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One of the great joys of March Madness is that its biggest stories often come from both traditional blue bloods and the tournament's smallest schools -- proving that the Big Dance is a stage where anyone can shine.

The 64-team bracket is officially set following No. 11 Xavier’s thrilling come from behind win over No. 11 Texas and No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s victory over No. 16 American in Dayton, Ohio.

Xavier overcame a 13-point deficit to beat Texas 86-80 in the First Four at Dayton. The Musketeers will move on to face No. 6 seed Illinois.

Alabama State and North Carolina both won in Tuesday's March Madness First Four games, albeit in different ways. Scores, highlights, results and more:

NCAA Tournament kicked off in earnest Tuesday in epic fashion as Alabama State stunned Saint Francis in the first game of the First Four with a last-second shot to take down the Panthers, 70-68. The Hornets ran an inbounds play with 3.

Amarr Knox scored 16 points, including a last-second layup, to help Alabama State advance to face No. 1 overall seed Auburn on Thursday in a South Region game

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The First Four continues Wednesday night at the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, starting with a battle between No. 16 seeds Mount St. Mary’s and American.