It feels so sweet: March Madness moments from 32 teams to 16

Mar 23, 2015, 3:33 PM | Updated: 3:34 pm

March Madness has officially arrived, and with it comes the inevitable fluttering ashes of brackets long destroyed.

You may not make it past the second round without your picks imploding, but with or without you, the coolest moments in college basketball just keep coming.

Take a pause from your losing bracket bonfire to stay updated on the best — and worst — of this year’s NCAA Tournament.

See what happened on the first day of the Round of 64, and what happened on the second.

March 22, Round of 32

(1) Duke 68, (8) San Diego State 49

Duke’s Diaper Dandies were on full display in the Blue Devils’ win over San Diego State Sunday. Jahlil Okafor was finishing the break in emphatic fashion…

…while Justice Winslow had two of the tournament’s most notable “return to sender” moments.

(7) Michigan State 60, (2) Virginia 54

A potential bracket-busting game kicked off Sunday’s action, as the Spartans and Cavaliers played a first half that set the game of basketball back approximately 50 years.

Virginia's 18 points are its second fewest in any half this season. The Cavaliers trail Sparty, 23-18, at the half. #MSUvsUVA

— ESPN (@espn) March 22, 2015

In an effort to be nice, let's just say this MSU-UVa game has a good personality

— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) March 22, 2015

However, per March tradition, Michigan State marches on to the Sweet Sixteen.

Sparty on! 7 Michigan State upsets 2 Virginia, 60-54. Spartans eliminate Cavs from tournament for 2nd straight year. pic.twitter.com/Toe1ipjK6y

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 22, 2015

It's March. We got this. pic.twitter.com/STZC4CEh41

— Spartan Sports Page (@SpartanSports) March 22, 2015

(7)Wichita State 78, (2) Kansas 65

Rock Chalk?

More like Rock SHOCK.

The Wichita State Shockers upset the Jayhawks in a thriller, and we’re sure this is causing some in-state tension:

Kansas governor Sam Brownback wearing a yellow “Kings of Kansas” T-shirt in Wichita locker room. “This is my team,” he said.

— Brian Hamilton (@BrianHamiltonSI) March 23, 2015

Shots like this helped the Shockers go on a 25-8 run to seal it:

Wichita State looking like the best team in Kansas… RT @byDavidGardner: Wichita is feeling it. https://t.co/tfx9FS9FFu

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 22, 2015

Hey ohhhhhhhh here we go!
Shockers still dancing… #MarchMadness
https://t.co/Dy1IlAtxfH

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 23, 2015

(3) Oklahoma 72, (11) Dayton 66

The Sooners are headed to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2009, and they’re very OK with it.

Get it?

Oklahoma celebrates win with dance party. #MarchMadness
https://t.co/TVkiaH1bg4

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 23, 2015

(2) Gonzaga 87, (7) Iowa 68

Water break.

(1) Wisconsin 72, (8) Oregon 65

March 21, Round of 32

(2) Arizona 73, (10) Ohio State 58

Click here for more on this one.

(3) Notre Dame 67, (6) Butler 64 (overtime)

The tournament’s top “access denied” moment to date helped send this game into OT.

In the extra session, the Fighting Irish flourished, much to the delight of a certain Notre Dame’s alum.

Huge 3 from the corner in OT! Connaughton has been huge since the 2nd half with plays that don't show up on stat sheet. #ButlervsND

— Bertrand Berry (@btrain92) March 22, 2015

Thank you @NDmbb for allowing me to go to bed in peace tonight! The fact that many are upset makes this win even better! #loyal2NotreDame

— Bertrand Berry (@btrain92) March 22, 2015

(4) North Carolina 87, (5) Arkansas 78

The ACC stays perfect.

UNC beats Arkansas to return to Sweet 16 for first time since 2012
(via @gbaumgaertner)
http://t.co/dihU7Xs4F4 pic.twitter.com/VgxqzLijWo

— SI College Hoops (@si_ncaabb) March 22, 2015

(5) Utah 75, (4) Georgetown 64

#BackThePac.

5-seed Utah beats 4-seed Georgetown, 75-64. Utes advance to 10th Sweet 16 in school history. pic.twitter.com/09XBONLdkd

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 22, 2015

Swag already available.

The @Runnin_Utes are headed to the Sweet 16! Order your Sweet 16 merchandise NOW! http://t.co/TqXC9nDrWp pic.twitter.com/7TmZpblnex

— Utah Red Zone (@URedZone) March 22, 2015

(8) NC State 71, (1) Villanova 68

One Cinderella emerges…

DOWN GOES NOVA! 8 NC State upsets 1 Villanova, 71-68. It's 3rd straight year that a top seed has lost in Round of 32. pic.twitter.com/F4Hv5eqBX4

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 22, 2015

…at the expense of one sad Villanova band member.

(6) Xavier 75, (14) Georgia State 67

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, one potential Cinderella is ousted.

#Xavier ends #GeorgiaState 's feel-good run in #NCAA Tournament
http://t.co/j8pARIphg4 pic.twitter.com/tXfsvwBt3C

— 10 News (@WTSP10News) March 22, 2015

Concluding the season for Georgia State’s father/son combo Ron and R.J. Hunter.

VIDEO: GA State coach gives son RJ a huge hug as their #MarchMadness journey comes to a close http://t.co/qQIw0j2yeg pic.twitter.com/6TNY0frlTE

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 22, 2015

We dare you not to feel the slightest tinge of emotion watching the elder Hunter address the media for the final time this season.

(11) UCLA 92, (14) UAB 75

After limping through the Pac-12 regular season and conference tournament, UCLA has punched its ticket to the Sweet Sixteen.

UCLA is the first team in the Sweet 16! Bruins ride Tony Parker's career-high 28 Pts, 12 Reb in 92-75 win vs UAB. pic.twitter.com/6Oe2h7toRQ

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 21, 2015

Because you totally predicted that, right?

UCLA, a team that lost 8 games by dbl-digits this year & that #Kentucky led 43-7 in the 2nd half, is going to the Sweet16. #MarchMadness

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) March 21, 2015

The answer is no. No you did not.

Carried by Parker’s 19 first-half points, the Bruins took the lead and hardly looked back. They’ll head to the Sweet 16 for the second-straight year.

(1) Kentucky 64, (8) Cincinnati 51

The ‘Cats got a bit of a scare in the first half, but then Willie Cauley-Stein did this:

Another game, another big Kentucky alley-oop: http://t.co/vj1fNuQedX https://t.co/m4NO2BFy4t

— SB Nation CBB (@SBNationCBB) March 21, 2015

(By the way, here’s his high school football highlight reel:)

Couldn't even imagine guarding a 7'0 receiver…in high school. #williecauleystein #Kentucky https://t.co/ZSSNEGXguQ

— Varnell Trill (@ByronCBailey) March 18, 2015

The Bearcats did find a way to score, sort of: