College Basketball Upset Weekend
Conference tournament action delivered major upsets with Marquette stunning #15 UConn 68-62 in a bracket-busting result. Other notable games included VCU beating Dayton 68-62, Bradley topping Valparaiso 90-84 in OT, and Clemson edging Georgia Tech 79-76. Akron dominated with a 94-55 blowout of Northern Illinois.
Marquette's victory was a defensive masterclass, holding No. 4 UConn to a dismal 3-of-24 from three-point range and 35.6% shooting overall. Freshman guard Nigel James Jr. led the Golden Eagles with 19 points and seven assists, while senior Chase Ross added 14 points, including four crucial free throws in the final second to seal the win. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for UConn and cost them a share of the Big East regular-season title, which now belongs solely to St. John's. The defeat could also jeopardize the Huskies' projected No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The game ended in controversy as UConn coach Dan Hurley was ejected with one second remaining after arguing a no-call on a potential game-tying layup. In the Atlantic 10, VCU snapped Dayton's own six-game winning streak on the Flyers' home court. Lazar Djokovic paced the Rams with 16 points and six rebounds, while Javon Bennett led all scorers with 17 points for Dayton in the losing effort. Dayton struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 18.2% (4-of-22). The Missouri Valley Conference tournament saw a double-overtime thriller between Bradley and Valparaiso. Bradley's Jaquan Johnson and Ahmet Jonovic each scored 18 points, with Johnson scoring six in the second OT. Valparaiso's Brody Whitaker led all scorers with 25 points, and teammate JT Pettigrew nearly had a triple-double with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists. Clemson secured the No. 5 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament by holding off a surging Georgia Tech. The Tigers overcame a six-point halftime deficit, with Butta Johnson and Nick Davidson each scoring 15 points. Georgia Tech's Jaeden Mustaf poured in a career-high 28 points in the loss for the Yellow Jackets. Akron's blowout win was historic, setting a new program record with their 31st consecutive home victory at the James A. Rhodes Arena. The Zips were on fire from deep, hitting 18 of 27 three-point attempts (66.7%). Bowen Hardman led the charge, tying his career-high with 20 points on 7-for-8 shooting.
