First Four Tidbits - Wednesday

Grambling State 88 Montana State 81(OT)

Grambling State wins in their first ever tournament game.  They are the first team to win in their first tournament game since 2017, when both Northwestern and UC Davis both won in their first game.  

Grambling State is the 7th team to play their first tournament game in the First Four and win.

• 2001 - Northwestern State 71 Winthrop 67
• 2003 - UNC Asheville 92 Texas Southern 84
• 2005 - Oakland 79 Alabama A&M 69
• 2010 - Arkansas-Pine Bluff 61 Winthrop 44
• 2014 - Cal Poly 81 Texas Southern 69
• 2017 - UC Davis 67 North Carolina Central 63
• 2024 - Grambling State 88 Montana State 81

Montana State's loss is the 18th consecutive tournament loss for the Big Sky Conference.  It is the 3rd longest losing streak by a conference in tournament history.

• Northeast - 23 games (1983 to 2005)
• Ohio Valley - 20 games (1989 to 2008)
• Big Sky - 18 games (2006 to 2024)
• SWAC - 17 games (1993 to 2009)

Montana State's 81 points are the most they scored in six tournament games.  Their previous high was 74 vs. St. John's in the 1986 Round of 64.

This is the fifth overtime game in the First Four (started in 2011) and the second time the #16 seeds have played an overtime game.

• 2011 - UNC Asheville 81 Little Rock 77
• 2014 - Tennessee 78 Iowa 65
• 2021 - UCLA 86 Michigan State 80
• 2022 - Notre Dame 89 Rutgers 87 (2 OT)
• 2024 - Grambling State 88 Montana State 81

Colorado 60 Boise State 53

Colorado wins their first tournament game since 2021 when they defeated Georgetown 96-73 in the Round of 64.

Tad Boyle wins his 3rd tournament game as the coach of Colorado.  The 3rd win ties Bebe Lee and Sox Walseth for the most tournament wins in Colorado history.

Colorado's win is the Pac 12's fifth First Four win in its ninth First Four game. Both are tournament highs for at-large teams.

Boise State is now 0-10 in the NCAA Tournament.  It is the first school to lose its first 10 tournament games.

Boise State is the non-16 seed to lose 3 First Four games.  They are 0-3 in the First Four.

Boise State's 53 points are tied with the fewest points they have scored in 10 tournament games.  They also scored 53 points against Memphis in the 2022 Round of 64.