CBB weekend winners, losers: SMU, UCF put the country on notice

Senior Riley Kugel led the way with 19 points as UCF took the lead with 42 seconds remaining and never looked back. Although Jayhawks stud Darryn Peterson failed to return after the 10:55 mark in the second half, it’s clear the Knights are a formidable team. Four players average more than 12.5 points, and UCF appears to be a sleeper in a loaded Big 12.

Loser: Gonzaga Bulldogs

Is this the first time a winning team is being considered a loser? Possibly. No. 7 Gonzaga needed overtime to defeat Seattle, a team that previously lost to Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara.

The Bulldogs were fortunate to escape with the win, getting outrebounded and only shooting 27% from 3-point range. Gonzaga was down by as much as 13 in the second half, and three starters failed to score.

The result leaves questions about whether the Bulldogs can really vie for a Final Four spot or if they’re simply benefiting from a weak conference.

Winner: Ohio guard Jackson Paveletzke

The matchup between Ohio and Eastern Michigan was overshadowed by other action on Saturday. However, it produced one of the crazier finishes.

After scoring a measly 15 points in the first half, the Bobcats rallied to cut the deficit to two with five seconds left. Senior Jackson Paveletzke received the ball after a missed free throw and somehow got the wacky game-winning shot to fall.

Loser: Temper tantrums

Something must’ve been in the air Friday night as coaches across the country showed visible frustration.

In the Quinnipiac-Manhattan game, both head coaches were ejected following a heated exchange after a hard foul.

Later in the evening, Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry was upset after a controversial foul call and charged toward an official as the final buzzer sounded.