Catching up with the weekend’s Top 25 college basketball action in 25 sentences.
#1 Duke 80 #13 Florida St 78
The best player in the country, RJ Barrett, led a Zion-less (eye injury) 2H, and Cam Reddish hit the game-winning 3-pointer. Noles head coach Leonard Hamilton missed out on a chance to beat Duke when they were ranked #1 for the 3rd time in his career with the gut punch loss.
#2 Michigan 80 Northwestern 70
Behind 24 points from Zavier Simpson, the Wolverines improved to 17-0 for the first time in team history, and have won 31 of their last 32 games (we won’t mention that the only game they lost was the Championship game. #ThatWouldBeRude)
#3 Tennessee 78 Florida 67
It was 69-67 Tennessee with 1:25 left, before the Vols finished the game on a 9-0 run.
#4 Virginia 63 Clemson 43
The Wahoos held their opponent under 50 points for the 7th time this year in only 15 games.
#5 Gonzaga 96 San Francisco 83
The Zags exploded for 59 points in the 2H, breaking open a tie game at halftime.
#6 Michigan St 71 Penn St 56
The Spartans are ranked 10th in the country in defensive efficiency, and acted accordingly against the Nittany Lions.
#7 Kansas 73 Baylor 68
Despite the Bears dominating the Jayhawks on the glass 49-30, Dedric Lawson led Kansas to a win with 17 points, 5 steals, and 5 blocks.
#8 Texas Tech 68 Texas 62
Pop in your Bone Thugz-N-Harmony CD, dial up Friends on the TV, and get those Pokemon cards out, because the Red Raiders are partying like it’s the 90s, after winning in Austin for the first time since 1996 (0-22 in that span).
#9 Virginia Tech: DNP
#10 Nevada 74 Fresno St 64
Caleb Martin (27 points, 9 rips) led the charge, as the Wolfpack handed Bulldogs their first conference loss.
#11 Auburn 93 Georgia 78
The Tigers shot 50% from the field, made 12 3-pointers, and out-rebounded Georgia in an SEC thumping.
Louisville 83 #12 North Carolina 62
The Cards dealt the Tar Heels their worst home defeat since 2002, the infamous 8-20 team (cue all UNC fans barfing).
Ole Miss 81 #14 Miss St 77
The Rebs stayed undefeated in he SEC and won their 10th straight for the first time since 2007-08, as the Bulldogs have yet to win a conference game.
#15 NC State 86 Pittsburgh 80
After losing PG Markell Johnson to injury and F Wyatt Walker to ejection, the Wolfpack got 54 points from their bench to bounce back from their loss to rival UNC.
Iowa 72 #16 Ohio St 16
The Buckeyes tried an exotic gameplan of shooting 37% from the field, committing 21 turnovers, and committing 23 fouls on the road – the results were poor.
#17 Houston 79 Wichita St 70
Down by 5 at HT, the Coogs needed a 46-pt 2H to rally to win their 29th straight home victory.
#18 Kentucky 56 Vanderbilt 47
The stifling Wildcats defense held the Commodores to 47 points, 36% shooting, and dominated the boards (38-21) to secure the W.
#19 Buffalo 88 Miami (OH) 64
The Bulls (15-1) are off to their best start since 1930-1931 (it’s a party, ol chap!).
Kansas St 58 #20 Iowa St 57
The Cyclones led 57-52 with 2:30 left, and didn’t score again in the loss. #HiltonUnmagic
#21 Marquette 70 Seton Hall 66
Markus Howard (26 points, 6 rips, 6 dimes) is a baaaaaaaaaaaaad man!
Maryland 78 #22 Indiana 75
The Hoosiers were dominated on the boards 42-25, losing a tough road B1G game.
#23 Oklahoma 76 #25 TCU 74
Not a bad day at the office for Sooners F Kristian Doolittle (24 pts, 10 rips, the GW floater with 3 sec left). The Horned Frogs’ Kouat Noi dropped 30 points, but it wasn’t enough to save TCU.
DePaul 79 #24 St. John’s 71
BREAKING: When star guard Shamorie Ponds (20.6 pts/gm, 6.0 ast/gm) doesn’t play due to injury, the Johnnies aren’t as good.
