The first Saturday of the NCAA Tournament saw seeded teams dominate, with No. 6 Virginia, No. 2 Duke, No. 5 Denver, and No. 7 Maryland all securing victories to advance to the quarterfinals.

By the Numbers
  • Virginia's Payton Cormier scored eight goals, including his historic 222nd career goal, leading the Cavaliers to victory over Saint Joseph's.
  • Duke's Josh Zawada tallied eight points, while Dyson Williams had five goals in the Blue Devils' commanding win over Utah.
  • Denver's fast start propelled them to a 7-1 lead after the first quarter, ultimately securing a 16-11 victory against Michigan.
  • Maryland's Luke Wierman dominated at the faceoff dot, winning 20 out of 26, contributing to the Terrapins' 16-8 triumph over Princeton.
Yes, But

While the seeded teams were victorious, they will face tougher competition in the upcoming quarterfinal matchups.

State of Play
  • Virginia, Duke, Denver, and Maryland have advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals after their wins on Saturday.
  • Virginia will face the winner of the Johns Hopkins-Lehigh game, Duke will meet Maryland, Denver awaits the winner of Syracuse-Towson, and Maryland prepares to take on Duke.
What's Next

As the tournament progresses, the competition intensifies, and these top-seeded teams will need to maintain their momentum to secure a spot in the semifinals.

Bottom Line

Seeded teams showcased their strength in the first round, setting the stage for highly anticipated quarterfinal matchups, where the true test of their abilities will be on display.