NCAA bracket update 2013: Live coverage and score updates for Thursday’s Sweet 16 action

For the second time in as many games, Ohio State went into the game’s final seconds with the ball and the score tied. For the second time, they opted not to get the ball to DeShaun Thomas, who had been leading the way with 20 points. And for the second time, a Buckeye drained a three, with Ohio State moving past Arizona 73-70 on LaQuinton Ross’ jumper with a few seconds left.

At Ohio State blog Land-Grant Holy Land, the most fun was being had in the comments section:

Indiana was a popular pick to win the NCAA Tournament, but after a dismal performance where they couldn’t figure out Syracuse’s 2-3 zone, the Big Ten regular season champs are finished.

Syracuse blog Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician is enjoying the victory -- check the .GIF in their celebratory post, handily titled in part “ELITE EIGHT YOU GUYS!!!” Blogger Sean Keeley found the game “way easier than it was supposed to be,” and took pride in the Orange’s effort:

Perhaps you thought Marquette wouldn’t do well this NCAA Tournament.

Maybe it was after Marquette needed three miracle threes, an errant Davidson pass, and a game-winning layup to earn a win against the No. 14 seed. Maybe it was after they had to score 47 points in the second half to come from behind to beat Butler 74-72. Maybe you saw a team that couldn’t shoot, couldn’t win away from home, lost their first Big East tournament game to Notre Dame and thought they were doomed in a neutral site tournament.

Marquette’s 71-61 Sweet 16 win over Miami Thursday continued the best season in ten years for the Golden Eagles, but it ended the best season in program history, so despite the disappointing performance for one side, fans of both teams had something to be happy about.

Marquette blog Anonymous Eagle has been a fun read over the past week. While some blogs sweat through tournament marches, they’ve been just downright jubilant about everything, sort of like Buzz Williams, whose dancing GIF they posted the other day. They had plenty of reason to be pumped Thursday night, as their squad bounced back from a pair of close calls by trouncing Miami, leading by 20 at points throughout the second half before the lead dwindled to single digits in garbage time.

Wichita State shot 45.5 percent from the floor and were utterly dominant on the boards, out-rebounding La Salle 43-23. The Explorers struggled to find the bucket, making only 35.7 of their field goals and 7 of 18 three-pointers.

• 16 things you should know about the Sweet 16

Here is an updated East Region bracket:

• 16 things you should know about the Sweet 16

Guess who was on the bus to give them a pep talk after the win over Gonzaga?

You know, if when this football thing doesn’t work out, Tebow should consider traveling around the country, pumping up mid-major hoops teams with the power of his words.

Wichita State is dominating the glass battle, outrebounding the Explorers, 25-8. Hall finished the half with 14 points and the team shot 53.3 percent from the floor.

• 16 things you should know about the Sweet 16

“The Price is Right” host and native Clevelander Drew Carey was in attendance for, and was visibly ecstatic about, Ohio State’s 73-70 victory over Arizona on Thursday in the Sweet 16 round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

In a perfect world, Carey would have yelled “OHIO-HIO-hio” at the top of his lungs after doing the “O-H-I-O” cheer with the Buckeye faithful.

• 16 things you should know about the Sweet 16

• Get ready for an all-B1G Final Four

After the game, he’ll join the Point Break crew for a bank robbery.

Elmore asked what really is a standard question to pose to a senior in his final NCAA Tournament. He wanted to know how Thomas felt knowing this was his last chance at winning a championship.

The problem? Thomas is actually a junior, and he made sure to correct Elmore.

• 16 things you should know about the Sweet 16

• Get ready for an all-B1G Final Four

Check this out:

Cold. Blooded.

Earlier on the CBS pregame show, Doug Gottlieb created a stir in the online world when he claimed to be the “white man’s perspective” in the studio. He later backtracked on his Twitter account, saying it was a joke. That didn’t stop ESPN’s Mark May from speaking his mind, however.

It’s rare for media members to call out their own colleagues, much less call for them to be fired. But that’s exactly what May did:

The Golden Eagles trailed Davidson at halftime, and found themselves in the same position in the third round against Butler. Marquette made sure it wouldn’t have to rally for a third consecutive game, holding Miami to 6-of-28 shooting in the first half en route to taking a 29-16 lead into the break. Marquette’s dominance is all part of a larger plan, according to AN community member Mr. Kensington:

Marquette will take on Crean, who is a former head coach of the Golden Eagles, and Indiana on Saturday in the Elite Eight if the top-seeded Hoosiers are able to get past No. 4 Syracuse on Thursday night.

The ACC Champions have fallen, as Miami had an unbelievably poor shooting night and fell to third-seeded Marquette, 71-61, in a game that wasn’t that close.

The Golden Eagles will take the win. After needing a miracle comeback to fend off No. 14 Davidson in the first round and holding on after a bitter comeback to beat Butler, 74-72, they eased over Miami, going up by double digits early and maintaining their lead for the entire second half.

Take a look:

• 16 things you should know about the Sweet 16

The Wildcats have led all game behind 50 percent shooting. Arizona has knocked down five of its eight 3-point attempts and made 9-of-10 free throws.

A quick 8-2 run midway through the half turned a one-point Arizona lead into seven behind five points from Lyons. A Nick Johnson three a few minutes later gave Arizona its first double-digit advantage of the game.

Doug Gottlieb created quite a stir on CBS’s pregame show when he claimed to “bring diversity to the set” and bring a “white man’s perspective.” It was a weird comment that left the studio in several moments of awkward silence.

So what possessed Gottlieb to make such a bizarre, kinda inappropriate comment on national television?

It has been awhile since the two teams have met, and the few times they have Syracuse has usually come out on top. Jim Boeheim is 3-1 against the Hoosiers, but the Hoosiers’ one win was a big one. Keith Smart hit a jumper with five seconds remaining as Indiana overcame an eight-point deficit and won the national title in 1987.

As Jeremy Ryan with Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician writes, that 1987 title game is the game that haunts Orange fans nationwide.

Game time, TV: 7:47 P.M. ET, TBS

Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, Calif.

They went on to another nail-biter against Butler, as Blue once again bailed them out of a second-half hole and they held on to beat the Bulldogs, 74-72.

Game time and TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, CBS

After an exciting first weekend of action and three days off, the 2013 NCAA Tournament resumes on Thursday with the Sweet 16.

Three No. 1 seeds remain in the fold after Gonzaga’s defeat in the round of 32. There are also three double digit seeds that made it to the second weekend. Oregon manhandled its opponents and proved that they were indeed under seeded. La Salle had two dramatic finishes to upset both Kansas St. and Ole Miss. And Florida Gulf Coast alley-ooped and danced their way into our hearts as the first No. 15 seed to ever make it this far.