Men’s March Madness 2026 takeaways: Otega Oweh shot saves Kentucky’s season on Day 2

The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 Men’s March Madness first round. 

The NCAA Tournament resumed Friday, featuring 16 more games across four regional sites to determine the final entries into the Round of 32.

Day 1 gave us one big upset (pleased to meet you, Chase Johnston), one massive scare (exhale, Duke fans) and plenty of chalk. What will Day 2 bring? Another mid-major statement from Miami (Ohio)? A bracket-busting upset (or three)?

The Athletic has you covered with Friday’s results and everything you need to know for games later in the day.

No.  7 Kentucky 89, No. 10 Santa Clara 84

With nine seconds left, Kentucky-Santa Clara was heading to overtime after Otega Oweh’s shot tied the game at 70-70. Down to two seconds, Santa Clara was in jubilation, seemingly wheeling into the second round after an Allen Graves 3-pointer put the Broncos ahead 73-70, and the Wildcats didn’t take a timeout.

However, the clock hit zero just as Oweh’s game-tying 3 banked off the glass, forcing overtime at 73-73.

It was needed.

In the extra period, Santa Clara condemned itself to firing 3s on nine of its 11 shots, making only three, while Kentucky was able to attack the paint and outlast the Broncos behind 35 points from Oweh. — Devon Henderson, staff writer

NO. WAY. 😱

WE’RE GOING TO OVERTIME!!! #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/3n8rDxkY3h

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2026

No. 5 Texas Tech 91, No. 12 Akron 71

Texas Tech never trailed but couldn’t pull away until the closing minutes to avoid an upset bid from 12th-seeded Akron.

Red Raiders guard Christian Anderson, who left the Big 12 tournament with an injury after slipping on the glass court, made some of the team’s biggest plays. Midway through the second half, he stole the ball and finished with a dunk to extend Texas Tech’s lead to 11. Anderson was one of five Red Raiders who scored at least 14 points in the win.

The Zips hurt themselves early by missing 13 of their 22 shots inside the arc in the first half. Amani Lyles led Akron with 26 points.

Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said Thursday that defensive rebounding was one of his team’s biggest areas for growth. The Red Raiders finished with 31 Friday — a notable showing as they try to advance to the Sweet 16 Sunday against the winner of Alabama-Hofstra. — Matt Baker, senior college sports writer

No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra

Friday 3:15 p.m. ET, truTV

If you’re a fan of high-level guard play, Alabama vs. Hofstra deserves a spot on your screen. Alabama rolls out a deep, versatile backcourt with four guards who can create, while Hofstra counters with a dynamic duo in CAA Player of the Year Cruz Davis and CAA Rookie of the Year Preston Edmead.

The Crimson Tide will be without star guard Aden Holloway (16.8 points per game) following his arrest on felony drug possession charges, putting even more pressure on All-SEC selection Labaron Philon Jr. (21.7), Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (12.8) and Amari Allen (11.7) to carry the load.

What makes this matchup fascinating is the ability of Hofstra’s backcourt to generate offense in bursts. Davis, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Plano, Texas, has five 30-point games this season, including a 36-point outburst against Pittsburgh in December. With his scoring instincts and NBA upside, he now has a stage to deliver another big-time performance.

Stylistically, Alabama’s offense is as extreme as it gets. The Tide either launches 3s or finishes at the rim, ranking 363rd nationally in 2-point attempt percentage. Hofstra presents a unique challenge. Per KenPom, the Pride own the third-best defense in the country against 2-point attempts and rank ninth overall in defensive efficiency.

Alabama doesn’t generate much disruption on defense, sitting 362nd in defensive turnover percentage, and can be vulnerable when forced to guard in the halfcourt. Hofstra doesn’t have the overall firepower to match Alabama possession-for-possession, so its path is clear: slow the tempo, muddy the game and keep it within reach. If Davis heats up and Edmead complements him, the Pride have a real chance. — Tobias Bass, staff editor

No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State

4:10 p.m. ET, TNT

Utah State stands out as a top sleeper, checking plenty of important boxes, including strong coaching, efficiency on both ends and legitimate depth. While the Aggies may not feature a surefire NBA prospect, Mountain West Player of the Year Mason Falslev (16.1 points per game) and leading scorer MJ Collins Jr. (17.6) give them one of the most reliable scoring duos in the tournament.

Villanova brings plenty of firepower of its own. The Wildcats boast five players averaging double figures, led by Tyler Perkins at 13.7 points per game, making them one of the more balanced offensive teams in the field.

On paper, these teams mirror each other closely. Both rank inside the top 50 in offensive and defensive efficiency, top 110 in 3-point percentage, and top 110 in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

The edge tilts slightly toward Utah State in two areas: offensive 2-point percentage and defensive turnover percentage. This matchup has all the ingredients to be one of Friday’s best. Villanova’s physical half-court defense will test Utah State’s disciplined, high-IQ offense.

As always in March, it comes down to style. Can the Aggies keep their rhythm and convert from the perimeter? Or will Villanova impose its physicality and disrupt Utah State’s flow? Something has to give. — Tobias Bass, staff editor

No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio)

4:25 p.m. ET, TBS

America’s favorite Cinderella is still dancing. Miami (Ohio) punched its ticket with a First Four win over SMU on Wednesday, and now the RedHawks carry the hopes of upset lovers everywhere. The next test, however, is a serious one.

Tennessee boasts one of the nation’s most suffocating defenses (15th) and dominates the glass, ranking second in rebounding differential. That combination alone makes the Volunteers a nightmare matchup.

If Miami (Ohio) is going to keep this run alive, the formula is clear: let it fly. In Thursday’s win, the RedHawks attempted 41 3s and knocked down 16, with Eian Elmer leading the charge with six. The challenge? Tennessee was the best team in the SEC at defending the 3-point line.

Offensively, the Volunteers are powered by Ja’Kobi Gillespie (18.0 points per game) and future lottery pick Nate Ament (17.5), giving them a reliable one-two punch. The bench has been inconsistent, though, so foul trouble could become a factor.

While Miami’s 3-point barrage grabs headlines, the RedHawks are far from one-dimensional — they rank second in the country in 2-point percentage. Tennessee’s game plan will be simple: get physical, control the boards and disrupt Miami’s rhythm.

For the RedHawks, it comes down to composure and execution. Run your offense, knock down shots and finish possessions with rebounds. Easy enough, right? — Tobias Bass, staff editor

No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa

6:50 p.m. ET, TNT

Don’t expect to see 80 points either way in this game. You might not see 70, either.

Both teams are champions of slow-paced play, with both ranking below 320th in the nation in possessions per game. Clemson ranks 329th with only 67.2 possessions per game, while Iowa averages just 64.8, good for second-to-last (364th) out of the 365 Division I programs in the country.

Both the Tigers and Hawkeyes rank in the bottom half of their respective conferences in scoring. So, understandably, both deploy stifling defenses. Iowa is No. 1 in the Big Ten in scoring defense (66 points allowed per game), while Clemson ranks second (66.7 allowed) in the ACC, behind only top-seeded Duke. And both rank in the top 30 in KenPom in defensive rating.

Iowa senior guard Bennett Stirtz can provide enough scoring pop to be the difference. Despite his team not being an offensive juggernaut, Stirtz is the Big Ten’s fifth-leading scorer at 20.0 points per game. Clemson’s two leading scorers, RJ Godfrey (11.9 points per game) and Carter Welling (10.2), combine to average barely more than Stirtz.

If you’re a fan of guns-blazing offense, this one won’t be for you. Leave it to the basketball purists and disciples of hard-nosed defense. — Devon Henderson, staff writer

No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF

7:25 p.m. ET, TBS

UCLA will rise and fall with the players it has healthy. In a 20-game stretch starting Jan. 1 and ending when forward Tyler Bilodeau (17.6 points per game) was injured against Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, the Bruins had the nation’s No. 3 offense, according to CBS. Questions swirl on whether Bilodeau can return from the knee strain, though star guard Donovan Dent is expected to play after he went out with a right calf strain 10 minutes into the Big Ten semifinals.

Dent has been historically efficient down the stretch, with 78 assists to only six turnovers in his last eight games. His 13-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio during that period has not been replicated by any NBA or Division I player in the past three decades, per OptaStats. This will also be the senior’s third foray into March Madness after playing in the Big Dance with New Mexico the previous two seasons.

That experience will come in handy against high-powered UCF, which boasts a top-40 offense in KenPom, but is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years.

Rebounding could be an issue for the Bruins. While UCF only ranks 83rd in the country in rebounds per game (37.2), UCLA is 318th at only 32.3. If the offenses stall out, the Knights may grab an edge via extra possessions. — Devon Henderson, staff writer

No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 California Baptist

9:45 p.m. ET, CBS

Watch out for the Lancers. March brings forth diamonds in the rough — legends who etch their names into the annals of basketball history, if only for a fleeting moment.

Think Jack Gohlke for Oakland, dropping 32 points to beat Kentucky in 2024. Think Doug Edert leading Saint Peter’s past, well, Kentucky in 2022 with 20 off the bench, and then beating Murray State and Purdue as well.

Get ready to learn about 5-foot-10 Cal Baptist superstar and WAC Player of the Year, Dominique Daniels Jr. The dynamic point guard averages 23.2 points per game, good for fifth in the country this season. Electric off the dribble with toughness and an ability to score at all three levels, Daniels is more than just a 3-point gunner. He makes just under two 3s a game, and he’ll attack the Jayhawks any way he can.

On the flip side, the world wants to know how many minutes Kansas will get out of its own superstar, potential No. 1 draft pick Darryn Peterson. The star guard played in 22 of Kansas’ 33 games this season and played less than 25 minutes in seven of them due to a myriad of injuries. However, he’s rounded into form of late, averaging 31 minutes and 19.2 points a night over the last seven games for the Jayhawks.

The problem is Kansas is 3-4 during that same span, including upset losses to Cincinnati and Arizona State. The blue blood is susceptible to being upset by a mid-major with a superstar scorer and nothing to lose. This will be an interesting one to watch. — Devon Henderson, staff writer

No. 7 Miami (FL) vs. No. 10 Missouri

10:10 p.m. ET, truTV

Miami ranks sixth in the ACC in rebounding, fifth in scoring, and at one point was on a 10-game winning streak. The Hurricanes deploy two strong forces down low in leading scorer Malik Reneau (6-9, 238 pounds, 18.8 points per game) and Ernest Udeh Jr. (6-11, 266 pounds). The Hurricanes are diligent in getting points in the paint. While they rank highly in scoring, they are dead last in the ACC in 3-point attempts per game at 18.9. Expect the Hurricanes to try to bully their way to the second round.

The problem is that the Tigers match Miami in size. Star senior Mark Mitchell leads the team in scoring (18.3), rebounds (5.3) and assists (3.6), and is 6-9, 230. Also roaming the Tigers’ paint is 7-footer Shawn Phillips Jr., who averages 1.5 blocks per game but only 5.1 rebounds.

Despite the size, the Tigers don’t rebound well (fourth-worst in the SEC) and enter the tournament on a three-game losing streak. The Hurricanes will need to get more out of perimeter players Tre Donaldson and Shelton Henderson to outmatch Missouri.

Down low, it’s possible both teams effectively cancel each other out, so whichever team’s outside shooting settles in quicker will be the spark to put it over the edge. — Devon Henderson, staff writer