Acc Takes Another Hit Santa Clara Kos Maryland
The Atlantic Coast Conference, the winningest league in NCAA tournament history, is off to an atypical start.
The ACC received six tournament bids the most in the field - but by early Friday had only three teams left after Santa Clara eliminated Maryland 91-79. Clemson and Duke had been sent home a day earlier.
But Wake Forest beat Northeast Louisiana 62-50 in the Midwest Regional at Milwaukee, Georgia Tech then beat Austin Peay 90-79 in the Southeast Regional and North Carolina beat New Orleans 83-62, giving the ACC a 3-3 record in this year’s tournament.
Steve Nash had 28 points and 12 assists for Santa Clara.
Marlon Garnett scored 18 points for 10thseeded Santa Clara (20-8), which beat defending champion UCLA this season and upset second-seeded Arizona in the first round of the 1993 NCAA tournament.
Elsewhere, Iowa gave the Big Ten a needed boost, and the Big East showed why it was the nation’s best conference this year.
The Hawkeyes, trailing George Washington by 17 points late, rallied for an 81-79 win in the West Regional at Tempe, Ariz.
The Big Ten, which had six of its seven entrants beaten in the first round of last year’s tournament, lost three of its five teams in the first round this year.
Indiana was eliminated by Boston College 64-51 in the Southeast Regional and Michigan lost to Texas 80-76 in the Midwest.
BC’s win gave the Big East a 5-0 record against this year’s field.
MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: FRIDAY’S SCORES
East Georgetown 93, Mississippi Valley St. 56 New Mexico 69, Kansas St. 48 Texas Tech 74, Northern Illinois 73 North Carolina 83, New Orleans 62 Southeast Temple 61, Oklahoma 43 Cincinnati 66, North Carolina-Greensboro 61 Boston College 64, Indiana 51 Georgia Tech 90, Austin Peay 79
Midwest Louisville 82, Tulsa 80 (OT) Villanova 92, Portland 58 Wake Forest 62, Northeast Louisiana 50 Texas 80, Michigan 76
West Santa Clara 91, Maryland 79 Kansas 92, South Carolina St. 54 Iowa 81, George Washington 79 Arizona 90, Valparaiso 51
East Georgetown 93, Mississippi Valley St. 56 New Mexico 69, Kansas St. 48 Texas Tech 74, Northern Illinois 73 North Carolina 83, New Orleans 62 Southeast Temple 61, Oklahoma 43 Cincinnati 66, North Carolina-Greensboro 61 Boston College 64, Indiana 51 Georgia Tech 90, Austin Peay 79
Midwest Louisville 82, Tulsa 80 (OT) Villanova 92, Portland 58 Wake Forest 62, Northeast Louisiana 50 Texas 80, Michigan 76
West Santa Clara 91, Maryland 79 Kansas 92, South Carolina St. 54 Iowa 81, George Washington 79 Arizona 90, Valparaiso 51