DAYTON, Ohio — Noah Hartsock scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half to fuel BYU’s incredible comeback from a 25-point deficit, leading the Cougars past Iona 78-72 in the first round of the NCAA tournament Tuesday night.
Brandon Davies added 18 points and Damarcus Harrison 12 for the Cougars (26-8), who advance to play third-seeded Marquette on Thursday in Louisville, Ky.
It was the second stunning turnaround of the night in Dayton. With President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron watching, Western Kentucky came back from a 16-point deficit in the final five minutes to beat Mississippi Valley State 59-58.
Iona (25-8) seemed assured of its first NCAA tournament victory after dominating the first half. But despite 15 points and 10 assists by Scott Machado, the Gaels dropped to 0-8 in NCAA play.
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