7 snap judgments from opening night of the men's college basketball season
Yahoo Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- UCLA started the college basketball season strong with an 84-75 win over Arizona, showcasing a talented roster under coach Mick Cronin and signaling potential as a Big Ten and Final Four contender.
- Oklahoma suffered a major upset loss at home to East Texas A&M, a 28.5-point underdog, raising questions about coach Porter Moser's future and the team's NCAA tournament prospects.
- No. 3 Illinois dominated Fairleigh Dickinson 120-45 without star forward David Mirković, demonstrating a high-powered offense poised to maintain efficiency despite offseason changes.
- Memphis, under coach Penny Hardaway, upset No. 18 Iowa State 80-76, providing hope for a program rebuilding after a disappointing season and potentially saving Hardaway's coaching job.
- Gonzaga found a solution at point guard with Xaivian Lee, who, after gaining an extra year of eligibility, scored 18 points and helped secure a 78-72 win over Purdue, addressing a key team weakness.
