The NCAA tournament got off to a wild start on Thursday as No. 3 seed Kentucky was upset by No. 14 seed Oakland 80-76, behind an incredible shooting performance from Jack Gohlke, who made 10 3s while scoring 32 points.
This result put a major damper on NBA scouting this month, as Kentucky had the top two prospects in the NCAA tournament and seven of the top 33 prospects in the competition.
Kentucky has been a poor defensive team all year and continued to show an alarming lack of attention to detail, allowing the Golden Grizzlies to get any shot they wanted all game. The Wildcats didn't make any in-game adjustments, as they were unable to match Oakland's scoring prowess while playing oversized lineups with too many nonshooters, shrinking the floor and making it difficult for their guards to find space to operate against Oakland's zone.
Two prospects advancing to the Sweet 16 are Tennessee's Dalton Knecht and Purdue's Zach Edey. Knecht struggled from deep (1-for-8) against Texas but made four free throws down the stretch to help the Volunteers advance.
Edey and the Boilermakers erased last season's loss to No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson with impressive wins versus Grambling and Utah State. The 7-foot-4 center averaged 26.5 points and 17.5 rebounds in the two games.
ESPN NBA draft insiders Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo recap the first weekend of the 2024 NCAA tournament and provide an updated mock draft.
2024 NBA mock draft
The draft order is based on ESPN projections and reflects the current state of picks owed and owned:
FIRST ROUND
Zaccharie Risacher | JL Bourg | SF | Age: 18.9
Alex Sarr | Perth Wildcats | PF/C | Age: 18.9