March Madness First Four scores: Xavier rallies late to top Texas; Mount St. Mary's advances to face Duke

Xavier's Marcus Foster was the hero

Xavier guard Marcus Foster picked the perfect time to catch fire. Foster scored 16 of his 22 points after halftime and played an integral role in his team's comeback victory. The Mustakeers had to deal with some foul trouble as a team in the early minutes of the second half, but it didn't matter. The former Furman transfer averages only 7.6 points per game, but this will be remembered as his signature performance at the school after a standout career at the mid-major level.

The Rodney Terry era at Texas should be over

FINAL: Xavier 86, Texas 80

As the headline says, the Rodney Terry era at Texas should be over. There were rumors that Texas could part ways with Terry if the Longhorns didn't reach the NCAA Tournament, and this loss -- and the way UT lost -- is indefensible and inexcusable. The Longhorns were in complete control, up 13, before squandering away their lead down the stretch in an 86-80 defeat. This loss more than likely ends the college career of Tre Johnson, one of the best freshmen in the sport this season. Johnson should've been playing deep into the NCAA Tournament, and it will be a major "what if" when the star freshman goes on to have an excellent NBA career. 

Xavier erases 13-point deficit in stunning win over Texas

FINAL: Xavier 86, Texas 80

The final game of the First Four from Dayton, Ohio, lived up to the hype as No. 11 seed Xavier erased a 13-point first-half deficit and held on for a 86-80 win over No. 11 seed Texas to advance to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Musketeers will face No. 6 seed Illinois on Friday in the first round.

Xavier guard Marcus Foster scored 16 of his season-high 22 points after halftime to help his team erase a 47-39 halftime deficit. Ryan Conwell added 11 points in the comeback win. Texas star Tre Johnson finished with 23 points in what could be his final college game before he declares for the 2025 NBA Draft.

Xavier has the lead

LATE 2H: Xavier 78, Texas 74

After trailing by as many as 13 points, Xavier has come all the way back to take a four-point lead with 4:36 left. Dailyn Swain just converted an And-1 to extend the Xavier run to 8-0 during the last 1:10. Buckle up.

Xavier guard Marcus Foster has been the hero tonight. He has a season-high 22 points.

Xavier has come all the way back

MID 2H: Texas 67, Xavier 65

Just when it looked like Texas was creating some separation from Xavier, the Musketeers responded with a huge run to tie the game at 65. Xavier will be shooting three free throws out of the U8 Media Timeout after Tramon Mark fouled a Xavier shooter at the top of the arc.

Tre Johnson is heating up for Texas

MID 2H: Texas 62, Xavier 52

Texas freshman Tre Johnson finished the season as the SEC's leading scorer. The shotmaking on display tonight has been a major reason Texas has a double-digit lead. Johnson is up to 18 points, with eight coming in the last few minutes of action. Xavier hasn't scored in over two minutes after cutting the UT lead down to four.

Here comes Xavier

EARLY 2H: Texas 50, Xavier 46

After going down by as many as 13 points, Xavier has stormed back to make this a 4-point game. Xavier forward Zach Freemantle has scored five of his team's seven points in the second half. This should be a fun final 17 minutes from Dayton.

Texas up at halftime vs. Xavier

HALFTIME: Texas 47, Xavier 39

Only 20 minutes (well, maybe more if there's overtime) remain in the First Four until we can officially turn the page to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. No. 11 seed Texas will take a 47-39 lead into the locker room over No. 11 seed Xavier, thanks to a big first half from star freshman Tre Johnson. The SEC's leading scorer dropped 10 points during the first 20 minutes.

Something that will be important to monitor in the second half will be foul trouble. Xavier's second-leading scorer, Ryan Conwell, subbed out with five minutes left in the first half after picking up his third foul. Xavier forward Zach Freemantle also played most of the first half with two fouls.

The winner of this game advances to the first round of the NCAA Tournament, where they will face No. 6 seed Illinois on Friday.

Xavier's Conwell heads to the bench with his third foul

LATE 1H: Texas 41, Xavier 30

Remember when I mentioned a few minutes ago to keep an eye on potential foul trouble for Xavier? That just came to fruition. Xavier's second-leading scorer, Ryan Conwell, just subbed out with five minutes left in the first half after picking up his third foul. It doesn't appear likely coach Sean Miller will sub him back in until after halftime.

Keep an eye on potential foul trouble for Xavier

MID 1H: Texas 32, Xavier 21

Xavier star Ryan Conwell has seven points in the first 13 minutes of action, but he has stayed on the floor with two fouls. Conwell's teammate, Zach Freemantle, is also playing with two fouls. That will be something to keep tabs on for the remainder of the first half as Texas continues to build on its lead.

"We have to get stops and not let defense affect offense," Xavier coach Sean Miller said on the broadcast.

Here comes Texas

EARLY 1H: Texas 18, Xavier 10

Texas is currently on a 13-2 run over the last 2:26 to stretch its lead to eight. Texas star freshman Tre Johnson just drilled a 3-pointer, which forced Xavier to call a timeout. Johnson has a team-high six points, while Tramon Mark has five.

Points are at a premium so far

EARLY 1H: Texas 5, Xavier 5

The start of Texas vs. Xavier compared to the first First Four game of the night couldn't be more different. Points have been at a premium so far, and both teams are struggling to score. Texas star freshman Tre Johnson has missed his first three shots, while Xavier is 2 of 6 as a team from the floor. 

Here we go!

The final game of the First Four is underway. Tramon Mark opens the scoring for Texas.

Adebayo, Cordila were key in Mount St. Mary's win

FINAL: Mount St. Mary's 83, American 72

Three players on Mount St. Mary's logged at least 17 points in the win over American. Dalo Adebayo and Jedy Cordilia scored 22 points each, and Dallas Hobbs added 17 in the win. Mount St. Mary's averaged 15.1 turnovers per game as a team this season but only turned it over 12 times in its First Four victory. Both stats were key to earning the program's third NCAA Tournament win.

Mount St. Mary's advances with win over American

FINAL: Mount St. Mary's 83, American 72

No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary's is moving onto the first round of the NCAA Tournament after recording an 83-72 win over No. 16 seed American in the First Four. Mount St. Mary's forward Jedy Cordilia and Dola Adebayo each scored 22 points in the win. 

The Mountaineers recorded their third NCAA Tournament win in program history and will face No. 1 seed Duke in the first round of the Big Dance on Friday.

American star Matt Rogers logged only eight minutes after suffering a leg injury late in the first half and did not return to the game. After American took an 18-15 lead with 13:17 remaining in the first half, it was all Mount St. Mary's the rest of the night. The final First Four game of the tournament is coming up next between No. 11 seeds Texas and Xavier.

American making it interesting

LATE 2H: Mount St. Mary's 781 American 70

American is currently on a 7-0 run over the last 1:21 and has made its last five shots to cut the deficit to 11. Mount St. Mary's led by as many as 19 points tonight.

Mount St. Mary's is pulling away

MID 2H: Mount St. Mary's 70, American 55

Mount St. Mary's extended its lead to as many as 17 points with a 14-4 run over the last six minutes. The Mountaineers appear well on their way to a potential date with No. 1 seed Duke.

Mount St. Mary's in control

MID 2H: Mount St. Mary's 64, American 51

Mount St. Mary's is currently on an 8-0 run over the last three minutes to extend its lead to 13 points over American. Mount St. Mary's has held the American offense to zero points over the last 3:45. 

Can American get going with Rogers out?

EARLY 2H: Mount St. Mary's 56, American 48

With American star Matt Rogers out for the remainder of the game with a leg injury, other players on his team will have to step up in his absence. One of them has been Geoff Sprouse, who has four 3-pointers in 12 minutes. Starting guard Elijah Stephens has made all four of his field goal attempts tonight and has 10 points.

Mount St. Mary's ahead at halftime over American

HALFTIME: Mount St. Mary's 48, American 38

We have reached halftime from Dayton, Ohio, on Day 2 of the First Four. No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary's led American 48-38 behind 16 points from Jedy Cordilia. Mount St. Mary's is seeking its third NCAA Tournament win in program history, while American is looking to win a tournament game for the first time.

Just minutes into Wednesday's game, American star Matt Rogers checked out of the game with an apparent leg injury. Rogers was able to come back in minutes later, but he suffered another leg injury just before halftime. Rogers didn't return for the final five minutes of the first half. American guard Geoff Sprouse has provided a spark in his absence and has knocked down four 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes.

The winner of this game faces No. 1 seed Duke on Friday in Raleigh.

American star heads to the locker room with injury again

LATE 1H: Mount St. Mary's 38, American 34

American star guard Matt Rogers headed to the locker room moments ago after appearing to sustain a leg injury. Rogers was hurt in the opening minutes of the game but was able to come back. It's unclear whether or not he will be able to return.

Mount St. Mary's ahead over American

MID 1H: Mount St. Mary's 28, American 25

After Mount St. Mary's star forward Dola Adebayo picked up his second foul on an illegal screen, his coach elected to keep him in the game instead of sitting him. Adebayo will be shooting a free throw momentarily after successfully converting a basket before the U8 Media Timeout. Adebayo has seven points and two rebounds thus far.

Both teams can't miss

MID 1H: Mount St. Mary's 22, American 20

The first nine minutes of this game have been entertaining if you're a fan of offense. Mount St. Mary's and American have knocked down four 3-pointers each and have scored 44 points combined just midway through the first half. Mount St. Mary's guard Dallas Hobbs leads all scorers with eight points.

American star heads to the locker room with injury

EARLY 1H: Mount St. Mary's 15, American 10

American star guard Matt Rogers just checked out of the game with an apparent leg injury. He stayed in the game for less than a minute before heading to the bench. Rogers averaged 17 points and 5.6 rebounds. If he is hurt, that would be a serious loss for the Eagles.

The broadcast just showed him heading to the locker room. Update: The broadcast just reported that Rogers is available to return.

Texas vs. Xavier prediction

One of the reasons Texas was able to make the NCAA Tournament while having a 6-12 conference record is that in the Longhorns, at their best, can hang with and beat quality tournament teams. If you include the conference tournament, Texas has six wins against teams slotted as a single-digit seed in the field of 68 including two wins against Texas A&M and victories over Missouri and Kentucky. But the inconsistencies with Texas' performances, both game-to-game and sometimes even from one half to another, have prevented the Longhorns from capitalizing on a roster that has size, athleticism and promising NBA Draft prospect with freshman Tre Johnson. Xavier, meanwhile, has been incredibly consistent since getting star forward Zach Freemantle back in the lineup, and the Musketeers play a crisp brand of basketball with pace and elite shooting. Ryan Conwell has been absolutely lights out recently, connecting of 24 of 41 3-pointers (58.5%) in his last five games. So if Xavier has to trade blows with Tre Johnson and Texas, it's a team that certainly has the firepower to outlast the Longhorns in a shootout. Pick: Xavier -2.5 

2025 March Madness predictions: NCAA bracket expert picks against the spread, odds in Wednesday's First Four

Chip Patterson

Rodney Terry vs. Sean Miller, Part 2: Millions on the line again when Longhorns play Xavier in First Four?

Forget whether North Carolina's inclusion in the NCAA Tournament as a play-in No. 11 seed in the South Region was justified. The most intriguing storyline of the First Four isn't the Tar Heels getting in over West Virginia and others. It's Rodney Terry, who needs an NCAA Tournament win and perhaps much more than that to keep his job at Texas, finding second life — and putting on pause what would have been the second-biggest job to hit the coaching carousel of the 2025 cycle.

But that's just the start of it. The coach he's facing on the other sideline in the First Four, Xavier's Sean Miller, already has a history intertwined with Terry.

Rodney Terry vs. Sean Miller, Part 2: This drama has our attention when Longhorns play Xavier in First Four

Eric Bossi

Ranking every team playing in March Madness from No. 1 to 68

Every year, without fail, the anticipation and release of the NCAA Tournament field provides such a sports adrenaline rush. And though you're probably super eager to fill it out, let's take a look at every school populating the best event in sports. 

My annual ranking of every team in the tournament is below. It's a broad overview of what to know, with the best players identified and a dash of nuggets spread throughout. I'm not paying heed to seeding or anything like that. This is my pure overview of the best teams, taking into account the entire season and how good they are at their best.

2025 NCAA Tournament bracket: Ranking every team playing in March Madness from No. 1 to 68

Matt Norlander

American vs. Mount St. Mary's prediction

It's not exactly a family affair, but there is plenty of familiarity between these two programs as the schools are 62 miles apart and the basketball teams have squared off 70 times in total and 19 times since American made the move up to Division I in 1988-89. American has won four straight in the series (last loss in 2018) and leads the all-time series 37-33, but here in Dayton, the Eagles are running into the ticket-cashing machine that is the 2025 Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers. First-year coach Donny Lind has led Mount St. Mary's to its most wins (22) in program history, and along the way the Mountaineers were routinely exceeding the oddsmakers expectations. Mount St. Mary's went 22-10-1 against the spread on the season, including a 14-5-1 mark in road or neutral games and a 14-3 mark as a road underdog. The defense just held all three opponents under 60 points in the conference tournament while the rotation was losing players to injury left and right, but a next man up mentality put the Mount back in the First Four where the program has a 2-2 record. I like their chances to make that 3-2 but love getting a couple points in what should be a close, low-scoring game. Pick: Mount St. Mary's +2.5 

2025 March Madness predictions: NCAA bracket expert picks against the spread, odds in Wednesday's First Four

Chip Patterson

Texas star Tre Johnson is a player to watch

If you need a bucket, Johnson is your guy. The First Four should be appointment viewing simply because Johnson will be playing. As CBS Sports' Chris Hummer wrote earlier this month, there was legitimate fear Texas would miss the NCAA Tournament, which would also mean Johnson's March would be short-lived. Johnson led the SEC in scoring. He is easily Texas' best freshman since a guy by the name of Kevin Durant was on campus almost two decades ago. Johnson has been a stock riser since the start of conference play and has made a real case to go in the top five of this summer's draft. If Texas goes on a run, Johnson will be spearheading the way.

March Madness 2025: Duke's Cooper Flagg, Texas' Tre Johnson headline list of top freshmen in the tournament

Cameron Salerno

Recapping last night's thrilling action

Day 1 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament lived up to the hype, as No. 16 seed Alabama State and No. 11 seed North Carolina earned wins in Tuesday's First Four in different ways. North Carolina made a statement with a 95-68 win over No. 11 seed San Diego State to advance to the first round behind 26 points from star guard RJ Davis.

The Tar Heels face No. 6 seed Ole Miss on Friday  in the first round.  

The first game of the tournament played out the exact opposite way. Alabama State defeated Saint Francis 70-68 after guard Amarr Knox scored a game-winning layup with 0.7 seconds to give his team its first NCAA Tournament win in program history. Knox scored a team-high 16 points, and CJ Hines added 10 in the comeback win over Saint Francis. The Hornets will face No. 1 seed Auburn in the first round.

March Madness may belong to the Tar Heels: Why North Carolina can make deep run through 2025 NCAA bracket

Cameron Salerno