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Perhaps no conference in the nation surprised more people than the SEC did in the Round of 64.
Mocked and overlooked, as usual, for most of the season, the SEC currently has four teams still in the field of 32.
Let’s take a look at how each team fared in their opening round matchup.
Arkansas Razorbacks
After a back-and-forth battle with Seton Hall, Arkansas pulled out a 77-71 victory over the Pirates.
The victory wasn’t without controversy, however, as a Flagrant 1 call against Seton Hall near the end of the game with Arkansas leading by one gave the Razorbacks two free throws and the ball back.
Regardless, Moses Kingsley and the Razorbacks will certainly have their work cut out for them Sunday as they battle the #1 North Carolina Tar Heels.
Florida Gators
East Tennessee State gave the Gators trouble for about a half, but Florida ultimately proved to be too powerful, pulling out an 80-65 victory. Devin Robinson’s 24 points and seven rebounds led the way for the Gators.
Florida will be back in action Saturday against Virginia as they look to advance to their first Sweet 16 since 2014.
Kentucky Wildcats
The Wildcats took care of business against their foes to the Norse. Get it? Because Northern Kentucky’s name is the Norse? Hilarious.
The final score was 79-70 in favor of UK, but it was really never all that competitive, with the Wildcats up by 18 at one point in the second half.
Bam Adebayo had 15 points and 18 rebounds, and Malik Monk struggled, going 3-11 from the field and 0-6 from deep. Monk finished with 12 points, though.
Kentucky did what they were supposed to do against a 15-seed. They’ll face the horribly underseeded Wichita State Shockers on Sunday in a rematch of what was one of the best games in recent NCAA Tournament history.
South Carolina Gamecocks
1973 was a long time ago.
Frank Martin was seven years old.
It was also the last time South Carolina won an NCAA Tournament game.
Until now.
Led by SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell and a, shall we say, favorable location for the game, the Gamecocks knocked off the Marquette Golden Eagles, 93-73.
The Gamecocks will face Duke on Sunday night.
Here’s Frank Martin dancing.
When you just won an NCAA Tourney game for the first time since 1973. #Gamecocks #KeepDancing #MarchMadness #ForeverToThee @FrankMartin_SC pic.twitter.com/G8JzEps4l0
— Gamecock MBB (@GamecockMBB) March 18, 2017