It Was a Weekend of Upsets in College Basketball

It’s been nearly 40 years since the last time an NCAA men’s Division I basketball team had an undefeated season, and we predict there won’t be any this season either. There will also be few if any with just one or two losses, and the action this past weekend of January 10th and 11th showed that even excellent teams have little margin for error on any given night.

Top ranked Kentucky did manage to stay that way, but the Wildcats had to go to double overtime against unranked Texas A & M on January 10th before pulling out a 70-64 victory. Prior to that on January 6th, Kentucky beat unranked Mississippi in overtime 89-86. Third ranked Virginia also remained unbeaten, picking up a62-56 win over #13 Notre Dame. But fellow ACC member and #2 Duke fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with an 87-75 loss at unranked North Carolina State.

Fourth Ranked Wisconsin, playing without injured all universe forward Frank Kaminsky, lost at unranked Rutgers 67-62. Kaminsky sat out with a concussion, but Wisconsin also lost guard Traevon Jackson to a leg injury. The Badgers can’t afford to lose those two for any length of time. Wisconsin’s record dropped to 15-2 with the loss.

Finally, fifth ranked Louisville lost 72-71 at 18th ranked North Carolina. The Cardinals are now 14-2 on the season.