Busting Brackets
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March Madness: Top takeaways from the first day of the 2019 NCAA Tournament

By Brian Rauf

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 21: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers celebrates scoring at the end of the first half during the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Marquette Golden Eagles at XL Center on March 21, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 21: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers celebrates scoring at the end of the first half during the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Marquette Golden Eagles at XL Center on March 21, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT – MARCH 21: Ja Morant #12 and Darnell Cowart #32 of the Murray State Racers celebrate at the end of the first half during their first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament against the Marquette Golden Eagles at XL Center on March 21, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT – MARCH 21: Ja Morant #12 and Darnell Cowart #32 of the Murray State Racers celebrate at the end of the first half during their first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament against the Marquette Golden Eagles at XL Center on March 21, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

1) Ja Morant‘s historic performance

Murray State was the lowest seeded team to win a game on Thursday, dominating Marquette from start to finish on their way to an 83-64 victory that may not have been that close.

Why? Morant showed why he’s projected to be a top three pick, recording the ninth triple-double in NCAA Tournament history (17 points, 16 assists, 11 rebounds).

Morant has become a household name due to his viral dunks, which he also provided on Thursday…

…but Morant showed why NBA scouts are so high on him. He routinely broke down Marquette’s defense with his penetration and created a ton of quality shots for his teammates. His passing and vision is simply on another level and, when combined with his athleticism, gives him the potential to be an NBA starter as soon as he’s drafted.

Florida State – and the rest of the West Region – better be on high alert. Morant and the Racers are for real.

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