With the NCAA tournament's round of 64 in the books, the March Madness thrills are just getting underway. Now, things will begin to get really interesting, as some of the biggest underdogs of the first round will face even more intimidating challenges.
Yesterday, the 14th seed Mercer Bears (pictured) shocked the nation as they rallied past Duke 78-71. They'll go on to meet Tennessee, who also pulled off an upset against UMass. Jakob Gollon (#20) led the way for Mercer, while Jarnell Stokes carried the load for the Vols. Tennessee and Mercer will meet Sunday at 6:10 Eastern.
In one of the tourney's most intense games yet, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks defeated VCU in overtime, 77-75. Next up, they'll face one of their biggest challenges of the year when they take on UCLA Sunday night.
There's plenty of other March Madness coverage in the gallery above, but we'd be remiss to not acknowledge the hell of a run Kevin Durant is currently on. Last night, he dropped 51 points on the Raptors, hitting a game-winning shot to lift the Thunder in double overtime. This is Durant's second 50+ point game this season, and he's the first to do it more than once since LeBron and D Wade during the 2008-09 season. Unfortunately for OKC, Russell Westbrook suffered a knee injury in the third quarter. Hopefully he can get back out there sooner than later, as the star PG has been plagued with injuries as of late.
Riley Jones is a freelance writer from Charlottesville, VA and a contributor to Sneaker Report. With an unshakable affinity for basketball and all things pop culture, he can be found on Twitter @rchrstphr.
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Jakob Gollon Leads Mercer to Huge W Over Duke
Shoe: adidas adizero Crazylight 3
Player: Jakob Gollon
Game: Mercer vs. Duke
Key Stat: 20 points, 5 rebounds
Jacob Parker Rocks VCU in the UA Spine
Shoe: Under Armour Spine
Player: Jacob Parker
Game: SF Austin vs. VCU
Key Stat: 22 points
Kevin Durant Drops 51 in Double OT Win Over Raptors
Shoe: Nike KD VI
Player: Kevin Durant
Game: OKC vs. Toronto
Key Stat: 51 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists
$130
Brice Johnson Keeps Tar Heels Alive in the CP3.VII
Shoe: Jordan CP3.VII
Player: Brice Johnson
Game: North Carolina vs. Providence
Key Stat: 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks
$125
Kevin Pangos Stops Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State in the Zoom Soldier VII
Shoe: Nike Zoom Soldier VII
Player: Kevin Pangos
Game: Gonzaga vs. Oklahoma State
Key Stat: 26 points, 3 steals
$80
Jamari Traylor Drops Double-Double on Eastern Kentucky
Shoe: adidas D Rose 4.5
Player: Jamari Traylor
Game: Kansas vs. Eastern Kentucky
Key Stat: 17 point, 14 rebounds
$140
Doug McDermott Drops 30 Points, 12 Boards on LA-Lafayette
Shoe: Nike Hyperdunk 2013
Player: Doug McDermott
Game: Creighton vs. LA-Lafayette
Key Stat: 30 points, 12 rebounds
Jarnell Stokes Explodes in the adidas No Mercy 2014
Shoe: adidas No Mercy 2014
Player: Jarnell Stokes
Game: Tennessee vs. Massachusetts
Key Stat: 26 points, 14 rebounds
$110
Riley Jones is a freelance writer from Charlottesville, VA and a contributor to Sneaker Report. With an unshakable affinity for basketball and all things pop culture, he can be found on Twitter @rchrstphr.
RELATED: The Shoes That Won Last Night: Virginia Wins ACC Title for First Time in 38 Years
RELATED: The Shoes That Won Last Night: NCAA Tournament First Round Action