Upsets rule second morning of NCAA tournament

Mercer guard Langston Hall (21) moves the ball under pressure from Duke guard Quinn Cook, left, and Duke Amile Jefferson (21) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball second-round game, Friday, March 21, 2014, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Mercer forward T.J. Hallice (14) shoots against Duke forward Jabari Parker (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball second-round game, Friday, March 21, 2014, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Mercer forward Daniel Coursey (52) passes the ball against Duke forward Rodney Hood (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball second-round game, Friday, March 21, 2014, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Mercer cheerleaders perform during the second half of an NCAA college basketball second-round game against Duke , Friday, March 21, 2014, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Mercer forward Jakob Gollon celebrates a basket with Mercer forward Daniel Coursey (52) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball second-round game against Duke, Friday, March 21, 2014, in Raleigh, N.C. Mercer won 78-71. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

The Midwest Region’s 14-seed Mercer upset 3rd-seeded Duke 78-71 in NCAA tournament.

This is the second consecutive day that a double-digit seed has pulled off an upset in the opening game of the day. Dayton, who was an 11-seed, defeated Ohio State to start the day on Thursday.

Mercer will play 11-seed Tennessee, who came up with an upset of their own against Massachussetts, 86-67. Tennessee competed in the First Four round on Wednesday, advancing past Iowa to earn their game on Friday.

The matchup guarantees that a double-digit seed will enter the Sweet 16 next weekend.

A third upset came out of the South Region, where 10-seed Stanford upset 7-seed and Mountain West tournament champion New Mexico, 58-53.

Stanford will play Kansas next. The second-seeded Jayhawks escaped a tight game against 15-seed Eastern Kentucky, pulling away late to win 80-69.

In the West Region, Baylor pulled away from Nebraska to advance with a 74-60 win. The Bears will play 3-seed Creighton.

The top seed of the West, the Arizona Wildcats, earned a 68-59 win over Weber State. They will face the winner of Oklahoma State’s game with Gonzaga. Weber State was only the 15th 16-seed to lose to a 1-seed by 9 points or fewer.

Arizona will face Gonzaga next. The Bulldogs, who were an 8-seed, beat 9-seed Oklahoma State 85-77 to advance.

The West had another near-miss upset later on, as Creighton had to hold off 14-seed Louisiana Lafayette 76-66.