This weekend's slate of March Madness games has gotten off to a roaring start, as we have just witnessed one of the biggest upsets in the entire tournament thus far. In a thrilling and gritty Sweet-16 contest, the Arkansas Razorbacks have taken down the #1 overall seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs. In an improbable turn of events, the Muss Bus is moving on!

 

Arkansas entered the day as significant underdogs to the talented Gonzaga squad. Gonzaga boasted future-NBA players at multiple positions, highlighted by potential #1 overall pick Chet Holmgren. The Bulldogs were led by the extremely talented and extremely spirited Drew Timme, and it was going to take every ounce of effort for the Razorbacks to pull off the upset. In a game that featured several questionable calls, and several incredible displays of physicality, Arkansas eventually pulled off the upset winning with a final score of 74-68.

 

Arkansas also entered the game with historical trends not on their side. According to Glenn Guilbeau of OutKick.com, Arkansas entered the game with an all-time 0-10 record against #1 seeds in the tournament since the tournament first introduced seeding in 1979.

 

Arkansas now advances to the Elite 8 for the second consecutive year. This is Arkansas' 11th Elite 8 appearance all-time. The Razorbacks will look to advance at least one game further this year, as Arkansas fell just one game short of the Final Four in last year's tournament. Arkansas now awaits the winner of Duke-Texas Tech.

 

As for Gonzaga, the Bulldogs exit the tournament without securing a national title for 24th time in school history. According to ESPN Stats & Info, this loss marks the 5th time Gonzaga has exited the tournament as a 1-seed, and the 3rd time just in the last 4 years.

For a program as successful as Gonzaga, the continued lack of postseason success stings more and more with each passing season. The Gonzaga faithful are downtrodden at this moment, and they are left wondering where they go next as many key pieces are set to depart their program.

 

Arkansas meanwhile is set for a Saturday night contest against either Duke or Texas Tech. The Razorbacks will once again be looking to punch their ticket to the Final Four, hoping for a more favorable outcome this time around.

 

For more March Madness news, stay tuned here.