, which carries TBS and TNT, and Fubo, the latter of which carries CBS and offers a free trial.
Watch select March Madness games with Fubo (free trial)
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