NCAA bracket 2015: No. 14 seed UAB beats No. 3 Iowa State

After just the second game of the day, we already have our first big upset of March Madness. No. 14 seed UAB shocked No. 3 Iowa State, 60-59. ISU was considered by many people to be a potential sleeper to advance to the Final Four. Typically one of the most exciting and most efficient offensive teams in the country, ISU could not pull away as it missed easy shots near the rim and beyond the arc.

UAB did not shoot well, either, but as soon as it looked like Iowa State was pulling away, the Blazers hit a three with 50 seconds left — their first in 10 tries — to take the lead. The Blazers dominated the offensive boards all game, and it paid off in the end as they hit their shots when it counted.

Now, UAB will face the winner of No. 6 SMU vs No. 11 UCLA.

The first game of the NCAA Tournament nearly gave us a major upset, too, when No. 3 Notre Dame held off No. 11 Northeastern, 69-65, in a too-close-for-comfort win in Pittsburgh. Northeastern kept it close in the first half, and just when it looked like Notre Dame was going to run away with the game in the second half, the Huskies stormed back to bring it within four with 45 seconds left.

Notre Dame couldn’t hit its free throws to put the game away, and the Irish threw away an inbounds pass that gave the Huskies, down two, a chance to take the final shot. However, NU could not do anything with the ball and turned it over with less than two seconds left, helping the Irish seal the win.

Notre Dame will advance to the third round against the winner of No. 6 Butler and No. 11 Texas.