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What makes college basketball the best is that no matter how cheesy it sounds or improbable, all 363 D-I programs have an opportunity to win the national title. But as conference tournaments get underway, that number drops each day, creating incredible drama. On Thursday alone, 21 teams had their seasons effectively ended, although one may have a special — and historic — reason to keep going.

Let's get to the news.

1. Antoine Davis falls three points shy of Pistol Pete's mark

After 38 points against Purdue-Fort Wayne in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament, Antoine Davis and Detroit Mercy moved on to a quarterfinals matchup against Youngstown State. Perhaps more importantly, he was 26 points shy of breaking the all-time D-I scoring record of 3,667 points, held by LSU legend Pete Maravich.

The top-seeded Penguins were intent on stopping Davis, doubling him whenever he got the ball. He didn't score in the first five minutes — but his teammates did. Detroit Mercy led by double-digits early on. The expectation coming in was that Youngstown State would win this game, but could Davis surpass Pistol?

Instead, Detroit Mercy put up a great effort for 40 minutes, but time ran out for Davis and the Titans, as Youngstown State made stops in the 71-66 win. Davis missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds that would've tied Maravich, finishing with 22 points on just 7-of-26 field goal attempts.

After five season at Detroit, all of which were with his dad (and coach), Davis told ESPN he has no regrets.

"Just special," Davis said. "I had the opportunity to play for my dad. I was a couple of points short of the record. God knows what he's doing."

There might be an encore.

The Titans are 14-19 overall so there's no NCAA Tournament or NIT in play. But the CBI could be an option. Coach Mike Davis seems on board, saying "oh definitely. Why wouldn't we? Try to get better, win some games".

The CBI Twitter account seems to like the idea.

Some might roll their eyes at the idea (and Detroit might not be eligible), but there's a good chance that Antoine Davis is the last guy to have a chance at this record; why not give him the opportunity?

Results of other Horizon League games (seeds listed next to teams)

• 2. Milwaukee 87, 7. Wright State 70

• 3. Cleveland State 75, 6, Robert Morris 70 (OT)

• 4. Northern Kentucky 81, 5, Oakland 74

The higher seeds all move on to the semifinals in Indianapolis, with Youngstown State will play Northern Kentucky; Milwaukee will face Cleveland State.

The Penguins are two wins shy of their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. NKU, which had a heartbreaking loss a year ago, is looking to get back to the title game.

2. Illinois outlasts Michigan in 2OT

Those not keeping an eye on Davis' run at the record were likely glued to the game of the night, Illinois' wild 91-87 double-overtime against Michigan. We wouldn't have had OT without the Illini (20-10, 11-8 in Big Ten) blowing a lead in regulation.

But Michigan returned the favor in OT with its own blown lead. And that means it's yet another sharp object that could pop the Wolverines' NCAA Tournament bubble. Despite 31 points and 16 rebounds from Hunter Dickinson, and another 23 from Kobe Bufkin, the Wolverines (17-13, 11-8) are stuck in a rare spot: tied with six (6!) other teams for second place in the Big Ten but with only a handful of good wins and a lot of losses.

We'll have a more in-depth breakdown of Michigan's NCAA Tournament odds, and more on the other bubble teams later today for our Fielding the 68 bracketology shot at 5 pm ET. (Click here.)

As for Illinois, Matthew Mayer scored 24 points and Terrence Shannon added 21 points and four assists in the gutsy effort, all without starting guard Jayden Epps. The game itself was wild, and a high-level display of individual playmaking and teamwork.

But we'll let the AFTER DARK crew take it frrm here.

Other results to know:

No. 1 Houston 83, Wichita State 66Houston (28-2, 16-1 AAC) didn't look ahead toward its Memphis matchup on Sunday, easily dispatching Wichita State (15-14, 8-9). The backcourt duo of Marcus Sasser and Jamal Shead dominated, combining to produce 47 points on 15-of-28 shooting, including 7-of-15 from 3-point range.

No. 4 UCLA 79, Arizona State 61ASU (20-10, 11-8 in Pac-12) led 12-2 early on. From there it was all UCLA (26-4, 17-2). Jaime Jaquez led all scorers with 26 points, while Jaylen Clark chipped in with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Special note! Why aren't more people talking about the Bruins as a national title contender? Is that deserved? Or should UCLA be among the teams to beat in the Big Dance? Subscribe to The Field of 68 Premium and find out on Saturday.

No. 5 Purdue 63, Wisconsin 61The Badgers (16-13, 8-11 in Big Ten) nursed a lead through the second half, but couldn't hold on despite 19 points from Max Klesmit. Zach Edey had 17 points and 19 rebounds for Purdue (25-5, 14-5) but as a team, they shot 4-of-19 from deep. It was another game for Purdue-doubters to find flaws with their recent performances, though when it comes to March, a win's a win.

No. 8 Arizona 87, USC 81Had Boogie Ellis (35 points) not been saddled with foul trouble and played all 40 minutes, USC (21-9, 13-6 in Pac-12) would've helped their NCAA tourney profile. Ultimately, Arizona (25-5, 14-5) stayed in control throughout, shooting 54% from the field. Azuolas Tubelis led the team with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Minnesota 75, Rutgers 74Not a great night for bubble teams. But Rutgers (18-12, 10-9 Big Ten) might have it worse than most.

The Knights led by six points with 36 seconds left, but couldn't close despite 20+ points from both Cam Spencer and Cliff Omoruyi. Jamison Battle, who hit the game-winner, had 20 to lead Minnesota (8-20, 2-16).

Florida Atlantic 103, Rice 74FAU (27-3, 17-2 in CUSA) helped their profile in this one. Assuming the Owls win at Louisiana Tech on Saturday, they'll likely guarantee an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament.

Howard 87, Norfolk State 67After winning just four games a few years ago, Howard (19-12, 11-3 in MEAC) claimed the MEAC regular-season title outright for the first time in decades and will be the favorites to earn the automatic bid. Bryce Harris led all scorers with 22 points.

UC-Santa Barbara 89, UC-Davis 86A big road win by the Gauchos (23-7, 14-5 in Big West) kept them tied atop the league thanks to Ajay Mitchell. Elijah Pepper went for 30 for UC-Davis (17-13, 10-8), who could be a tough out in the conference tournament.

UC-Irvine 75, UC-Riverside 65In a battle of first-place Big West teams, the Anteaters (21-10, 14-5) pulled off the road victory, thanks to 26 points from DJ Davis. Flynn Cameron had 26 for Riverside (20-11, 13-6).

Washington State 93, Washington 84TJ Bamba dropped a career-high 36 points, one of five starters in double figures for Washington State (16-15, 11-9 in Pac-12). They're quietly over .500 in conference play and may be a darkhorse in the Pac-12 Tournament. Keion Brooks had 22 for Washington (16-15, 8-12).

Results from Thursday's conference tournaments

• Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa 75, Illinois State 62; Indiana State 97, Evansville 58; Murray State 78, Valparaiso 50; Missouri State 74, UIC 57

• Patriot: Colgate 92, Loyola (MD) 73; Army 71, Boston 69; American 52, Navy 51; Lafayette 71, Lehigh 64

• Sun Belt: South Alabama 68, Appalachian State 61; Troy 63, Arkansas State 59; Texas State 65, Old Dominion 36; Georgia Southern 66, UL Monroe 57

• West Coast: Portland 92, San Diego 74; Pacific 84, Pepperdine 71

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3. Weekend stakes: Automatic bids on the line

The Ohio Valley's championship game is Saturday, but it has games tonight. But the first championship matchup is set: Kennesaw State vs. Liberty in the Atlantic Sun title game.

These were the league's two best teams all season, tied for first and finishing three games clear of third. Yet neither team had an easy time in Thursday's semifinals.

Liberty (26-7) trailed by 13 points in the first half, but rallied behind star guard Darius McGhee for a 79-73 victory over EKU. McGhee had a game-high 29 points, while Colin Porter had a big game as well, going for 25 points on 5-of-9 from three-point range.

Kennesaw State (25-8) traded shots with Lipscomb in the other semifinal. Between Terrell Burden's 20 points and 7 assists and a pair of key three-pointers from Chris Youngblood, the Owls won 80-71.

That sets up a rematch of the season's top mid-major games, which Kennesaw State won, 88-81. McGhee had 43 points in that game. Can the Flames claim their third automatic bid in the last four years, or will Kennesaw State complete one of the best recent turnarounds; going from 1 total win three years ago to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance? (Sunday, 3 pm ET ESPN2)

Ohio Valley mayhem

The other title game that set (for now) is in the Ohio Valley. Thursday's quarterfinals saw Southeast Missouri State beat Tennessee State, 91-83, and will now play No. 1 seed Morehead State. The other game between SIU-Edwardsville and UT-Martin got physical. And not in a good way.

SIUE led for most of the second half, until a run by Jordan Sears helped propel UT-Martin to a 81-75 win. Sears led all scorers with 33 points. UT-Martin takes on 2-seed Tennessee Tech on Friday night, with the OVC title battle on Saturday at 7 pm ET (ESPN2) — the first automatic bid to the Big Dance.

We should note that the Big South and the Missouri Valley also have title games on Sunday. But you can read more about those by subscribing to the Field of 68 Premium.

4. Six most important games of the weekend

Tennessee at Auburn (Sat, 2 pm ET, ESPN)After giving up a double-digit late before losing to Alabama in overtime, Auburn (19-11, 9-8 SEC) is closer to the bubble than folks may think. It has lost three of four games, and its best wins are against Arkansas and Missouri. The good news is that the Tigers have a home game against a Tennessee squad (22-8, 11-6) without starting guard Zakai Zeigler. If they can't win this one, they're in danger of falling to the 9- or 10-seed range. 

Duke at North Carolina (Sat, 6:30 pm ET, ESPN)It feels like déjà vu with North Carolina (19-11, 11-8 ACC) in a "must-win" situation heading into the regular-season finale against rival Duke (22-8, 13-6). Even after beating Virginia last week, the overall weakness of the ACC means that the Tar Heels need to keep winning and racking up Quad 1/2 wins. A big difference between this and last year? UNC will be in the Dean Dome, where it has lost just two games all year. For the Blue Devils, a chance at the double-bye in the ACC Tournament is at stake, along with dealing a crushing blow to their hated foe's tournament chances.

Boise State at Utah State (Sat, 9 pm ET, Check Local Listings)Utah State (23-7, 12-5 Mountain West) may be the most controversial team discussed on Selection Sunday, whether it is in or out. They have a NET ranking of 22 (as of Thursday morning) but no Quad 1 victories. The Aggies can change that this weekend, taking on Boise State (23-7, 12-5) for a Q1 home opportunity. The Broncos are stuck as a 2-seed in the Mountain West Tournament, but with a win, it can tie San Diego State for back-to-back regular-season champions. A loss here likely means that Utah State needs to win at least two games next week to feel decent about dancing.

Arizona State at USC (Sat, 11 pm ET, FS1)With both teams losing games on Thursday that would've potentially punched their tickets to the NCAA Tournament, this one becomes a true bubble battle. Between them, USC (21-9, 13-6 in Pac-12) is a little "safe" than Arizona State (20-10, 11-8), which is squarely on the cut-line and needs this victory more. 

Houston at Memphis (Sun, noon ET, CBS)The Tigers are on the right side of the bubble for now, but without any signature wins, next week's AAC Tournament could get dicey if they lose before the finals. Every game before that is a potential "bad loss." Memphis (23-7, 13-4 in ACC) looked competitive a couple of weeks ago against Houston without star guard Kendric Davis, and he's healthy this time. A win would effectively clinch a spot in the Big Dance.

Michigan at Indiana (Sun, 4:30 pm ET, CBS)After losing to Illinois on Thursday, Michigan (17-13, 11-8 in Big Ten) gets one more chance at a big road win. This time, it's at Indiana (20-10, 11-8), with Trayce Jackson-Davis looking to make another statement in the Big Ten Player of the Year race. The earlier meeting between these two was in Ann Arbor, and the Hoosiers sneaked out with a 62-61 win. Will Hunter Dickinson pull out the ski mask and try to "steal" this one back?

5. Seeding scenarios for last weekend of regular season

There are a few conferences left that have meaningful games to decide the regular-season championship and seeding for next week's conference tournaments. Here are some contests and scenarios to keep in mind.

Atlantic 10

• VCU, Dayton have clinched 1- and 2-seeds

• UMass, Rhode Island, and Loyola will play first round games

• Saint Louis has clinched a double-bye, gets 3-seed with either win vs. Dayton or Duquesne win over Fordham

• Fordham gets a double-bye with win over Duquesne, 3-seed if Dayton beats Saint Louis

• Duquesne gets a double-bye with a win over Fordham and wins by either Saint Louis or George Mason

• Three of La Salle, Richmond, Davidson, St. Joe's or St. Bonaventure will play in the first round

ACC

• Miami, Virginia clinched a top-4 seed

• Winner of Miami vs. Pittsburgh clinches share of regular-season title and 1-seed

• If Pittsburgh loses and both Duke (at UNC) and Clemson (Notre Dame) wins, Panthers fall to 5-seed and Blue Devils/Tigers get a double-bye.

• If Boston College loses to Georgia Tech, it plays in first round

• If Syracuse loses and Boston College wins, Orange plays in first Round

• If Wake Forest loses and both BC/Syracuse wins, Deacons play in first Round

Big 12

• Kansas has clinched the 1-seed

• Baylor, Texas and Kansas State tied at 11-6 and fighting for 2- through 4-seeds

• Texas Tech, WVU and Oklahoma in 1st round game

• If OK State wins at Texas Tech and ISU loses at Baylor, Cowboys get the 6-seed and avoid a first-round game

Big Ten

• Purdue locked in as 1-seed, Ohio State as the 13- and Minnesota 14-seeds

• Penn State falls to the first round if they lose to Maryland and both Nebraska (Iowa) and Wisconsin (Minnesota) wins

• Three of Michigan, Illinois, Maryland, Northwestern, Indiana, Michigan State and Rutgers will get a double-bye, the rest will get a single-bye in Big Ten Tournament

Ivy League

• Yale, Princeton and Penn all tied at 9-4, each clinched spot in four-team tournament

• Winner of Penn vs. Princeton gets 1-seed if Yale loses to Brown

• If Brown (7-6) beats Yale or Cornell loses to Columbia, Brown gets the fourth and final seed.

• If Cornell beats Columbia and Brown loses to Yale, Big Red gets the final seed.

SEC

• Alabama, Texas A&M locked into 1- and 2-seeds

• Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and South Carolina locked into first round game

• Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri fighting for a double-bye

• Auburn, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Florida could be anywhere from 7- to 10-seeds

Two top-10 matchups with 1-seed implications on the line

Two specific games this weekend could impact who becomes a 1-seed. The first is Kansas vs. Texas, with the Jayhawks (25-5, 13-4 Big 12) firmly on the top-seed line but battling for the No. 1 overall seed. Texas (22-8, 11-6) is among the 2-seeds most likely to jump up if Houston or Purdue fall, and a signature win over Kansas would help. (Sat, 4 pm ET, ESPN)

Meanwhile, UCLA (26-4. 17-2 Pac-12) and Arizona (25-5, 14-5) are fighting to stay in the West Region, with the Wildcats having the edge per the last bracket reveal. The winner of this game could have the lead before the Pac-12 Tournament, where these teams may easily meet again one week later. (Sat, 10 pm, ET, ESPN)

Friday

• Northern Iowa (14-17, 9-11 MVC) vs Bradley (23-8, 16-4), 1 pm (ESPN+)

• Indiana State (21-11, 13-7 MVC)vs Belmtont (21-10, 14-6), 3:30 pm (ESPN+)

• Akron (21-9, 13-4 MAC) at Kent State (24-6, 13-4 MAC), 6 pm (ESPNU)

• Murray State (17-14, 11-9 MVC) vs Drake (24-7, 15-5), 7 pm (ESPN+)

• Dayton (20-10, 12-5 A-10) at Saint Louis (19-11, 11-6), 7 pm (ESPN2)

• New Mexico (21-9, 8-9 MTN West) at Colorado State (13-17, 5-12), 11 pm (FS1)

Saturday

• Alabama (26-4, 16-1 SEC) at Texas A&M (22-8, 14-3), Noon (CBS)

• Iowa State (17-12, 8-9 Big 12) at Baylor (22-8, 11-6), Noon (ESPN2)

• Penn (17-11, 9-4 Ivy) at Princeton (18-8, 9-4), Noon (ESPNews)

• Kansas State (23-7, 11-6 Big 12) at West Virginia (17-13, 6-11), 2 pm (ESPN+)

• Kentucky (20-10, 11-6 SEC) at Arkansas (19-11, 8-9), 2 pm (CBS)

• Duquesne (20-10, 10-7 A-10) at Fordham (23-7, 11-6), 2 pm (ESPN+)

• Pittsburgh (21-9, 14-5 ACC) at Miami (23-6, 14-5), 6 pm (ACC Network)

• Oklahoma State (16-14, 7-10 Big 12) at Texas Tech (16-14, 5-12), 6 pm (ESPN2)

• UConn (23-7, 12-7 Big East) at Villanova 16-14, 10-9), 7:30 pm (FOX)

• Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9 SEC) at Vanderbilt (17-13 10-7), 8:30 pm (SEC Network)

Sunday

• Maryland (20-10, 11-8 Big Ten) at Penn State (18-12, 9-10), Noon (Big Ten Network)

• Illinois (20-10, 11-8 Big Ten) at Purdue (25-5, 14-5), 12:30 pm (FOX)

• Northwestern (20-10, 11-8 Big Ten) at Rutgers (18-12, 10-9), 7:30 pm (Big Ten Network)

Tournament stress liable to cause PSYCHOsomaTic symptoms for UNC fans

How does North Carolina stack up with other bubble teams after Thursday's slate of games? Greg Waddell, Matt McCall and Tyler Hansbrough try to make sense of it on AFTER DARK. Listen below:

Links as you object to your conference's tourney format, like Paul Mills of Oral Roberts did.

• Max Abmas of Oral Roberts wins Summit League Player of the Year to lead conference awards.

• Aaron Estrada of Hofstra wins CAA Player of the Year to lead conference awards.

• Antoine Davis, Jalen Wilson and Zach Edey among finalists for Oscar Robertson Trophy.

• West Virginia lands Manhattan transfer, Omar Silverio.

• WAC and Conference USA have reportedly come to a scheduling alliance in basketball.

• Tucker DeVries of Drake wins MVC Player of the Year to lead conference awards.

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