College basketball scores, winners and losers: Duke, Arizona, Florida win regular-season conference titles
Welcome to the scoreboard circus — last weekend of the regular season delivered crown clinches, heartbreak, and a couple of teams that absolutely could’ve used a nap instead of five more threes. Here’s the cleaned-up highlight reel: Duke, Arizona and Florida all locked up at least shares of their conference crowns, and the rest of the country reacted accordingly.
Quick snapshot
Michigan had already grabbed the Big Ten on Friday, and then Saturday handed out more trophies: Duke tightened its grip on the ACC’s top seed, Arizona stomped Kansas to earn at least a share of the Big 12, and Florida basically announced it’s the boss of the SEC after a beatdown of Arkansas. Now onto the winners and the teams that left their brains back in the locker room.
Winner: Duke (Isaiah Evans steals the show)
Duke’s offense didn’t just show up — it threw a party. Isaiah Evans torched a hot streak early, knocking down five threes and finishing as the team’s leading scorer while Duke locked down Virginia 77-51. The result: Duke clinches the top ACC seed and flexes its depth beyond the usual one-and-done superstar chatter.
Loser: Seton Hall (let one slip away)
Seton Hall arrived with bracket dreams and left with a headache. A tight game against UConn unraveled in the final eight minutes as the Pirates watched a 23-11 run sink them 71-67. That late breakdown might make Selection Sunday feel extra stingy for a team that needed to finish stronger.
Loser: Gonzaga (Saint Mary’s sends them packing)
Gonzaga’s farewell tour in the WCC got uglier than expected. Saint Mary’s flipped the script, scored a big road win, and Mikey Lewis celebrated big time with a career night. The rivalry won’t look the same next year and Gonzaga’s final on-campus WCC showing felt like a door gently — and decisively — closing.
Loser: Arkansas (no-show in the swamp)
Arkansas went into Gainesville hoping to make noise and instead got steamrolled, falling 111-77 to Florida. A 19-point halftime deficit and a historic scoring spasm later, and the Razorbacks’ conference hopes are practically waving goodbye. Ouch.
Winner: Texas Tech (short-handed but savage)
Even without JT Toppin, Texas Tech walked into a tough arena and left with a signature 82-73 win over a top-5 team. The Red Raiders fired from deep (14 threes) and saw role players step up in massive ways — the kind of scrappy, “don’t count us out” performance that makes March interesting.
Winner: UConn (Alex Karaban’s perfect Senior Day)
Senior Day scripts are cheesy, but this one worked. Alex Karaban hit back-to-back threes and poured in 23 points to help UConn rally to a 71-67 win. Emotional pregame moments turned into clutch shots — a neat sendoff and another notch in the Huskies’ bracket résumé.
Loser: Iowa (bad loss that’ll haunt the résumé)
Iowa’s two-point loss to middling Penn State will show up on Selection Committee cheat sheets and probably cause a little heartburn. On paper it’s a minor loss — in reality it’s the kind that chips away at seeding hopes when the bracket nerds start coloring things in.
Winner: New Mexico (bubble life-saving victory)
New Mexico entered the weekend teetering on the bubble and left with a huge comeback win over San Diego State, rallying from an early deficit to win 81-76. Resume-building wins like this matter — especially when you claw back from being double-digits down.
Loser: NC State (momentum vanished)
Will Wade’s first year has flashes, but the Wolfpack have cooled dramatically at the wrong time, losing four of five and sputtering down the stretch. The early ACC surge looks more like a distant memory now, and a showdown with Duke next week won’t be kind if the skid continues.
Winner: Clemson (finally hits the brakes on the skid)
Clemson’s 80-75 win over Louisville stopped a nasty losing streak and reminded everyone that those early-season flashes weren’t imaginary. Justin Porter erupted when Clemson needed points, and the Tigers got a breath of fresh air at a perfect time.
Loser: UCLA (cooled off in Minnesota)
After some momentum-building wins, UCLA got burned by Minnesota’s hot shooting and fell 78-73. The Bruins still have a shot at a solid seed, but this one was a reality check — and Minnesota’s barrage from deep did all the talking.
Winner: Arizona (statement win over Kansas)
Arizona bounced back from an earlier loss by absolutely announcing themselves in a big win over Kansas. Balanced scoring and a focused effort earned the Wildcats at least a share of the Big 12 crown and plenty of swagger heading into the postseason.
Loser: Cal (bubble team commits cardinal sin)
Cal found a way to lose at home to a struggling opponent, converting a possible “keep calm and breathe” night into a resume nightmare. Poor shot selection, carelessness with the ball, and a lack of free-throw attempts made this one a brutal, avoidable defeat for a team that needs every résumé-friendly point.
Winner: Northwestern (bobblehead becomes buzzer-beater)
On bobblehead night, Nick Martinelli decided to give the crowd a real souvenir: a game-winning bucket as time expired. Northwestern escaped with a 63-62 thriller, and that’s the kind of feel-good moment every program dreams of on promotional night.
Loser: Tennessee (collapsed at the finish)
Tennessee led most of the game and then, in the last minute, let Alabama sneak by with a clutch drive and buzzer-adjacent jumper. A 13-point second-half lead evaporated and the Volunteers were left to wonder what might’ve been.
Loser: Louisville (promising season hitting turbulence)
Louisville’s high-powered offense still made shots, but the team’s defense kept handing away tight games. Back-to-back losses and a troubling trend down the stretch has fans nervously refreshing bracket projections instead of enjoying the ride.
Loser: BYU (from ranked to reeling)
Once ranked and thrilling in January, BYU’s season cooled into a sputter. Key injuries and a rough late run have the Cougars sliding down the standings, leaving a once-fun offensive team feeling short-handed and a little vulnerable heading into the final games.
Wrap-up
So long regular season — you were chaotic, dramatic, vindictive and occasionally brilliant. Duke, Arizona and Florida celebrate hardware (for now), a few resumes got dented, and a bunch of bubble teams will spend the next week praying to the bracket gods. Tune in next week for conference finales and the start of tournaments, where everything everyone did in February suddenly matters a whole lot more.
