Wednesday night in college hoops started off quiet-but by the end of the evening, the scoreboard was shaking up the rankings. Three top-20 teams took unexpected losses, and while none of them are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament, their paths to a protected seed just got a lot bumpier. Let’s break down the upsets, what went wrong, and where each team stands heading into the stretch run.
Minnesota 76, No. 10 Michigan State 73
This one had all the makings of a trap game, and Minnesota made sure it lived up to the billing. The Gophers came out swinging, built an early lead, and didn’t flinch when the Spartans made their push late.
The upset win at home was huge for Minnesota, and it currently sits in the Quad 1 category thanks to their NET ranking of 72. That could slide to Quad 2 by Selection Sunday, but the bigger concern for Michigan State is what’s happening on the floor.
There’s been some noise surrounding Jeremy Fears and his style of play, but the more pressing issue is the Spartans’ inconsistency. They’ve got a critical road test coming up against Illinois, and if they want to stay in the Big Ten title hunt, they’ll need to bring a much sharper performance. Michigan State has the talent, no question-but right now, they’re not playing like a top-10 team.
Oklahoma State 99, No. 16 BYU 92
This one turned into a track meet, and Oklahoma State had more in the tank. Despite a monster 36-point night from AJ Dybantsa, BYU couldn’t get enough stops to avoid their fourth loss in five games.
The Cougars are still comfortably in the field, and technically, this counts as a Quad 1 loss. But there’s no hiding from the fact that BYU is slipping-and fast.
The biggest issue? A lack of a signature win.
Right now, they’re hovering around the 5-6 seed range, but that could slide further if they don’t course-correct soon. A matchup with Houston this weekend looms large.
Win that, and they’re back on track. Lose it, and there’s a real chance they’ll be unranked next week.
The margin for error is getting thinner by the game.
Portland 87, No. 6 Gonzaga 80
This one turned heads across the country. Gonzaga, without leading scorer Braden Huff (17.8 ppg), finally felt the weight of his absence-and Portland made sure they paid for it.
The Pilots had lost 47 of their last 49 meetings with the Zags, but freshman Joel Foxwell wasn’t interested in history. He dropped 27 points and led Portland to what might be the biggest upset of the season so far.
This is a Quad 3 loss for Gonzaga, and if Portland continues to struggle, it could fall into Quad 4 territory. That’s the kind of blemish that sticks on a tournament résumé.
For a team that was in the conversation for a 1 or 2 seed, this loss is a major setback. And with road games coming up against Santa Clara and San Francisco-two of the WCC’s top contenders-things could get even more complicated for the Bulldogs.
The Bottom Line
Wednesday reminded us why college basketball in February is must-watch. Rankings don’t guarantee anything, especially on the road, and even the nation’s top teams are vulnerable when the intensity ramps up. For Michigan State, BYU, and Gonzaga, these losses won’t keep them out of March Madness-but they might just change the path they take to get there.