Men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball – there’s no shortage of college ball, every night.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help you figure out what you missed but shouldn’t have. Here are all the best moments from last night in college basketball.
Miami (OH) wins again
We are coming up on the end of the regular season, which for Miami (OH) means an attempt at an undefeated one. The No. 21 RedHawks, after winning 74-64 against Eastern Michigan on Tuesday, are now 15-0 in Mid-American Conference play and 28-0 overall — they have three games left on the schedule, against Western Michigan, Toledo and Ohio. Say what you will about the competition that the RedHawks have faced — the MAC is basically right in the middle of the conference rankings — but being undefeated is a rarity. There have been just 20 undefeated teams that have entered the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in its history, and just three of those have done so this century. Just four since 1980.
[Get to Know a Mid-Major: Mid-American Conference]
The overwhelming majority of those undefeated groups got here from 1979 and earlier than. Positive, Miami (OH) hasn’t needed to get by Michigan or Duke or Arizona, three heavy hitters that every one performed and gained on Tuesday as nicely, nevertheless it’s not just like the mid-majors are persistently spitting out undefeated challengers yearly, both, particularly for the reason that familiarity of convention play tends to make even nice groups seem mortal at the least a few instances per season.
The RedHawks struggled from deep in opposition to the Eagles, capturing simply 5-for-28 from 3. They made up for it by crashing the boards and controlling the paint — Miami (OH) had 46 rebounds and 40 factors from up shut — and by changing turnovers into factors, nonetheless. The RedHawks have been very environment friendly on that final word, too, as Japanese Michigan turned the ball over simply 11 instances, but Miami (OH) picked up 20 factors off these performs.
The RedHawks are a tournament-worthy staff, even when they aren’t loaded with stars or anticipated to maintain their undefeated streak going deep into March Insanity. They’re a top-50 staff within the NCAA Analysis Instrument and entered play on Tuesday thirty fifth in Wins Above Bubble, with a rating of two.16: that places them comfortably forward of groups nonetheless preventing to show that they’re deserving of a spot within the discipline of 64, like Ohio State or USC or Seton Corridor. There would possibly even be a spot for Miami (OH) even when they don’t win the automated bid within the MAC match, on condition that score. It’s been a powerful season for the RedHawks, and each W makes it all of the extra so.
Missouri upset Tennessee
It’s that point of 12 months the place groups on the bubble should make their transfer, and Missouri defeating No. 22 Tennessee actually qualifies. The Tigers got here into the matchup ranked forty second in WAB, in a very good place to take part in March Insanity — FOX Sports activities’ Mike Decourcy projected them as an 11-seed on Tuesday, previous to the sport — however between what’s left of the common season and convention tournaments, there’s loads of time left to break down, too. On a associated word, this marked the sixth loss to an unranked staff that the Volunteers have suffered this season.
This one was all Mizzou by a lot of the second half, regardless of Tennessee main for a lot extra of the sport total: the Tigers went up, 48-45, on a 3-pointer by junior guard Trent Pierce with 10:37 left within the sport, and by no means gave again the lead. Tennessee stored it shut, as the ultimate rating of 72-69 reminds, however couldn’t get again in management and ultimately ran out of time to take action.
Missouri’s offense was led by T.O. Barrett, who scored a career-best 28 factors — the sophomore guard additionally added 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal. Senior guard Mark Mitchell contributed 23 factors, giving the Tigers the majority of their factors.
The remainder of the starters mixed for six, with the bench coming in clutch of their stead: 16 factors, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals in 60 minutes. Tennessee, ultimately, gave this sport away by giving Mizzou too many alternatives to capitalize on errors: the Volunteers turned the ball over 15 instances to the Tigers’ 8, and Missouri transformed these into 23 factors.
Now, Tennessee is in no hazard of lacking out on March Insanity by any means, however the Volunteers at the moment are simply 20-8 on the season. The excellent news for them — comparatively — is that 5 of these six losses to unranked groups have been nonetheless Quad 1 matchups: the Vols have dropped video games to Kansas, Illinois, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Kentucky once more, Syracuse and now Missouri. Small consolation on the subject of Tennessee’s March readiness, positive, however at the least these aren’t massively embarrassing losses to groups that aren’t going to smell March Insanity.
Utah-Colorado bubble battle
What an enormous win for Utah. There’s solely a lot season left for the Utes, who don’t fairly price as a match staff but — they’re in “First 4 Out” territory, mainly — so racking up as many wins as attainable in what time stays is paramount. Selecting up a W in opposition to Colorado — which, getting into play on Tuesday, seems primed for making the NCAA Ladies’s Basketball Event however is way from a positive factor — is strictly what Utah wanted.
Utah gained, 67-64, on the power of a robust second half. Down 33-26 on the half, the Utes scored 23 factors within the third quarter after which outscored Colorado, 18-16, within the fourth so as to add to the 1-point lead they entered that ultimate body with. Utah by no means trailed within the fourth, although it got here shut on a number of events — the win pushed its WAB rating to -0.12, so near breaking even and looking out like a match staff to the Choice Committee, whereas Colorado is now ranked forty first there at 0.93.
Senior guard Lani White starred for Utah, placing up a game-high 21 factors whereas going 3-for-7 from 3, to assist the Utes shoot 50% total from deep. Colorado might solely muster 34% capturing as a staff, two starters scoring precisely 10 factors, and whereas junior guard Desiree Wooten did decide up 16 off the bench, it additionally got here on a dreadful 5-for-19 capturing efficiency — fortunately, Wooten additionally had 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals and a block, however the photographs weren’t falling for her nor her teammates, and it value the Buffaloes in opposition to Utah.
Saint Louis misplaced once more!
No. 23 Saint Louis rattled off 18 wins in a row, misplaced in an enormous upset in opposition to Rhode Island, then seemingly righted the ship in opposition to VCU the subsequent outing. Perhaps not, although! The Billikens confronted off in opposition to Dayton on Tuesday, and received pushed round within the first half in a method that they only by no means recovered from. Saint Louis has now misplaced two of its final three, and is in peril of falling out of the ballot due to it. Fortunately for the Billikens, they’re nonetheless atop the Atlantic 10, VCU is the staff that almost all threatens their successful the A-10 match and the convention is prone to ship two groups to March Insanity, anyway. Nonetheless! Not precisely the time you wish to see cracks forming, is it?
[Get to Know a Mid-Major: Atlantic 10]
Sophomore ahead Amael L’etang was the star of the present for the Flyers, because of a career-high 26 factors that powered a double-double: L’etang additionally had 10 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and three blocks in his half-hour. Whereas he made simply 6 photographs from the sphere, he stored drawing foul after foul, and sank 12 of 15 free throws.
About the one factor that Saint Louis did higher than Dayton was rebound: they turned the ball over extra typically, shot worse (40% to 47%), hit fewer 3s at a decrease price, fouled considerably extra typically, and, in consequence, led for mainly not one of the sport in any respect. The Flyers jumped out to a 25-point lead within the first half, which the Billikens did ultimately slender all the way down to 11, however ultimately would lose 77-62.
Dayton is a bit too removed from the bubble for this to matter to them exterior of regular-season satisfaction simply but, however who is aware of? If that is the beginning of a significant run, there’s loads of common season and convention match left for fortunes to vary.
Dybantsa, Wright can’t do all of it
BYU, now with out Richie Saunders, wants all the assistance it could get. Star freshman ahead AJ Dybantsa has been stepping as much as fill the hole on factors, rebounds and assists, and on Tuesday he scored 29 factors in opposition to UCF with 8 rebounds. Sophomore guard Robert Wright III had 20 factors — albeit on a poor 7-for-21 — with 4 rebounds, 7 assists and a steal. Apart from that, BYU received little or no: freshman guard Aleksej Kostic added 14 factors off the bench, however total there simply wasn’t sufficient coming from the Cougars to cease UCF.
The Knights scored 97 factors on 56% capturing, which included a surprising 14-for-28 from past the arc: BYU might need been in a position to rating in bunches — or, at the least, a number of gamers did — however the Cougars simply aren’t going to thrive a lot within the post-Saunders period with out extra from its protection. UCF by no means trailed, not as soon as, on this sport, and whereas BYU narrowed what had been a 36-point result in simply 97-84 by the tip, the sport was by no means truly as shut as that implies.
To be honest to BYU, UCF is a top-50 staff by NET, however you may say that about mainly each attainable opponent the Cougars are going to have from right here on out. They may want a much better defensive efficiency in future matchups if they need the season to proceed for lengthy past the tip of their scheduled video games.
Double double-doubles for Troy
Troy is unlikely to make it to March Insanity until it wins the Solar Belt’s automated bid — the Trojans are 59th in WAB, which is at the least 10 spots worse than optimism could make up for — however on Tuesday it tried to point out why it would very nicely be convention champion. The Trojans took down Arkansas State, 61-54, powered by a pair of spectacular double-doubles from senior forwards Fortuna Ngnawo and Zay Dyer. Each gamers scored 14 factors every, whereas Ngnawo had 18 rebounds and Dyer had 16 — Ngnawo added a pair of assists and blocks every, whereas Dyer additionally contributed a steal and a block.
Troy completed with 64 rebounds, doubling up on Arkansas State’s 32. Regardless of the Trojans capturing simply 35%, all these second-chance alternatives added up, as did ripping the ball away from the Crimson Wolves. Troy had 20 offensive boards and one other 44 defensive ones, and it helped make up for an extremely sloppy 30-turnover sport for the Trojans.
It’s this push and pull of dominating facets and clear points that may make it not possible for Troy to get into March Insanity with out an automated bid, nevertheless it’s now 15-2 and atop the Solar Belt convention — the Trojans would possibly find yourself bringing their best-in-Division-I rebounding to March regardless.
Indiana’s bubble goals take successful
Indiana has not been anyplace close to expectations this season, however there’s nonetheless time to salvage the season and go on a run. There’s a little much less time now than there was yesterday, nonetheless, because the Hoosiers misplaced to Northwestern. Whereas there was controversy over a non-call late — sophomore guard Angelo Ciaravino appeared to seize the wrist of Tucker Devries with 1.1 seconds left on the clock, however there was no whistle and no bucket — Indiana’s issues ran so much deeper than a blown name. If the Hoosiers had not missed 11-consecutive photographs in a row within the second half, as an illustration, a single missed name wouldn’t have represented the distinction between successful and dropping.
And it was extra in regards to the misplaced alternative there, too, since even when there had been a name, Northwestern was up 71-68 on the time, which means Indiana would have wanted to make the primary free throw then miss the second and rating, all with 1.1 seconds left — which means, no time for second probabilities. A chance for positive, however less complicated would have been to go, say, 2-for-11 in the course of the 0-for-11 stretch. To not be within the place of dropping to Northwestern — which improved to 4-13 in Massive Ten play with the win — within the first place.
Senior ahead Nick Martinelli was on the forefront for Northwestern, in fact, with a game-high 28 factors on 12-for-21 capturing. He’s as soon as once more main the Massive Ten in scoring, at 22.6 factors per sport, which can also be adequate for sixth in all of Division I — if Indiana had been in a position to sluggish him down even a bit, it’s additionally a distinct ballgame, however as an alternative he scored above his common by greater than the Hoosiers misplaced by.
Indiana picked up a Quad 3 loss right here, which has actual penalties in NET — Indiana dropped from thirty sixth to fortieth — and at the moment are forty third in WAB, at 1.19. That’s nonetheless worthy of the tourney, however the Hoosiers should play nicely sufficient in opposition to No. 13 Michigan State, Minnesota and Ohio State — additionally preventing on the bubble — after which placed on a good-enough exhibiting within the Massive Ten match to not injury their standing additional. All of this may have been so much simpler with a W in opposition to Northwestern, is the factor, however as an alternative, the Wildcats picked up their first Quad 1 victory of the 12 months, and Indiana’s scenario is worse for it.
A 34-point sport
San Jose State picked up a win over Air Pressure, and whereas that could be a matchup that at this level within the season means little or no — the 2 are a mixed 3-31 in Mountain West play — one efficiency specifically did stand out. Sophomore ahead Adrian Myers led all scorers with 34 factors on Tuesday — not simply on this sport, however throughout Division I males’s and ladies’s basketball. Myers, who propelled the Spartans to a W over the Falcons, went 11-for-18 from the sphere, hit 8 of 9 from deep and picked up 7 rebounds, an help, 2 steals and a block. All of that resulted within the high GameScore throughout males’s and ladies’s D-I ball, too.
Even with Myers going off, the ultimate rating was 86-80: Air Pressure shot 51%, sank 8 3-pointers and 14 free throws, and did so whereas dominating within the paint, 42-26. It wasn’t sufficient with Myers having not only a career-best efficiency, but in addition tying this system document for 3s in a single sport whereas scoring probably the most factors any Spartans participant has since 2021.
