1) The Alabama Crimson Tide continued their dominant run in the SEC with a decisive victory over the Auburn team. Maintaining their perfect conference record at 12-0, the Tide were fueled by a powerful second-half performance from standout players Jaden Bradley, Mark Sears, and Rylan Griffen. Freshman sensation Brandon Miller also shone, delivering clutch layups down the stretch to secure the win for Alabama.
2) The Arizona Wildcats faced an upset-minded Stanford Cardinal, and put on a dazzling performance with their impressive shooting accuracy, hitting 61.1% from the field. The Cardinal’s Michael O’Connell had a breakthrough game, scoring a career-high 22 points with three critical 3-pointers, despite having only made three all season.
The real difference-maker in the game was the Cardinal’s dominant rebounding, as they outrebounded the Wildcats 34-26. In the first half, the Cardinal’s sharpshooting was on full display as they hit an impressive 60.7% from beyond the arc, going 6-10. Despite the loss, the Arizona Wildcats put up a good fight and will surely come back stronger in their next game.
3) The 23rd-ranked Creighton Bluejays continued their winning streak with a hard-fought victory over the 21st-ranked UConn Huskies on Saturday in Omaha. With a final score of 56-53, the Bluejays secured their 8th consecutive win and improved their overall record to 17-8, with a dominant 11-3 in BIG EAST play. The key to this victory was the Bluejays’ outstanding defensive performance as a team.
Sophomore standout, Trey Alexander, shone brightly with his 17 points, which came at critical moments in the game, propelling the Bluejays to a well-deserved win. The Bluejays demonstrated their precision and poise on the court, shooting 39.6 percent from the field, 31.3 percent from beyond the arc, and a remarkable 76.5 percent from the free-throw line. The Bluejays’ victory over the UConn Huskies was a testament to their determination and the depth of their talent.
4) The Duke Blue Devils faced a challenging opponent in the 8th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers, but they gave it their all in Charlottesville. Despite a controversial call by the official in regulation, the Blue Devils fought until the very end and nearly took home a much-needed victory.
Sadly, the outcome was not in their favor, with the Cavaliers prevailing in overtime with a final score of 69-62. Despite the loss, the Blue Devils can hold their heads high knowing they gave it their all, and they will undoubtedly use this experience to continue to grow and improve. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers improved their record to 19-4 overall, solidifying their status as a top-tier team.
Northwestern Wildcats pulled off a stunning upset as they defeated the heavily-favored Purdue Boilermakers, the number one-ranked team in the nation. This marks a historic moment for the Wildcats program, as they have never before defeated an AP top-ranked team.
In the first half, the Boilermakers were in complete control, as they recorded 10 assists on 11 made field goals and only turned the ball over three times. Their shooting was on point, starting the game 5 for 9 from beyond the arc. With 42% shooting from the field, 5-14 from the three-point range, and 10-12 from the free-throw line, everything was clicking for the Boilermakers.
However, the Northwestern Wildcats were determined to slow down the unstoppable Boilermakers. They dominated the boards, out-rebounding their opponents 22 to 12, and holding star player Zach Edie to only three field goal attempts. Northwestern also put in a solid performance, shooting 45% from the field, and going into halftime trailing 37-30.
In the second half, the Wildcats refused to give up. Despite trailing by six points, they kept pushing, chipping away at the lead. With six minutes remaining, the Wildcats stepped up their game, outscoring the Boilermakers 19 to 5 to secure a thrilling victory. Boo Buie was the star of the show for Northwestern, scoring 26 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and dishing out three assists.
Unit 1 Hoop Source 