School basketball scores, winners and losers: Large 12 flexes muscle vs. SEC to win ultimate problem

Chaos reigned supreme throughout the faculty basketball panorama as seven ranked groups fell to unranked groups in a shakeup Saturday of stupendous proportions. 

No. 2 Alabama was the (unlucky) poster youngster of such chaos because the Crimson Tide — No. 3 in scoring margin amongst energy convention groups headed into the weekend — received flattened by Oklahoma by 24 factors on the highway within the SEC/Large 12 Problem. 

However Alabama wasn’t the one crew to search out itself on the dropping aspect of a blowout within the SEC/Large 12 Problem as No. 12 Iowa State additionally slipped up on the highway, falling 78-61 to Missouri. 

Here is how the ultimate SEC/Large Problem performed out:

SEC/Large 12 Problem

Large 12 wins 7-3

West Virginia 80, No. 15 Auburn 77	Recap
Oklahoma 93, No. 2 Alabama 69	Recap
Texas Tech 76, LSU 68	Recap
Missouri 78, No. 12 Iowa State 61	Recap
Mississippi State 81, No. 11 TCU 74	Recap
No. 17 Baylor 67, Arkansas 64	Recap
No. 4 Tennessee 82, No. 10 Texas 71	Recap
No. 5 Kansas State 64, Florida 50	Recap
No. 9 Kansas 77, Kentucky 68	Takeaways
Oklahoma State 82, Ole Miss 60	Recap

Elsewhere, Large East-leading and Thirteenth-ranked Xavier additionally received pounded by unranked Creighton.

Oh, [Billy Mays voice] however wait, there’s extra! 

Monmouth — which had the fewest wins of all Div. I groups coming into Saturday — defeated North Carolina A&T by 15 factors as a double-digit underdog. In the meantime, No. 18 Charleston — which had the most wins of all Division I groups coming into Saturday — misplaced in a stunner to Hofstra, ending what was the longest profitable streak in faculty basketball at 20 video games.

That is however a sampling of the insanity that arose in faculty basketball from a wild day. Here’s a take a look at the others with among the day’s greatest winners and losers.

Winner: Tennessee will get sizzling

No. 4 Tennessee’s defensive status is well-known — the Volunteers rank No. 1 nationally in adjusted defensive effectivity at kenpom.com — however their offense has been a supply of concern at instances this season. In an 82-71 win over No. 10 Texas, offense carried the day. The Vols shot 55.6% from the ground led by a career-high 27 factors from Olivier Nkamhoua and 22 from Zakai Ziegler. The win marked a little bit of revenge for Tennessee, which dropped a 52-51 thriller at Texas final season as coach Rick Barnes returned to the college the place he spent 17 seasons. The Longhorns have struggled to search out consistency since Barnes’ tenure ended whereas the Volunteers seem destined to be a No. 5 seed or higher within the NCAA Tournament for a fifth time in Barnes’ eight season with this system.

Winner: Kansas dominates offensive glass

No. 9 Kansas beat Kentucky at its personal sport in a 77-68 win inside Rupp Enviornment because the Jayhawks used an 11-0 benefit in second-chance factors to snap a three-game dropping streak. Kentucky entered the sport ranked No. 5 nationally in offensive rebounds per sport at 14 whereas Kansas ranked No. 145 in the identical class at 10.7 per sport. With the Jayhawks counting on an undersized middle in KJ Adams Jr. and the Wildcats boasting one of many sport’s high rebounder in Tshiebwe, it appeared UK would have an apparent benefit on the glass. As an alternative, it was Kansas that dominated in that regard.

Loser: Kentucky goes chilly

The Wildcats entered their loss to Kansas on a four-game profitable streak that had modified the trajectory of their once-directionless season. Nevertheless, a growing drawback bubbled to the floor and haunted the Wildcats on Saturday as they hit simply 2 of 13 makes an attempt from 3-point vary. After capturing 35.4% from past the arc of their first 16 video games, UK is capturing simply 24.1% from 3-point vary over its final 5 contests. Except Antonio Reeves and CJ Fredrick discover their perimeter stroke once more, the Wildcats threat dropping the progress they remodeled the previous two weeks.

Winner: Arizona finds high gear

No. 6 Arizona has seemed like an elite, well-oiled machine at instances this season and likewise had moments when it has seemed disjointed and weak. The Wildcats put the higher model of themselves on show in a 95-72 thrashing of Washington. Azuolas Tubelis scored 25 factors and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Arizona outscored the Huskies 57-36 within the second half for a fourth straight win. Arizona turned the ball over simply twice within the second half, made 7 of 16 makes an attempt from 3-point vary, hit 10 of 11 free throws and gained the battle of second-chance factors 10-0. It was a near-perfect half and it was a reminder of how scary the Wildcats will be when at their finest.

Winner: Okay-State’s Johnson beats outdated crew

The prospect of Keynotae Johnson taking part in faculty basketball once more appeared bleak within the months after he collapsed on the courtroom whereas taking part in for Florida early within the 2020-21 season. The concept he would sooner or later go well with up in opposition to the Gators appeared much more inconceivable. However that is what occurred Saturday as Johnson and No. 5 Kansas State beat Florida 64-50. Johnson completed with 13 factors and 11 rebounds because the Wildcats jumped out to a 37-16 halftime lead and cruised to a stress-free win. 

Loser: Sky is falling on Ohio State

The sky fell on Ohio State throughout its 86-70 loss at Indiana. Actually. A bit of metallic fell from someplace above the courtroom at Meeting Corridor and narrowly missed putting Ohio State freshman star Brice Sensabaugh at halftime. OSU coach Chris Holtman told reporters that he inquired a couple of delay or postponement of the sport. However to no avail. The Buckeyes dropped to 11-10 (3-7 Large Ten) with the loss, which was their seventh of the previous eight video games. At this price, Ohio State ought to think about asking for a postponement of the remainder of the season. 

Winner: Clemson survives once more

Clemson trailed 81-79 at Florida State when Chase Hunter took an inbounds move on the other finish of the ground with 8.5 seconds left and took off with a full head of steam. As an alternative of searching for a go-ahead 3-pointer, he took FSU defender Matthew Cleveland to the basket off the dribble and banked in a contested lay-up. 

Because the ball went by the basket, the whistle sounded. It was a foul name on Cleveland, which despatched Hunter to the road with an opportunity to place the Tigers forward. He drilled the free throw, and Clemson held on for one more dramatic victory. Final Saturday, it was Hunter Tyson who was the hero in a 51-50 win over Virginia Tech. 

This time it was Hunter because the Tigers improved to 18-4 (10-1 ACC) and maintained their edge within the ACC standings. Regardless of its gaudy file, Clemson entered as only a projected No. 10 seed in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology. A loss to the struggling Seminoles would have been a nasty look. However due to their penchant for late-game heroics, the Tigers stayed within the win column for his or her tenth time prior to now 11 video games.

Loser: Miami goes chilly in loss to Pitt

No. 20 Miami took a 68-60 on Pittsburgh lead with 2:26 remaining till catastrophe struck. The Hurricanes choked in epic vogue because the Panthers closed on an 11-0 run for an inconceivable and much-needed 71-68 win. Pitt entered the day as one of many “Final 4 In” the projected NCAA Event subject in line with CBS Sports activities Bracketology Professional Jerry Palm. Pitt gained the battle of second-chance factors by a whopping 17-2 margin and has now gained 4 of its previous 5 video games, enhancing to 15-7 (8-3) in what has been a redemption marketing campaign for this system underneath embattled fifth-year coach Jeff Capel.

Winner: West Virgina will get a bubble win

West Virginia entered the day as one of many “First 4 Out” of Jerry Palm’s Bracketology and emerged with a vital Quad 1 victory because the Mountaineers outlasted No. 15 Auburn 80-77. Erik Stevenson piled up 31 factors to steer the Mountaineers as he drilled 7 of 10 makes an attempt from 3-point vary in vital victory.

Winner: Baylor rounding into type

No. 17 Baylor blew an 11-point lead after which got here again from an eight-point deficit in a 67-64 win over Arkansas that featured some wild momentum swings. Now, the entire sudden, the Bears are winners of six straight and sitting fairly at 16-5 total. Keynote George keyed Baylor with 24 factors and LJ Cryer added 20 because the Bears’ backcourt continued to appear like one of many nation’s finest. This crew pale from the nationwide radar following a three-game dropping streak to start Large 12 play however seems to be rounding into type with the potential return of massive man Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua looming as a chance sooner or later within the days forward.

Loser: VCU takes unhealthy loss

VCU entered the day as a projected No. 12 seed in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology however suffered a Quad 4 dwelling loss by falling 61-58 in opposition to a St. Bonaventure crew that entered the day ranked No. 184 within the NET. The Rams (16-6, 7-2 A-10) entered on a six-game profitable streak that featured 5 double-digit victories however made simply 2 of 16 makes an attempt from 3-point vary and solely 10 of 18 free throws. Protection was additionally a difficulty within the second half as St. Bonaventure shot 56% from the ground and drilled 5 of 6 long-range makes an attempt after the break.

Winner: Creighton turning nook

Following a meltdown of surprising proportions on the finish of November and the beginning of December, preseason top-10 Creighton is slowly however absolutely rounding into type with the look of a top-10 crew within the sport. The Bluejays pounded Big East-leading and No. 13-ranked Xavier 84-67 on Saturday for his or her fourth consecutive win to maneuver to inside 1.5 video games of the convention’s high spot within the regular-season race. The outlet they put themselves in early with a 3-3 begin in convention play could also be too tough to beat for a league title, nevertheless it’s clear this proficient roster is discovering its confidence and appears to be rolling into the stretch a part of the season full steam forward.

Coming into an 82-67 win at Portland, Gonzaga‘s Julian Strawther owned a career-high of 23 factors. Strawther matched that complete within the second half alone because the 6-foot-7 wing exploded for 40 complete factors. He drilled 8 of 12 photographs from 3-point vary because the No. 14 Zags improved to 18-4 (7-1 WCC).

Loser: BYU suffers one other crushing loss

Talking of Strawther, he was the primary participant to tear BYU’s coronary heart out with a game-winning shot again on Jan. 12 when his deep 3-pointer to raise Gonzaga to a 75-74 win over the Cougars. Saint Mary’s guard Aidan Mahaney grew to become the second to do it on Saturday night time as he drilled a jumper with 0.3 seconds left to raise the No. 22 Gaels to a 57-56 win. Saint Mary’s improved to 18-4 (7-0) with the win as Mahaney continued an illustrious freshman marketing campaign.

Loser: Charleston’s profitable streak ends

The longest energetic profitable streak in faculty basketball got here to an unceremonious finish on Saturday as No. 18 Charleston fell at dwelling as a 9-point favourite to Hofstra 85-81. The loss, which moved Hofstra to inside one sport of the CAA’s regular-season No. 1 spot, was Charleston’s first in additional than two months after falling to North Carolina in its second sport of the season, solely to reel off 20-straight within the win column since. 

Winner: FAU takes Charleston’s place

What was Charleston’s loss (actually) was FAU’s win (additionally actually!) as Florida Atlantic with a 70-63 win over Western Kentucky prolonged its profitable streak to twenty video games and took Charleston’s spot because the crew with the longest profitable streak within the sport. No. 21 FAU improved to 21-1 on the season and remained good in Convention USA play with an ideal 11-0 league file.

Loser: Georgia Tech struggling underneath Pastner

Yr 7 for Josh Pastner at Georgia Tech went from unhealthy to humiliating in an 86-43 dwelling loss to Duke because the Yellow Jackets suffered their seventh straight loss and fell to 8-13 (1-10 ACC). Georgia Tech shot simply 30.9% from the ground and received manhandled 44-12 in paint factors. Of the Yellow Jackets’ 10 league losses, 9 have come by double digits, and it is a close to certainty that the season will conclude with Pastner nonetheless missing an NCAA Event victory on the faculty. The 2021 crew that gained the ACC Event — although it performed solely two video games within the occasion as a consequence of COVID-19 points with different groups — purchased Pastner some goodwill. However after a 12-20 marketing campaign in 2021-22 and this horrendous clunker of a season, the explanations for Georgia Tech to proceed with Accomplice are working skinny.

Winner: NC State lastly will get one other Quad 1 win

NC State made simply 8 of 17 free throws and by some means managed to select up a Quad 1 highway victory anyway because the Wolfpack outlasted Wake Forest 79-77. D.J. Burns led NC State with 31 factors on a whopping 14 of 26 capturing, and the large man would have scored much more if he’d made greater than 3 of 8 makes an attempt from the charity stripe. However, the win was enormous for the Wolfpack because it marked simply their second Quad 1 victory. NC State entered the day as a projected No. 7 seed in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology and wanted somewhat meat on the resume to offer itself margin for error. Saturday’s win supplied it.

Winner: Bethune-Cookman wins it to cap chaotic week

With Bethune-Cookman’s soccer program in the news the last week for all the wrong reasons, the basketball crew took it upon itself to supply a optimistic spotlight. And boy did it ship precisely that to cap what should have been an exhausting week for Wildcats basketball coach Reggie Theus, who can be the B-CU athletic director and accountable for coping with the problems within the soccer program.

The Wildcats gained 64-62 on a last-second shot over Alabama State at dwelling and did so in vogue whereas protecting the 1.5-point unfold besides. 

Loser: UCF‘s fall continues

After a 107-104 win over Memphis on Jan. 11, UCF stood at 13-4 (4-1 AAC) and ranked No. 35 within the NET. The Golden Knights have been on the fitting aspect of the NCAA Event bubble and seemed to be constructing momentum forward of subsequent season’s transition to a much more tough life within the Large 12. However during the last two weeks, actuality has come crashing down on UCF, which dropped its fourth straight with a 77-70 additional time dwelling loss in opposition to Temple on Saturday. The Owls entered the day at No. 125 within the NET however have instantly gained 4 straight, together with a highway win over Houston final Sunday. However this one will probably be onerous to swallow for UCF, which led by 10 within the first half. The Golden Knights’ soccer program is on agency footing and ought to be aggressive within the Large 12, however the final couple weeks have been a reminder that the college may very well be in for a impolite awakening on the hoops aspect.

Loser: TCU’s damage luck

With huge man Eddie Lampkin Jr. out, TCU’s damage luck went from unhealthy to worse on the highway vs. Mississippi State as star guard Mike Miles Jr. hyperextended his knee and reserve guard Shahada Wells briefly left the sport with an damage earlier than returning. Miles didn’t return to the sport and Lampkin is sidelined indefinitely, and including insult to the accidents, the No. 11 Horned Frogs got here out on the dropping finish of an additional time effort, falling 81-74 on the highway.

Winner: Fordham matches finest win complete in 17 years

Fordham basketball appeared to have lastly discovered a coach value protecting when former Villanova assistant Kyle Neptune led the Rams to a 16-16 file final season, marking this system’s first season with a .500 file since 2015-16. Then, Neptune left to exchange Jay Wright at Villanova. However after selecting to raise affiliate head coach Keith Urgo to go coach, Fordham has multiplied the momentum that Neptune sparked. The Rams improved to 17-4 (5-3 A-10) with an 85-70 win over George Washington on Saturday to match this system’s finest win complete of the previous 17 seasons. With two extra wins, Fordham can have its most victories because the 1991-92 season. The following step for Fordham could also be hanging on to Urgo, who has assistant teaching stops at Villanova and Penn State underneath his belt and is a candidate for Atlantic 10 Coach of the Yr.

Loser: Alabama will get pummeled by OU

For a lot of the season Alabama has been ganging up on inferior opponents and never simply profitable, however profitable huge; its scoring margin coming into Saturday was third-highest amongst all main convention groups. However in opposition to unranked OU on the highway, it was Alabama on the receiving end of a butt-whoopin’ as the Sooners won 93-69, handing them their largest loss by margin of the Nate Oats period. (Its final loss by 20 or extra got here in 2018-19 when it fell to rival Auburn by 21 factors.)

“I assumed the fellows stored on bouncing again. I’ve seen some loopy runs by Alabama [this season],” mentioned OU coach Porter Moser. “We had some good offensive possessions, good defensive possessions. That was the important thing to stopping their runs, they usually did not actually have any in opposition to us.”

Winner: Marquette ties for Large East lead

The Large East coaches picked Marquette to complete ninth within the convention earlier than the season. After an 89-69 win at DePaul and Xavier’s loss at Creighton, the No. 16 Golden Eagles are actually tied for first. David Joplin exploded for a career-high 28 factors on 8 of 11 capturing from 3-point vary and Tyler Kolek added 24 as Marquette racked up 56 factors and 11 made 3-pointers within the second half. The Golden Eagles have gained eight of their final 9 and now sit at No. 1 nationally in offensive effectivity, per Kenpom.com. In simply his second season as coach, Shaka Sensible has revitalized the Marquette program and his personal status as a coach.

Loser: Wisconsin‘s season slipping away 

After an 11-2 begin to the season for Wisconsin with wins over USC, Marquette and Iowa and an in depth OT loss to reigning nationwide champion Kansas, the Badgers seemed like a formidable pressure within the Large Ten and past. Quick ahead three weeks and a few change and the momentum they carried into 2023 has all however completely dissipated with its 61-51 loss to Illinois, its sixth loss in seven video games. Wisconsin has been a constant winner underneath Greg Gard, Bo Ryan’s successor, nevertheless it matches the worst seven-game stretch underneath Gard since he took over this system in 2015.