• ESPN
Mar 22, 2024, 04:10 PM ET

After the way Thursday ended -- 14-seed Oakland upset 3-seed Kentucky, 11-seed NC State upset 6-seed Texas Tech, Washington State came back to win, and Samford and Kansas finished late on a controversial call -- can Friday's early window continue the March momentum?

Last year's tournament darling, Florida Atlantic, began the day with a loss to Northwestern (12:15 p.m. ET), while double-digit sleepers 12-seed UAB (vs. 5-seed San Diego State) and 11-seed New Mexico (vs. 6-seed Clemson) are just getting started and looking for an upset.

Bookmark this page for updates on games throughout Day 2 of the round of 64.

Live projections: ESPN's March Madness forecast

Midwest region: No. 2 Marquette 87, No. 15 Western Kentucky 69

Is Marquette a Final Four contender with Tyler Kolek back? Absolutely. Kolek was the driving force for Marquette's second-half comeback. Kolek finished with a double-double (18 points, 11 assists). In his first game back from an oblique injury, he was stymied in the first half. But in the final 20 minutes, the offense ran through the senior from Rhode Island. Ten of Kolek's assists came in the second half and that helped Kam Jones get rolling too. Jones finished with a game-high 28 points.

What it means for Marquette: Give Marquette a ton of credit. It might have been easy to buckle after Western Kentucky ended the first half with a big run and seemed primed for an upset. But coach Shaka Smart's group came out of the locker room with a 17-5 run that shifted the game in its favor. It's the kind of performance that will benefit Marquette the rest of the way.

What it means for Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers should feel great about the program moving forward. In coach Steve Lutz's first year, Western Kentucky gave a solid Marquette squad all it can handle. Lutz has been highly regarded throughout his career, including stints as an assistant at Purdue and Creighton. After Friday's performance and what Western Kentucky did this season, it's easy to see why. -- Ben Baby

Kolek returns, Marquette rolls: Marquette played 20 minutes of quintessential Marquette basketball against Western Kentucky. On this day, at least, that was enough for the Golden Eagles to advance. After trailing the Hilltoppers by 7 at the half, Shaka Smart's team rolled in the second half.

Tyler Kolek didn't merely return from the oblique injury that sidelined him for six games. The senior was his usual self. Kolek was in fact the one player keeping Marquette afloat during its otherwise subpar first half.

Coasting for one half of basketball against a No. 15 seed was a luxury Marquette could afford this time. However, that's unlikely to be the case going forward. The South region bracket still includes four teams that sit alongside the Golden Eagles in the KenPom top 30. -- John Gasaway

East region: No. 5 San Diego State 69, No. 12 UAB 65

Can Jaedon LeDee carry San Diego State in March? LeDee, who arrived in San Diego after time at Ohio State and TCU, was a key piece a year ago, but he wasn't the guy. This year, the Aztecs were heavily reliant on him all year and that remained the case Friday in Spokane. LeDee was the best player on the floor and finished with a game-high 32 points to lead SDSU to the win. If the Aztecs continue their run, they will need more help around him, but he showed he has what it takes to step up his game as the stakes increase.

What it means for San Diego State: The Aztecs were clearly the more talented team, but they came out of halftime a little complacent and UAB took advantage to make it a competitive game until the end. Perhaps it was the wake-up call they needed to grease the skids for another deep run, after reaching the national championship game a year ago. That, of course, won't be easy with the Auburn-Yale winner waiting Sunday and the possibility to meet the tournament's No. 1 overall seed, UConn, in the Sweet 16.

What it means for UAB: Oh, what could have been. UAB was in position to win its first NCAA tournament game since 2015, but its inability to make the necessary plays down the stretch was the difference. Still, winning the AAC tournament in its first year in the conference to reach the Big Dance made this a successful season in coach Andy Kennedy's fourth year. - Kyle Bonagura

LeDee no longer a secret: College basketball had a multitude of stars this season, some new and some familiar. Zach Edey's campaign to win another Wooden Award and lead Purdue to a national title continues. Dalton Knecht emerged at Tennessee, where the Northern Colorado transfer will prepare for the NBA draft after the NCAA tournament. Jamal Shead, R.J. Davis and others also shined this year. But San Diego State's Jaedon LeDee (32 points) has been somewhat under the (national) radar. Until Friday. The Aztecs star's breathtaking effort might have been an introduction for some fans or just a reminder for those who are familiar with his talent. LeDee, a reserve on last season's Final Four team, has been a star all season. The performance he put together against UAB has become the norm. -- Myron Medcalf

Can Northwestern give UConn a game in the second round? Northwestern didn't bring its A-game to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and it still beat a tough Florida Atlantic team. Yes, the same FAU that made the Final Four last season. Now, the overall No. 1 seeded Huskies are almost certainly on deck. The Wildcats are not going to be a walk-over for the Huskies. Northwestern has a veteran backcourt led by Boo Buie and Ryan Langborg, who showed capable of taking over on the big stage with Northwestern's first seven points of overtime, and has already proven it can handle size and top competition.

The Wildcats took No. 1 seed Purdue to overtime in both their Big Ten matchups during the regular season season, which included a win over the Boilermakers in Evanston. That should make for an intriguing second-round matchup between Northwestern and UConn. The Huskies should be in for a tough game.

What it means for Northwestern: The Wildcats have been in the NCAA tournament three times in school history. They've won their opening game each time (2017, 2023 and 2024). That's quite a fine reflection on coach Chris Collins, who orchestrated all three appearances. The Wildcats were able to do it this year despite a rough first half and blowing a nine-point lead in the final 6:43 of regulation. They shot just 22% from the field in the opening 20 minutes against FAU and needed a Brooks Barnhizer layup with under 10 seconds remaining to even get to overtime. But that is when Langborg took over. He scored 12 points in overtime, hitting one big shot after the next. Langborg scored a game-high 27 points to take out a pesky FAU team. The Wildcats now will look for their first-ever Sweet 16 appearance on Sunday in Brooklyn.

What it means for FAU: The Owls won't repeat their magic from last season, when they made the Final Four as a 9-seed. This year they were an 8-seed, but picked an inopportune time for their worst offensive performance of the season. FAU scored a season-low 20 points in the first half (and amazingly still led by one). The Owls showed heart in the second half, chipping away at a nine-point deficit to eventually take the lead in the final minute. But they again went cold in overtime and scored just three points in the extra session. Leading scorer Johnell Davis finished 6-of-16 in the sloppy contest, which saw the teams combine to shoot 26% from the floor in the first half. It's disappointing for FAU, which still finished the season with single-digit losses and has two seniors and three juniors in the starting lineup. -- Jordan Raanan

Dusty May is on the clock: With FAU's loss to Northwestern, the coaching carousel should start to begin spinning -- as Dusty May is considered the biggest domino on the market. He's perceived to be the leader at both Louisville and Michigan, and the two programs are likely waiting for his decision. There has also been some Vanderbilt buzz associated with May, although the other two are obviously much better jobs. In theory, he could also opt to stay at FAU, where he's very happy. But with multiple pieces of his core likely leaving, it's a logical time to leave Boca Raton. May wanted to wait until his season ended before making his pick. His season is now over. What will he decide? -- Jeff Borzello

West region: No. 3 Baylor 92, No. 14 Colgate 67

Can Baylor continue to make the sum-of-the-parts approach work? Fewer than 24 hours before he had to face Baylor, Colgate coach Matt Langel had outlined the degree of difficulty in defending this version of the Bears' offense -- "usually three, three and a half, four, very good 3-point shooters on the court,'' Langel had said. "I don't know if you're going to be able to take away all their 3s.'' The Raiders couldn't solve the numbers game Friday in FedEx Forum as Baylor got at least two made 3-pointers from four of its starters, and got at least four from two starters, on the way to a limber-up victory. Perhaps the only reason they didn't get the fifth starter -- freshman forward Yves Missi -- on the list is because Missi didn't attempt a 3. Baylor had entered the game as the only team in the tournament with six players who had averaged at least 10 points per game and got 10 or more points from four starters Friday, led by senior Jalen Bridges' 23 points.

What it means for Baylor: That the Bears (24-10), who had lost two of their last three games coming in, settled into the tournament quite nicely, going on a 10-2 run to open the game and they led by 20 points at halftime. That was a quality first-round flex for the only team in Division I that has been at least a No. 3 seed or higher in each of the last four tournaments. It also meant the Bears quickly brushed off their 14-point loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament a week ago -- their second-worst loss of the season. The Bears, who played only a seven-player rotation for much of a blowout win, will get the winner of the New Mexico-Clemson game in the second round Sunday at FedEx Forum.

What it means for Colgate: The Raiders (25-10) are left to continue to try to figure out a way to cross the bridge from dominating the Patriot League year after year to winning a game in the NCAA tournament. They were 19-2 in the Patriot League and won their fourth consecutive tournament title but haven't been able to pull off an NCAA upset. -- Jeff Legwold

The Bears are peaking: Baylor picked an opportune moment to record its best game on offense in more than three months. With 92 points in just 64 possessions, the Bears displayed peak efficiency in defeating Colgate by 25. Scott Drew's team excelled in Big 12 play this season by putting multiple perimeter threats on the floor alongside the offensive rebounding of Missi. That approach worked to perfection against the Raiders, with the added wrinkle that there just weren't many misses for Missi to rebound. BU drained 16 shots from beyond the arc, with Bridges and Jayden Nunn leading the way. The elite Baylor offense is sharing the bottom half of the West bracket with an equally efficient Arizona team. These two might meet down the road, but the Bears and Wildcats will have to win one more game for that to happen. -- John Gasaway