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SportsPulse: Madness is finally here. Trysta Krick from USA TODAY describes everything you need to know about this year's tournament.
UNITED STATES TODAY & # 39; HUI

DAYTON – Rookie goaltender Grayson Murphy for the Belmont red jersey was pushing the ball, as he likes to do, and he spotted Nick Muszynski, a big freshman, running in the middle of the floor, as he like to do it. Murphy threw the ball in his own way.

The only problem, after a night of confused mistakes and glorious recoveries for the Bruins, was that Muszysnki was not looking for it yet.

He started to turn when he clapped his hands, but he glanced at them and jumped to the ground. It was there that Temple was turning into another basket for another turnover. Instead, Belmont senior guard Kevin McClain picked it up and threw it into the basket.

Rick Byrd responded by shouting to Murphy. Not in the style "Go get Tiger!", But rather in the style "What was it, freshman ?!" If Byrd knew it would be the winning basket of the biggest win in Belmont men's basketball history – Tuesday's 81-70 victory over the Owls in a first-ever NCAA tournament match at the University of Dayton Arena – maybe he would have smiled.

Belmont goalkeeper / striker Dylan Windler (3) moves the ball while goalkeeper Nate Pierre-Louis (15) tries to follow during the first half of the NCAA basketball tournament. First match at the Dayton Arena University in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday, March 19, 2019. (Photo: Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com)

Probably not. Byrd shouted a lot in his first NCAA tournament win in eight tries, and all of that was justified. He has created a program on excellent students and citizens who play basketball intelligently, limit turnovers, stay connected to defense and bury their opponents with offensive efficiency.

He did not need this victory to prove anything, and he was already destined for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame one day without. And yes, there was more pressure, Belmont needed the first global offer of school history to get here. Byrd and his team certainly wanted to justify this support, and the entire media campaign fueling the campaign on behalf of Belmont who preceded it

But Byrd knows what he wants and when his team is at its best, and it was not the Bruins (27-5) at their best. This should scare off Thursday's opponent in Jacksonville, Florida, number 6 of Maryland.

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Byrd should also rejoice that his team has recovered twice from the decisive shots of the Temple to collect his own answers, topple the game and send another legend to the background – Owls coach Fran Dunphy -.

McClain had a monster night with 29 points. Muszynski, a massive absence from Murray State, injured his ankle in the OVC title match, scored 16. And although Nate Pierre-Louis of Temple put the pinch on the skin, Dylan Windler (2 at 7, five points), Windler engulfed 14 rebounds. He had consecutive flights in the first period, leading to quick baskets for Murphy (nine points, six assists, three turnovers) that put an end to Temple momentum.

It is a very good team, as more and more people know of the nation after watching it on a nationally broadcast television program broadcast in prime time. And it can be much better than that. He can play as he did in the second period of 22-6 who won this match and clean up some of the things he had done during the 21-5 race that preceded Temple.

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The Bruins can trouble the Terrapins on Thursday. This is not exaggerated. Now let your imagination run and you can see them get past LSU troubled after that, then the Michigan State who's been upset … bring Duke and a shot to the Final Four!

A win in this business can make that much more seems possible.

Follow Tennessean's Joe Rexrode on Twitter @joerexrode.

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