NCAA Tournament results: Wichita State is the first team in nine weeks to beat Gonzaga, sends the No.1 seed home early

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Published Saturday, March 23, 2013 | 2 a.m.

Updated Saturday, March 23, 2013 | 9:08 p.m.

There are eight games on the schedule Saturday in the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament, giving double-digit seeded teams Harvard, Oregon and Cal a chance to continue their hot postseason run.

Each team was a betting underdog Thursday, but won outright — and, of course, ruined several brackets.

Harvard was a double-digit underdog against New Mexico, but played like the better team the entire game in leading most of the way for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. Saturday, they are again a double-digit underdog, receiving 10 points against Arizona.

We’ll keep you posted on each of the eight games — Vegas style. Check back for the finals of each game, and of course, which team covered.

(5) VCU vs. (4) Michigan

9:15 a.m., South Region

LINE: Michigan -3.5; Total 143

Michigan advances to the Sweet 16 with a 78-53 victory against VCU. Michigan led by 15 points at halftime and pulled further away in the second half in easily covering the point spread. The game stayed under the total.

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(6) Memphis vs. (3) Michigan State

11:45 a.m., Midwest Region

LINE: Michigan State -5.5; Total 129.5

Michigan State limited Memphis to six points in the initial 10 minutes of the second half to take a double-digit lead and eventually win 70-48. The Spartans, which advance to the Sweet 16, covered the point spread. The game stayed under the total.

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(8) Colorado State vs. (1) Louisville

2:15 p.m., Midwest Region

LINE: Louisville -11; Total 135.5

Louisville became the third betting favorite in as many games Saturday to cover the spread, beating Colorado State of the Mountain West, 82-56. The game went over the point total in the final minute. With Colorado State's elimination, San Diego State is the lone Mountain West school still alive in the tournament.

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(14) Harvard vs. (6) Arizona

3:10 p.m., West Region

LINE: Arizona -10; Total 133.5

Arizona took care of Harvard, 74-51, in advancing to the Sweet 16 and covering the point spread. The game stayed under the total. It's been a great day for betting favorites — all four have covered.

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(12) Oregon vs. (4) Saint Louis

4:10 p.m., Midwest Region

LINE: Saint Louis -4; Total 123.5

Streaking Oregon surely isn't playing like a No. 12 seed. Last weekend, the Ducks ran the table in Las Vegas to win the Pac-12 Conference tournament. This week, they have posted two convincing victories in the NCAA Tournament in advancing to the Sweet 16. Oregon beat Saint Louis 74-57 Saturday in the round of 32, becoming the first underdog team in five games to cover. The game went over the total.

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(6) Butler vs. (3) Marquette

4:45 p.m., East Region

LINE: Marquette -2; Total 126

If you played Marquette over Butler, the Golden Eagles' two point victory Saturday either gave you a winning ticket by a half point or a tie. Marquette closed as a 1.5 betting favorite at most sports books, according to odds posted at Vegas Insider. Last night, however, Marquette was laying two points and was bet down early Saturday by Butler backers. The game went over the total.

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(8) Wichita State vs. (1) Gonzaga

5:40 p.m., West Region

LINE: Gonzaga -6.5-; Total 128.5

Wichita State sent Gonzaga home prematurely from the NCAA Tournament, handing the Bulldogs a 76-70 defeat — their first loss in nine weeks, as they became the nation's No. 1 ranked team. Gonzaga is the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated from the tournament. The game easily went over the total.

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(12) Cal vs. (4) Syracuse

6:40 p.m., East Region

LINE: Syracuse -7.5; Total 125.5

Saturday's Syracuse-Cal game was a great example of March Madness for gamblers. Syracuse beat Cal 66-60, but Richard Solomon's layup with seven seconds remaining gave Cal the backdoor cover and pushed the game over the points total. Wow.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21.