Nebraska fans revel in a chaotic college football season as the Huskers sit at 5-2 and earn a mid‑season C grade. The Huskers’ volleyball squad dominates, with Murray and Adriano leading a 3‑0 sweep of USC in the “Pink Match” (25‑12, 25‑16, 25‑13). Women’s basketball eyes a fourth straight NCAA berth after Edessa Noyan drops 20 points in a 90‑41 exhibition win over Wayne State, while the men head to Grand Island for an exhibition showdown with Kansas State on Oct. 26. The post also notes a 2‑0 World Series deficit for the Rays, the WNBA Finals venue dilemma, Doncic’s 52‑point night, and Baylor’s firing of coach Dave Aranda.
The Razorbacks have not clinched a bid to the Final Four in over three decades, but there is reason to believe they can make a return this year
Villanova wraps its 2025‑26 campaign at 24‑9 (15‑5 Big East), finishing third in the league but falling to Georgetown in the conference quarters and Utah State in the NCAA first round. Coach Kevin Willard returns for a second year after a roster overhaul that adds size and experience, including transfers Kwame Evans Jr., Devin Royal, Jake Fiegen, Elijah Crawford and Darryl “Buddy” Simmons II, plus 7‑foot‑3 freshman Luigi Suigo. Returning leader Tyler Perkins (13.7 PPG) and recovering Matt Hodge boost the frontcourt, while the point‑guard spot remains the biggest question. Preseason polls rank the Wildcats third in the Big East, and analysts see them as contenders alongside Connecticut, St. John’s, Marquette and Xavier.
The next three weeks could lock in the Big 12 title game lineup as Arizona (No. 22) heads to Texas Tech, then hosts Utah, while Texas Tech visits Oklahoma State and Utah takes on West Virginia. Utah leads the conference at 4‑0, with Arizona, BYU, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech each sitting at 3‑1. With four head‑to‑head matchups looming, tiebreakers are likely, and the top two will meet Dec. 4 at AT&T Stadium. Home‑field advantage favors Arizona, BYU and Texas Tech, while Utah and Oklahoma State have fewer home games, making the upcoming schedule crucial for CFP hopes.
Watch the condensed replay of Indiana University's exhibition basketball game against North Carolina on Oct. 18, where the Hoosiers dominate 76-58 thanks to a 26-point burst from reserve guard Bryce Lindsay. The win sets the tone ahead of IU's season opener on Nov. 2 versus Eastern Illinois. Video is provided by the Big Ten Network.
Duke finally breaks a 38‑year drought in Lawrence, edging Kansas in a high‑scoring 84‑point exhibition. While the Blue Devils dazzled with an 81.8% shooting night (27‑33), defensive lapses gave up 84 points, prompting coach Jon Scheyer to focus on cleanup work. Freshmen JoJo Boumtje Boumtje and Deron Rippey shot 3‑for‑12, all from three, and struggled with the intense crowd. Key contributors Pat Ngongba, John Blackwell, and newcomer Sebastian Wilkins dominated inside, but the team still needs a steady, pass‑first point guard—Cayden Boozer is a strong candidate. Upcoming games against Army, Coastal Carolina, Michigan State and others will test the freshmen’s progress and the impact of returning players like Drew Scharnowski and Caleb Foster.
From Kansas’ eligibility uncertainty to Texas Tech’s wait for JT Toppin, every Big 12 team has something to resolve before it can reach its ceiling.
Duke defeated Kansas 90-84 in an exhibition at Allen Fieldhouse as Patrick Ngongba II scored 28 points. The game revisited a memorable chapter of college basketball history.
Why The Colts Offense Is Stalling! IU Basketball’s Perfect Start
Ohio State men’s basketball honors Thad Mat Ta on “Thad Matta Day” by defeating Butler 82‑73 in their final preseason exhibition. Amare Bynum leads with 23 points, while John Mobley Jr. exits early with an injury. The halftime ceremony celebrates Matta as OSU’s all‑time winningest coach. The win offers a strong start to the Buckeyes’ upcoming Big Ten campaign.
This week our hosts walk though the SEC in an effort to determine which teams will rise to the top and punch a ticket to March Madness.
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See the complete men's college basketball exhibition schedule for Monday, October 26, 2026, including all nine games, Eastern tip times and available streaming information.
Former Kentucky star Otega Oweh, the Thunder’s 41st‑overall pick, is waived after rupturing his Achilles just before the NBA season. Meanwhile, Kentucky coach Mark Pope’s squad prepares for its final exhibition against UCF on Wednesday at 6 PM ET, televised on the SEC Network, following a dramatic comeback win over Top‑25 Texas Tech in Rupp Arena.
As the AP preseason Top‑25 drops all mid‑majors (Gonzaga sits at 15), Mid‑Major Madness polls six smaller programs for who will break in first. VCU tops the vote, bolstered by a +15,000 March Madness odds line, returning stars Lazar Djokovic, Nyk Lewis, Brandon Jennings, and transfers Blake Harper and Torey Alston. Saint Louis hopes to build on last season’s Top‑25 stint, while Nevada, Grand Canyon, Utah State and Santa Clara round out the list. The article also links to Atlantic 10 previews on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The Daily Mauling recaps Kansas' 78-71 exhibition loss to Duke, highlighting Bill Self's small‑ball lineups and Keanu Dawes' dunk at Allen Fieldhouse. It also notes UNLV coach Josh Pastner's complaints about playing Trey Kaufman‑Renn, Dave Aranda's firing after KU's sloppy win over Baylor, and Oregon football's OC dismissal after a 0‑3 start. Additional links cover early‑season result reliability, a Guardian piece on policing, and a quirky fast‑food poll.
The Only Colors’ five writers lay out their preseason forecasts for Michigan State basketball’s 2026‑27 campaign. Overall records range from 22‑10 to 28‑4, with most expecting a top‑four Big Ten finish and a shot at the conference title (Illinois is the consensus champion). Predictions for key stats include top scorer (Fears, Carr, or Ward), rebound leader (Ward, Bonke, or Taylor) and whether point guard Tyson Fears will again top the nation in assists (split opinions). The panel also debates the impact of newcomers like Jervis, Bonke and Medlock versus returning stars, and projects Big Ten tournament outcomes. These detailed projections give fans a clear picture of the Spartans’ expected strengths and storylines before the season opener against Quinnipiac.
Indiana wrapped its preseason exhibition slate with a 79-74 win over Western Kentucky in Evansville. Coach Darian DeVries used the game as a feel‑out, rotating 11 players and leaning on the bench, which contributed 57 points versus WKU's 17. Bryce Lindsay led the reserves with 20 points (6‑11 FG, 4‑8 3‑pts), followed by Sam Alexis’s 15. The Hoosiers shot 32.3% from beyond the arc (10‑of‑31) and even fielded three freshmen in the final minutes, with Vaughn Karvala securing the late lead. The win showcases Indiana’s depth and rebounding identity ahead of their season opener against Eastern Illinois on Monday.
Kentucky, now No. 23, hosts UCF for its final exhibition on Oct. 26, aiming to finish 3‑0 before the regular season starts Nov. 3. Fresh off a 76‑65 win over Texas Tech, the Wildcats saw five players in double figures, with freshman Mason Williams and guard Alex Wilkins starring. Coach Mark Pope’s key issues are rebounding—Texas Tech out‑rebounded them 33‑29, especially on the offensive glass—and point guard Zoom Diallo’s turnover‑prone play. UCF, led by 7‑ft‑2 center John Bol and 6‑ft‑9 forward Isaiah Malone, returns with a revamped roster of eight transfers and three freshmen after splitting two exhibition games. The matchup offers a first look at how both teams will fare against high‑major competition.
Maryland men’s basketball banks on senior forward Pharrel Payne to anchor a revamped frontcourt as the 2026‑27 season opens on Nov. 2 against Bucknell. Payne, a preseason All‑Big Ten pick who averaged 17.5 points and 7.2 rebounds last year, returns after confirming an extra year of eligibility, raising the Terps’ ceiling. He will be joined by seasoned transfer Tomislav Buljan, a 13‑point, 10‑rebound double‑double machine from New Mexico, and versatile newcomer Robert Jennings II, who brings defensive tenacity. With only four returning players, the added depth could spark a turnaround in Buzz Williams’ second year, though bench players like George Turkson Jr. may see limited minutes. The preview outlines the frontcourt’s mix of experience and upside heading into a tough Big Ten schedule.
Kentucky basketball, now 7-1 overall and No. 9 nationally under first‑year coach Will Stein, is poised to add the nation’s top 2028 recruit, Kellan Hall of Christian Academy of Louisville. Hall has visited Lexington repeatedly and will announce his commitment at the Under Armour All‑American Game on Jan. 3, 4 p.m. EST on ESPN, a date confirmed by his father on WLAP. A decision at that high‑profile event could give Kentucky its first No. 1 signee and boost the program’s recruiting clout.
With the 2026‑27 season just days away, CBS Sports releases its preseason top‑101 college basketball players list, featuring only two Kentucky Wildcats. Senior transfer Milan Momcilovic lands at No. 17 after shooting 48.6% from three at Iowa State, while sophomore big man Malachi Moreno secures No. 49 after a solid freshman year and a withdrawal from the 2026 NBA Draft. Both are key pieces for Mark Pope’s third‑year Wildcats, who rank among 30 teams with at least two players on the list but trail 14 programs that have more.
In the 1991 Elite Eight, Duke avenged its 1990 UNLV loss by dismantling #4 St. John’s 84-67. Freshman Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley (20 points, 7 rebounds) and Christian Laettner (19) led the Blue Devils, who forced 26 turnovers and built a 40-27 halftime lead. St. John’s, fresh from a 91-74 Sweet Sixteen win over Ohio State, couldn’t recover as Duke’s “buzzsaw” defense dominated the game.
Bob Huggers, 73‑year‑old Hall of Fame coach, is living with a progressive cognitive brain condition that is affecting his memory and daily life, his family disclosed ahead of his induction into Cincinnati’s James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame. Huggins, who amassed 935 career wins, led Cincinnati to the 1992 Final Four and West Virginia to the 2010 Final Four, and has coached NBA talent such as Kenyon Martin, Nick Van Exel, Miles McBride, Jevon Carter and future Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. Despite the diagnosis, he plans to attend the ceremony, focusing on the relationships that defined his career.
During the David Mirkovic and Andrej Stojakovic podium session at Big Ten Media Days, the two Illinois basketball players were asked who the biggest trash talker is on the team. Quentin Coleman and Jake Davis, they responded. Yes, Quentin Coleman, the freshman guard who will play his first real competitive collegiate minutes in the season […]
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In DBR Podcast #864, Duke’s men’s basketball caps its preseason with a gritty road win over Kansas, 78‑73, at the iconic Phog Allen Fieldhouse, highlighted by Patrick Ngongba II’s dunk and Caleb Foster’s return. Freshmen showed typical inexperience, but the performance bodes well for the season opener. The episode then shifts to Duke football’s dramatic 31‑28 victory over Virginia, despite a Walker Eget injury, a missed extra point and offensive hiccups, with Nate Sheppard’s late TD pass and a game‑sealing interception propelling the team to a 5‑2 start. The hosts dissect both wins and the lessons learned.