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00:00The madness officially underway the previous two nights in Dayton, Ohio
00:04But on this Thursday one of the greatest days on the sports calendar, frankly
00:10Just the calendar each and every year
00:13Returns it is round of 64 Thursday at the 2025 men's NCAA tournament. How did we reach?
00:2164 teams that's what we will break down and recap for you here to start off this opening hour live on a Thursday on
00:28The early line DRS yesterday in Dayton, Ohio
00:31But it felt like Cincinnati, Ohio with the home crowd traveling from Cincy to Dayton
00:38Replicating the Cintas Center for Xavier in spurring on the Musketeers in a dramatic
00:44Second half comeback that is always the embodiment of what we see throughout the big dance Xavier victorious in the matchup against, Texas
00:5386 to 80 the Musketeers do cover as a two-and-a-half point
00:57You could almost say home favorite a total of 150 and a hulk does sky over Donny
01:04We thought the difference in this game for what was going to be closely
01:08Contested could be the Musketeers as the sixth best three-point shooting team in the country last night that came through
01:16Especially in clutch moment after clutch moment Sean Miller's Musketeers
01:2012 of 25 from deep led by Marcus Foster who was 4 of 5 from range as well Xavier wins
01:28Xavier covers Xavier is on to the round of 64
01:32Yeah, two and a half three and a half
01:34If it was around the four and a half came in to play late in that game
01:37But understand this too like the handicap for me was Xavier Musketeers
01:40That said multiple times if you look just on paper because we're at a conference and that's where it gets a little bit of a
01:45Struggle for me, but the handicap was towards the Xavier Musketeers
01:48I thought they had an edge in certain instances against the Longhorns that they certainly could take advantage of and they did but also the
01:54Advantage for the Texas Longhorns was they play in the toughest and deepest conference in college basketball?
01:59You give them the benefit of the doubt then and I sat here yesterday and said, you know what?
02:02It's really interesting because there's a lot of red with the Texas A&M Longhorns between a lot of losses in conference play
02:08They were 6 and 12. There is something to be playing tough teams because Xavier technically is a tough team. They're a tournament team
02:14But also there's not moral victories like hey tough team came close didn't win
02:19But that felt like that was the schedule for Texas this year where they're 6 and 12 getting the benefit of we didn't remember many games
02:25We stay close against a lot of good teams and we'll give you the benefit of the doubt
02:28That was exactly how it played out in game one for them in the tournament played a good team in good
02:34Competition and didn't win but stayed close and are you giving them the benefit of the doubt loud?
02:38No, they didn't cover and they're going home
02:40So the cap was towards Xavier, but we're just trusting the SEC and it's been you pointed out to start the show
02:46All right, a lot of SEC teams in was it a great Texas team?
02:49No, but it wasn't like Texas was the 11 going against a higher seed. It was 11 verse 11
02:53You trusted the SEC and you lost
02:56The RS I think it's a great point and we'll talk about the Southeastern Conference and its outlook in the big dance
03:02Because you can make an argument. Well, Texas wasn't one of our best teams
03:05They were 6 and 12 wait until Auburn and Florida and
03:08Tennessee and Alabama are playing in the elite eight with spots in the final four at stake and I'll hear it right the top of
03:15The top the cream of the crop is sensational out of the SEC and frankly all around college hoops this season
03:21but one of the reasons the SEC was perceived as the strongest conference we have ever known in the history of college basketball was
03:29Because you got 14 teams into the big dance in teams like, Texas
03:33We're supposed to be so much better than the fourth team or the fifth team out of the Big East
03:39Even considered for the big dance on night number one for the SEC did not go their way
03:46And Donnie that was the story for the Longhorns
03:48They dropped seven of their last nine games to end out the regular season
03:52But then they got a little bit healthier Kendall Weaver came back a blue guy for Rodney Terry and the Longhorns
03:59You have these sensational freshmen in Trey Johnson
04:01They win their first two games in Nashville outright over two other tournament teams
04:05Vandy and Texas A&M as an underdog that was enough with seven quad one victories to bolster and solidify
04:12The resume the knock against the Musketeers very similar to that of North Carolina only a single
04:19Quad one victory all year long, but the Musketeers much like UNC
04:24Understood the task at hand down the home stretch of the regular season. They could ill afford a slip-up
04:30They could not lose a game
04:31They were expected not to and they did it Xavier won seven straight down the stretch
04:36They covered in six of those seven wins and they fought market hard in the Big East quarterfinal in Madison Square Garden
04:43Last week but did come up on the losing end covered in that game as an underdog the Musketeers much like UNC
04:51Rounding into form looking like a tournament team
04:54Playing their best basketball and a huge win in Dayton and Donnie that second half come back down by 10 with around 12 minutes remaining
05:02Really spurred on by the faithful of Xavier being there in Dayton last night
05:08Exactly, and that's when the pressure comes in
05:10Can you hold off because you understand this once shots start to fall for the team that's down you get a little bit tense here
05:15For the team in the lead and also when you're in unfamiliar surroundings like playing in neutral court
05:20Which wasn't really a neutral court because of the team had more fans
05:22You start to cave in just a little bit was a great second half all the way through and you got to give Dave your
05:27Musketeers a lot of credit, but at the same time, isn't that Texas is mo good team play close
05:32Don't win get the benefit of the doubt no more benefits of the doubt Xavier's moving on
05:36They were the better team in the second half last night
05:3947 to 33 got the win and for their backers got the cover as well
05:44Also, Texas ends their year now over in 13 of their final 14 games all four games
05:50In Dayton, Ohio sky to the over in first for action. Maybe a changing of the time
05:56Maybe it represents the offense. We are going to see throughout the 2025 NCAA tournament
06:02So Xavier wins, they'll make the short trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
06:06Where tomorrow night they will take on the sixth seed in the Midwest region that being, Illinois Donnie
06:12I cannot wait for this game the Illini just a three and a half point favorite
06:16I got to go during the commercial break and bet that total to the over of
06:20159 and a half we have two up-tempo teams
06:23We have two stellar offensive teams much like last night for Xavier in Texas
06:28I think we see some points between the Musketeers and the fighting Illini
06:31And we should every time Illinois is on the court. We should be seeing some points
06:34They won't defend all that much and they're gonna get up tempo and score a lot of points here
06:38I do have Illinois advancing with Xavier
06:40But let's just see how that goes where Xavier didn't play all that well in the first half of their first game played well in
06:45The second half short playing rise you said they are already in quote-unquote playoff mode right now with momentum taking on, Illinois
06:51We'll see if that factors in the 16 seeds could make history, right?
06:55They could pull off the upset
06:57but as we have shared since 2011 first year of the first four in every tournament with the exception of
07:022019 a first four team in Dayton has also won at least one game in the round of 64
07:08Is it going to be North Carolina a slight favorite against Ole Miss?
07:12Could the Musketeers continue their March moment the first game of Dayton last night a
07:18great two nights in Dayton, Ohio at the first floor for the
07:222025 men's NCAA tournament that featured some history and some dramatic games
07:28Third NCAA tournament win in program history for the Mount Mount St.
07:33Mary's the champions of the Mac last night victorious against the champions of the Patriot League in American University
07:4183
07:4272 but Donnie first year for another Donnie Donnie Lynn the head coach of the Mountaineers his first year as a
07:50collegiate basketball head coach this year at the Mount leading the Mountaineers to a victory in the big dance to
07:5723 wins this season the most in program history as a d1 school since 1988 89
08:04but you saw that final score a
08:06hundred and
08:0855
08:09combined points between the Mount and the Eagles for what we had with a pregame total of
08:16128 and a hook the offense on full display Mount St.
08:19Mary's wins outright by the way as a two and a half point dog as well
08:23Yeah, pour a little bit out to the Sharps out there and you can't fault them
08:27It's a pretty good strategy over the past couple years
08:29It's like take the first half unders and you see this game
08:3248 to 38 where they're shooting the light out everybody's ultra efficient
08:36But I do get back to the point with Americans actually thought American could win this game end up losing by 11 points
08:41But even that Rogers goes down eight minutes played three or four from the floor a couple boards there. Yeah, no personal fouls
08:47He goes down
08:48It's almost like I don't want to say like the life went out of
08:50American because they didn't give up at that point but down 10 at the break that one of your best players
08:54You know, it was gonna be a tough hill to climb in the second half
08:57But also you have to give a lot of credit to Mount St.
09:00Mary's 83 points unbelievable efficiency 41 percent from the freak from the three-point line
09:0683% from the free-throw line and 58% from the floor in a neutral court in a spotlight game against like competition
09:12They were phenomenal in that game. I thought America was the better team. They weren't it was Mount St.
09:17Mary's injury or no injury
09:19Yeah, no doubt about it
09:20Drs the loss of Matt Rogers for the Eagles the champions of the Patriot League as we broke it down yesterday
09:26Their best player by a wide margin. He has been at the program for the entirety of his collegiate career
09:32so to get to the NCAA tournament had to mean something an unfortunate scenario dealing with a right knee injury and he was great to
09:40Start three or four from the four one of one from deep did have seven points in only eight minutes
09:45You wonder what the game would have been for a you had he been fully healthy for all 40 minutes
09:50But it might not have been enough
09:52even if he was out there and Donnie one of the reasons we saw so many points last night flying over a total of
09:58128 in a hook is a couple of career nights for the Mounts Jenny Cordelia who had 22 points on 10 of 11 shooting a
10:05Career high dole out at a bio for the Mount as well 22 points on 9 of 15
10:11From the floor Mount St. Mary's as a team shot nearly
10:1658% from the field they are known for their defense. They can be a little careless with the basketball
10:22It did get a little dicey with about under three and a half minutes remaining
10:26When we saw a little bit of a charge from a you the Mount was able to hold them off Mount St
10:33Mary's now the official 16 seed in the East region their gift after winning an NCAA
10:39Tournament our national title favorites in the top seed in that portion of the bracket that will be due now the largest line
10:47Donnie we will see for the opening round of 64
10:5032 and a half in favor of the Blue Devils
10:54Yeah, those are always tough numbers to look at because you expect Duke to absolutely route Mount St.
10:58Mary's but at the same time is it seven minutes ago?
11:00We're still playing our starters up 35 points and you know Mount St.
11:04Mary's gonna have their guys ride it out being their last game of the season
11:06But also understand this from that game last night watching Mount St.
11:09Mary's you almost got that verge you're right a couple those three-point shots that were off-key for
11:14American late-night game one or two of those go down and boy we have some of those tense moments over the final couple minutes
11:19They just couldn't make shots and again credit Mount St.
11:21Mary's and I do love this and again, we'll get back to this point
11:24Hey the state they earn their way in is the automatic bid
11:27You don't think Mount St.
11:28Mary's and their crowd and their university and their players and their coaches love that game last night on the national stage picked up an official
11:35Tournament victory and then move on to get the play Duke. So it feels like you win your conference championship boy
11:40That is unbelievable another celebration winning a game in the tournament itself
11:44And then you still get the exhilaration of playing the top seed and you have those memories won our conference championship
11:50won a game in the tournament then got to play Duke and you can I play Cooper flag the number one overall pick maybe a
11:55Hall-of-Fame player when it's all said and done
11:56They announced a marriage is the big win here shame on the people like all there
12:00They should have just got into the tournament. Anyway, they deserved it. What are we talking about here?
12:04you have a positive memory of actual yes play a
12:08Championship feeling of winning a game in the NCAA tournament, which is something you can tell your buddies
12:1450 years from now that nobody can take away from you
12:17It is cool to be a part of the atmosphere and the excitement
12:20But when you're trailing by 35 with seven minutes to go against presumed number one overall pick Cooper flag
12:26Doesn't feel all that great. No in the moment a historic year for the Mount that continues to Raleigh, North Carolina
12:34tomorrow afternoon