College basketball’s opening night wasted no time serving up the usual mix of fireworks, chaos and a few early warning signs.
Illinois looked every bit like a team ready to run teams out of the gym, Memphis walked into Ames and stunned Iowa State, and Thomas Haugh put himself squarely in the national-player conversation for Florida. Elsewhere, UCF survived a scare, High Point and Murray State made loud statements, and Miami learned it still has some frontcourt questions to answer.
Illinois, though, was the headliner.
The Illini are in the middle of a full offensive makeover, trading a slower, pick-and-roll-heavy approach for a faster transition style with far fewer set plays. One game in, the change already looks dangerous.
Illinois blasted FDU 120-45, a 75-point margin that was the largest in program history at State Farm Center, which opened in 1963. The Illini also came seven points shy of the school scoring record.
The numbers were absurd. Illinois hit a program-record 19 3-pointers, took 51 of them, and finished 26-for-31 on layups or dunks.
Thirty of its 46 field goals were assisted. Seven different players made multiple 3s.
Andrej Stojakovic led the way with 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Quentin Coleman posted 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Ethan Brown added 12 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Stefan Vaaks chipped in 20 points, four assists and no turnovers.
And Illinois did all of that without CBS Sports First Team All-American David Mirkovic, who is recovering from early August foot surgery, had an appendectomy Saturday and is out indefinitely. Brad Underwood’s willingness to change is looking like a major strength, and the offensive evolution already has Illinois operating at a different speed.
Florida had its own standout performance, and Thomas Haugh made sure the Gators’ opener came with a national spotlight. Haugh buried four 3-pointers against Miami, matching the only other game in his Florida career when he reached that mark - the Elite Eight against Texas Tech in 2025. He finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal, a full stat line that showed exactly why he’s being talked about as a top NPOTY contender.
That night, though, was a rough one for Miami’s Malik Reneau. The fifth-year big man, who led the Hurricanes in scoring last season at nearly 18 points per game, never found a rhythm against Florida’s frontcourt.
He fouled out in 24 minutes and finished with five points, including 0-for-5 on 2-pointers. Reneau is now shooting just 50% on 2-pointers in his last 25 games against top-50 opponents, and Miami is going to need more from him if it wants to make a serious run.
Memphis delivered the biggest upset of the night, taking down No. 18 Iowa State 80-76 behind 26 points from Jayden Reid and 18 points plus eight rebounds from SEMO transfer Luke Almodovar.
Iowa State entered the night ranked No. 6 on KenPom.com, but the first look at this roster raised questions. The Cyclones are missing injured defensive stopper Killyan Toure, Jamarion Batemon was scoreless, and Tamin Lipsey managed just 12 points on 13 shots while looking rusty.
T.J. Otzelberger’s team has plenty to clean up after a rough opener.
UCF, meanwhile, was very much UCF. Dior Johnson poured in 41 points, because Dior Johnson does that kind of thing, and the Knights still had to sweat all the way through a 96-95 overtime win over FGCU. It was the sort of game that made the result feel a lot stranger than the box score.
High Point also made a strong early impression with a 72-57 win over Liberty. Flynn Clayman’s team showed off a defense that looks like it could be the backbone of a very good season.
South Florida transfer CJ Brown and top-150 freshman Trey Pearson hounded Liberty’s guards all night, and the Panthers’ point-of-attack pressure stood out. High Point may not be a great shooting team, but it can win with defense and transition chances.
Pearson and ex-Arizona walk-on Conrad Martinez combined for 21 points, seven rebounds, three assists and just one turnover off the bench.
Murray State turned in another eye-catching performance, too, rolling past Tennessee State 94-64. The Racers have changed their defensive approach from passive to aggressive, and the first test went exactly as planned.
Tennessee State, which had several former high-major names on the roster, turned it over 26 times. Sophomore wing Roman Domon was the star, finishing with 22 points, five rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.
Murray State looks deep, talented and still capable of more growth, but the opening statement was loud enough to suggest something bigger may be building.
In Other News...
Florida Could Pull Off A Huge Recruiting Surprise Here
A major recruiting decision is coming into focus for one of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2028 class, and Florida has managed to stay in the thick of it. Brysen Wright has trimmed his list to Florida, Texas and Miami, with an announcement set for Nov. 5, after taking unofficial visits to all three programs. For the Gators, simply being in the final group for a national-caliber receiver says plenty about the pitch they have made early in the process.
Miami is viewed as the clear favorite in the prediction game, but Florida remains a finalist and has a real chance to make this interesting. Wrights status as a highly ranked prospect gives this race extra weight, especially with three prominent programs still in the mix and a decision date now on the calendar. The Gators will be watching closely to see whether they can turn a strong position into a surprise win. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Bowl Push Comes Down To Three Urgent Fixes Vs Oklahoma
Floridas path to bowl eligibility heads into a critical stretch against Oklahoma, and the Gators have a short list of issues that need cleaning up if they want to keep their season alive. The offense has been uneven, the defense has had its own lapses, and the Sooners bring enough volatility of their own to make this feel like a game Florida can still control if it gets the basics right.
The first order of business is settling the quarterback rotation, because the Gators cannot afford more uncertainty at the games most important spot. Florida also needs a more productive day from Jadan Baugh on the ground and a steadier pass rush to keep Oklahoma from finding rhythm, but the bigger question is whether the Gators can put those pieces together at the same time when the stakes are this high. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Is Still Waiting On Vernell Brown III For One Reason
Floridas receiving room has had to keep moving without Vernell Brown III, and the wait has stretched longer than the Gators likely hoped. Brown has now missed four games after a setback in his recovery from a knee injury, and coach Jon Sumrall said the sophomore had a non-surgical procedure as part of the process.
Even with the uncertainty, Brown has stayed around the program as a vocal presence and continues working his way back. The issue now is less about whether he still matters to Florida and more about when, or even if, the Gators will get him back this season. [Read more 🡒]