What a week of college basketball. Over the last seven days, the nation saw some of the best college basketball the NCAA has to offer, with several top ten matchups being played all across America.
We’re only one week away from March, so this means one thing: conference tournament season is upon us. The stakes are higher as teams vie for a spot and attempt to build momentum before the madness begins. So hang tight: here are some of college basketball’s greatest upsets and top performances from last week, along with some games to watch in the coming days.
Greatest Upsets
No. 23 BYU 79, No. 6 Iowa State 69
The BYU Cougars are perhaps the best eight-loss team in college basketball at this point in time. Having the best freshman in the nation in forward AJ Dybantsa, they’ve lost their fair share of big games but have also won a good deal as well, including their 79-69 upset over sixth-ranked Iowa State on Saturday.
Dybantsa defended his home arena nicely, dominating the opposing Cyclones from start to finish. The freshman recorded an impressive 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. His presence has been felt all over the league thus far, and he’s already projected to be the top pick in this year’s NBA Draft by several experts.
UCLA 95, No. 10 Illinois 94
After trailing by 23 points at halftime, the unranked UCLA Bruins rallied back to defeat No. 10 Illinois in overtime by a score of 95-94. Led by head coach Mick Cronin, the Bruins came into their Saturday game after a 30-point loss to Michigan and a 23-point loss to Michigan State. This comes to show how unpredictable college basketball can be.
New Mexico State transfer Donovan Dent sealed the victory for the Bruins after hitting the go-ahead layup with one second left in overtime, triggering Bruins fans to storm their home court. He finished the game with 14 points, three rebounds and a staggering 15 assists, while teammate Eric Dailey Jr. added another 20 points and six rebounds. UCLA’s record now stands at 19-9. If they can sneak into the tournament, the Bruins can be a real problem in March.
No. 14 Kansas 69, No. 5 Houston 56
What is going on with the Big 12?
The Houston Cougars entered their showdown with No. 6 Iowa State ranked third in the country with a record of 23-2. But on Monday night, they were handed their third consecutive loss at the mercy of the No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks.
So, how did this happen? Well, everyone seemed to produce for the Jayhawks, as four players scored in the double digits. Senior Tre White scored a season-high 23 points along with five rebounds and one assist. Darryn Peterson added 14 points and four assists, while Melvin Council Jr. and Bryson Tiller chipped in with 11 points each in the win.
Top Performers
Seth Trimble, guard (North Carolina), scored a career-high 30 points, including two key free throws in the game’s final seconds, to seal No. 18 UNC’s 77-74 bounce-back win against conference rival Louisville.
Cameron Boozer, forward (Duke), led the No. 1 Blue Devils in nearly every offensive category with 24 points, 13 rebounds and two assists in their 100-56 walloping of Notre Dame.
Christian Anderson, guard (Texas Tech), filled in for the missing JT Toppin by recording 31 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in the No. 16 Red Raiders’ 80-68 victory over Cincinnati.
Anthony Dell’Orso, guard (Arizona), came off the bench to score 22 points in the No. 4 Wildcats’ 73-66 victory over No. 2 Houston in a top five showdown.
Pryce Sandfort, forward (Nebraska), contributed to the No. 9 Cornhuskers’ 87-64 win over Penn State with a career-high 33 points.
Games to Watch
Saturday, Feb. 28: No. 14 Kansas (21-7) at No. 2 Arizona (26-2)
Will lightning strike twice for the Jayhawks? Three weeks ago, the then ninth-ranked Jayhawks stunned the undefeated and top-ranked Wildcats by four points in their home arena in Lawrence, Kansas. This time, they’ll venture westward to take on the Wildcats in the famed McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Arizona. Should the Jayhawks win, it would mark yet another signature win for this young Kansas squad, proving themselves to be a contender, not a pretender.
Saturday, Feb. 28: No. 17 Alabama (20-7) at No. 22 Tennessee (20-8)
There’s nothing quite like fast-paced, high-octane SEC basketball, especially between two virtually even teams like Alabama and Tennessee. The conference has been nothing short of a slaughterfest this season, with top-ranked teams knocking each other off what seems like every week. While a rowdy Tennessee home environment will surely help the Volunteers, Alabama sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr. is averaging 21.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and five assists per game, posing a tall task for the opposing defense.
Monday, Mar. 2: No. 4 Iowa State (24-4) at No. 2 Arizona (26-2)
What a week it’ll be for Arizona. Just one day after their duel with Kansas, the Wildcats welcome yet another familiar foe to Tucson: the red-hot No. 4 Cyclones of Iowa State. Unlike their previous game, this matchup marks the first time the two Big 12 Conference members will play each other this season. With it being this late in the season, the game will pose a fantastic preview of how the upcoming conference tournament will pan out.