RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Tyrese Proctor had 19 points and freshman star Cooper Flagg returned from an ankle injury as No. 1 seed Duke beat Mount St. Mary’s 93-49 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Flagg had 14 points and seven boards for the East Region’s top seed.

He missed the past two games due to a sprained ankle. Arlandus Keyes scored 15 points for the Mountaineers.

Mount St. Mary’s was the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion and had beaten American in the First Four.

OLE MISS HOLDS OFF FRANTIC UNC

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Sean Pedulla made a critical 3-pointer with 52.8 seconds left, and Mississippi topped North Carolina 71-64 in the NCAA Tournament after the Rebels squandered most of a 22-point lead in the second half.

Ole Miss, the No. 6 seed in the South Region, will chase its first Sweet 16 berth since 2001 when it faces No. 3 seed Iowa State on Sunday.

The Rebels are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.

They hadn’t won an NCAA tourney game since beating BYU 94-90 in the First Four in 2015, and they hadn’t advanced beyond the round of 64 since 2013.

COLORADO STATE BEATS MEMPHIS

SEATTLE (AP) — Kyan Evans made a career-high six 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead No. 12 seed Colorado State past fifth-seeded Memphis 78-70 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.

The Rams extended their winning streak to 11 games and advanced to face either Maryland or Grand Canyon in the second round on Sunday.

This 12-over-5 result was no shocker, with Colorado State a 2 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

Coach Penny Hardaway’s Tigers were not at full strength, with veteran guard and third-leading scorer Tyrese Hunter sidelined by a left foot injury.

PITINO, CALIPARI SHARE RESPECT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rick Pitino and John Calipari are a pair of basketball lifers who are more alike than they care to admit.

The Hall of Famers will renew their occasionally acrimonious rivalry on Saturday when Pitino’s second-seeded St. John’s faces Calipari’s No. 10 seed Arkansas for the chance to advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

The matchup has been anticipated since the March Madness brackets were announced. It was sealed on Thursday when Arkansas beat Kansas and St. John’s dispatched Omaha in the first round in Providence.

“I hope years from now people will say: ‘They both get their teams to play hard at a competitive level,'” Calipari said. “Do we do it different? Yeah, I guess. I am who I am.”