NCAA Tournament results: Favorites Duke, Florida look sharp in covering, advancing to the Sweet 16

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Published Sunday, March 24, 2013 | 2 a.m.

Updated Sunday, March 24, 2013 | 9:07 p.m.

After emerging as one of the best college basketball conferences during the regular season, the Mountain West has struggled in the NCAA Tournament.

Maybe San Diego State can help restore the league’s reputation.

The Aztecs are the league’s last team standing, and if oddsmakers at Las Vegas sports books are correct, have a legitimate chance to win Sunday against Florida Gulf Coast to earn a spot in next week’s Sweet 16. They are seven-point betting favorites against 15th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast, which had no problems beating Georgetown Friday in one of the tournament’s biggest surprises.

San Diego State battled injury to key players and struggled at times during Mountain West Conference play in finishing fourth in the nine-team league. In a sign of how respected the league is nationally, the Aztecs still received a No. 7 seed for the tournament.

And, unlike the other Mountain West teams, they didn’t suffer an ugly defeat. Well, at least not yet.

League champion New Mexico was shockingly bounced by No. 14 seed Harvard in its first game, hometown UNLV went more than 10 minutes without a field goal against Cal, and Boise State had no chance against La Salle. Colorado State went a respectable 1-1.

We’ll keep you posted all day as scores become final. Of course, we’ll let you know which teams covered the point spread — after all, this is Vegas. The below lines were taken from LVH Saturday night.

(10) Iowa State vs. (2) Ohio State

9:15 a.m., West Region

LINE: Ohio State -7; Total 141.5

Aaron Craft's 3-pointer with less than a second to play gave Ohio State a 78-75 victory against Iowa State, giving the Buckeyes a spot in next week's Sweet 16 against Arizona. Iowa State covered the spread; the game went over the point total.

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(9) Temple vs. (1) Indiana

11:45 p.m., East Region

LINE: Indiana -11.5; Total 147

No. 1 seed Indiana needed a late rally to beat Temple, scoring the final eight points in a 58-52 victory. Double-digit underdog Temple covered and the game stayed under the points total.

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(8) North Carolina vs. (1) Kansas

2:15 p.m., South Region

LINE: Kansas -6; Total 142.5

Kansas opened the second half on a 33-12 scoring run against North Carolina to erase a nine-point halftime deficit and advance to the Sweet 16 with a 70-58 victory. Kansas had 19 more rebounds than North Carolina, playing a solid second half to cover the spread. The game stayed under the total.

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(11) Minnesota vs. (3) Florida

3:10 p.m., South Region

LINE: Florida -8; Total 122.5

Florida shot 57-percent from the field, making 10 of 20 3-pointers, in beating Minnesota, 78-64. Mike Rosario matched a career high for Florida — which covered the spread — with 25 points. The game went over the total.

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(15) Florida Gulf Coast vs. (7) San Diego State

4:10 p.m., South Region

LINE: San Diego State -7-; Total 132

Florida Gulf Coast became the first No. 15 seed in NCAA Tournament history to reach the Sweet 16, beating San Diego State of the Mountain West, 81-71. Florida Gulf Coast, which Friday upset Georgetown as a double-digit betting underdog, outscored San Diego State by 11 points in the second half to pull away and easily cover the spread. They were receiving seven points. The game went over the total. With San Diego State losing, all five of the Mountain West teams picked for the field of 68 have each been eliminated. Those schools, including UNLV's loss Thursday to Cal, went 2-5 in the event.

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(13) La Salle vs. (12) Ole Miss

4:40 p.m., West Region

LINE: Ole Miss -3.5; Total 143.5

Tyrone Garland's layup with three seconds remaining gave the La Salle Explorers a 76-74 victory against Ole Miss. La Salle, a No. 13 seed, started the tournament Wednesday in the First Four game against Boise State. They have covered the point spread in each of their three tournament wins. Sunday's game went over the point total.

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(7) Illinois vs. (2) Miami

5:40 p.m., East Region

LINE: Miami -7; Total 128.5

Miami's break through season will continue another week. The ACC champion Hurricanes won a hard-fought game against Illinois Sunday in the round of 32, pulling ahead in the final minutes of the back and forth affair for a 63-59 victory. Illinois covered the point spread and the game stayed under the total.

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(7) Creighton vs. (2) Duke

6:40 p.m., Midwest Region

LINE: Duke -5; Total 145

Duke punched its ticket to the Sweet 16 with a 66-50 victory against Creighton, also covering the point spread. The game stayed under the total.

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