March Madness Day One: Cinderella’s Slipper Needs Adjustments, Chalk Holds Firm (Mostly)

The opening day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s first round is complete, and while the madness wasn’t quite at Defcon 1, there were still a few storylines and surprises to unpack. We witnessed the usual suspects of bracket busters – a 12-seed triumphing over a 5-seed, and an 11-seed sending a 6-seed packing. However, for the most part, the higher-seeded teams, the so-called "chalk," managed to hold their ground. If your bracket is filled with favorites, you’re likely in a comfortable position heading into Friday’s games.

Twelve out of sixteen top seeds survived, which is a strong showing for the chalk crowd. While no first-round day is complete without a few upsets, predicting the higher-seeded team in each game would have put you in a great spot.

Two victories – Creighton over Louisville and Arkansas over Kansas – although technically upsets, weren’t enormous surprises. Both Creighton and Arkansas have the talent and pedigree to compete with teams ranked higher.

Gonzaga’s Dominance Continues

Those who tuned into the Georgia-Gonzaga game even a few minutes late missed the entire story. Gonzaga exploded to a 13-0 lead before the first timeout, essentially sealing the game early.

Mark Few continues to build his legacy as one of the best active coaches in the nation, despite still searching for that elusive national championship. Gonzaga’s consistent excellence under Few is undeniable. They’ve reached the second round in the past 16 NCAA Tournaments, a testament to the program’s stability and Few’s coaching prowess.

Will Wade’s Redemption

Just a few short years ago, Will Wade found himself in hot water after the FBI investigated his tenure at LSU. He was exiled and many thought his career was over. He landed at McNeese State, a program with no NCAA Tournament victories.

Wade’s success at McNeese underscores his coaching ability. He orchestrated a remarkable turnaround, leading the No. 12 Cowboys to an upset victory over No. 5 Clemson, marking McNeese’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win.

Wade’s now a hot coaching commodity. Rumors are swirling that he’s a top candidate for the North Carolina State head coaching job after McNeese’s tournament run concludes. When asked about the rumors in an interview, Wade didn’t deny the claim, emphasizing that these reports are "of no distraction" to the team.

No need for the FBI to uncover Wade’s successful rebuilding of his career. He’s back and proving himself to be one of the best coaches in the game.

Ben McCollum’s Stock Soars

Speaking of coaches on the rise, Ben McCollum of Drake is generating significant buzz. If he’s not the top candidate for the Iowa coaching job, something is amiss in Iowa City.

McCollum, a Division II legend with four national championships at Northwest Missouri State, has transformed Drake in his first season. He led the No. 11 Bulldogs to the second round after a commanding performance against Missouri. Excluding "First Four" games, this win marks Drake’s first NCAA Tournament victory since 1971.

Four of Drake’s starters played under McCollum at Northwest Missouri State. These players continue to prove their ability to compete at the Division I level, particularly Bennett Stirtz, who scored 21 points.

Iowa should be willing to wait until Drake’s tournament run ends to secure McCollum’s services, even if that run extends to the Sweet Sixteen. Drake is a formidable team capable of making a deep tournament run.

Clemson’s Collapse, Louisville’s Letdown

Clemson delivered an abysmal performance. Coach Brad Brownell, who was linked to other coaching positions, agreed to a contract extension with Clemson, only to see his team struggle in a 69-67 loss to No. 12 McNeese.

Clemson’s Elite Eight appearance last season appears to be an outlier, not the norm.

Louisville fared even worse. The Cardinals looked completely lost in an 89-75 loss to No. 9 Creighton, despite playing near their home campus in Lexington.

Creighton’s experienced players, Steven Ashworth and Ryan Kalkbrenner, combined for 36 points, while Arizona State transfer Jamiya Neal added 29. Creighton’s dominant performance should serve as a warning to No. 1 Auburn, as the Bluejays possess the talent and experience to pull off a second-round upset.

The ACC is left with only two teams, No. 1 Duke and No. 11 North Carolina, after the disappointing performances of Clemson and Louisville.

SEC’s Mixed Bag

Despite earning an NCAA record 14 bids, the SEC experienced mixed results. While the conference was lauded during the regular season for its dominance, March Madness has a way of humbling even the strongest teams.

It wasn’t a disastrous day for the SEC. Top-seeded Auburn, Tennessee, and Texas A&M all won comfortably. No. 10 Arkansas defeated Kansas in one of the day’s more intriguing games.

However, the SEC lost three teams, leaving them with 11 remaining. No. 11 Texas lost a late lead in a "First Four" loss, Georgia was blown out by Gonzaga, and Missouri was outmatched by Drake.

While not a disaster, it wasn’t the start the SEC had hoped for.

Missouri’s Postseason Struggles Continue

The problem with Missouri basketball isn’t reaching the postseason; it’s what happens when they get there.

Missouri has a history of making the NCAA Tournament, but they’ve never reached a Final Four. That streak will continue after Drake’s 67-57 victory, an upset that felt like an inevitable outcome.

Drake was the better team entering the tournament, and that became apparent once the game began.

Six of Missouri’s past seven NCAA Tournament appearances have ended in the first round. The one time they won their first-round game during that span, they lost to No. 15 Princeton in the second round.

This game was simply another chapter in Missouri’s postseason struggles.

Calipari’s Kentucky Exit Still Stings

Kentucky fans, be warned: John Calipari won’t make your separation easy.

Calipari’s Arkansas team advanced to the second round, and while it’s not an extraordinary achievement, given Arkansas’ talent, it adds pressure on Kentucky’s new coach, Mark Pope. The third-seeded Wildcats will face Troy.

Kentucky fans were thrilled to see Calipari leave after last year’s first-round exit continued a string of March Madness disappointments. But then Calipari returned to Rupp Arena in February with Arkansas and beat Kentucky. Now he is surging into the second round against St. John’s making Kentucky fans question if they made the right decision. He’s making Kentucky fans second guess this breakup.