This is March: Madness Delivers to End Regular Season

During the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament, there comes a time for reflection. You’re surrounded by televisions and loved ones with brackets strewn about, in between half-empty beers and plates of nachos. March is pure madness. It hits all of the right notes, even when the games do not deliver.

In the final week of the regular season, the games delivered.

MADNESS in the Noon Window

Kentucky gave Big Blue Nation an outstanding win to end the regular season, all while the rest of the college basketball world lost its collective mind. St John’s had only two Big East losses all season, and not one since Feb. 12. It looked like Marquette was going to change that, even if it took multiple overtimes. The Johnnies scrapped their way to a win thanks to some extra hustle after a missed game-winner. Rick Pitino wouldn’t have it any other way.

ZUBY EJIOFOR AT THE BUZZER FOR THE WIN! 😱

What a play for @StJohnsBBall! pic.twitter.com/u56srak7pE

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 8, 2025

Meanwhile in Fayetteville, another former Kentucky coach was desperate for a Top 25 win. An 11-point Arkansas lead with five minutes to go quickly evaporated, thanks to a three-point barrage from Mississippi State. Fortunately, DJ Wagner had one more in him, but so did Josh Hubbard, who tied it with 34 seconds to play. Jonas Aidoo went 1-2 from the free throw line with 11 seconds to play, giving State an opportunity to win it with a bucket.

Billy Richmond blocked a shot. Mississippi State was able to corral the loose ball, but they couldn’t put it through the net. Arkansas fortified its resume with a 93-92 win. The Hogs carried the cramping Richmond off the court following his last-second heroics.

Carefully, he's a hero pic.twitter.com/cb6TU5bxEe

— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) March 8, 2025

March Heartbreak for Bruce Pearl

If the early window wasn’t good enough, Alabama and Auburn gave college basketball fans an instant classic. The intensity of the rivalry game turned Neville Arena into a hornet’s nest. Just like the last game between these two, the road team came ready to play.

Alabama led by as many eight points, holding a multiple possession lead for most of the game until that hornet’s nest came alive. A 5-0 run gave Auburn a lead just before the four-minute mark. Alabama erased a three-point deficit with a three, then sank another one possession later to take a lead. It was one big shot after another by both teams, until they needed one to win. We got overtime.

Johni Broome scored 34 points and delivered two threes in the extra period, including one to tie it with 15 seconds to go. That was too much time for Mark Sears. The red light illuminated the backboard just before his shot hit the bottom of the net. That’s March Madness.

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March Sadness for Kevin Keatts

The former Louisville assistant coach was on the verge of receiving a pink slip last year. Then N.C. State rattled off five wins in five days to capture an ACC Tournament Title. That was just the beginning of a miracle run that ended in the Final Four.

Despite that magical moment, the brass in Raleigh read the writing on the wall and ultimately decided to do what they wanted to do a year ago: move on from Kevin Keatts. He was fired on Sunday, and according to Jeff Goodman, the door is open for Will Wade to make his way back into the power conference ranks.

SIUE Punches First NCAA Tournament Ticket

SIUE head coach Brian Barone framed a pair of scissors over his team’s locker room door six years ago. They broke the glass and used those scissors to cut down the nets Saturday night after winning the OVC title with a 69-48 victory over SEMO, earning the first bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

One other team clinched a spot in the Big Dance on Saturday with a semifinal victory. The result of the Summit League final is irrelevant for the NCAA Tournament. St. Thomas-Minnesota is still ineligible after transitioning to D-I, giving Omaha its first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. The two teams will still play for a conference championship tonight. It’s one of four conference tournament titles on the line today, and it all starts right now on ESPN2.

Big South: Winthrop (+7.5) vs. High Point, Noon, ESPN2
ASUN: Lipscomb (-4.5) vs. North Alabama, 2:00 p.m., ESPN2
Missouri Valley: Drake (-3.5) vs. Bradley, 2:10 p.m., CBS
Summit League: Omaha (+3.5) vs. St. Thomas-Minnesota, 9:00 p.m., CBSSN