NCAA Top 25 Recap: Missouri Stuns Alabama, Auburn Holds Firm, St. John’s & Kentucky Roll

It was a wild night in college basketball, with No. 15 Missouri shocking No. 4 Alabama, No. 1 Auburn surviving Arkansas, and dominant wins from St. John’s and Kentucky.

Let’s break down the biggest Top 25 results from Wednesday night.

No. 15 Missouri 110, No. 4 Alabama 98: Mitchell’s Career Night Sparks Massive Upset

Mark Mitchell exploded for a career-high 31 points, leading No. 15 Missouri (20-6, 9-4 SEC) to a statement win over No. 4 Alabama (21-5, 10-3 SEC) in Columbia, Mo.

Key Takeaways:

Missouri dominated from the start, never trailing against an Alabama squad that lost its second straight game.
Caleb Grill (25 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals) was a force on both ends.
Anthony Robinson II (14 points, 3 steals) & Tamar Bates (13 points, 4 steals) helped Missouri secure its third Top-5 win this season.

Alabama’s Mark Sears (35 points, 5 assists) did his best to keep the Tide afloat, but defensive struggles and missed opportunities cost them.

Missouri is red-hot at home (17-1 record) and building a strong case for a deep SEC Tournament run.

No. 1 Auburn 67, Arkansas 60: Tigers Hold Off Razorbacks in Tight Battle

Auburn (24-2, 12-1 SEC) remains the top team in the nation, but it wasn’t easy against Arkansas (15-11, 4-9 SEC).

Game Highlights:

Johni Broome (16 points, 13 rebounds) notched another double-double, controlling the paint.
Chad Baker-Mazara (15 points) and Chaney Johnson (14 points) provided key scoring bursts.
Auburn overcame a second-half deficit, with Baker-Mazara’s clutch bucket sealing the game late.

Arkansas fought hard, led by Adou Thiero (16 points) and Johnell Davis (14 points, 3 steals), but couldn’t find enough offense late.

Auburn extends its winning streak to three and remains in control of the SEC title race.

No. 10 St. John’s 82, DePaul 58: Red Storm Dominate Without RJ Luis Jr.

St. John’s (23-4, 14-2 Big East) showed no signs of slowing down, despite missing leading scorer RJ Luis Jr. (groin injury).

Standout Performances:

Sadiku Ibine Ayo (15 points, career-high) stepped up in his first start of the season.
Deivon Smith (18 points) and Kadary Richmond (17 points, 9 rebounds) controlled the tempo.
St. John’s hit 7-of-12 from 3 in the first half, taking a commanding 41-25 halftime lead.

DePaul (11-16, 2-14 Big East) struggled from the field (32.7%) and has now lost four straight.

St. John’s continues to prove they belong in the Big East title conversation.

No. 17 Kentucky 82, Vanderbilt 61: Wildcats Surge in the Second Half

Kentucky (18-8, 7-6 SEC) overcame first-half struggles to cruise past Vanderbilt (17-9, 5-8 SEC).

Key Contributors:

Otega Oweh (20 points, 7 rebounds) and Amari Williams (17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks) led the way.
Kentucky shot 65.4% in the second half, turning a one-point halftime lead into a dominant win.
Devin McGlockton (14 points, 10 rebounds) led Vanderbilt, but poor second-half shooting (29.6%) cost the Commodores.

Kentucky keeps its NCAA Tournament hopes alive with another strong SEC victory.

Final Takeaways: What We Learned from Wednesday’s Action

Missouri is a serious threat in the SEC. Their home dominance and Top-5 wins make them a dangerous team in March.
Auburn remains No. 1, but showed some vulnerability. Can they keep grinding out close wins?
St. John’s has depth and resilience. Even without their leading scorer, they dominated on the road.
Kentucky is finding its groove at the right time. Their strong second half vs. Vandy is a promising sign.

With conference tournaments approaching, these teams are making statements and fighting for seeding.