The biggest winners and losers of the second round of the men’s NCAA tournament

The second round of the NCAA tournament delivered a rollercoaster of emotions, with unforgettable upsets and dominant performances.

Manuel Morfin Valencia and Pauline Vu
·3 min read
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The madness of March has delivered yet again. The second round of the NCAA men's tournament provided thrilling upsets, dominant performances and heartbreak for several teams. Here are the biggest winners and losers of the second round.

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PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND - MARCH 22: Jonas Aidoo #9 of the Arkansas Razorbacks celebrates a dunk against the St. John's Red Storm during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Amica Mutual Pavillion on March 22, 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Jonas Aidoo #9 of the Arkansas Razorbacks celebrates a dunk against the St. John's Red Storm. (Getty Images)

No. 10 Arkansas stunned No. 2 St. John's with a 75-66 victory and as a result will be the lowest seed in the Sweet 16 (the next lowest seeds are BYU and Old Miss at No. 6). The win also vindicated coach John Calipari, a three-time Coach of the Year who led Kentucky to a title in 2012 but who hasn't been to the Sweet 16 since 2019. In his first season as Razorbacks coach, Calipari has put to rest any whispers that he's past his prime.

No. 1 Duke showcased their dominance with an 89-66 win over No. 9 Baylor. Freshman sensation Cooper Flagg, who injured himself during the ACC tournament, looked 100% healed as he led the charge with 18 points.

While the other No. 1 seeds also advanced, Florida and Houston looked shaky against strong opponents. The Blue Devils, however, won their first- and second-round games by 67 points combined.

Walter Clayton Jr. #1 of the Florida Gators moves the ball against the Connecticut Huskies. (Photo by Grant Halverson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Walter Clayton Jr. #1 of the Florida Gators moves the ball against the Connecticut Huskies. (NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Walter Clayton Jr. delivered a stellar performance for the top-seeded Gators, scoring 23 points to secure a narrow 77-75 victory over the defending champions No. 8 UConn Huskies. Thirteen of Clayton's points came in the last 8 minutes when his team needed it the most. His clutch shooting was instrumental in helping Florida advance to its first Sweet 16 since 2017.

It looked like No. 4 Texas A&M was going to win the game with 13 minutes left to go as the Aggies extended their lead to 10 points.

But the No. 5 Wolverines kicked it up a notch, ending the game with a stunning 41-19 run to win 91-79. Credit Michigan's first-year coach Dusty May, who transformed a program that went 8-24 last season.

The SEC already set a record by earning tournament bids for 14 out of its 16 teams; now half of them have advanced to the Sweet 16 — also a record.

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Aiming for a historic third consecutive national title, the No. 8 Connecticut Huskies fell just short in a heartbreaking 77-75 loss to No. 1 seed Florida. Despite leading for much of the game, UConn faltered in the final minutes, with missed rebounds on crucial free throws proving costly.

Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies walks off the court with Hassan Diarra #10 and Samson Johnson #35 after losing to the Florida Gators.
Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies walks off the court with Hassan Diarra #10 and Samson Johnson #35 after losing to the Florida Gators. (Getty Images)

UConn head coach Dan Hurley faced criticism as missed opportunities and lapses in execution during critical moments left fans and analysts questioning his late-game strategy.

Worse than that was after the loss, when Hurley launched into an expletive-laden tirade as he exited the court. His frustration spilled into the postgame press conference, where he continued his outburst, blasting the officiating and calling out critics who had questioned his team’s toughness.

No. 2 St. John's faced a disappointing exit after their loss to No. 10 Arkansas, busting many brackets and raising questions about their tournament preparedness under coach Rick Pitino.

Before the tournament, the Bulldogs had made it to nine straight Sweet 16s. However, they were saddled with a lower-than-deserved 8th seed, which meant after they demolished Georgia in the first round, Gonzaga had to face top-seed Houston. The Bulldogs nearly tied it in the final seconds before falling 81-76.

The information included within this article was produced in part with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The statements in this article do not necessarily reflect the positions, strategies or opinions of AT&T.

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