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Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship: First Round Upsets

The first rounds of the 2025 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship has wrapped up, and the second round matchups are set to take place this weekend.

(No. 9) Creighton def. (No. 8) Louisville 89-75

No. 9 Creighton dominated No. 8 Louisville in their first-round South Region matchup, building a 15-point halftime lead and maintaining control throughout the second half. Louisville managed to cut the deficit to 12 with under five minutes remaining, but Creighton never let the lead slip to single digits. With the win, Creighton advances to face No. 1 Auburn in the second round.

(No. 10) New Mexico def. (No. 7) Marquette 75-66

No. 10 New Mexico stunned No. 7 Marquette with a 75-66 victory, pulling away late in the second half. The Lobos held a commanding 38-26 advantage in points in the paint, which was a major advantage. After leading for most of the game, New Mexico went on a 10-0 run in the second half to seal the upset. They will move on to play No. 2 Michigan State in the second round.

(No. 12) Colorado State def. (No. 5) Memphis 78-70

No. 12 Colorado State overcame a five-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 5 Memphis, 78-70. Despite being without their third-leading scorer, Tyrese Hunter, and his backup, Dante Harris, Memphis kept it close early in the second half. However, Colorado State took the lead with 13:48 remaining and never looked back. The Rams will now face No. 4 Maryland in the next round.

(No. 11) Drake def. (No. 6) Missouri 67-57

No. 11 Drake earned its first NCAA Tournament win since 1971, defeating No. 6 Missouri, 67-57. Bennett Stirtz led the Bulldogs with 21 points, and Drake survived a scare after nearly blowing a 15-point lead. When Missouri pulled within one late in the game, Drake responded with a 6-0 run to secure the win. The Bulldogs advance to face No. 3 Texas Tech in the second round.

(No. 10) Arkansas def. (No. 7) Kansas 79-72

No. 10 Arkansas rallied in the second half to upset No. 7 Kansas, 79-72. Turnovers proved costly for Kansas, as they committed 16 compared to Arkansas’ 10. A crucial 7-0 run by the Razorbacks late in the game sealed the victory. Arkansas will face No. 2 St. John’s in the second round.

(No. 9) Baylor def. (No. 8) Mississippi State 75-72

No. 9 Baylor edged out No. 8 Mississippi State, 75-72, in a tightly contested game. Baylor had a commanding 60-49 lead with just over eight minutes left, but Mississippi State rallied to cut the deficit to one with 29 seconds remaining. The Bulldogs had a chance to tie in the final moments but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer. Baylor advances to take on No. 1 Duke in the next round.

(No. 12) McNeese def. (No. 5) Clemson 69-67

No. 12 McNeese shocked No. 5 Clemson with an upset 69-67 win, earning the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win. McNeese started the game with a 19-2 run and had an 18-point lead at halftime. Clemson scored 54 points in the second half, but McNeese held on to secure the upset. They will now face No. 4 Purdue in the second round.

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