Honestly, if you took a nap this afternoon, you basically missed the season turning on its head. Saturday is always a marathon in college hoops, but today felt like a sprint through a minefield for the favorites. The men's ncaa basketball scores today tell a story of blue bloods barely hanging on and mid-majors deciding they’ve had enough of being the underdog.
We saw everything from Purdue dodging a massive bullet in Los Angeles to Florida silencing one of the rowdiest crowds in the SEC. It’s that part of January where the "new season" smell has worn off, conference play is a grind, and teams are starting to show who they actually are when the lights get bright.
Purdue Escapes the Galen Center Ghost
Let’s talk about the Boilermakers. They went into the Galen Center as nearly 10-point favorites against USC, and for a while, it looked like they were going to get run out of the gym. The Trojans came out swinging, at one point putting together a 16-0 run that had the L.A. crowd thinking upset.
But Braden Smith is just a different breed of floor general.
He dropped 22 points, but none were bigger than the steal and layup he converted with only 23 seconds left on the clock. It was cold. It was veteran. It was exactly why Purdue is sitting at 17-1 and tied for the top spot in the Big Ten. They didn't shoot well—honestly, they looked sluggish—but they ground out a 69-64 win. If you’re a Purdue fan, you’re exhaling right now because that 14-point deficit could have easily turned into a season-altering loss.
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Chaos in the SEC: Florida Stuns No. 10 Vanderbilt
If you want to talk about a game that lived up to the hype, it was Florida traveling to Nashville to take on No. 10 Vanderbilt. The Commodores have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2025-26 season, entering the day at 16-1. But the Gators didn't care about the ranking.
Xaivian Lee was the hero of the night.
Wearing a temporary No. 99 jersey because of some travel equipment snafu—which is just peak college sports—Lee drained a clutch three-pointer with 45 seconds left to put Florida ahead. Vanderbilt had the lead late after a Devin McGlockton jumper, but the Gators' defense held firm in the final seconds to secure a 98-94 win.
This result is huge. It completely muddies the water at the top of the SEC standings. Vanderbilt showed they can score with anyone, but their interior defense struggled to contain Rueben Chinyelu, who racked up a massive double-double.
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Key Scores from the Afternoon Window:
- Duke 80, Stanford 50: Not even close. The Blue Devils were on a mission from the opening tip.
- Michigan State 80, Washington 63: The Spartans look like they’ve finally found their rhythm in Big Ten play.
- Louisville 100, Pitt 59: A absolute beatdown. Scoring 100 in an ACC road game is a statement.
- Texas Tech 84, BYU 71: The Red Raiders protected home court in a battle of top 15 teams.
The Mountain West Upset Nobody Saw Coming
While the big names usually grab the headlines, the most electric scene today was at Global Credit Union Arena. Grand Canyon University (GCU) proved once again why they are one of the most dangerous places to play in the country. They hosted No. 23 Utah State and essentially dismantled them.
The Havocs—GCU’s student section—were out in full force, and the team responded. Brian Moore Jr. and Makaih Williams both put up 20 points, leading the Lopes to an 84-74 victory. Utah State entered the game as one of the best shooting teams in the nation, but GCU’s length, led by 7-foot-2 Dennis Evans and his 6 blocks, made the rim look like a thimble.
When the final buzzer sounded, the court storm was inevitable. This is GCU's "welcome to the Mountain West" moment, and they definitely made an entrance.
Watching the Rankings Shift
Looking at the men's ncaa basketball scores today, the AP Top 25 is going to look radically different on Monday. With Iowa State stumbling against Cincinnati (79-70) and Vanderbilt falling at home, the door is wide open for teams like UConn and Michigan to climb even higher.
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Arizona still looks like the class of the field, handling UCF with relative ease, but the gap between No. 1 and No. 10 feels thinner than it did a week ago.
We also have to keep an eye on California, who pulled off a surprising 84-78 win over North Carolina. The Tar Heels have been inconsistent all year, and losing to a Cal team that has struggled in the ACC is a tough pill to swallow for Hubert Davis.
What’s Next for Your Bracket?
If you're tracking these scores to get a head start on your March Madness prep, here is the reality: the middle of the pack is where the value is. Teams like Florida, GCU, and Louisville are playing much better than their current seeds would suggest.
Keep an eye on the injury reports for USC and Vanderbilt heading into next week. Both teams played high-intensity games today and looked physically drained by the end.
For tonight, if you're still looking for action, Gonzaga is taking on Seattle in a late-night West Coast clash. The Bulldogs are heavy favorites, but as we saw today, "favorite" doesn't mean much once the ball is in the air.
Check the final box scores for the late games to see if the "home dog" trend continues. If you're betting or just following along, look for teams with experienced backcourts—like Purdue and Florida—to continue covering spreads as the pressure of January basketball ramps up.