It wasn’t pretty, but it was dramatic as San Diego State and Temple took two overtimes to determine which team would move on to the Sweet Sixteen. The Aztecs had the final possession with the shot clock off in both regulation and the first overtime, but were unable to get a good look either time with the game tied.
But, finally, in the second overtime, San Diego State broke through and began to pull away. With a three-point lead and under a minute to go, Malcolm Thomas came up huge again, swatting a Lavoy Allen lay-in. Thomas had four blocks against the Owls, but none were bigger than his late rejection of Allen.
After hitting two free throws to go up five, San Diego State put on a show to finish with a flourish. The Aztecs sealed it on the defensive end, using a steal and fast-break dunk to put it away and hang-on for a 71-64 win in what’s been the most thrilling day of the game.
San Diego State moves on to face either UConn or Cincinnati in the Sweet Sixteen.
Here’s a look at the West region of the bracket as it stands after ’s win. The full 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket can be found at SB Nation.
WEST REGION
No. 1 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 8 Michigan Wolverines
No. 4 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 5 Arizona Wildcats
No. 3 Connecticut Huskies vs. No. 6 Cincinnati Bearcats
No. 2 San Diego State def. No. 7 Temple Owls, 71-64
For the full television lineup, check out our March Madness schedule in the Daily Drip. Be sure to check back in with our NCAA Tournament results StoryStream for updates throughout the day.