College basketball’s opening night was packed with excitement, as several top-ranked teams delivered dominant performances, including No. 6 Gonzaga, who stunned No. 8 Baylor in a statement win. Here’s a comprehensive roundup of the action from Monday.
No. 6 Gonzaga 101, No. 8 Baylor 63
Nolan Hickman led a balanced Gonzaga attack with 17 points as the Bulldogs crushed Baylor in Spokane. The 38-point victory marked the Bulldogs’ largest margin of victory against a Top 10 opponent. Graham Ike contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, while Braden Huff scored 14.
Baylor’s prized freshman VJ Edgecombe struggled, managing only four points on 2-for-11 shooting. Miami transfer Norchad Omier led the Bears with 15 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to match Gonzaga’s firepower.
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No. 1 Kansas 87, Howard 57
Zeke Mayo made a strong debut for Kansas, scoring 19 points as the Jayhawks breezed past Howard in their 52nd straight home opener victory. Hunter Dickinson and Flory Bidunga added 16 and 13 points, respectively.
Blake Harper led Howard with 16 points, but the Bison couldn’t keep pace with the reigning Big 12 champions.
No. 2 Alabama 110, UNC Asheville 54
Mark Sears tallied 20 points in just 24 minutes as Alabama demolished UNC Asheville. Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi was perfect from the field, adding 16 points and eight rebounds. Six Crimson Tide players scored in double figures, showcasing Alabama’s depth.
UNC Asheville’s Jordan Marsh scored 13 points, but the Bulldogs were no match for Alabama’s relentless offense.
No. 4 Houston 97, Jackson State 40
The Cougars dominated Jackson State behind LJ Cryer‘s 16 points and J’Wan Roberts‘ 14 points and six boards. Milos Uzan stuffed the stat sheet with eight points, 10 assists, and four steals as Houston cruised to its 16th straight season-opening win.
Jackson State’s Jalen Tatum led the Tigers with 14 points, but the team struggled offensively and defensively.
No. 5 Iowa State 83, Mississippi Valley State 44
Keshon Gilbert scored 17 points and Tamin Lipsey added 16 as Iowa State trounced Mississippi Valley State. The Cyclones controlled the game from start to finish, leading by double digits throughout.
The Delta Devils were led by Donovan Sanders, who had 12 points and eight rebounds.
No. 7 Duke 96, Maine 62
Freshman sensation Kon Knueppel scored 22 points, including 15 in the first half, to lead Duke past Maine in Durham. Fellow freshman Cooper Flagg impressed in his college debut with 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
Maine’s Quion Burns led the Black Bears with 15 points, but Duke’s defense and efficient shooting overwhelmed the visitors.
No. 9 North Carolina 90, Elon 76
RJ Davis delivered clutch plays down the stretch as North Carolina closed the game on a 21-5 run to defeat Elon. The Tar Heels overcame a late scare after Elon rallied to tie the game with a 14-0 run.
Elon’s Nick Dorn scored 17 points, and TJ Simpkins led the Phoenix with 18 points off the bench.
No. 10 Arizona 93, Canisius 64
Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley, and KJ Lewis combined for 46 points and 14 assists to power Arizona to a win over Canisius. Love contributed 17 points without a turnover, and Bradley was efficient with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting.
Canisius’ Paul McMillan IV led with 20 points, but Arizona’s offensive firepower was too much to handle.
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No. 12 Tennessee 80, Gardner-Webb 64
Chaz Lanier scored 18 points in his debut as Tennessee beat Gardner-Webb. The Volunteers never trailed and built a lead of up to 27 points in the second half.
Gardner-Webb’s Darryl Simmons II was the game’s top scorer with 22 points, but the Runnin’ Bulldogs couldn’t keep up.
UCF 64, No. 13 Texas A&M 61
Benny Williams scored the game-winning dunk with 45 seconds left as UCF stunned Texas A&M. The Knights erased a nine-point deficit in the final five minutes, finishing on a 14-2 run. Darius Johnson led all scorers with 24 points.
The Aggies’ Wade Taylor IV scored 15 points, but Texas A&M’s collapse led to a shocking upset.
No. 14 Purdue 90, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 73
Fletcher Loyer dropped 21 points and Braden Smith dished out 15 assists as Purdue fended off Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Boilermakers got a strong showing from freshman Daniel Jacobsen, who scored 13 points in his debut.
Owen Dease led the Islanders with 20 points but couldn’t rally his team to an upset.
No. 18 Marquette 102, Stony Brook 62
Kam Jones was nearly perfect, scoring 32 points on 14-of-16 shooting as Marquette trounced Stony Brook. Chase Ross added a career-high 23 points for the Golden Eagles.
Stony Brook’s Joe Octave led with 12 points, but Marquette’s high-octane offense was unstoppable.
Ohio State 80, No. 19 Texas 72
Bruce Thornton scored 20 points, leading Ohio State to an upset over Texas in Las Vegas. The Buckeyes built a lead in the first half and withstood a late rally from the Longhorns. Tre Johnson had a record-breaking 29 points for Texas in his debut.
No. 20 Cincinnati 109, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 54
Simas Lukosius scored 20 points as Cincinnati overwhelmed Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Dan Skillings Jr. recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Jizzle James dished out 10 assists.
The Golden Lions’ Dante Sawyer finished with 11 points.
No. 21 Florida 98, South Florida 83
Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard combined for 54 points as Florida rallied to beat South Florida. The Gators overcame a 13-point deficit, playing with heavy hearts after the passing of South Florida’s head coach, Amir Abdur-Rahim.
No. 22 UCLA 85, Rider 50
Tyler Bilodeau scored 18 points and Kobe Johnson added 12 as UCLA crushed Rider. The Bruins led from start to finish, with Dylan Andrews scoring 14 points off the bench.
Rider’s T.J. Weeks Jr. had 15 points, but the Broncs struggled offensively.
No. 23 Kentucky 103, Wright State 62
Otega Oweh scored 21 points, and Koby Brea added 18 as Kentucky rolled past Wright State in Mark Pope’s debut as head coach. Amari Williams posted a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
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No. 24 Ole Miss 90, Long Island 60
Jaylen Murray scored 24 points on hot shooting as Ole Miss cruised past Long Island. Jaemyn Brakefield added 12 points, and the Rebels’ defense was stifling throughout.
Malachi Davis and Brent Davis each scored 19 points for the Sharks, but Long Island couldn’t contend with Ole Miss’ firepower.
