Regional top seed Stanford and second seed Gonzaga have suffered stunning upsets, eliminating them in the second round of the men's U.S. college basketball tournament.
Stanford, the top seed in the Phoenix Region, fell 70-67 to Alabama Saturday after missing a crucial three-point shot with seven seconds remaining. The loss was only the second this season for powerhouse Stanford.
Meanwhile, the Saint Louis region's second seed, Gonzaga, was easily ousted by underdog Nevada 91-72. The loss snaps Gonzaga's school-record 21-game winning streak, and advances Nevada to the tournament's round of 16 for the first time ever.
In a match-up between the last two national champions, defending champion Syracuse nearly blew a 16-point lead, but held on to edge 2002 winner Maryland 72-70 in a Phoenix region contest.
Winners Saturday and Sunday advance to the tournament's so-called "Sweet 16," which includes the four teams to advance from each of the four regions.
In other action Saturday, the Duke Blue Devils, the top seed of the Atlanta Region, easily reached the round of 16 for a seventh year in a row with a 90-62 win over Seton Hall. Sudanese-born Luol Deng had 20 points for Duke, which is seeking its fourth national title.
In the East Rutherford region, Wake Forest University made the "Sweet 16" for the first time since 1996 by beating Manhattan, 84-80. Freshman Chris Paul led the Demon Deacons with 29 points.
Some information for this report provided by AP.