Dayton-Seton Hall and Duke-Ohio State Battle for Mythical March Madness Elite Eight
Publisher's Note: This is our go at Mythical March Madness and now entering the third round. The tournament and results are determined using all-time odds for each seed in NCAA Division I Men's Tournament history for advancement in each round. The roll of dice with rolls of six or below representing the higher-seeded team and rolls of seven or greater representing the lower-seeded team determine the results. If the game is written up as close then the roll of the dice went to the eighth, ninth, or tenth roll. If it is written up as a blowout then it was decided with few rolls needed. This is the Thursday action moving the tournament from "Sweet 16" to "Elite Eight."
No. 1 - Dayton 72 No. 4 - Seton Hall 71
In an absolute surprise the top seed Dayton Flyers and recently declared NBA Draft candidate and All-American Obi Toppin were in dire straights as Seton Hall simply played toe-to-toe with Dayton. No real runs in the contest, just a game where neither team could get any kind of significant lead. The largest lead in the first half was five points when Toppin blocked a shot by the Pirates Quincy McKnight driving inside and then on the other end got the ball back from Trey Landers and went to the basket and slammed it in to make the score 28-23.
It was never further than that and by the intermission it was two free throws hit after the clock expired by Seton Hall standout Myles Powell that made the score 34-33 at the half in favor of the Pirates.
The second half more of the same as Powell came out and scored six of the first 10 points in the half by Seton Hall, but Toppin, who finished with 18 points and Ibi Watson off the bench had 16 points for the Flyers and that more than kept the Flyers close. In fact, breaking it down by clock time and Seton Hall led for 11:23 in the second half and Dayton led for 8:37, but most important thanks to a forceful bucket inside and a foul for a traditional three-point play by Toppin, Dayton edge Seton Hall 72-71.
The All-American that has declared for the NBA, Obi Toppin had the game winning points to save Dayton.
USA Today Sports Images - David Kohl
Powell threw up a 16-foot shot at the buzzer that rimmed out, but he had hands in his face when he took the shot. Seton Hall's season is over at 22-10, while Dayton lives on at 32-2.
No. 4 - Ohio State 82 No. 2 - Duke 68
Duke came out asleep at the start and seemingly never work up. It ruined what many were hoping would be a showdown for the Final Four between Dayton and Duke, but it does set up a battle of Ohio schools in Ohio State battling Dayton.
The Buckeyes came out and throttled the Blue Devils in the first two minutes scoring 12 points in the first two minutes using a two flat out stolen basketballs and a pass picked off into a pair of layups on the offensive end. Speedy 6-1 dynamo C.J. Walker took the basketball twice, and Kaleb Wesson picked off a lazy pass. It was the pass that resulted in a three-pointer that Andre Wesson sank on the other end. At that stage, Ohio State led 12-2.
Duke ended up trailing by 22 midway through the second half and was back to within 18 points at the half.
Kaleb Wesson and his brother Andre were two of the three big scorers that keyed the upset over Duke.
USA Today Sports Images - James Maiorana
The problem is Ohio State never let up and Kaleb Wesson had 24 points, Andre Wesson finished with 20 points, and C.J. Walker added 18 points. That scoring trio was not something Duke could come close to competing with.
Duke goes out with a 27-6 record and Ohio State now prepares to take on Dayton with a 24-10 record and a lot of confidence.
