A Look Back at All the Big College Basketball Upsets
There have been an unprecedented number of upsets this year in college basketball. Especially, upsets where top five teams lose to unranked teams. There have been 10 of these kinds of upsets this season already compared to the mere six that last season produced. So what caused these upsets? Why are there so many just this season? Let’s take a look back and answer these questions.
Evansville 67 @ 1 Kentucky 61
November 12, 2019
The upset that kickstarted it all. Kentucky, the preseason number one, probably thought this was going to be an easy win to improve their record to 3-0. Evansville, a small Indiana school now last in the Missouri Valley Conference did not let that faze them.
Evansville kept it close in the first five minutes. They took their first lead almost six minutes in, leading ten to eight. Kentucky somewhat let Evansville into the game at the start. At one point they had missed six of their last seven field goals; that streak only ending after a Johnny Juzang three-pointer that gave Kentucky a one point lead. After both teams traded baskets for awhile, Evansville broke away to an eight point lead. With 1:46 left in the half, they tied this biggest lead title, now winning 32-24. The Purple Aces led 34-30 at the end of the half and the Wildcats needed to make some changes in the second half if they wanted to get back in the game.
Evansville started off the half strong with a Noah Frederiking three pointer and didn’t look like they were going to let up that lead. A seven-two run by Kentucky, though, cut that lead to two. With 12:22 left to go in the game, Kentucky finally tied up the game at 46, their first time with a share of the lead since when it eight to eight. The second half was similar to the first, but much closer. Evansville led barely, but neither team was going to go down easily. With under a minute to go, Evansville led 65-60. With eight seconds left, Kentucky made their second layup in a row, making the score 65-64. After two made Evansville free throws, Kentucky had a chance to send the game to overtime with a three. Tyrese Maxey’s three pointer was a foot short of the basket and Evansville had pulled it off.
This game was Kentucky’s first loss in 40 games at home ranked number one against unranked nonconference teams. This also snapped a streak of 52 home wins against unranked nonconference teams. At the time, it was regarded as a huge upset, but no one knew what would transpire.
Virginia Tech 71 @ 3 Michigan State 66
November 25, 2019
This upset shouldn’t really count because it was in a pre-season tournament in Hawaii, but it’s an upset regardless. It was 3 Michigan State’s second preseason tournament loss of the season, and it was also a game that improved Virginia Tech to 6-0.
Michigan State were the more convincing team in the first half, with Virginia Tech just lingering around. The thing that kept Tech in it was their three point shooting. They made six threes in the first half. This three point shooting led them to a 32-28 halftime lead.
Two and-ones and even more threes led to as big as a ten point lead. But 3 Michigan State wouldn’t go down without a fight. Down 63-56, they made a huge three to cut the lead to four. Aaron Henry made a layup for Michigan State, but Virginia Tech fired back. A Landers Nolley layup gave Virginia Tech more control expanding their lead to four. Michigan State were not done, though. A clutch Aaron Henry three made it only a one point game. Landers Nolley broke Michigan State hearts again with Virginia Tech’s 11th three pointer. Michigan State’s Kyle Ahrens made a layup and the Michigan State press was on. After that, the game tampered down. Wabissa Bede made three foul shots late on for Virginia Tech. The final score was 71-66. Virginia Tech had upset Michigan State.
Stephen F. Austin 85 @ 1 Duke 83
November 26, 2019
The upset that shocked the world. It’s hard enough to beat Duke ranked number one. It’s even harder to beat number Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Stephen F. Austin managed to do it as a lowly unranked school in the Southland Conference.
Five minutes in, Duke was winning 11-7; a lead that was too close for comfort, but a lead regardless. Ten minutes in, Duke was winning by 12. That lead grew to 15, capping off a 12-3 run. Stephen F. Austin came back and got the lead all the way down to four with three minutes left in the half. At halftime, Duke was winning, 45-40.
Duke might not have won the game, but they won the would-be dunk contest. Cassius Stanley pulled the ball back and then threw it down off of a pass in, making it a 49-42 game. Duke had a comfortable lead throughout the first part of the second half. SF Austin withered away this lead and they finally led with 8:09 left to go in the game, 63-62. The teams traded leads right down into the last minute. With a minute to go, Vernon Carey made a layup to give Duke a 79-78 lead. After Stephen F. Austin made a free throw and Duke made two, the game was 81-79 with under a minute left. The Lumberjacks’ Gavin Kensmil made a clutch layup, tying the score. Duke could still have won it with 20 seconds left to play, but Duke missed a lot of shots. 40 minutes wasn’t enough, so they would settle it in overtime.
In overtime, both teams traded layups to keep the game tied. The Blue Devils looked for a winner with 10 seconds left in OT. As if this came couldn’t get any more dramatic, Stephen F. Austin stole the ball and were on the fast break. As time expired, Nathan Bain made a layup to surely give the players of Stephen F. Austin a memory they’d never forget.
5 Virginia 40 @ Purdue 69
December 4, 2019
Who would have predicted this blowout? The first upset involving the defending champs and this one reminded you of that loss to UMBC. This one was probably tough on Virginia, after not much was expected out of them when many of last year’s starters went to the pros.
Purdue started out great. They got out to a 26-9 lead early, part of a 17-0 run. Virginia only scored 17 the entire half, with just over a 30% shooting percentage.
Virginia weren’t as bad in the second half as in the first, but the still had a lot of ground to make up.
Texas Tech 70 @ 1 Louisville 57
December 10, 2019
The biggest win of all the upsets came Texas Tech’s way at Madison Square Garden. Last year’s March Madness finalists knocked off the number one ranked team, although that’s not to say Louisville was particularly good.
The game was close in the first couple of minutes, but before long Lousiville had jumped out to a 12-5 lead. Texas Tech fought back with an 11-0 run and they had the lead. They kept a small lead until halftime when they led by three.
Consistency was key for the Red Raiders as they kept the sort of lead they had in the first half. After two Davide Moretti three pointers, Texas Tech had an 11 point lead. Louisville had an 8-1 run after that to come back into the game. Texas Tech than took even more control, erasing any Louisville thought of coming back. A game that was supposed to prove whether Louisville could be the one ranked team actually proved the opposite, proving Texas Tech could win big games.
4. Maryland 69 @ Penn State 76
December 10, 2019
The second home upset in this list, having the crowd at their back definitely helped Penn State pull off this blockbuster upset. Having one of these upsets is rare, as we’ve learned, but December 10 had two.
Penn State started the game really well with an alley oop leading to a monster dunk. Maryland recovered well and got their first lead at 8-7. Penn State were the first team to start to pull away getting out to a 18-7 lead. Myreon Jones made a three at the first half buzzer to make the score 40-30 at halftime.
Penn State sustained about a ten or eight point lead throughout the first part of the second half, until Maryland finally made it a two point game. That didn’t last long because Penn State got their comfortable lead back, helped out by the fans. Maryland never found a way back and Penn State knocked off Maryland.
5 Michigan 62 @ Illinois 71
December 11, 2019
Mid-December was a big time for upsets as we had another Big 10 one, this time involving Michigan and Illinois. Michigan is the second of two five seeds to get upset in this list. Illinois is also the fifth Big 10 school to upset a top five team.
Early on, Illinois was mostly contained as every time they tried to get a big lead, Michigan stopped them. All 16 points Illinois scored in the first 10 minutes were in the paint. This first half must have been really exciting for the Illinois fans as it stayed a one-score game throughout most of the first half.
Illinois finally started to mount a big lead in the second half, when they led 45-37. They kept this lead throughout most of the second half, without much of a protest from Michigan. After a hard fought game, Illinois had done it. They won 71-62.
3 Ohio State 71 @ Minnesota 94
December 15, 2019
Ohio State was the only top five team this season to be upset twice. This was the first of the two. Minnesota, on the other hand, scored the most points out of any of the teams on this list.
Minnesota did not let a big opponent faze them at home as they quickly got out to a 9-6 lead. Unlike other losing teams, Ohio State led for a little bit. Minnesota first looked convincing when they got out to a 19-14 lead. After a layup in the closing seconds, Minnesota led 38-29.
In the second half, Minnesota showed anyone who thought they couldn’t come back and led 55-37, finishing a 10-1 run. They kept playing like they had been and knocked off Ohio State.
4 Oregon 65 @ Colorado 74
January 2, 2020
The first west coast upset in Colorado against Oregon. Huge for Colorado, bad for Oregon.
A fairly low scoring close encounter in the first half. Colorado got their first lead at 11-10. Oregon kept making baskets, but Colorado kept pushing back. Colorado finally started to pull away near the end of the half and led 28-22 at half.
It was in the second half that the Buffaloes really found their stride and started to lead. Oregon tried to cut the lead down with a 17-6 run, but they couldn’t make it all come together. It was close at the end, but Colorado ended up winning it by nine.
Wisconsin 61 @ 5 Ohio State 57
January 3, 2019
This upset caused both these teams to go in opposite directions. Right now, Wisconsin are ranked 21, while Ohio State are unranked. Poor old Ohio State, who have know been upset twice in this list after they once were the number three team. This game was also the second time that there were two of these upsets on back-to-back days.
Ohio State must have thought this was going to be like any game when they quickly got out to a 7-0 lead. Wisconsin fought back a little bit and made the score 15-15. The game stayed close, but Ohio State kept their lead until the last minute of the half. Two threes in the last minute made the score 29-25 at the interval.
Ohio State came out really well in the second half. They got their lead up to seven and looked like they were going to pull away at home. But Wisconsin were not done. They had a good period as well and got the game tied at 47. They finally got a lead with under two minutes to go. They led 52-51. A Brevin Pritzl three pointer capped off a huge 8-0 run for the Badgers. Ohio State were never able to respond, but did hit a three at the buzzer. That shot made it 61-57 Wisconsin and gave them the upset win over the Buckeyes.
Sources:
- espn.com
- Victor Valient on Youtube
- Big Ten Network on Youtube
- ACC Digital Newtwork on Youtube
- Big 12 Conference on Youtube
- Highlight Nation on Youtube
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