The first segment of play from Friday in the NCAA Tournament didn't have quite as much drama as Thursday's opening act, which included Yale's upset of Baylor and a strong run at Duke by UNC Wilmington. But it did include the biggest upset of March Madness so far.
NCAA bracket 2016: Hawai’i takes down Cal in biggest March Madness upset so far
The Rainbow Warriors’ win is the first by a No. 13 seed or lower.
No. 13 Hawai'i topped No. 4 California, 77-66, in a matchup of one of the nation's most unseen teams and one stocked with future NBA talent. The Bears did play without leading scorers Tyrone Wallace and Jabari Bird, and after an assistant coach's firing for alleged sexual harassment, but the Rainbow Warriors' balanced attack (all five starters chipped in at least five points, with three players over 14) got them a deserved first win in NCAA Tournament action.
The Rainbow Warriors’ win is the first by a seed lower than No. 12 in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Two No. 10 seeds, VCU and Syracuse, also staged “upsets” in early action, with Will Wade’s team winning over a possibly overseeded No. 7 Oregon State and Jim Boeheim’s Orange quieting a week of skepticism about their inclusion in the Tournament by walloping the Flyers.
And after a brief stretch of competitive play, No. 2 Villanova opened up a lead and never looked back against No. 15 UNC Asheville, earning the day’s most lopsided victory.
Here are Friday’s final scores from the 2016 NCAA Tournament. You can go update your printable March Madness bracket now!
No. 10 Syracuse 70, No. 7 Dayton 51
No. 2 Villanova 86, No. 15 UNC Asheville 56
No. 10 VCU 75, No. 7 Oregon State 67
No. 13 Hawai’i 77, No. 4 California 66
Three other Friday afternoon games are underway:
No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Middle Tennessee State (CBS)
No. 7 Iowa vs. No. 10 Temple (truTV)
No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Cal State Bakersfield (TNT)
One more Friday afternoon games have yet to tip:
No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 12 South Dakota State (TBS)
And, finally, Friday’s evening session:
No. 7 Wisconsin vs. No. 10 Pittsburgh (6:50 p.m., TNT)
No. 3 West Virginia vs. No. 14 Stephen F. Austin (7:10 p.m., CBS)
No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 14 Green Bay (7:20 p.m., TBS)
No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 16 Holy Cross, (7:27 p.m., truTV)
No. 2 Xavier vs. No. 15 Weber State (9:20 p.m., TNT)
No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Michigan (9:40 p.m., CBS)
No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11 Northern Iowa (9:50 p.m., TBS)
No. 8 Saint Joseph’s vs. No. 9 Cincinnati (9:57 p.m., truTV)
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