Duke’s impressive streak faces a challenge from Wake Forest’s own winning run when they meet on Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C.
No. 2 Duke enters the game with a 12-game winning streak, its longest in eight years. The Blue Devils (16-2, 8-0 ACC) have been unstoppable so far in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Duke hasn’t played since their dominant 88-63 win against Boston College last weekend.
“We know it’s going to be a big-time game, a big-time challenge,” said Duke coach Jon Scheyer. “At the end of the day, are you winning games or are you not? And they’re winning games,” referring to Wake Forest’s impressive run.
Wake Forest’s Hot Streak
Wake Forest (15-4, 7-1 ACC) is also riding a hot streak with six straight wins, its longest stretch in conference play since 1996-97. Despite some struggles in their latest 67-66 win against North Carolina, including no first-half assists and poor shooting from beyond the arc (2-for-15 on 3-pointers), the Demon Deacons managed to get the win.
Coach Steve Forbes praised his team’s resilience: “It says they are a resilient, tight-knit group that didn’t have their ‘A’ game… At this moment in time, we found a way to win.”
Wake Forest didn’t make any substitutions in the second half despite the competition rotating more players, with Forbes noting, “I just liked the way we were playing.”
Duke’s Cooper Flagg, right, attempts a shot ahead of Virginia Tech’s Jaden Schutt, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham
Duke has plenty of firepower. Tyrese Proctor led the Blue Devils with 20 points in their win at Boston College, showcasing his growth: “He has been busting his butt every day working,” said Coach Scheyer. Freshman Cooper Flagg, who has had nine games with 20-plus points, is a key contributor. Flagg dropped 28 points in the Boston College game, five of those performances coming in ACC play.
Wake Forest will face Flagg for the first time this season, but Duke and Wake are well-acquainted with each other.
Key Players to Watch
Scheyer commented on the changes in Wake Forest’s game this year, saying, “They’re a little bit different this year to me because they’re elite defensively. They’ve always been elite in terms of offense.”
Flagg and Wake Forest guard Hunter Sallis are both averaging 19.2 points per game, and Sallis recently had a seven-game streak of 20 or more points snapped. Duke’s defense will be key to stopping him after Sallis scored 29 points in last year’s upset over the Blue Devils.
Wake Forest is undefeated at home with a perfect 10-0 record. They’ve already defeated ACC rivals like North Carolina State and North Carolina at home. Meanwhile, Duke also has an excellent road record of 5-0, its best since 2018-19 when they won their first seven road games.
No. 19 UConn looks to challenge Xavier in Cincinnati
Xavier is looking to recover from a tough road loss in Big East play when they host No. 19 UConn on Saturday night in Cincinnati.
The Musketeers (12-8, 4-5 Big East) had a 16-point lead with 17:03 left during their game on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. They had a chance to finish off No. 20 St. John’s, but the Red Storm made a strong comeback, and Xavier lost 79-71 in overtime.
Xavier went through a rough stretch, being outscored 29-10 over nearly 14 minutes, and their lead shrank to a 63-60 deficit with 3:30 remaining. The Musketeers also struggled in the paint, losing 48-24, and shot only 35.7% in the second half.
“It’s called game pressure. It’s time, score, crowd. There’s a lot at stake. Possessions are sacred,” said Xavier coach Sean Miller. “As a coach, you want a team that’s about the same in that moment as you are early in the first half. You get to a point where there’s three minutes left.”
Xavier managed to fight back, with Ryan Conwell scoring 21 points and Dailyn Swain adding 16, but in overtime, they were outscored 8-0 in the first three minutes.
“We have to be more of the same team as we were in the previous 37 minutes,” Miller added. “You smell that popcorn, the crowd is getting loud, guys can’t catch, all of a sudden you can’t remember and it’s a bad feeling. We have some of that.”
Swain suffered a right leg injury with three minutes left in regulation and had to be helped off the court.
“We’ll take care of his safety,” Miller said. “I don’t know how much time he’ll miss.”
No. 18 UConn and No. 8 Gonzaga
Xavier Faces UConn Again After Tough Loss
Saturday will be a rematch of another tough Big East loss for Xavier, this time an overtime defeat to UConn. On Dec. 18 in Hartford, Conn., the Huskies came back from a five-point deficit late in the second half and outscored the Musketeers 16-11 in overtime to win 94-89.
UConn (14-5, 6-2) had its own tough battle in its last game, winning 80-78 in overtime at home against Butler on Tuesday. The game was intense, with both teams combining for only two points in the last two minutes of regulation. Huskies coach Dan Hurley expressed frustration with the referees, who called 21 fouls on UConn while Butler was called for just 13.
“I’ve created this for myself, I’m not the victim. I just wish they just would not have the camera on me 90 percent of the time,” Hurley said.
“If it’s because they don’t like me, that’s a problem, because that’s an integrity of the game issue. You can’t come into a game saying, ‘I’m not going to call fouls because I don’t like this coach’s demeanor.’”
There’s plenty of excitement and fan support in Coach Chris Beard’s second year at Ole Miss, but two straight losses and the challenges of Southeastern Conference (SEC) play have brought the Rebels back to earth.
After a tough one-point home loss on Wednesday, the No. 16 Rebels will travel to Columbia, Missouri, to take on No. 22 Missouri on Saturday. Ole Miss (15-4, 4-2 SEC) played well for most of their game against No. 13 Texas A&M in front of a packed home crowd of 10,008 fans. They were in control for 36 minutes and led the entire game until Texas A&M’s Manny Obaseki hit a 3-pointer with just 13 seconds left.
Sean Pedulla led the Rebels with 16 points, but two key players—Matthew Murrell (who shot 1-for-9) and Jaemyn Brakefield (4-for-12)—struggled. Brakefield missed a crucial jumper with four seconds left on the game’s final shot.
Coach Beard expressed disappointment after the game, saying, “We’ve got a hurt locker room right now.” Ole Miss failed to score in the last 3:49 of the game and was outscored 11-2 during that stretch, which turned a hopeful game into a two-game losing streak and their first home defeat.
Recent Losses but Impressive Wins
Despite the recent setbacks, Ole Miss still has a strong overall record. The Rebels had a standout win on January 14 when they defeated No. 4 Alabama 74-64 in Tuscaloosa, which remains one of the conference’s most impressive victories and could play a key role in their NCAA Tournament bid.
Missouri (NCAAB)
Pedulla leads the team with 14.3 points per game, with Jaylen Murray (11.8), Murrell (11.3), and Brakefield (10.2) also contributing significant points.
Missouri (15-4, 4-2) is also looking to bounce back from a loss and secure a win that will strengthen their NCAA Tournament hopes. Coach Dennis Gates’ squad, which is known for its high-scoring offense, struggled in their recent 61-53 loss to Texas, which snapped their four-game winning streak. Missouri shot 70.4 percent from the free-throw line, but Coach Gates emphasized, “We’ve got to get on the road above 80 percent.”
The Tigers have four players scoring in double figures. Mark Mitchell leads the team with 13.4 points per game, while Tamar Bates (12.8), Caleb Grill (12.1), and Anthony Robinson II (10.3) also provide strong scoring.
On the same night that Ole Miss shocked Alabama, Missouri pulled off a major upset, defeating No. 5 Florida 83-82 on the road. Grill had 22 points in that game, helping Missouri achieve their first road win against a top-five team since 2012.
In the head-to-head series between Ole Miss and Missouri, the Rebels hold a 17-8 advantage and are 7-4 in Columbia. Ole Miss has won the last two matchups, after a five-game losing streak to Missouri.
Micah Parrish scored 11 of his career-high 22 points in the final six minutes to lead Ohio State to a 73-70 win over No. 11 Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Buckeyes had been down by 16 points late in the first half but managed to pull off a 10-0 and 15-0 run in the second half to break Purdue’s 26-game home winning streak. Parrish hit six 3-pointers on just eight attempts. Devin Royal contributed 16 points and six rebounds, and Bruce Thornton added 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Trey Kaufman-Renn led Purdue with 26 points, while Fletcher Loyer scored 15. Braden Smith, despite battling early foul trouble, finished with 12 points and eight assists but struggled with shooting, hitting only 3 of 14 attempts. Purdue’s seven-game winning streak was snapped.
Iowa State Beats UCF in High-Scoring Game
Joshua Jefferson scored a career-high 30 points, and Keshon Gilbert added 21 points and eight assists as No. 3 Iowa State defeated UCF 108-83 in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State shot 56.3% from the field and improved to 11-0 at home. Curtis Jones also contributed 19 points and eight rebounds.
UCF’s Jordan Ivy-Curry scored a season-high 24 points, and Keyshawn Hall added 13, but the Knights could not keep up with Iowa State’s offensive output, dropping their second consecutive game.
No. 4 Alabama Defeats Vanderbilt
Aden Holloway and Mouhamed Dioubate each scored 22 points to help No. 4 Alabama secure a 103-87 victory over Vanderbilt in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Dioubate also grabbed 10 rebounds for his second career double-double. Mark Sears added 21 points and seven assists.
Vanderbilt’s Jason Edwards scored 21 points, and Tyler Nickel added 19. However, Vanderbilt could not overcome Alabama’s balanced offense.
Tennessee Beats No. 14 Mississippi State
Chaz Lanier scored 23 points, including five 3-pointers, to help No. 6 Tennessee defeat No. 14 Mississippi State 68-56 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee’s defense held Mississippi State to just 16 points in the first half. Zakai Zeigler added nine points, seven assists, and five steals, while Jahmai Mashack and Jordan Gainey scored 10 points each.
Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard led with 14 points, but the Bulldogs were unable to get close in the second half.
No. 10 Marquette Beats Seton Hall
Kam Jones scored 19 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead No. 10 Marquette to a 76-59 win over Seton Hall in Newark, New Jersey. Marquette bounced back from its first conference loss, led by Jones and contributions from David Joplin (12 points) and Ben Gold (11 points).
Seton Hall’s Isaiah Coleman scored a career-high 27 points, but the Pirates could not keep up with Marquette’s scoring.
Oregon Defeats Washington
TJ Bamba scored a game-high 21 points to lead No. 15 Oregon to an 82-71 victory over Washington in Eugene, Oregon. Oregon overcame an early deficit to win their second conference home game. Brandon Angel added 15 points, while Supreme Cook scored 13.
Washington’s Great Osobor led the Huskies with 20 points and eight rebounds, but Washington lost their fifth consecutive game.
UCLA Holds Off No. 18 Wisconsin
UCLA defeated No. 18 Wisconsin 85-83 in Los Angeles with big second-half performances from reserves Aday Mara, Sebastian Mack, and William Kyle III. Mara scored a career-high 22 points, and Mack added 19. Kyle made a crucial blocked shot in the final seconds.
No. 5 Marquette and No. 11 Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s John Tonje led with 24 points, and John Blackwell scored 23 before fouling out. Wisconsin’s seven-game winning streak ended.
No. 19 UConn Wins in Overtime
Solo Ball scored a career-high 23 points to help No. 19 UConn beat Butler 80-78 in overtime in Hartford, Connecticut. UConn avoided back-to-back home losses, and Butler’s Jahmyl Telfort, who led all scorers with 25 points, missed two critical 3-point attempts in the final seconds.
Butler’s close fight ended in a narrow defeat, marking their seventh consecutive loss to UConn.
Texas Defeats No. 22 Missouri
Arthur Kaluma recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds to help Texas defeat No. 22 Missouri 61-53 in Austin, Texas. Kaluma’s late putback basket capped a 7-0 run for the Longhorns, who held Missouri to just 31.3% shooting.
Tamar Bates led Missouri with 10 points, and the Tigers were limited offensively in this loss.
Arizona State Stuns No. 23 West Virginia
Jayden Quaintance scored 15 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked three shots to help Arizona State defeat No. 23 West Virginia 65-57 in Morgantown, West Virginia. Basheer Jihad added 17 points and eight rebounds, leading the Sun Devils to a win after a four-game losing streak.
Javon Small, West Virginia’s leading scorer, struggled with 14 points on 2-of-11 shooting.
No. 25 Louisville Beats SMU
Reyne Smith set a program record with 10 3-pointers, scoring 30 points, while Chucky Hepburn dished out a program-record 16 assists as No. 25 Louisville defeated SMU 98-73 in Dallas.
James Scott and J’Vonne Hadley each scored 16 points for Louisville. SMU struggled defensively and allowed over 90 points for the first time this season. Matt Cross led SMU with 18 points.
Ian Schieffelin is struggling with back and calf issues, limiting his ability to practice, but he plans to play for Clemson when they face Syracuse in Atlantic Coast Conference action on Wednesday in Clemson, S.C.
More than two months into the season, Schieffelin’s injuries have kept him from practicing on non-game days. He only practiced for a few minutes on Friday but still managed to post a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s 78-75 overtime win at Pitt.
“Ian’s just been a warrior,” said Clemson coach Brad Brownell about the fifth-year senior, who is averaging 13.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. “I don’t know that (his practice schedule) will be much different here for a while. … Crossing my fingers that everything is going to be fine. But he’s a tough kid.”
Chase Hunter, another long-time player for Clemson (15-4, 7-1 ACC), scored 20 points in the win over Pitt, including five 3-pointers, helping the Tigers win their sixth game in seven attempts.
No. 25 Clemson and South Carolina
Hunter and Schieffelin will be key targets for the Syracuse defense, which has allowed an average of 77.6 points per game this season. However, the Orange held Notre Dame to 42.1 percent shooting and just five 3-pointers in a 77-69 win on Saturday.
“You couldn’t tell whatever our record was,” Syracuse coach Adrian Autry said. “These guys came out here, they played hard, they played tough and that’s how it has to be going forward.”
Syracuse (9-9, 3-4) trailed by as much as 17 points before fighting back behind J.J. Starling (21 points), Eddie Lampkin Jr. (13 points, 11 rebounds), and Kyle Cuffe Jr. (13 points, 10-of-10 free throws).
“(It) was big time because we could have easily given up, but I’m very proud of this group of guys,” Starling said. “We just kept fighting, and we didn’t lay down.”
This will be the only meeting between the two teams this season. Last year, Clemson won both matchups, with Schieffelin averaging 14.5 points on 10-of-10 shooting in those games.
Georgia Tech will host Virginia Tech in an Atlantic Coast Conference game on Wednesday in Atlanta, as both teams try to get closer to a .500 record.
Georgia Tech (8-11, 2-6 ACC) is struggling and short-handed, having lost four straight games while missing several key players. In their 91-78 loss at Florida State on Saturday, the Yellow Jackets only had six players available due to injuries.
Kowacie Reeves Jr. (9.3 points per game), Luke O’Brien (6.4 ppg, 4.4 rebounds per game), and Jaeden Mustaf (9.1 ppg) were all unavailable for Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Despite the missing players, Georgia Tech coach Damon Stoudamire refuses to make excuses going into Wednesday’s game.
“The game isn’t all physical. You’ve got to become better mentally,” Stoudamire said. “I think that we make a big deal out of certain things. Here’s the reality. You can play six or seven guys and win. I believe we can win games. The one thing you’ll never hear from me is an excuse about injuries.”
Slow starts have been a problem for Georgia Tech during its four-game losing streak. In their losses to Syracuse, SMU, Clemson, and Florida State, the Yellow Jackets have averaged just 23 points in the first half. Stoudamire knows this is something his team needs to fix.
Duke’s Cooper Flagg, right, attempts a shot ahead of Virginia Tech’s Jaden Schutt, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham
“I think that our slow starts are a byproduct of not taking the shots that are there at times,” Stoudamire said. “I think that we play well enough on defense to be in games early, but we haven’t scored the ball. We’ve got to take the shots.”
Lance Terry leads the team with 15.8 points per game, while Javian McCollum scores 12.9 points per game. Baye Ndongo contributes 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for Georgia Tech.
Virginia Tech (8-10, 3-4) saw a two-game winning streak come to an end with a 72-63 loss to Wake Forest on Saturday. The Hokies, who are aiming to avoid their first losing season in a decade, struggled with passing and ball protection against the Demon Deacons.
“That’s so disgusting. Nine assists to 14 turnovers. That’s hard to see,” said coach Mike Young. “We’ve never played that way. You can’t play that way and win.”
Tobi Lawal has been a standout for Virginia Tech, recording consecutive double-doubles. He leads the team with 12.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Mylyjael Poteat adds 10.6 points per game for the Hokies.
Indiana aims for its first win over Northwestern since 2021
Indiana hopes to get back on track after suffering two consecutive 25-point losses.
The Hoosiers head into Wednesday’s game against Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., following a 77-76 overtime win against Ohio State. Indiana remains in the race for a top-four seed and a bye into the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals in March.
“We’ve played some pretty good basketball and had some good stretches,” said Indiana coach Mike Woodson.
As for the disappointing performances?
“You just have to stay away from games like that,” Woodson added.
Indiana (14-5, 5-3 Big Ten) benefited from standout performances, such as Luke Goode’s career-high 23 points in the win over Ohio State on Friday. Woodson also praised contributions from several reserves who helped keep the team in the game.
After seeing limited action in back-to-back blowout losses to Iowa and No. 19 Illinois, sophomore transfer Kanaan Carlyle stepped up with 13 points in a career-high 36 minutes.
“I just hope he bottles it up and carries it forward,” Woodson said.
UConn vs Northwestern (NCAAB)
Northwestern (11-7, 2-5) has struggled recently, losing four of its last five games. The Wildcats have gone into overtime in their last two games, including a tough 80-76 loss at No. 20 Michigan on Sunday.
Jalen Leach scored 19 points to support team leaders Brooks Barnhizer (21) and Nick Martinelli (20) before being ejected for a flagrant 2 foul.
“There’s a lot of pressure on Brooks and Nick, and I know that’s because of what they’ve done and the attention that’s placed on those guys every game to try to take them out of the game,” said Northwestern coach Chris Collins.
Collins also praised Leach and Ty Berry, who has scored in double figures in back-to-back games after only five points in three consecutive losses to open January.
“We’ve got to get more,” Collins said. “We’ve got to find some production from our bigs. We’ve got to find some production from our freshmen because we’ve got to do our best to try to take the pressure off Brooks and Nick.”
Northwestern has won the last four matchups against Indiana but trails the all-time series 119-57. The Hoosiers are looking for their first win against the Wildcats since February 10, 2021, in Evanston.
Dawson Garcia made a game-winning 3-pointer from near half-court just before the buzzer in overtime, helping Minnesota secure an 84-81 victory over No. 20 Michigan on Thursday in Minneapolis.
The game was tied 81-81 after Michigan’s Danny Wolf made a layup with seven seconds left in overtime. Minnesota quickly brought the ball up the court and handed it to Garcia, whose long shot gave the Golden Gophers (9-9, 1-6 Big Ten) their first win in conference play.
Garcia finished with a game-high 27 points and 12 rebounds. Lu’Cye Patterson added 22 points, and Mike Mitchell Jr. contributed 20 points, helping Minnesota end a four-game losing streak.
Wolf led Michigan (13-4, 5-1) with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Vladislav Goldin had 18 points and eight rebounds. Michigan’s five-game winning streak came to an end with this loss.
Oregon State 97, No. 16 Gonzaga 89 (OT)
Michael Rataj scored the first eight points of overtime and finished with a career-high 29 points as Oregon State defeated Gonzaga in a West Coast Conference game in Corvallis, Oregon.
Nate Kingz added 20 points, and Parsa Fallah had 16 before fouling out. Oregon State (14-5, 4-2 WCC) improved to 11-1 at home this season. Damarco Minor also contributed 15 points, and Josiah Lake II scored 11.
No. 19 Gonzaga (NCAAB)
Graham Ike led Gonzaga (14-5, 5-1) with 26 points and nine rebounds before fouling out. Ben Gregg posted a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Khalif Battle scored 15 points for the Bulldogs.
Temple 88, No. 18 Memphis 81
Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 21 points to lead five Temple players in double figures as the Owls upset Memphis in Philadelphia.
Quante Berry added 19 points for Temple (11-6, 3-1 American Athletic Conference), which shot 46.8 percent from the field and dominated the boards with a 49-25 rebounding advantage. Shane Dezonie came off the bench to score 15 points and grab a game-high 13 rebounds.
PJ Haggerty led Memphis (13-4, 3-1) with 21 points. Tyrese Hunter also contributed 16 points and six assists for the Tigers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.
Auburn has moved to No. 1 in men’s basketball poll, marking its second time at the top in the program’s history. Georgia, another Southeastern Conference (SEC) team, is also in the rankings for the first time in 13 years.
Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers (15-1) earned 60 out of 62 first-place votes, climbing one spot after the previous No. 1, Tennessee, suffered its first loss of the season to Florida, ending its five-week run at the top. Auburn had been ranked No. 1 once before in January and February of 2022, during a three-week stretch, and this is the third team to claim the top spot this season.
Auburn’s only loss came in early December against Duke, but they have since won eight consecutive games. There is still no update on when star forward Johni Broome will return to the court after injuring his ankle in a victory over South Carolina.
With Auburn’s rise to No. 1, the SEC is again a dominant presence in the rankings, with nine teams in the AP Top 25. This includes three teams in the top five and five teams in the top 10.
Iowa State moved up one spot to No. 2, its highest ranking ever, followed by Duke, Alabama, and Florida. Both Duke and Florida earned one first-place vote each.
Tennessee (15-1), who had been No. 1 since December 9, was the last unbeaten team in Division I before suffering a 30-point loss to Florida. Although they bounced back with a win over Texas, the Volunteers dropped five spots to No. 6.
Marquette stayed in the same position at No. 7, followed by Kentucky, preseason No. 1 Kansas, and Houston to complete the top 10.
Rising in the rankings, No. 12 Michigan State and No. 20 Michigan had the largest jumps of the week, moving up four spots. Florida and No. 17 Purdue climbed three spots each.
Auburn Tigers and Georgia State Panthers
In total, 15 teams moved up in this week’s poll.
On the other hand, Tennessee experienced a notable drop, but the biggest decline came from No. 19 Illinois, who fell six spots after losing at home to Southern California. Defending two-time national champion UConn also dropped five spots after losing to Villanova, landing at No. 14.
In total, six teams dropped in this week’s rankings.
There were some new teams entering the rankings this week. No. 23 Georgia, No. 24 Wisconsin, and No. 25 Baylor made their way into the poll. For Georgia, it has been a long time since they were ranked.
Mike White’s Bulldogs (14-2) earned their first AP Top 25 ranking since January 2011 when they spent one week at No. 24. That had been their only time ranked since the 2002-03 season, but they recently defeated both No. 6 Kentucky and No. 17 Oklahoma, marking their first back-to-back wins over ranked opponents since the 2006-07 season.
Both Wisconsin and Baylor had spent multiple weeks in the poll earlier this season.
On the other hand, West Virginia (No. 21) and UCLA (No. 22) fell out of this week’s rankings.
As for conference representation, the SEC had nine ranked teams, marking the fifth time this season with that many ranked teams. This includes No. 11 Texas A&M, No. 15 Mississippi State, and No. 21 Mississippi. The Big Ten had six ranked teams, while the Big 12 had four. The Big East had two ranked teams, and the Atlantic Coast, West Coast, American Athletic, and Mountain West conferences each had one team ranked.
The athletic director of a mid-sized school that is seeing success this season has a simple idea to address the growing concerns around the college sports transfer portal system.
Sean Frazier, the athletic director at Northern Illinois University (NIU), proposed a “talent acquisition fee” to manage what many consider the chaotic transfer portal system in college sports.
His idea is for schools to pay a fee to other teams when they sign players from them. While he admits this is a long shot and might not solve all the issues, he believes it could help establish guidelines in a system that many feel is out of control.
Frazier’s idea is somewhat similar to the “transfer fees” seen in European soccer, where teams pay a fee when they acquire a player from another team. He believes this approach could support smaller schools like NIU, add transparency to the process, and make the transfer system more structured.
There are over 11,000 football players from all divisions entering the transfer portal, and some of these deals are made through text messages in the middle of the night.
“At the end of the day, the kid deserves the compensation and support,” Frazier said in an interview with The Associated Press at the NCAA convention. “But the institution, to keep the cycle going, they deserve something as well. We’re not in the situation to continue to do that if we keep losing our best and brightest.”
NIU has faced its own set of challenges despite recent successes, such as beating Notre Dame earlier this season. NIU has also announced it will move its football program from the Mid-American Conference to the Mountain West Conference starting in 2026. The Mountain West is one of the strongest conferences in the Group of Five, with teams like Boise State making it to the College Football Playoff this season.
Smaller schools like NIU are faced with difficult decisions as the House Settlement will soon change the college sports landscape. The settlement will allow institutions to pay players directly and reshape roster sizes. NIU must decide whether to join revenue-sharing agreements for direct player payments or continue to use third-party collectives to handle those deals.
Despite having success on the field, schools like NIU are at a disadvantage in competing with larger schools that have more resources to attract talent. Frazier shared the example of defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard, who came to NIU as a walk-on, improved over the years, and had a strong season with five sacks. However, after entering the transfer portal, Gill-Howard will finish his college career at Texas Tech.
Northern Illinois running back Antario Brown ran the ball
“He did a wonderful job. Our coaching staff did a great job developing him,” Frazier said. “The heartache of it is, he’s gone. From the G5 perspective, we’re fine with the developmental side of things. There’s a certain level of respect there. But this could help institutions like us, where there’s a flat fee, or dollar amount, that’s a show of appreciation for the development of the game.”
However, Frazier’s proposed plan could face significant challenges. College sports are known for being slow to make large changes, and the U.S. court system has previously blocked policies that limit players’ ability to earn money. Frazier’s idea is similar to the now-abolished “Rozelle Rule” in the NFL, which allowed teams to receive draft picks for signing players from other teams with expired contracts.
In European soccer, transfer fees have been a common practice, but there have been legal challenges to that system as well. Gabe Feldman, a sports law expert, believes Frazier’s fee idea is unlikely to succeed, pointing out that while there are many ideas being discussed, not all of them will become reality.
The transfer portal continues to be a hot topic in college sports. As seen with players like UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka, who left after a promised $100,000 payment wasn’t kept, or former Florida QB Jaden Rashada’s lawsuit over an unpaid $13 million NIL deal, the system remains problematic. Accusations of tampering and players leaving without warning have also become more common.
NCAA President Charlie Baker voiced concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in the system. “I can’t believe we live in a world where people are making decisions and issuing offers in text messages,” he said. “The number of kids who have told me terrible stories about misrepresentation — there’s no process, accountability, no transparency.”
While Frazier does not see his “talent acquisition” fee as a complete solution, he believes it could be a step in the right direction. He compares it to the NFL and NBA, where collective bargaining and drafts set the rules for player movements.
“We don’t have that,” Frazier said. “This is one of the guardrails that could get us to the point of acknowledging that, yes, you still can buy your team, but it shouldn’t be the wild, wild west.”
Freshman Cooper Flagg scored 42 points, and No. 4 Duke defeated Notre Dame 86-78 on Saturday afternoon in Durham, N.C.
Flagg made 11 of 14 field goals, including 4 of 6 from three-point range, and hit 16 of 17 free throws. His performance set a record for the most points by a freshman in Atlantic Coast Conference history. He became the first Duke player to score 40 points since J.J. Redick did it twice in January 2006 and scored the most points for a Blue Devil since Danny Ferry’s 58 in 1988. Flagg also led the team with seven assists and grabbed six rebounds.
Duke (14-2, 6-0 ACC) has now won 10 consecutive games, starting the game with the first 14 points to take control early.
Markus Burton scored 23 points for Notre Dame (7-9, 1-4), who was coming off two one-point losses. The Irish made 14 of 23 shots from three-point range.
No. 1 Tennessee 74, Texas 70
Zakai Zeigler scored 16 points, including a basket and four important free throws in the final minute, to help Tennessee defeat Texas in a Southeastern Conference game in Austin, Texas.
After Texas (11-5, 0-3) briefly took a 60-58 lead with just over four minutes left, Tennessee (15-1, 2-1) responded with an 8-0 run, including a three-pointer by Jordan Gainey that gave them a 66-60 lead with 2:41 remaining. Texas then scored three points in a row to cut the lead to three, but Zeigler secured the win.
He pushed the lead back to five with a layup with 59 seconds left. After grabbing a defensive rebound, he was fouled and hit two free throws with 32 seconds to go.
No. 2 Auburn 66, South Carolina 63
Dylan Cardwell made a key dunk with 1:32 left to give Auburn the lead and help them hold off South Carolina for a victory in Columbia, S.C., despite an ankle injury to star Johni Broome.
Auburn (15-1, 3-0 SEC) won its eighth straight game, even after Broome injured his left ankle while defending a shot under the basket with 13:45 to go. Broome had scored six points on 3-of-11 shooting in 24 minutes before being hurt when he stepped on a teammate’s foot while trying to defend a basket by Collin Murray-Boyles. This gave South Carolina (10-6, 0-3) a 47-45 lead.
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said after the game that Broome had a “significant sprain” and would be getting tests to determine how bad the injury is.
No. 3 Iowa State 85, Texas Tech 84 (OT)
Joshua Jefferson made two free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining in overtime to give Iowa State an 85-84 victory over Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas. This win gave Iowa State their 11th consecutive win.
Jefferson passed the ball inbounds with 8.4 seconds left in overtime, received it back on the left side near the basket, and got fouled while trying to score. Iowa State (14-1, 4-0) finished 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in overtime after struggling earlier in regulation (11 of 18).
Texas Tech (11-4, 2-2) led 84-83 with 15.4 seconds left after Darrion Williams grabbed an air-ball and made a blind reverse layup. This was the eighth of nine lead changes in the final minutes of regulation and overtime.
No. 5 Alabama 94, No. 10 Texas A&M 88
Mark Sears scored 27 points and made four crucial free throws in the final 21 seconds to help Alabama defeat Texas A&M in a key SEC game in College Station, Texas.
Alabama (14-2, 3-0) was ahead by eight points at halftime and led by 15 with eight minutes left, but they had to hold off a strong rally from Texas A&M (13-3, 2-1). The Aggies came within three points with less than 90 seconds left.
Texas A&M, which was missing injured leading scorer Wade Taylor III, suffered its first loss of the season to a Top 25 team after winning their first four games against ranked teams.
No. 6 Kentucky 95, No. 14 Mississippi State 90
Jaxson Robinson scored a season-high 27 points to lead Kentucky past Mississippi State in an SEC game in Starkville, Miss.
Ansley Almonor, who scored 11 points, hit two important three-pointers in the second half to help Kentucky (13-3, 2-1 SEC) rally after Mississippi State (14-2, 2-1) had made a big comeback. This victory also gave Kentucky coach Mark Pope his 200th career win.
No. 19 Ole Miss and Southern Mississippi
Kentucky, who had lost to unranked Georgia earlier in the week, was up by as much as 14 points with less than 16 minutes left. However, Mississippi State managed to take the lead with eight minutes to go. With Kentucky trailing 80-78 with about 7 1/2 minutes remaining, Almonor made two back-to-back three-pointers to put Kentucky ahead 84-80, and the Wildcats never trailed again.
No. 8 Florida 71, Arkansas 63
Alijah Martin scored 14 points, and Alex Condon had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds to help Florida beat Arkansas in an SEC game in Fayetteville, Ark.
Will Richard added 12 points and eight rebounds for Florida, who led by as much as 12 points. Walter Clayton Jr. also contributed 12 points and five assists. Condon scored all of his points in the second half. Florida (15-1, 2-1 SEC) won despite two of their starters fouling out and limiting Arkansas to just 30 percent shooting.
Adou Thiero led Arkansas with 17 points. Boogie Fland had 15 points, and Jonas Aidoo added 11 points and nine rebounds. Arkansas (11-5) is now 0-3 in the SEC for the second consecutive season.
No. 9 UConn 68, Georgetown 60
Alex Karaban scored 19 points to help UConn defeat Georgetown in Washington, D.C. The Huskies used a strong second-half performance to secure the win.
Karaban scored 12 points in the second half, hitting all three of his three-point attempts, as UConn (13-4, 5-1 Big East) bounced back from a close 68-66 loss to Villanova. Solo Ball added 15 points, and the Huskies extended their winning streak over Georgetown to nine games.
Curtis Williams Jr. led Georgetown (12-4, 3-2) with a season-high 15 points off the bench. Micah Peavy added 14 points, and Thomas Sorber contributed nine points and 10 rebounds. Georgetown has now lost two games in a row.
No. 11 Kansas 54, Cincinnati 40
Hunter Dickinson had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Kansas showed strong defense in the second half to defeat Cincinnati in a Big 12 game.
Kansas (12-3, 3-1) won its third straight game despite shooting poorly from beyond the arc, hitting just 2 of 21 three-pointers. They also shot 35.3 percent from the field. Dillon Mitchell was the only other player in double figures for Kansas with 10 points.
Cincinnati (10-5, 0-4) struggled with shooting, making just 3 of 22 three-pointers and shooting 30.5 percent overall. Kansas trailed 25-24 at halftime but outscored Cincinnati 30-15 in the second half to win.
No. 12 Houston 87, Kansas State 57
Houston won against Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., with a balanced scoring effort. Emanuel Sharp led with 15 points, and five other Houston players scored in double digits. The Cougars also had two players who scored eight points each.
Houston (12-3, 4-0 Big 12) is now tied with Iowa State at the top of the Big 12 standings, having won eight straight games. Kansas State (7-8, 1-3 Big 12) has lost six of its last seven games.
In addition to Sharp, Houston got 13 points from Joseph Tugler, 11 from LJ Cryer and Ja’Vier Francis, and 10 from J’Wan Roberts. Kansas State was led by Brendan Hausen with 15 points and Max Jones, who added 13. The Wildcats made 40 percent of their three-point attempts, hitting 10 out of 25.
Southern California 82, No. 13 Illinois 72
Desmond Claude scored a season-high 31 points to help Southern California win over Illinois in Champaign, Ill. The Trojans took control in the second half of the game.
No. 1 Tennessee and Illinois
Wesley Yates III added 15 points, shooting 7-of-8 from the field, and Southern California (10-6, 2-3 Big Ten) shot 52.3 percent overall.
Ben Humrichous led Illinois (12-4, 4-2) with 15 points, while Tre White and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn both scored 11 points.
Georgia 72, No. 17 Oklahoma 62
Asa Newell and Dakota Leffew each scored 15 points to help Georgia beat Oklahoma in Athens, Ga. This was Georgia’s second straight win over a ranked team, after they defeated No. 6 Kentucky earlier in the week.
Silas Demary Jr. added 10 points and eight rebounds for Georgia (14-2, 2-1 SEC).
Jalon Moore led Oklahoma (13-3, 0-3) with 17 points and nine rebounds before fouling out. Kobe Elvis and Duke Miles each scored 14 points, and Mohamed Wague added 10 points off the bench. Oklahoma has now lost three games in a row.
No. 18 Gonzaga 88, Washington State 75
Graham Ike scored 21 points to lead Gonzaga in a victory over Washington State in Spokane, Wash., during a West Coast Conference game.
Nolan Hickman added 19 points, while Ben Gregg contributed 11 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Khalif Battle and Braden Huff each added 10 points for Gonzaga (14-4, 5-0).
Nate Calmese led Washington State (13-5, 3-2) with 20 points, shooting 9-of-14, and also had eight assists. LeJuan Watts scored 17 points, and Dane Erikstrup added 11 points for the Cougars.
No. 19 Memphis 74, East Carolina 70
PJ Haggerty scored 25 points to help Memphis win against East Carolina in an American Athletic Conference game. Memphis built an 18-point lead in the first half and was still up by 14 points at halftime, but East Carolina made a comeback.
East Carolina (9-8, 1-3) tied the game at 68-68 with 1:11 left. Memphis then made two free throws, got a defensive stop, and Tyrese Hunter scored a layup to secure the win.
Both teams struggled with shooting and turnovers. Memphis finished at 41.0 percent from the floor and had 16 turnovers, while East Carolina shot 39.3 percent and committed 18 turnovers.
No. 23 Ole Miss 77, LSU 65
Malik Dia scored 19 points, and Ole Miss used a strong second half to pull away from LSU in Oxford, Miss.
Jaemyn Brakefield added 16 points, and Sean Pedulla scored 11 points. Dre Davis and Jaylen Murray each contributed 10 points for Ole Miss (14-2, 3-0 SEC), who outscored LSU (11-5, 0-3) 49-39 in the second half.
Cam Carter led LSU with 16 points. Daimion Collins scored 14 points, and Jordan Sears, playing off the bench for the first time this season, added 10 points and six assists.
No. 25 Utah State 81, Boise State 79
Ian Martinez hit a crucial four-point play with 7.3 seconds left to lead Utah State past Boise State in Logan, Utah, in a Mountain West Conference game.
Martinez led Utah State (16-1, 6-0 MWC) with 18 points. Deyton Albury added 14 points, and Dexter Akanno had 12 points. Utah State shot 61.2 percent from the field and made 11 of their 21 three-point attempts (52.4 percent).
Tyson Degenhart scored 22 points to lead Boise State (12-5, 4-2). Alvaro Cardenas added 15 points and eight assists, while Javan Buchanan contributed 13 points, and Andrew Meadow scored 12 points.
Gonzaga and West Virginia Prepare for Battle 4 Atlantis Opener with Tournament Success on the Line
Coaches and athletic leaders are urging lawmakers to put limits on West Virginia’s controversial high school sports transfer rule.
A law passed in 2023 allows student-athletes to transfer to a new school once during their high school years without having to change their home address, and they can start playing immediately.
This change has been linked to one-sided football scores and more injuries to athletes. Athletic directors are also concerned it might hurt fundraising efforts for school programs.
“A lot of our concerns aren’t things that are quantifiable. We can’t quantify how this tears apart the community fabric aspect of our programs,” David Viands, president of the West Virginia Athletic Directors Association, told lawmakers Tuesday at the state Capitol.
“They’re displacing students who have lived in that community and have been in that community for a long time,” he continued. “We need to evaluate long-term implications for this rule and look at solutions.”
During the 2024 school year, 433 athletes transferred to high schools during the fall sports season, which is three times the number of transfers before the rule changed.
“We’re seeing a lot of mid-season transfers. In Jefferson County, just this season we had four mid-season transfers … right before basketball,” Viands said. “We get the transfers right before the season starts.”
Gonzaga and West Virginia Prepare for Battle 4 Atlantis Opener with Tournament Success on the Line
Viands also said the rule benefits students with the financial ability to transfer, as families often need to provide transportation. The rule has been mostly used in more urban areas of the state, like Charleston, Morgantown, and parts of the Eastern Panhandle.
“It does create a disparity in schools that if you lose a lot of seniors and juniors, you’re now playing a lot of sophomores and freshmen,” he said.
Despite Governor Jim Justice and some Republican lawmakers agreeing that the rule needs to be reexamined, House members did not take up a bill to change the transfer rule last year.
Del. Wayne Clark, R-Jefferson, said, “We’re seeing exactly what we thought was going to happen with this in place. I strongly suggest we look at this this session.”
Del. Jimmy Willis, R-Brooke, questioned why lawmakers should interfere with students’ ability to choose where they play if they are working toward a college athletic scholarship.
“Why should we tell them not to go there?” he asked.
Viands pointed out that less than 2% of high school athletes actually receive athletic scholarships for college.
Jamie Tallman, an athletic director in Grant County, hoped lawmakers would reconsider last year’s failed bill. House Bill 5011 would have allowed freshmen and sophomores to transfer, giving up eligibility for a year, but it would have blocked transfers for juniors and seniors.
“That’s something we could live with,” Tallman told lawmakers.
Viands said the state needs to slow down the number of juniors and seniors transferring schools for sports.
“We move somewhere towards a little more restrictions and guardrails to the transfer for athletics,” he said.
