DENVER — Former Maumee Valley star and Virginia Commonwealth guard Zeb Jackson was the game’s leading scorer in a 80-71 loss to BYU on Thursday.

Jackson, a Toledo native, scored a game-high and season-high 23 points for No. 11 seed VCU, which reached the NCAA Tournament for the third time in five years but still haven't had any March Madness success since 2016.

Zeb Jackson with a VCU steal and SLAM 💪

Rams looking to ignite a comeback on BYU 👀#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/ZDZRbpCus5

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2025

The Rams boasted their best record in 13 years and were coming off winning the Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles.

Igor Demin (16 points) and Richie Saunders (15 points) propelled the sixth-seeded Cougars into a Saturday showdown against third-seeded Wisconsin, which handled Montana 85-66 earlier in the day in the East Region.

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March Madness: No. 12 seed McNeese beats Clemson, earns first NCAA Tournament win

First Published March 20, 2025, 10:51 p.m.