Among the Cinderellas in action in the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament Sunday, Maryland-Baltimore County wears a unique glass slipper as the only No. 16 seed to reach the round of 32. A defensively sound Kansas State team stands in its way en route to the Sweet 16.

No. 13-seeded Marshall faces a similar challenge against No. 5 West Virginia’s defense, which held opponents to 42.4 percent shooting from the field this season.

No. 2 Purdue overcame late-game turnovers to advance against No. 10 Butler. While the spotlight flashed on Matt Haarms (seven points, six rebounds, two blocks), who filled Isaac Haas’ spot at center, Dakota Mathias made a huge three-pointer late to help seal the game.

No. 11 Syracuse started with a First Four play-in game, now they’re headed to the Sweet 16 after a 55-53 victory over Michigan State. Despite the Orange’s struggles on offense, head coach Jim Boeheim’s zone smothered the Spartans for a stunning upset over a tournament favorite.

Stay tuned for all the high-flying action, memorable performances and intensity that comes with March Madness as the final eight teams punch their tickets to the Sweet 16.

More Brackets Busted

For those looking forward to the Spartans cutting down the nets, like former President Barack Obama, it’s not going to happen.

In front of a Detroit crowd, No. 11 Syracuse upset No. 3 Michigan State in a defensive slugfest 55-53. Both teams used the during of the shot clock on several possessions and set up their half-court offenses to battle to the final whistle. The Orange accomplished the feat without a key player in Franklin Howard who fouled out with 6:39 left in the game. 

Despite losing the rebounding battle 51-30, Syracuse held Michigan State to a paltry 25.8 percent shooting from the field. The Orange only hit one three-pointer but compensated with trips to the free-throw line, going 24-of-31 from the charity stripe.

Syracuse will move on to play Duke in a matchup that also features two legendary coaches, Mike Krzyzewski and Boeheim, going head-to-head in Omaha, Nebraska.

Did You See This?

No. 3 Michigan State and No. 11 Syracuse didn’t produce a ton of offensive highlights through the first half. Nonetheless, junior guard Matt McQuaid closed the first 20 minutes with an acrobatic shot after Orange forward Matthew Moyer rejected him on the initial attempt. The three-pointer put the Spartans in the lead 25-22 at halftime.

Earlier, Mathias came off a double screen to hit a big-time three-pointer with 14.2 seconds left to give Purdue a 76-71 lead. He shot 3-of-6 from downtown, but his final bucket put the Boilermakers in firm control down the stretch.

So Close, Yet…

Butler came close to becoming the second double-digit seed to join No. 11 Chicago of Loyola in the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs forced three turnovers in the final 2:04, and the “K Team” of Kelan Martin and Kamar Baldwin combined for 43 points.

Still, Butler came up short, falling 76-73 to the Haas-less Purdue, which relied on its long-range shooting (11-of-24, 45.8 percent) to pull out the win. The Boilermakers made it back to the regional semifinals after they lost to Kansas in that round last season.

The top three seeds in the East Regional have all advanced to the Sweet 16, as No. 2 Purdue joined No. 1 Villanova and No. 3 Texas Tech.

What to Watch Sunday Night

The biggest Cinderella story will continue at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, when No. 16 Maryland-Baltimore County faces No. 9 Kansas State. Senior guard Jairus Lyles hopes to lead the Retrievers through uncharted territory to the Sweet 16. In the first round, the Wildcats defense held No. 8 Creighton to 33.8 percent shooting from the field. Sunday night, they’ll attempt to play spoiler against the tournament’s historic improbable contender.

No. 1 Xavier flexed its offensive muscle as the only program to log a triple-digit point total (102) in the opening round. Head coach Chris Mack’s group will need to put on another scoring clinic against No. 9 Florida State, the nation’s 31st-ranked program in points per game (81.3). The Seminoles will be looking to avenge last year’s second-round loss to the Musketeers.

No. 13 Marshall shares some of UMBC’s spotlight as an underdog looking for a route to the Sweet 16. The Thundering Herd will tip off against No. 5 West Virginia in the late game. Will the Mountaineers’ pressing defense stifle junior guard Jon Elmore?

Sunday’s Scores and Schedule

No. 2 Purdue 76, No. 10 Butler 73

No. 11 Syracuse 55, No. 3 Michigan State 53

No. 2 North Carolina vs. No. 7 Texas A&M (5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)

No. 2 Cincinnati vs. No. 7 Nevada (6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)

No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 5 Clemson (7:10 p.m. ET, TBS)

No. 9 Kansas State vs. No. 16 Maryland-Baltimore County (7:45 p.m. ET, truTV)

No. 1 Xavier vs. No. 9 Florida State (8:40 p.m. ET, TNT)

No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 13 Marshall (9:40 p.m. ET, TBS)