NCAA Tournament — Michigan and Michigan State Reach Elite Eight
Michigan and Michigan State advanced to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament's Elite Eight on Friday night.
Second-seeded Michigan defeated Tennessee 74-71 in the Midwest Regional semifinals in Indianapolis, giving the Wolverines a Sunday date with Kentucky. The eighth-seeded Wildcats ousted the defending national champion Louisville Cardinals 74-69.
Fourth-seeded Michigan State outlasted top-seeded Virginia 61-59 in the East Regional semifinals in New York, giving the Spartans a Sunday date with Connecticut. The seventh-seeded Huskies defeated Iowa State 81-76.
Midwest Region
Michigan 73, Tennessee 71
Jordan Morgan's 15 points and seven rebounds led the Wolverines (28-8), who held off a furious second-half rally by the 11th-seeded Volunteers.
The Volunteers trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half before closing within 72-71 with under 15 seconds to play. Tennessee had an opportunity to take the lead, but Jarnell Stokes was called for a charge on Morgan with six seconds left.
Jordan McRae had a game-high 24 points for the Volunteers (24-13).
Kentucky 74, Louisville 69
Aaron Harrison hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 39 seconds left and Julius Randle added two clutch free throws as the Wildcats defeated their in-state rivals for the second time this season.
Harrison, Randle and another freshman starter, Dakari Johnson, had 15 points apiece for Kentucky (27-10).
The Cardinals (31-6) were led by a pair of seniors, Russ Smith's 23 points and Luke Hancock's 19.Louisville Coach Rick Pitino fell to 11-1 in Sweet 16 games.
East Region
Michigan State 61, Virginia 59
Branden Dawson's 24 points and 10 rebounds led the Spartans (29-8) past the top-seeded Cavaliers.
Michigan State overcame a sluggish second-half start and withstood a late run by the Cavaliers (30-7). The Spartans held the Cavaliers (30-7) to 35.1 percent field-goal shooting.
Joe Harris and Malcolm Brogden both had 17 points for Virginia, the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season and tournament champion which became the second No. 1 seed to be eliminated -- joining Wichita State.
Connecticut 81, Iowa State 76
DeAndre Daniels' 27 points and 10 rebounds led the Huskies (29-8) past the Cyclones.
Daniels and teammates Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright dominated the game, pushing UConn out to a 36-26 lead at halftime. The Huskies extended their lead in the second half, but the Cyclones' DeAndre Kane and Monte Morris helped narrow the final margin of victory.
Dustin Hogue led Iowa State (28-8) with 34 points.