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Football's done. The Olympics aren't on at night. College hoops can take center stage, especially after a weekend where three Top 5 teams lost, buzzer beaters, 40-point performances, court storms and so much more.

Author

Mike Miller
February 09, 2026

Good morning! Today’s Field of 68 Daily is FREE.

For those of you finally tuning into college hoops — the Super Bowl usually marks that for casual fans — we’re glad you’re here. It’s been a helluva season thus far. There are still two unbeaten teams (longest for multiple teams since 2013-14), perhaps the best crop of freshmen that we’ve ever seen, the deepest batch of elite point guards since the mid-2000s, and a load of national title contenders. Up until last week, the AP Top 10 had just 18 combined losses. It was double that last season.

So let’s dive into what happened during an awesome hoops weekend.

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1. Contextualizing three losses from Top 5 teams

Three teams in the AP top 5 lost on Friday and Saturday. The last time that happened in a two-day span? December of last season.

But those losses included three teams (Kansas, Kentucky and Marquette) that ran hot and cold all season. Friday and Saturday were all Top 25 matchups with losses that might sting for a few days, but weren’t surprising.

Like No. 14 North Carolina’s 71-68 victory over No. 4 Duke. Yes, the Devils (21-2, 10-1 in ACC) were favored and unbeaten in league play. And sure, they controlled most of the game. But UNC (19-4, 7-3) was at home, playing in front of a raucous crowd and had a frontcourt in Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar (a combined 36 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocks) that kept Duke from running away with it. Veesaar’s 3-pointer with 1:40 remaining tied the game, and after two defensive stops, got an all-timer of a shot from Seth Trimble for the win.

It was the first time UNC had won on a last-second shot since Luke Maye in 2017, and prompted a court storm. The frenzy didn’t sit well with Duke coach Jon Scheyer, who said he had staff members who were punched in the face. UNC was fined $50K for the storm.

No. 22 St. John’s didn’t need a last-second shot to upend No. 3 UConn, 81-72, on Friday, but the game followed a similar script: Use your bigs and roll with the home crowd. Zuby Ejiofor (21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists), Bryce Hopkins (14 points, six boards) and Dillon Mitchell (15 points, six rebounds) were “grown-ass men” that snapped UConn’s 18-game win streak.

UConn (22-2, 12-1 in Big East) still managed to get good shots (it was 55% from the field), but committed 15 turnovers against the Red Storm (18-5, 11-1) press, and seemed to wear down.

Your game factoids: It was St. John’s first win against a Top 5 team since 2011 (Duke), the first time Rick Pitino’s beaten a Top 5 team since 2016, and was his 903rd career victory, tying him with Roy Williams for third all-time.

That third Top 5 loss? Also in front of a frenzied home crowd: No. 10 Michigan State 85, No. 5 Illinois 82 in overtime.

Spartans point guard Jeremy Fears was spectacular — his 26 points and 15 assists made him the only player this century with that line against a ranked opponent — with his ability to turn the corner and get into the lane against the Illinois defense. There was a moment where he seemed to trip another opponent, but coach Tom Izzo shut down that topic after the game.

Just as notable was Michigan State (20-4, 10-3 in Big Ten) ending a two-game skid and snapped a 12-game win streak for Illinois. The Illini (20-4, 11-2) struggled to get consistent offense, mostly because star freshman Keaton Wagler struggled mightily.

He averaged more than 27 ppg in the previous four outings, but was just 14-of-16 from the field and finished with 16 points. Wagler seemed to struggle with the physical play. We’ll see if he can bounce back with a couple of home games starting on Tuesday vs. Wisconsin.

2. Houston adds to BYU’s woes

If there’s such a thing as a quiet contender, No. 8 Houston is it. A 77-66 win at No. 16 BYU marked the best win this season for the Coogs (21-2, 9-1 in Big 12), who have an Iowa State-Arizona-Kansas stretch coming up.

But until then, they’re just doing what Kelvin Sampson’s teams have done the last five seasons: dominate the glass and win games. They grabbed 37% of their missed shots, scored 1.31 ppp and shot 50% from the field after halftime. Freshman Kingston Flemings did most of the damage in that second half, scoring 11 of his 19 points, including four buckets that keyed a 14-5 run late in the game.

That’s four wins in a row for Houston — and four-straight losses for BYU. They’ve had chances to win those games, but haven’t been able to close any of them out.

“Another great opportunity we let go, which is unfortunate for us has been too many against the highest caliber of teams in the country,” coach Kevin Young said. “We can’t seem to finish the job and that’s disappointing.”

The Cougars (17-6, 5-5) got 28 points from AJ Dybantsa, and 17 from Rob Wright, but they can’t seem to get any defensive stops. They’ve allowed at least 1.13 points per possession in each of the last six games, whether it was opponents getting hot from the field or maximizing shot volume like Houston.

If there’s any consolation for BYU, this is what the top of the Big 12 looks like. Surviving this gauntlet is no mean feat.

3. Purdue’s ‘got to be better’

Purdue’s 19-4 overall. Seems good, right? But the Boilermakers are also fifth in the Big Ten (9-3), lost three in a row last month and struggled to put away Oregon on Saturday. A 68-64 home win? That’s not what the preseason No. 1 team expected. Not against an Oregon team that’s 8-15 overall and 1-11 in the Big Ten.

Senior guard Fletcher Loyer, who finished with a game-high 18 points, including a dagger 3-pointer with 51 seconds left said as much afterward.

“We’ve got to be better,” he said. “We’ve got better teams coming up. We’ve got to be better.”

It’s not that Purdue’s been bad. But it’s gone from the team to beat to one of several title contenders, dropping not only from the top of the AP poll but from 2nd to 10th in KenPom. The offense is among the sport’s best (third in adjusted efficiency, and it’s been the best at times) because of its shooting (38.5% from deep and 59.1% inside the arc; both rank top 20).

It hasn’t been as crisp over the last three weeks, including Saturday vs. Oregon. Those upcoming foes — at Nebraska and Iowa, vs. Michigan, Indiana and Michigan State — all feature Top 25 defenses except Indiana. Get that offense clicking or it’ll be a longshot for a top 4 NCAA tourney seed.

4. What happened in that OU-Vandy game?

No. 15 Vanderbilt entered Saturday’s game at Oklahoma as a heavy favorite (12.5 points) against a team that had lost nine straight.

So was Oklahoma’s 92-91 win a surprise? Yes. But the bigger surprise was how it happened.

The Sooners (12-12, 2-9 in SEC) led by 21 points with about 12 minutes left. It was scorching hot (it finished 53.4% from the field) and Vandy (19-4, 6-4) hadn’t found any consistency. But behind point guard Tyler Tanner (he finished with 37 points, nine assists, five steals and two blocks), the Commodores staged a remarkable rally and had the ball down three with two seconds left, but didn’t get a shot off.

For a team that started the season 16-0, and is just 3-4 since, it was a rough day.

"We didn't play well, we didn't prep well, and we weren't ready to play,” coach Mark Byington said. “We can't ever do this again."

5. Kentucky rallies (again) + more results

It was Dec. 5 when the bottom fell out for Kentucky. Or maybe the back-to-back losses in early January when fans doubted the team’s effort? Or when their starting point guard, center, and one of its best shooters all got hurt?

Doesn’t matter now. Because the vibes are high after Saturday’s 74-71 win over No. 25 Tennessee. The Wildcats (17-7, 8-3 in SEC) overcame a career-high 29 points from Vols freshman Nate Ament and have now won eight of their last nine games and are second in the SEC standings.

Did that seem possible six weeks ago? Not really. But it’s all part of this awesome season.

The Vols (16-7, 6-4) had won four in a row.

Other notable results:

No. 1 Arizona 84, Oklahoma State 47: Did The Wildcats (23-0, 10-0 in Big 12) get caught looking ahead to tonight’s game at Kansas? Not at all. They held OK State (16-7, 4-6) to 24.6% from the field and set the mark for best start in league history, surpassing 1996-97 Kansas.

No. 2 Michigan 82, Ohio State 61: Aday Mara scored 24 points and the Wolverines (22-1, 12-1 in Big Ten) held the Buckeyes (15-8, 7-6) to just .95 ppp. That’s eight-straight wins for Michigan.

No. 7 Iowa State 72, Baylor 69: The Cyclones (21-2, 8-2 in Big 12) led by 14 points with 2:12 to play before Baylor (13-10, 3-8) made it closer than the game actually was. It’s Baylor’s worst league start in 20 years.

No. 8 Gonzaga 81, Oregon State 61: Graham Ike scored 35 points and grabbed seven boards as Gonzaga (23-2, 11-1 in WCC) rebounded from its surprising Wednesday loss to Portland.

No. 9 Nebraska 80, Rutgers 68: Rienk Mast (26 points, eight rebounds) helped the Huskers (21-2, 10-2 in Big Ten) snap a two-game skid. It hosts Purdue on Tuesday.

No. 11 Kansas 71, Utah 59: The Utes (9-14, 1-9 in Big 12) pushed Kansas (18-5, 8-2) until a 10-0 run midway through the second half put the game away. Darryn Peterson scored 14 points, but has had back-to-back games with a sub-100 ORtg.

No. 13 Texas Tech 70, West Virginia 63: JT Topping scored 22 points, and grabbed nine rebounds as Tech (17-6, 7-3 in Big 12) snapped a two-game skid.

No. 17 Florida 86, Texas A&M 67: A&M (17-6, 7-3 in SEC) was just 6-of-35 from the floor in the first half and shot 31% overall. The Gators (17-6, 8-2) are now atop the SEC,

No 18 Virginia 72, Syracuse 59: The Cavaliers (20-3, 9-2 in ACC) held Syracuse (13-11, 4-7) to its lowest scoring day of the season. Cuse is 1-22 vs. KenPom top 80 teams the last two seasons.

No. 19 Saint Louis 82, La Salle 58: That’s 17 wins a row for Saint Louis (23-1, 11-0 in A-10), which is the best start in school history.

No. 20 Clemson 77, Cal 55: The Tigers (20-4, 10-1 in ACC) are tied with Duke atop the ACC after overwhelming Cal (17-7, 5-6) on the road. They travel to Duke on Saturday.

No. 21 Arkansas 88, Miss State 68: Another game from a star freshman. Darius Acuff scored 24 points and had eight assists as the Hogs (17-6, 7-3 in SEC) shot 52% from the field.

No. 23 Miami (Ohio) 90, Marshall 74: The RedHawks (24-0) had no issues in their non-conference showdown as part of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. They have a 16.4% chance of finishing the regular season unbeaten, per KenPom.

No. 24 Louisville 88, Wake Forest 80: The Cards (17-6, 7-4 in ACC) blew a 15-point second-half lead, mostly because it went the final 6:58 without making a field goal. But hitting 19-of-22 free throws after halftime was too much for Wake (11-12, 2-8) to overcome.

Stanford 95, Georgia Tech 72: Freshman guard Ebuka Okorie scored 40 points, had five rebounds, four assists and four steals for Stanford (15-9, 4-7 in ACC). It’s the fifth time he’s topped 30 points this season.

NC State 82, Virginia Tech 73: The Pack (18-6, 9-2 in ACC) won behind Quadir Copeland (21 points, 10 assists), who’s been on a tear the last five games.

Alabama 96, Auburn 92: The Tide (16-7, 6-4 in SEC) used runs of 10-0 and 8-0 in the second half for the win. Auburn (14-9, 5-5) chanted “G-League dropout” at Charles Bediako (he had 12 points) and the Tide might have lost Latrell Wrightsell to an injury.

Villanova 80, Georgetown 73: Freshman guard Acaden Lewis scored 26 points, had six assists and scored 17 points in the final 10:21 to lead Nova (18-5, 9-3 in Big East). Also, coach Kevin Willard dismissed the Maryland fans who came out to jeer him.

Creighton 69, Seton Hall 68: Nik Graves’ 3-pointer won it for Creighton (13-11, 7-6 in Big East), which handed the Pirates (16-8, 6-7) their sixth loss in their last eight games.

Indiana 78, Wisconsin 77 (OT): It wasn’t enough that Indiana (16-8, 7-6 in Big Ten) couldn’t hit a shot in the final 10 minutes because the final seconds of OT had enough drama for a few games. Nick Boyd being called for an offensive foul could’ve filled message boards, but it was Lamar Wilkerson’s drive and ensuing foul on John Blackwell that drew most of the attention. Wisconsin coach Greg Gard had “never seen anything like that.”

Iowa 76, Northwestern 70: Bennett Stirtz scored a season-high 36 points (the second time he’s topped 30 in three games) as Iowa (18-5, 8-4 in Big Ten) won its sixth straight.

USC 77, Penn State 75: Alijah Arenas stumbled, drove, spun and spun again for a wild game-winner that gave USC (18-6, 7-6 in Big Ten) its third-straight win.

Cincinnati 92, UCF 72: The Knights (17-6, 6-5 in Big 12) have lost two straight, and this was their first loss outside of Quad 1 opponents. Cincy (12-12, 4-7) snapped a two-game skid by shooting 59% from the field.

TCU 84, Kansas State 82: The Horned Frogs (14-9, 4-6 in Big 12) trailed for 39:31 of game time.

Saint Mary’s 79, San Francisco 54: The Gaels (21-4, 10-2) have the same overall record as last season but are somehow third in the WCC.

Santa Clara 96, Washington State 92: Meet your WCC leaders. Allen Graves scored 30 points off the bench for the Broncos (21-5, 12-1).

VCU 99, Dayton 73: Jadrian Tracey scored 26 points as the Rams (18-6, 9-2 in A-10) won their seventh-straight games. It was their largest-ever margin of victory vs. Dayton (15-9, 6-5), which did not “bring a competitive character.“

George Mason 60, Saint Joseph’s 52: Mason (21-3, 9-2 in A-10) rebounded from a loss and stayed in a tie with VCU.

Utah State 85, Wyoming 83: The Aggies (20-3, 11-2 in MWC) led by double digits with 3:42 remaining, only to watch Wyoming (13-11, 4-9) close on an 18-9 run.

San Diego State 88, Air Force 54: SDSU (17-6, 11-2 in MWC) remained tied with Utah State atop the league.

Belmont 68, UIC 62: The Bruins (22-3, 12-2 in MVC) have won nine in a row and now have a three-game stretch where it’s at Bradley, hosts Northern Iowa and is at Murray State.

Murray State 91, Southern Illinois 81: Murray State (18-7, 10-4 in MVC) hit 11 3-pointers, the 12th time they’ve hit 10+ this season, but it was the first time since Jan. 17.

Coastal Carolina 94, UMass 91 (3OT): This game was bonkers.

And with more wins like Troy over Akron, the Sun Belt got 10 victories over the MAC and claimed the league challenge for the third-straight season.

UC Santa Barbara 84, UC Irvine 79: The Gauchos (16-8, 9-4) heled court and helped muddy the league standings. Irvine (16-8, 9-3) is tied with Hawai’i for first; three others are within two games.

Liberty 79, Missouri State 76: Zach Cleveland’s triple-double (19 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) propelled the Flames (20-3, 12-0 in CUSA) to their 14th-straight win.

Utah Valley 81, UT Arlington 60: You can’t watch the Wolverines (18-6, 8-3) on TV right now, but they’re atop the league.

Stephen F. Austin 84, Lamar 74: The Lumberjacks (21-3, 14-1 in Southland) couldn’t stop Braden East (33 points on 19 shots), but everything else was no problem.

North Dakota State 92, Omaha 84: Paul Djobet scored 38 points, but the Bison (20-6, 10-1 in Summit) just keep winning. We’ll see what happens with their football team.

NJIT 73, Binghamton 64: That’s four-straight wins for NJIT (13-12, 8-2 in America East), which got 21 points from Ari Fulton.

Le Moyne 86, Saint Francis 84: The Red Flash (6-17, 406 in NEC) had it won, but Le Moyne (12-13, 7-5) played to the final buzzer.

Jackson State 97, Miss Valley State 81: Leading scorer Daeshun Ruffin didn’t play, so Jayme Mitchell Jr. filled the scoring need for Jackson State (7-16, 6-4 in SWAC) with a career-high 39 points.

Your next Super Bowl

Kansas is 0-4 vs. AP No. 1 teams in Allen Fieldhouse. The last time it played the top team at home? That was Arizona in 2003. Bill Self is 4-4 all-time vs. top teams. But tonight’s matchup has even more juice with the Wildcats (23-0, 10-0 in Big 12) as one of two remaining teams in the sport. If Kansas (18-5, 8-2) has a chance, it’ll have to slow down the Wildcats’ transition game, not get crushed on the boards and get a third-straight game where Darryn Peterson plays at least 30 minutes. Also fun? Self is 38-0 at home on ESPN’s big Monday. (9 pm ET on ESPN)

Other games to watch (all times ET)

  • NC State (18-6, 9-2 in ACC) at Louisville (17-6, 7-4), 7 pm (ESPN)

  • Belmont (22-3, 12-2 in MVC) at Bradley (16-9, 9-5), 8 pm (ESPN+)

  • UNC Wilmington (19-4, 8-2 in CAA) at Charleston (16-8, 9-2), 8 pm (CBS Sports Network)

  • Oregon (8-15, 1-11 in Big Ten) at Indiana (16-8, 7-6), 8:30 pm (FS1)

  • Northern Iowa (15-9, 7-6 in MVC) at Murray State (18-7, 10-4), 10 pm (CBS Sports Network)

A win in need

Does Indiana’s win over Wisconsin count as lucky? As a gift from the refs? Or just a victory that the Hoosiers needed to stay on the right side of the bubble? The After Dark crew discussed it.

Links as you Google Bad Bunny’s lyrics.

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