BYU remained one of the hottest teams in the country on Saturday night by knocking off No. 3 seed Wisconsin, surviving a 37-point effort from the Badgers’ John Tonje. The Cougars have now won 11 of their last 12 games, with the only loss coming to Houston in the Big 12 tournament. The Cougars are now in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011 (when Jimmer Fredette was in Provo). They’ll face Alabama in Newark in what could be one of the most entertaining games of the NCAA Tournament.
Alabama jumped out to a double-digit lead against Saint Mary’s on Sunday and never looked back, holding that edge for nearly the entire game. The Gaels never let it turn into a true blowout, but the Tide answered the bell any time it looked like Saint Mary’s might make a comeback. Grant Nelson looked healthy, an important development for the upside of Nate Oats’ team. A shootout likely awaits on Thursday; BYU’s offense is every bit as potent as Alabama’s prolific attack.