Feb 5, 2026 · Chiles Center
Gonzaga at Portland
80–87
+22 SRS gap
Open source game ↗The rewind / 2025-26
Understand the season
before the next one.
Use the final source edition to study the games that changed expectations: bracket-busting upsets, one-possession thrillers, league champions and the biggest crowds.
This is a descriptive retrospective from retained source rows. Scores and rankings stay attributed to the source edition; they do not change the 2026–27 forecast or recruiting evidence.
Bracket busters
The biggest upsets.
Dec 20, 2025 · Kaiser Permanente Arena
Loyola Chicago at Santa Clara
80–78
+19.8 SRS gap
Open source game ↗Nov 27, 2025 · Fifth Third Arena
E Michigan at Cincinnati
64–56
+16.3 SRS gap
Open source game ↗Dec 2, 2025 · McDermott Center
McNeese at Incarnate Word
67–71
+14 SRS gap
Open source game ↗Nov 4, 2025 · Schollmaier Arena
New Orleans at TCU
78–74
+13.6 SRS gap
Open source game ↗Feb 28, 2026 · Bryce Jordan Center
Iowa at Penn State
69–71
+13.5 SRS gap
Open source game ↗Mar 7, 2026 · Fiserv Forum
UConn at Marquette
62–68
+13.4 SRS gap
Open source game ↗Nov 16, 2025 · Pan American Center
New Mexico at New Mexico St
68–76
+13.2 SRS gap
Open source game ↗Feb 19, 2026 · Gampel Pavilion
Creighton at UConn
91–84
+12.9 SRS gap
Open source game ↗Jan 17, 2026 · Lenovo Center
Georgia Tech at NC State
78–74
+12.8 SRS gap
Open source game ↗Instant classics
Games decided by a possession.
Nov 11, 2025 · Little Caesars Arena
Wake Forest at Michigan
84–85
1-point finish
Open source game ↗Jan 7, 2026 · Bryce Jordan Center
Michigan at Penn State
74–72
2-point finish
Open source game ↗Mar 13, 2026 · T-Mobile Center
Iowa State at Arizona
80–82
2-point finish · Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament - Semifinal
Open source game ↗Dec 3, 2025 · Cameron Indoor Stadium
Florida at Duke
66–67
1-point finish · ACC/SEC Men's Challenge
Open source game ↗Dec 21, 2025 · Madison Square Garden
Texas Tech at Duke
82–81
1-point finish
Open source game ↗Mar 12, 2026 · Spectrum Center
Florida St at Duke
79–80
1-point finish · T. Rowe Price ACC Tournament - Quarterfinal
Open source game ↗Mar 29, 2026 · Capital One Arena
UConn at Duke
73–72
1-point finish · NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - East Region - Elite 8
Open source game ↗Nov 12, 2025 · Stephen C. O'Connell Center
Florida St at Florida
76–78
2-point finish
Open source game ↗Jan 4, 2026 · Mizzou Arena
Florida at Missouri
74–76
2-point finish
Open source game ↗Mar 22, 2026 · Benchmark International Arena
Iowa at Florida
73–72
1-point finish · NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - South Region - 2nd Round
Open source game ↗Banners
Regular-season champions.
Big 12 Conference
Arizona
16-2 in league play · 36-3 overall.
Strength rank 1 · SRS rank 2
Open program dossier →Big Ten Conference
Michigan
19-1 in league play · 37-3 overall.
Strength rank 2 · SRS rank 1
Open program dossier →Southeastern Conference
Florida
16-2 in league play · 27-8 overall.
Strength rank 3 · SRS rank 4
Open program dossier →Atlantic Coast Conference
Duke
17-1 in league play · 35-3 overall.
Strength rank 4 · SRS rank 3
Open program dossier →Big East Conference
St John's
18-2 in league play · 30-7 overall.
Strength rank 5 · SRS rank 11
Open program dossier →College Basketball Crown
Creighton
9-11 in league play · 16-18 overall.
Strength rank 6 · SRS rank 81
Open program dossier →Mountain West Conference
Utah State
15-5 in league play · 29-7 overall.
Strength rank 7 · SRS rank 25
Open program dossier →Atlantic 10 Conference
Saint Louis
15-3 in league play · 29-6 overall.
Strength rank 8 · SRS rank 28
Open program dossier →West Coast Conference
Gonzaga
16-2 in league play · 31-4 overall.
Strength rank 9 · SRS rank 13
Open program dossier →Missouri Valley Conference
Belmont
16-4 in league play · 26-6 overall.
Strength rank 10 · SRS rank 65
Open program dossier →American Conference
South Florida
15-3 in league play · 25-9 overall.
Strength rank 11 · SRS rank 45
Open program dossier →Western Athletic Conference
Utah Valley
14-4 in league play · 25-9 overall.
Strength rank 12 · SRS rank 91
Open program dossier →Conference USA
Liberty
17-3 in league play · 26-8 overall.
Strength rank 13 · SRS rank 121
Open program dossier →Ivy League
Yale
11-3 in league play · 24-7 overall.
Strength rank 14 · SRS rank 87
Open program dossier →Big West Conference
UC Irvine
15-5 in league play · 23-12 overall.
Strength rank 15 · SRS rank 108
Open program dossier →Coastal Athletic Association
UNC Wilmington
15-3 in league play · 27-7 overall.
Strength rank 16 · SRS rank 110
Open program dossier →Mid-American Conference
Miami OH
18-0 in league play · 32-2 overall.
Strength rank 17 · SRS rank 86
Open program dossier →Big Sky Conference
Portland St
13-5 in league play · 20-11 overall.
Strength rank 18 · SRS rank 149
Open program dossier →Southland Conference
SF Austin
20-2 in league play · 28-6 overall.
Strength rank 19 · SRS rank 95
Open program dossier →Horizon League
Wright St
15-5 in league play · 23-12 overall.
Strength rank 20 · SRS rank 139
Open program dossier →Sun Belt Conference
Troy
12-6 in league play · 22-12 overall.
Strength rank 21 · SRS rank 152
Open program dossier →Big South Conference
High Point
15-1 in league play · 31-5 overall.
Strength rank 22 · SRS rank 83
Open program dossier →Summit League
N Dakota St
14-2 in league play · 27-8 overall.
Strength rank 23 · SRS rank 123
Open program dossier →Atlantic Sun Conference
C Arkansas
15-3 in league play · 22-12 overall.
Strength rank 24 · SRS rank 161
Open program dossier →Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Merrimack
17-3 in league play · 23-11 overall.
Strength rank 25 · SRS rank 182
Open program dossier →Southern Conference
ETSU
13-5 in league play · 23-11 overall.
Strength rank 26 · SRS rank 157
Open program dossier →Patriot League
Navy
17-1 in league play · 26-8 overall.
Strength rank 27 · SRS rank 143
Open program dossier →Ohio Valley Conference
Tennessee St
15-5 in league play · 23-10 overall.
Strength rank 28 · SRS rank 190
Open program dossier →Northeast Conference
Long Island
15-3 in league play · 24-11 overall.
Strength rank 29 · SRS rank 208
Open program dossier →Southwestern Athletic Conference
Bethune
14-4 in league play · 17-15 overall.
Strength rank 30 · SRS rank 237
Open program dossier →America East Conference
UMBC
14-2 in league play · 24-9 overall.
Strength rank 31 · SRS rank 199
Open program dossier →Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Howard
11-3 in league play · 24-11 overall.
Strength rank 32 · SRS rank 179
Open program dossier →The scenes
Where the crowds showed up.
Apr 4, 2026 · Lucas Oil Stadium
Illinois at UConn
62–71
72,111 fans · Lucas Oil Stadium · NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - Final Four
Open source game ↗Apr 5, 2026 · Lucas Oil Stadium
Michigan at Arizona
91–73
72,111 fans · Lucas Oil Stadium · NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - Final Four
Open source game ↗Apr 7, 2026 · Lucas Oil Stadium
UConn at Michigan
63–69
70,720 fans · Lucas Oil Stadium · NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - National Championship
Open source game ↗Feb 21, 2026 · JMA Wireless Dome
North Carolina at Syracuse
77–64
23,606 fans · JMA Wireless Dome
Open source game ↗Nov 12, 2025 · KFC Yum! Center
Kentucky at Louisville
88–96
22,586 fans · KFC Yum! Center
Open source game ↗Nov 8, 2025 · Dean E. Smith Center
Kansas at North Carolina
74–87
21,750 fans · Dean E. Smith Center
Open source game ↗Jan 10, 2026 · Dean E. Smith Center
Wake Forest at North Carolina
84–87
21,750 fans · Dean E. Smith Center
Open source game ↗Feb 7, 2026 · Dean E. Smith Center
Duke at North Carolina
68–71
21,750 fans · Dean E. Smith Center
Open source game ↗Feb 14, 2026 · Dean E. Smith Center
Pitt at North Carolina
65–79
21,750 fans · Dean E. Smith Center
Open source game ↗Mar 1, 2026 · Dean E. Smith Center
Virginia Tech at North Carolina
82–89
21,750 fans · Dean E. Smith Center
Open source game ↗Source: retained SportsDataverse season-review release. Team links open the native scouting dossier; source-game links open the publisher page. Historical results are context, not current roster or eligibility evidence.