BRISON GRESHAM

The First Four is back in Dayton for the first time in three seasons, and the selection committee made sure there will be extra excitement in the building by dropping a local team into the play-in mix. One of the things the NCAA likes about the University of Dayton Arena is that, no matter who is playing, fans will fill it up for all four games and help put on a good show for a national TV audience hungry for March Madness. This time, the First Four will have an unofficial home team in Wright State, whose own basketball arena is just 15 minutes across town.

Texas Southern Florida Basketball Texas Southern forward Joirdon Karl Nicholas (5) celebrates with forward Brison Gresham (44) and guard PJ Henry (3) after playing against Florida during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Stamey) (Matt Stamey)GAINESVILLE, Fla. — (AP) — Previously winless Texas Southern stunned No. 20 Florida 69-54 on Monday night behind PJ Henry’s 16 points and Joirdon Karl Nicholas’ perfect shooting performance. Texas Southern became the first Southwestern Athletic Conference team to beat a ranked SEC program in The Associated Press poll era dating to 1936, ESPN Stats & Info said. The Tigers were coming off a 27-point loss at Louisiana Tech and catching a Florida team trying to rebound from its first loss. Texas Southern is led by former LSU coach Johnny Jones, who evened his record against White at 2-2.

Now it's taken coach Kelvin Sampson's team somewhere new: the program's deepest NCAA Tournament run since the days of Olajuwon, Drexler and the famed “Phi Slama Jama." That sent the second-seeded Cougars through to their first regional final in 37 years, earning a matchup with No. Houston (27-3) came in holding opponents to a national-low 37.3% shooting, and then harassed Syracuse (18-10) into just 28% (14 for 50). “It’s the best defense that that we’ve seen this year and they deserved to win,” coach Jim Boeheim said. Syracuse had shot at least 52% each time while making 29 3-pointers — but there would be no repeat of that unexpected 2016 Final Four run thanks to Houston's defense.

11 Houston used a dominant first half to cruise to a 75-58 win over UCF on Sunday. Houston (11-1, 6-1 American Athletic Conference) won its fourth straight game since its loss to Tulsa. “It was a great game for us,” Houston guard DeJon Jarreau said. “They made a lot of shots to start the first half off and kind of knocked us back,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. Sampson passed former Houston coach Tom Penders.

(AP Photo/Dave Crenshaw)TULSA, Okla. – Brandon Rachal hit two free throws with a tenth of a second remaining and finished with 22 points as Tulsa topped unbeaten No. Rey Idowu made one of two free throws to give Tulsa a 63-62 lead before Mills put the Cougars ahead. Houston shot just 38% in the first half, but had nine offensive rebounds and scored nine second-chance points. The Cougars lead the American Conference in rebounding margin, turnover margin and steals. Houston shot just 35% from the field, including 19% on 3-pointers (4 of 21) and were unable to overwhelm Tulsa with their physicality, as they have most opponents.