1 takeaway from each of Sunday's NCAA games

theScore runs down the top storylines and developments from the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32 and what it all could mean moving forward.

Houston-Texas A&M serves true madness

In a tournament that was largely devoid of insane upsets or nail-biting finishes across its first week, one of Sunday's last games provided all the drama. After a high-paced, back-and-forth first half, Houston seemed to have pulled away with just under two minutes remaining. Then Texas A&M scored on its last six possessions, including an unreal buzzer-beating, game-tying 3-pointer from non-shooter Andersson Garcia to force an extra frame.

The insanity didn't stop in overtime. A shorthanded Houston team had four of its five starters foul out, including All-American Jamal Shead. The situation was so dire that rarely used walk-on Ryan Elvin was tapped to make a clutch free throw. When all was said and done, the top-seeded Cougars survived a major scare and advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 100-95 win over the No. 9 Aggies.

As has seemingly always been the case under head coach Kelvin Sampson, Houston found a way to win. As a result, the Cougars are headed to their fifth straight Sweet 16.

Kolek makes Marquette a title contender

With the oblique injury that kept him out of the Big East Tournament a distant memory, Tyler Kolek has reasserted himself as one of the most important players in the country. The Marquette guard shone for the second straight game Sunday, dropping 21 points and adding 11 assists to lead the Golden Eagles past Colorado and into the Sweet 16. His clutch floater in the final minute iced the victory for Shaka Smart's program, securing a date with NC State next week. Kolek's performance earned high praise from Buffaloes coach Tad Boyle.

"You appreciate him on film, then you appreciate him with his numbers," Boyle told ESPN's Ben Baby. "But then you play against him, and you're like, 'Holy cow, that kid is special.' He's a good player."

Kolek has undoubtedly been one of the stars of the tournament through two rounds: He's racked up a combined 39 points, 22 assists and 11 rebounds while playing 78 of a possible 80 minutes. His all-around brilliance placed him in some elite company.

Edey continues to feast

Zach Edey was at it again just two days after recording the first 30-20 double-double in nearly 30 years. Utah State's frontcourt had no answer for the Purdue center as he went for 23 points, 14 boards, three assists, three blocks, and two steals in the Boilermakers' second-round win. He already had his 26th double-double of the season with 5:18 remaining in the first half. Edey is the first player with 50 points, 35 rebounds, and 65% shooting through their first two games of an NCAA Tournament since Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) in 1968, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Edey showcased the skills that have garnered him first-round draft buzz. The reigning Wooden Award winner did a tremendous job sealing off his defenders, making it easier for his teammates to feed him in the low block. Once Edey established deep position, he'd either finish over his man with a hook shot or draw a foul. Purdue was in the bonus just past the midway point of the first half and subsequently cashed in at the charity stripe. But Edey is more than just a post-up threat. The big man can find open shooters on the perimeter when he's double-teamed and act as a hub in dribble-handoff actions.

Duke freshman McCain shows out on big stage

The lights in Brooklyn were nowhere near too bright for Duke freshman guard Jared McCain in the No. 4 Blue Devils' 93-55 blowout win over 12-seed James Madison. The sharpshooter put up 30 points in just 31 minutes, and his eight threes set a Duke record for most made in an NCAA Tournament game.

McCain started the game 5-of-5 from the land beyond, shutting down James Madison's hopes of a second upset after taking down No. 5 Wisconsin on Friday. The Blue Devils never trailed and held a 22-point lead at halftime. Every McCain three was another big blow to a James Madison team that came into the game second nationally in 3-point defense - especially considering the underdogs only made four long balls of their own in the contest.

Clemson neutralizes Baylor attack

While Clemson was efficient offensively, the Tigers' play on the opposite end of the floor was arguably more impressive. Baylor entered Sunday's Round of 32 clash with the nation's fifth-best mark in adjusted offensive efficiency, though the squad looked less than solid against Clemson's stifling defense. The Bears managed only 64 points - well below their season average of 80.9 - and shot just 39% from the field.

Clemson tallied 12 points off 10 Baylor turnovers, including a Chase Hunter steal that led to an Ian Schieffelin basket to give the program a 15-point advantage with 6:44 remaining. The Bears subsequently made their charge only to be halted by a pair of key defensive plays down the stretch. Tigers senior forward PJ Hall, who was limited to 20 minutes due to foul trouble, blocked RayJ Dennis' layup attempt with 2:28 left. Just over a minute later, Schieffelin had a denial of his own on Dennis to preserve Clemson's four-point lead.

The Tigers are off to just their second Sweet 16 since 1997 after holding their opponents to 34.7% shooting through the first two rounds.

Alabama grinds out physical win

Fifty-nine combined free throws, 25 total offensive rebounds, and a collective 41 missed 3-pointers are just a few of the numbers that demonstrate just how physical No. 4 Alabama's 72-61 victory over No. 12 Grand Canyon was. The Crimson Tide typically thrive on their finesse and shooting prowess, but they found a way to survive a game where they struggled mightily to get going offensively.

Realistically, Alabama's ice-cold shooting wouldn't have been enough to win had Grand Canyon not made only two threes all game long. But this was a marked improvement for the Crimson Tide after they allowed at least 80 points in 10 of their last 11 games. Whether it was Alabama stepping up, or Grand Canyon shooting itself in the foot, the Crimson Tide will at minimum need the same effort defensively that they brought Sunday night to have a shot at knocking off No. 1 North Carolina in the Sweet 16.

Not only will the multi-day rest between games allow Alabama to rest after a dogfight, but it could allow starter Latrell Wrightsell Jr. to time to heal after he left the game early with a head injury.

Clingan stands tall at both ends

UConn is the first defending national champion to reach the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament since Duke in 2016. Donovan Clingan is arguably the most impressive Huskies player through two games. The 7-foot-2 center had one of the best performances of his career in the Round of 32 against Northwestern, posting 14 points, 14 boards, and a career-high eight blocks in 27 minutes.

Clingan punished the Wildcats as a roll man, by running the floor in transition, and on the low block in post-ups. His presence in the paint was key in keeping Northwestern to just 6-of-18 on layups. Clingan maximizes his size and length when he contests shots at the rim, but he's also shown the ability to defend in space. On multiple occasions, Clingan stuck with Wildcats guards off the bounce and ended the possession with a rejection.

San Diego State ... offensive juggernaut?

Last year's national finalist San Diego State is once again built around toughness and elite defense. However, the Aztecs' explosive offense was on full display Sunday as they booked a rematch with UConn in their return to the Sweet 16. San Diego State torched Yale from deep, connecting on an absurd 13-of-27 triples to score 85 points in the blowout win. The Aztecs entered the game ranked 318th in the country in 3-point shooting, making that 48% clip even more astonishing.

San Diego State's defense should be able to contain UConn to some degree next week, but the offense's ability to keep up will decide how competitive the game is. If the Aztecs can repeat Sunday's shooting excellence, this matchup with the Huskies could be much tighter than last year's.