SOUTH REGION

DAYTON 55, SYRACUSE 53

Dyshawn Pierre scored 14 points and Jordan Sibert hit a three-pointer with 47.7 seconds left as Dayton stunned Syracuse on Saturday night in Buffalo, N.Y., to earn a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time in three decades. Syracuse was poised to pull out another close victory, but Tyler Ennis’ three-point attempt clanged off the rim at the buzzer.

FLORIDA 61, PITTSBURGH 45

Scottie Wilbekin scored 21 points and top-seeded Florida beat Pittsburgh on Saturday in Orlando, Fla., advancing to the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive year. Patric Young added seven points and eight rebounds for the Gators, who extended their school record for consecutive victories to 28. Wilbekin and Young spearheaded the effort. Had Florida not been cold from three-point range, the game would have been over much sooner than it was. The Gators were 5 of 20 from behind the arc.

MIDWEST REGION

LOUISVILLE 66, SAINT LOUIS 51

Luke Hancock scored 21 points and defending national champion Louisville shrugged off a cold shooting performance to beat Saint Louis on Saturday in Orlando, Fla., and advance to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year. The fourth-seeded Cardinals (31-5) shot less than 45 percent, had 19 turnovers and got just 11 points from star Russ Smith. It didn’t matter with the fifth-seeded Billikens (27-7) going 0 for 15 from three-point range and struggling to take care of the basketball.

MICHIGAN 79, TEXAS 65

After waiting nearly two decades between Sweet 16 trips, Michigan is making it back-to-back appearances. Nik Stauskas had 17 points and eight assists to lead the Wolverines over Texas on Saturday in Milwaukee. Jordan Morgan added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Michigan lost to Louisville in the national championship game a year ago.

WEST REGION

SAN DIEGO STATE 63, NORTH DAKOTA STATE 44

Xavier Thames scored 30 points, and San Diego State reached the round of 16 for the second time in school history, ending the run of North Dakota State on Saturday in Spokane, Wash. Thames, who was 9 of 19 from the field, had five assists and ended the comeback hopes of the Bison with a six-point spurt late in the second half.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

EAST REGIONAL UConn 77, Villanova 65 Michigan State 80, Harvard 73

SOUTH REGIONAL Dayton 55, Syracuse 53 Florida 61, Pittsburgh 45

MIDWEST REGIONAL Louisville 66, Saint Louis 51 Michigan 79, Texas 65

WEST REGIONAL Wisconsin 85, Oregon 77 San Diego State 63, North Dakota State 44

TODAY’S GAMES

EAST REGIONAL At San Antonio Iowa State (27-7) vs. North Carolina (24-9), 4:15 p.m. At Raleigh, N.C. Virginia (29-6) vs. Memphis (24-9), 7:40 p.m.

SOUTH REGIONAL At St. Louis Kansas (25-9) vs. Stanford (22-12), 11:15 a.m. At San Diego UCLA (27-8) vs. Stephen F. Austin (32-2), 6:10 p.m.

MIDWEST REGIONAL At St. Louis Wichita State (35-0) vs. Kentucky (25-10), 1:45 p.m. At Raleigh, N.C. Mercer (27-8) vs. Tennessee (23-12), 5:10 p.m.

WEST REGIONAL At San Antonio Creighton (27-7) vs. Baylor (25-11), 6:40 p.m. At San Diego Arizona (31-4) vs. Gonzaga (29-6), 8:40 p.m.

Sports, Pages 23 on 03/23/2014