2025 March Madness scores, takeaways: Texas Tech storms back, Duke holds on in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 action

The Red Raiders overcame a 16-point second-half deficit to knock off Arkansas in overtime

By David Cobb

& Cameron Salerno

Mar 28, 2025 at 1:17 am ET • 1 min read

The second weekend of the NCAA Tournament started with a bang on Thursday, as No. 3 seed Texas Tech emerged from the first overtime game of the Big Dance with a thrilling 85-83 win over No. 10 seed Arkansas. The Red Raiders overcame a 16-point deficit behind a trio of 20-point performances from three starters.

In the end, Darrion Williams delivered the game-winner with seven seconds remaining. The junior forward overcame a 1 of 11 start from the field to finish with 20 points, including 15 in the second half and overtime. It was the best game of the night, but it wasn't the only one with some drama.

No. 1 seed Duke had to withstand a charge from No. 4 seed Arizona to survive for a 100-93 win. The Blue Devils led by as many as 19 before the Wildcats rallied behind fifth-year guard Caleb Love. The former North Carolina star scored 35 points on 11 of 21 shooting to help keep Arizona close. However, a superstar performance from Duke freshman Cooper Flagg was too much for the Wildcats to overcome.

Those two games provided a captivating ending to an evening of Sweet 16 action that began with a couple of less-dramatic showdowns. No. 1 seed Florida won its ninth straight Sweet 16 game by downing No. 4 seed Maryland 87-71, and No. 2 seed Alabama thrashed No. 6 seed BYU 113-88.

Those outcomes ensured the SEC will have at least three representatives in the Elite Eight. With No. 2 seed Tennessee and No. 3 seed Kentucky playing in tomorrow's Sweet 16 action, the conference will have at least one member advancing Friday. The number of SEC teams in the Elite Eight could be as high as five if No. 6 seed Ole Miss can upset No. 2 seed Michigan State and if No. 1 seed Auburn can topple No. 5 seed Michigan

2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 TV schedule

All times Eastern | NCAA Tournament schedule | LIVE bracket

Thursday, March 27

(2) Alabama 113, (6) BYU 88 | Highlights
(1) Florida 77, (4) Maryland 62 | Highlights
(1) Duke 100, (4) Arizona 93 | Highlights
(3) Texas Tech 85, (10) Arkansas 83 Highlights

CBS Sports will be with you the entire way updating this story with the latest from every Sweet 16 game over the next two days. Keep it locked here for scores, analysis and highlights throughout the evening.

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Kevin Willard's fate remains unclear

No. 4 seed Maryland overcame a slow start to give itself a shot against No. 1 seed Florida. But in the end, the Gators cruised to an 87-71 victory. The loss leaves Terrapins coach Kevin Willard facing some more tough questions about his future.

Willard has made it no secret he's not thrilled with the support he's received from Maryland's administration during his three years with the program. Amid rumors that he's in the mix for Villanova's open job, Willard remained non-committal about his future following the loss.

"I don't know what I'm doing," Willard said. "I haven't talked to my agent, my wife. I made a promise to this team. Just focus on this team, and that's what I've done. I haven't talked to anyone. I have an agent, I'm sure he's talking to people. That's what agents like to do."

Maryland coach Kevin Willard again evades topic of Villanova rumors: 'I don't know what I'm doing'

Cameron Salerno

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Alabama's historic night

Alabama set an NCAA Tournament record with 25 made 3-pointers. But that wasn't the only historic mark the No. 2 seed Crimson Tide established in their 113-88 victory over No. 6 seed BYU. Among the others was Mark Sears and Aden Holloway becoming the first pair of teammates to each make six 3-pointers in the same NCAA Tournament game.

Sears finished a whopping 10 of 16 from deep and came within one 3-pointer of tying the NCAA Tournament record of 11 that was established in 1990 by Loyola Marymount's Jeff Fryer. Alabama attempted 51 of its 66 shots from beyond the arc. That also set a new NCAA Tournament record for the highest percentage of a team's attempts to come from 3-point range.

Alabama's 113 points were the second-most ever scored in a Sweet 16 game behind only the 114 scored by Arizona in its 1976 win over UNLV.

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Cooper Flagg makes POTY case

Duke star Cooper Flagg put his stamp on the race for National Player of the Year on Thursday as he led No. 1 seed Duke to a 100-93 win over No. 4 seed Arizona. The freshman phenom closed the first half with a momentum-shifting 3-pointer and then opened the second half with a series of assists that helped the Blue Devils build a double-digit lead.

Arizona roared back to make things interesting late. But Flagg's brilliance was too much to overcome. Though he made just 2 of 7 shots from the floor in the second half, the future No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft made his impact felt in a variety of other ways. Flagg blocked three shots in the second half, picked up a steal and dished out five assists while hitting 7 of 8 free throws.

He finished with 30 points, seven assists and six rebounds to put the pressure on Auburn star Johni Broome. The National Player of the Year race has been regarded as a two-man contest between them for much of the calendar year. But Flagg made a statement in the Sweet 16 that will be hard for Broome to match when Auburn faces Michigan on Friday.

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Texas Tech stuns Arkansas to advance

FINAL: (3) Texas Tech 85, (10) Arkansas 83

With 10:23 remaining in regulation, No. 10 seed Arkansas stretched its lead to 16 points and looked well on its way to a win over No. 3 seed Texas Tech.

Then, the Red Raiders flipped the switch.

Forward Darrion Williams knocked down a 3-pointer to tie the game with 9.7 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime, and his team held on for a stunning 85-83 win.

Williams hit a floater with seven seconds left in overtime, which went on to be the game-winner. The win marks the largest second-half comeback in Sweet 16 history.

Texas Tech will play No. 1 seed Florida on Saturday with a trip to the Final Four on the line .

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We are going to overtime

END 2H: (10) Arkansas 72, (3) Texas Tech 72

Are. You. Kidding. Me?!

We are going to overtime! After trailing by as many as 16 points in the second half, Texas Tech star Darrion Williams drilled a 3-pointer with 9.7 seconds remaining to tie the game. Arkansas missed two attempts at a game-winner. Texas Tech ended regulation on a 16-3 run.

Let's play more basketball. Texas Tech has all the momentum.

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Duke ices game with FTs, advances to Elite 8

(1) Duke 100, (4) Arizona 93

It's amazing that the Duke-Arizona finish happened concurrently with an epic comeback by Texas Tech to tie its game against Arizona with 9.7 seconds left and send them to overtime in San Francisco (great time to have multiple screens). Arizona kept putting the ball through the net, but Duke held the dramatics to a minimum by making its free throws and ended up with a somewhat comfortable 100-93 win. Duke marches on to the Elite Eight for the second straight year and will play Alabama. Some quick and dirty stats from CBS Sports research on that matchup.

1st ever meeting in NCAA tournament
Duke: 8-1 all-time vs Alabama (lone loss: 1929)
ALA: Back-to-back Elite 8 appearances for 1st time in school history
ALA: Made Final Four last season for 1st time in school history
Duke: 25th Elite 8 appearance (3rd-most all-time)
Duke: seeking 18th Final Final appearance (would be T-2nd-most all-time)
Duke: 1st Final Final appearance since 2022
Jon Scheyer: 2nd HC in past 50 years to reach multiple Elite 8s in 1st 3 D-I seasons (Bill Guthridge)

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Arizona. Will. Not. Go. Away.

2:10 2H: (1) Duke 91, (4) Arizona 86

That below stanza where I highlighted Kon Knueppel's gutsy offensive rebounds and free throws? Well, Carter Bryant just one-upped it with a huge three-pointer. We've got a five-point game in Newark.

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Remember that sequence

2:10 2H: (1) Duke 91, (4) Arizona 83

Duke has seldom been pushed this year, so its late-game execution in tight quarters is mostly untested as of recently. Tyrese Proctor badly bricked a three-point attempt, but a defensive stand on the next possession gave Duke the ball back with 2:30 remaining. And that's where one of the pivotal points of the game happened — Khaman Maluach somehow missed a put-back dunk on a Cooper Flagg miss, but Duke's Kon Knueppel got the offensive rebound and then got fouled.

Knueppel hit both free throws to push the league back to eight. What a play.

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Coming down to the wire

LATE 2H: (10) Arkansas 69, (3) Texas Tech 61

Texas Tech has 3:21 remaining to get back in this game. The Red Raiders are dominating on the glass, but it hasn't been enough. Arkansas leads 69-61 heading into the final media timeout of the evening here from San Francisco.

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Arizona making it interesting

3:22 2H: (1) Duke 89, (4) Arizona 81

Arizona has roared back from a 19-point deficit to make things interesting late against Duke. Caleb Love is up to 33 points on 10 of 18 shooting, and the Blue Devils are in serious foul trouble. Henri Veesaar has also made his presence felt on the interior for the Wildcats with seven points and four boards in the second half. But Cooper Flagg is showing why he's the likely No. 1 overall pick on both ends of the floor with 27 points, six boards, seven assists, three blocks and a steal.

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Texas Tech showing life

MID 2H: (10) Arkansas 61, (3) Texas Tech 50

Texas Tech might not end up winning this game, but you can't deny Grant McCasland's squad is fighting. Texas Tech just secured (what looked like) at least five offensive rebounds before finally converting a shot at the rim. No. 10 seed Arkansas leads 61-50 with 8:12 to play. Buckle up.

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Johnell Davis, have yourself a night

MID 2H: (10) Arkansas 59, (3) Texas Tech 43

Arkansas has stretched its lead to 16 points and leads 59-43 with 11:21 left. Arkansas guard Johnell Davis is having one of his best games in the biggest moment of his team's season. He is up to a game-high 24 points in 25 minutes. If Texas Tech is going to make a run and come back, it's going to have to happen now.

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Duke pulling away

10:57 2H: (1) Duke 72, (4) Arizona 56

Duke is taking full command against Arizona behind the multi-faceted brilliance of Cooper Flagg. The future No. 1 overall pick has four assists in the first nine minutes of the second half as the Blue Devils have pushed a six-point halftime lead to 16. He's up to 22 points, six rebounds and six assists. The biggest threat to his potential triple-double may be the margin. With a showdown likely ahead against No. 2 seed Alabama, Jon Scheyer will likely try to get him off the floor once things are buttoned up.

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Arkansas just keep making plays

EARLY 2H: (10) Arkansas 49, (3) Texas Tech 39

If Arkansas wins this game, the play that just occurred on Texas Tech's side of the floor could go down as a defining moment. JT Toppin attempted to back down Johnell Davis in the post for several second before Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile blocked Toppin's shot at the rim. The energy inside the Chase Center is electric.

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Can Texas Tech mount a comeback?

EARLY 2H: (10) Arkansas 44, (3) Texas Tech 37

Texas Tech star JT Toppin is doing everything he can to help his team get back in this game. Arkansas led by as many as 13 points in the first half, and that lead has since been cut to seven. Toppin has 10 points ans six rebounds. Arkansas star Johnell Davis is up to a game-high 16 points.

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Texas Tech clinging to hope

HALF: (10) Arkansas 38, (3) Texas Tech 31

Arkansas led by 13 with under two minutes remaining, but Texas Tech closed the half on a 6-0 run highlighted by a Darrion Williams 3-pointer. Williams was 1 for 11 before that make, but if that shot lit a spark, the Red Raiders could be in business during the second half. Arkansas hit 7 of 14 from deep in the opening 20 minutes, which may not be sustainable against a good defensive team. Johnell Davis leads Arkansas with 14.

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Caleb Love vs. Cooper Flagg

HALF: (1) Duke 48, (4) Arizona 42

Caleb Love came to play for Arizona with 14 points on 3 of 5 shooting from 3-point range in the first half. But he made a critical error in the final 10 seconds. Love could have held the ball for the final shot, but he jacked one up with seven seconds remaining and missed. That allowed Duke to get out in transition, and Cooper Flagg made Arizona pay. The freshman phenom drilled a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to put Duke ahead by six. Flagg has 18 points, including seven in the final 1:35 of the first half.

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Arkansas in command

10:46 1H: (10) Arkansas 18, (3) Texas Tech 9

JT Toppin came to play for Texas Tech. But the rest of the Red Raiders are a combined 1 for 14 from the floror. Karter Knox is carrying the Razorbacks with 11 points, including three 3-pointers. If Arkansas is going to get that from him, look out, because it would add a whole new dimension to a team that just keeps adding new layers as the season progresses.

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Duke weathers early storm

7:51 1H: (1) Duke 24, (4) Arizona 21

Arizona made some really tough shots early but has since cooled a bit. Both teams are dealing with some early foul trouble as Arizona guards Jaden Bradley and KJ Lewis each have two, as does big man Henri Veesar. For Duke, Patrick Ngongba has three, and Khaman Maluach has two. Maliq Brown is active after he was injured in Duke's first game at the ACC Tournament, but he hasn't played yet. If the Blue Devils' bigs keep getting whistled, coach Jon Scheyer may have to get Brown in there.

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JT Toppin worth every penny for Texas Tech

The 19-year old leader of Sweet 16-bound Texas Tech has a favorite basketball player and it may surprise you.

JT Toppin, the Big 12 Player of the Year and a big reason the Red Raiders are still dancing in March, is a huge fan of a key member of those title-winning Chicago Bulls teams in the 1990s.

No, it's not Michael Jordan or Scottie Pippen.

Toppin was born five years after Dennis Rodman's last season in the NBA in 2000 but the passion for the "Worm" is real. Both played high school basketball in Dallas and both appreciate the lost art of rebounding. Toppin might be the only person in college basketball who would genuinely pick Rodman as his favorite player.

Texas Tech star JT Toppin, with hefty transfer portal price tag, worth it for gung-ho Red Raiders

John Talty

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Big questions loom for Maryland's program after loss

Maryland's best men's basketball season in over a decade came to a heartbreaking end with a blowout loss to Florida in the Sweet 16. In most cases, a run to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament can create positive momentum for a program and rally a fan base. While most of those things are true, the way the Kevin Willard situation played out in the days leading up to this game was bizarre. With Willard's status as Maryland's coach in question moving forward, the next few days will be telling. Also, big man Derik Queen is likely to declare for the 2025 NBA Draft. Some of Maryland's biggest questions should be answered sooner than later.

Maryland coach Kevin Willard again evades topic of Villanova rumors: 'I don't know what I'm doing'

Cameron Salerno

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Florida was clearly the better team

FINAL: (1) Florida 87, (4) Maryland 71

Maryland coach Kevin Willard's uncertain status isn't an excuse for the Terrapins. Florida dominated in the second half and used its size to pull away for good. After taking a 40-38 lead into the locker room, the Gators flipped a switch and showed why they're the No. 1 seed in this region. What stood out was how many different Florida players made an impact. Six Gators finished with at least 10 points. Maryland had one of the best starting lineups in the country but not a ton of production off its bench. Depth was a major factor tonight.

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Florida advances with win over Maryland

FINAL: (1) Florida 87, (4) Maryland 71

Florida is advancing in the NCAA Tournament after a statement 87-71 win over No. 4 seed Maryland. The Gators will face No. 3 seed Texas or No. 10 seed Arkansas on Saturday with a trip to the Final Four in San Antonio on the line. This will be Florida's first Elite Eight appearance since 2017.

Florida led just 40-38 at halftime but outscored Maryland by 14 in the final 20 minutes. Star big man Alex Condon was hurt midway through the first half with what looked like an apparent ankle injury but returned with 13 minutes left in regulation.

Six different Florida players scored at least 10 points. Guard Will Richard scored 15 points, while All-American Walter Clayton Jr. added 13.

One of the biggest storylines coming into the week was the job status of Kevin Willard at Maryland. Willard is widely rumored to be a candidate for the vacant job at Villanova and refused to answer questions about the topic on Wednesday at media day. With Maryland's season officially over, answers to that question should come sooner rather than later.

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Alabama rides a record-setting performance

FINAL: (2) Alabama 113, (6) BYU 88

No. 2 seed Alabama rode a record-setting outside shooting performance to an 113-88 win over No. 6 seed BYU in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. The Crimson Tide broke a 35-year old mark for most 3-pointers in an NCAA Tournament game with 25 as they torched the Cougars in a fast-paced offensive battle. Alabama also set the Division mark for most 3-pointers made this season.

Mark Sears and Aden Holloway led the charge for the Crimson Tide, becoming the first teammate duo ever to hit six or more 3-pointers each in an NCAA Tournament game.

Sears finished 10 of 16 from deep and came within one make of tying Jeff Fryer's all-time NCAA Tournament record of 11. Fryer set the mark in the 1990 NCAA Tournament for Loyola Marymount.

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Florida is pulling away

LATE 2H: (1) Florida 77, (4) Maryland 62

Florida is on the verge of making its first Elite Eight appearance since 2017. The Gators have led by as many as 18 points tonight and have outscored Maryland 37-24 so far in the second half. Florida is overwhelmingly Maryland in every way. Outside of an ugly first half, Florida has looked like the No. 1 seed in this region.

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Florida is committed to crashing the glass

LATE 2H: (1) Florida 66, (4) Maryland 56

Florida has been dominant on the boards, and it's a major reason why the Gators have been able to maintain their lead over Maryland. Florida has 32 rebounds as a team, while Maryland has just 14. Eleven of Florida's rebounds have been offensive. The Gators have 15 second-chance points. That's been the difference.

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Alabama sets NCAA Tournament record

7:14 2H: (2) Alabama 97, (6) BYU 76

Alabama set an NCAA Tournament record form most made 3-pointers in a game on Thursday with 22 when Mark Sears hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to put the Crimson Tide ahead 97-76 with 7:41 remaining. The previous all-time record holder for most 3-pointers in an NCAA Tournament game was Loyola Marymount, which hit 21 bombs in a 149-115 second-round victory over Michigan during the second round of the 1990 Big Dance. In that game, 49 of Loyola Marymount's 89 attempts came from 3-point range. In this one, the Crimson Tide are 22 of 44 from deep with plenty of time remaining.

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Alex Condon is back for Florida

EARLY 2H: (1) Florida 58, (4) Maryland 49

Florida star Alex Condon left the Gators' Sweet 16 game vs. Maryland in the first half Thursday with an ankle injury and was said to be questionable to return for the second half, school officials said. Condon didn't start the second half, but checked in with 13:29 remaining in regulation. That's a major boost for the Gators.

Condon was seen doing sprints and jumping up and down outside of the Florida bench, waiting to return. He gave the thumbs up to someone on the Florida bench and checked back in moments later.

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Florida is on a run

EARLY 2H: (1) Florida 50, (4) Maryland 42

Florida is on a 10-4 run to open the second half and has extended its lead to eight over No. 4 seed Maryland. Florida big man Rueben Chunyelu just threw down a powerful dunk, which forced Maryland coach Kevin Willard to call a timeout.

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Alex Condon is not starting the second half

You can see Alex Condon in the tunnel near the Florida bench running and jumping around. Still, he hasn't returned to the game after suffering an apparent ankle injury with 12:15 remaining in the first half. Thomas Haugh started in his place to start the second half.

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