Continuing Coverage of College Hoops

November 30, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

J.T. Toppin threw down 27 points to help Texas Tech escape from a tight contest with Wyoming Sunday, with the Red Raiders surviving, 76-72, over the visiting Cowboys.

Toppin, who scored a season-high 31 in a blowout win over Sam Houston on November 7, made 11 of 18 shots from the field and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. The Red Raiders might have won the game a little easier if they had been a bit more efficient at the foul line. Toppin, who averages a double-double with 22.1 points and 11.0 rebounds, made just 5 of 12 free throws and the team was 18-for-30 overall from the charity stripe. Wyoming made all 13 of their free throw attempts.

While the Red Raiders may have been sloppy at the foul line, Toppin scored two key buckets in the final minute and teammate LeJuan Watts iced the game with a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left.

The win extended #20 Texas Tech’s non-conference home win streak to 44 games. The Red Raiders are 6-2 and next hit the hardwoods on Sunday, December 7th, when they host the LSU Tigers.

November 29, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Playing in the Wildcat Classic in Tucson, 2nd-ranked Arizona was led by Motiejus Krivas with a game-high 20 points as the Wildcats bombed Norfolk State, 98-61.

Krixas missed just one shot, a 3-pointer, hitting 7 of 8 from the field while going 6-for-9 from the foul line. The 7’2” junior from Siaulia, Lithuania just missed a double-double, his game-high nine part of a lopsided, 44-27, Arizona advantage on the boards.

Krivas is averaging 10 points and 7.7 rebounds this season, hitting at a 71.8% rate from the field. The 7-0 Wildcats play next on December 6, when they host #21 Auburn.

November 28, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Ranked #9 nationally, BYU improved to 6-1 Friday night at the awkwardly-named Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events International Magic Bracket Championship as senior Richie Saunders played 38 minutes and scored 29 points to help the Cougars drop Dayton, 83-79.

Saunders, who was the idleguy.com Player of the Day with a game-high 26 points when BYU blasted Wisconsin, 98-70, November 21, made 9 of 15 shots from the field and was 6-for-10 from beyond the arc. Saunders made all five from the line and ripped down a team high eight rebounds, along with three steals and a pair of assists. His season high 29 was one short of his career high.

The Cougars shot 52% from the field and 45% from 3-point range. The four-point difference in the score could have easily come at the foul line where BYU made 15 of 18 while the Flyers hit just 43%, 6-for-14.

The Cougars rallied from a 36-30 deficit at the break, scoring 53 second half points. Saunders’ 4-point play at the 2:56 mark of the second half unknotted a 70-70 tie and gave BYU a lead that endured. Saunders hit another 3-pointer at 1:51 and iced the game with two free throws with one second left.

The only loss this season for the Cougars was an 86-84 defeat by UConn. Next up for BYU is a December 3 visit from the California Baptist Lancers.

November 27, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

It was a close call for Player of the Day on Thanksgiving, but Duke freshman, Cameron Boozer edged out Wisconsin’s senior guard, Nick Boyd.

While Boyd put up an impressive 36 points with seven rebounds and seven assists, Boozer’s shooting tipped the scales his way. Boyd hit on 15 of 25 from the floor, including 4-for-9 three pointers, Boozer was 13-for-18 (2-for-4 on 3s), with nine boards, three assists and two steals. His 7-for-11 effort at the foul line gave him a game-high 35 points, equalling his career best from the 100-62 win over Indiana State on November 11.

The Badgers outscored Providence, 104-83, improving to 5-1, while #4 Duke prevailed, 80-71, over #22 Arkansas in the CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic at the United Center in Chicago.

Boozer is averaging 22.9 points and 9.8 boards per game and is already being mentioned in terms of national player of the year. The Blue Devils, now 8-0, tip against Florida on December 2nd at Duke.

November 26, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

The Players Era Festival in Las Vegas has brought together some of the best teams in the country, offering insight to which teams and players will excel in the heat of conference play and March’s NCAA tournament.

One such team is certainly #21 Auburn and sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford, who scored a career high 27 points in the Tigers’ 85-74 victory over St. John’s Wednesday night.

Hitting on 10 of 19 from the field and 3 of 8 on 3-pointers, Pettiford led all scorers as Auburn, which trailed, 39-30, at the half, outscored the Red Storm, 55-35. In the second half, Pettiford was on target on 6 of 8 shots including a pair of 3s as Auburn rallied for the win. With the game tied at 63-all, Pettiford scored 10 straight points for the Tigers, extending to a seven point lead with just more than five minutes remaining. Down the stretch, he knocked down four free throws to help secure the win, scoring 18 in the half.

Pettiford made a name for himself through Auburn’s run through the SEC and their advance to the Final Four last season, where they were ousted by eventual national champion Florida, 79-73. Then a freshman who mostly came in off the bench, Pettiford scored in double digits in four of Auburn’s five tourney games.

This season, Pettiford is a starter, getting more minutes, up from 22.9 in 2024-25 to 29.6, and scoring more. Last season he averaged 11.6. Through eight games in 2025-26, he’s up to 15.1.

The Tigers improved to 6-2 while knocking #14 St. John’s down to 4-3 and probably out of the Top 25 in next week’s poll. Auburn is home for NC State on Wednesday, December 3rd.

November 25, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

At the Fort Myers Tip-Off, North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar delivered game highs in points and rebounds with 24 and 13, respectively, as the Tar Heels dispatched St. Bonaventure, 85-70

Veesaar, a 7-foot junior from Tallin, Estonia, registered his third double-double of the season, adding a pair of steals and three assists. He is averaging 16.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Veesaar played his first two college seasons at Arizona, transferring to North Carolina after the Wildcats were eliminated in last season’s NCAA tournament by Duke.

The contest was close, with the Tar Heels leading 35-33 at the break, but North Carolina asserted its dominance with a 12-5 run to open the second half and cruised to the double-digit win, improving to 6-0. Veesaar scored 16 as Carolina outscored the Bonnies, 50-37, in the second half.

#16 North Carolina meet up with #11 Michigan State on Thursday at 4:30 pm in Fort Myers. Both teams enter the contest at 6-0. The game will be broadcast nationally on FOX.

November 24, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Ja’Kobi Gillespie hit three 3-point shots in the first six minutes and scored 23 of his game-high 32 points in the first half as #17 Tennessee raced to a 56-30 halftime lead and swamped Rutgers, 85-60, on the opening night of the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Monday night.

Gillespie made six of 10 3-pointers and was 11-for-20 overall, adding four of five free throws, three boards, four assists, and a pair of steals as the Volunteers improved to 6-0.

Gillespie played his first two years at Belmont in the Missouri Valley conference and his junior year at Maryland before transferring to Tennessee. The 6’1” senior from Greeneville, Tennessee, Gillespie leads the Vols in scoring and assists at 19.2 points and 5.7 assists per game.

Next up for the Vols is a test against #3 Houston, advancing into the Players Era second round Tuesday with a 78-74 overtime win against upset-minded Syracuse.

November 23, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Kahlil Singleton shot the lights out with 33 points in the final of the Queen City Classic at Buffalo, New York, Sunday, leading the Canisius Golden Griffins to a 75-66 win over the Binghamton Bisons.

Singleton, a 6’3” junior who played his first two seasons at Holy Cross, registered a career-high, making 10 of 15 from the field, including 8-for-11 from 3-point range and 5-for-5 from the foul line.

As a sophomore at Holy Cross, Singleton was named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll (2024-2025).

Canisius reached the final after defeating Maryland Eastern Shore, 60-57, on Friday. The Golden Griffins of the Metro Atlantic conference are 4-3 and play next at home, hosting the University of Buffalo on Saturday, November 29.

November 22, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

The Big 12 appears to be headed for an epic conference season, with five teams ranked in the Top 25 and a few more, like Kansas State, Utah. and Oklahoma State displaying early season competitiveness.

On Saturday, Oklahoma State improved to 6-0 with a 95-81 victory over visiting Nichols, spearheaded by Junior guard Jaylen Curry coming off the bench to score a game-high and career-high 30 points.

Curry, a 6’1” guard who spent his first two college years with the Minutemen of UMass, transferred to the Cowboys for the 2025-26 campaign. In 30 minutes of playing time, Curry nailed eight of 11 shots, including 2-for-3 from 3-point range, hit all 12 of his free throws, dished 10 assists and pulled in six boards.

Curry’s scoring and assist double-double is the first in Oklahoma State history.

The Cowboys hit the road for the first time this season when they make a Thanksgiving visit to Chicago to meet Northwestern in the CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic on Thursday, November 27.

November 21, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Richie Saunders scored a game-high 26 points to lead #9 BYU past #23 Wisconsin, 98-70 at the Bad Boys Mowers Series Tourney in Salt Lake City, Utah, Friday night.

Saunders, a 6’5” senior guard from Riverton, Utah, was 10-for-16 from the field, including 5-for-9 from 3-point range. He added three rebounds, two steals, and two assists as the Cougars improved to 4-1.

Averaging 20.8 and 5.6 rebounds in five games this season, Saunders leads the Cougars in scoring. Next up for BYU is a Thanksgiving Day visit from Miami, Thursday, November 27.

November 20, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Largely unnoticed and unranked, the Kansas State Wildcats improved to 5-0 with a resounding 98-77 win over Mississippi State in the opening round of the Hall of Fame Classic at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

Led by 37 points from Junior guard P.J. Haggerty the Wildcats took a 44-36 advantage into the break and turned on the after-burners in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs, 54-41.

Haggerty hit on 13 of 21 shots, including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc, while contributing eight assists, seven rebounds and a pair of steals. The 6’4” sharpshooter from Crosby, Texas is averaging 28.2 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game this season. Haggerty is well-traveled, having begun his collegiate career at TCU, then transferring to Tulsa, then Memphis, before arriving at K-State for the 2025-26 campaign.

The Wildcats will meet Nebraska Friday night in the tournament final. The Cornhuskers defeated New Mexico, 84-72, in the tourney opener on Thursday.

November 19, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 18 of his game-high 25 points in the second half as #7 Michigan expanded on a six-point halftime lead to defeat visiting Middle Tennessee, 86-61, Thursday night at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor.

Lendeborg, a 6’9” senior hit 9 of 12 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers, and snagged 12 rebounds for his second straight double-double as the Wolverines improved to 4-0. The Pennsauken, New Jersey native added three assists, two steals and a block without committing a single turnover. Lendeborg was a double-double machine in two prior seasons at UAB, before transferring to Michigan earlier this year.

The Wolverines have back-to-back games next Monday and Tuesday, November 24 and 25, against San Diego State and #22 Auburn at the Player Era Festival in Las Vegas.

November 18, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson scored a game-high 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as the Tar Heels defeated the Navy Midshipmen, 73-61.

North Carolina raced off to a 7-0 lead and led the entire game. The Middies rallied to within four points early in the second half, to be down 35-39, but the Tar Heels took off on a 10-3 run with Wilson scoring seven points in the span. North Carolina held Navy to just 30% shooting, improving to 5-0.

Wilson, a 6’10“ forward out of Atlanta, is part of a stellar college basketball freshman class. He is averaging a double-double after five games, with 20.6 points and 10.0 rebounds. He has scored 20 or more points in four of his five starts and has registered double digits in rebounds in each of his last three games.

The Tar Heels play St. Bonaventure on Tuesday, November 25 in the Fort Myers Tip-Off, and then play #17 Michigan State on Thanksgiving, the 27th.

November 17, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Joshua Jefferson scored a game-high 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting, to lead #16 Iowa State to a 96-57 romp over the visiting Stonehill Skyhawks.

Jefferson, a 6’9” senior forward from Las Vegas, added six of nine free throws, nine boards, three steals, and seven assists with only one turnover in 31 minutes of floor time, improving his averages to 18.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. The Cyclones improved to 4-0 with the victory.

Jefferson played his first two years at Sant Mary’s in the WCC, transferring to Iowa State for the 2024-25 season, where he averaged 13 points per game and a team-high 7.4 rebounds.

Next up for Iowa State is a meeting with #14 St. John’s on Monday, November 24 at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas.

November 16, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Freshman Kingston Flemings poured in 18 of his game-high 22 points in the first half, played gritty defense throughout, and led top-ranked Houston to a 73-72 win at Auburn in a Final Four rematch from last season.

Flemings was 8-for-13 from the field and made five of six free throws while adding seven assists and five boards. A 6’4” guard out of San Antonio, Texas, Flemings leads the Cougars in assists and should continue to develop into one of the top point guards in the country.

Houston improved to 4-0 with the win, dropping Auburn to 3-1. The Cougars should retain the top spot in the polls when they are released Monday. Houston hosts Rider College on Thursday, November 20.

November 15, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Flory Bidunga was on target Saturday as #25 Kansas raced past Princeton, 76-57 at Allen Field House in Lawrence, making 10 of 11 shots from the field to lead the Jayhawks in scoring with 25 points. Bidunga's shots were all 2-pointers. He cashed five of six from the foul line.

Bidunga, a 6’10” sophomore from Kinshasa, Republic of Congo, recorded his first double-double of the season, with 10 rebounds, to go with three blocked shots in 27 minutes of playing time.

Kansas improved to 3-1 and will meet #4 Duke on Tuesday, November 18 in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Blue Devils are 4-0.

November 14, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Last season, Duke unleashed fabulous freshman, Cooper Flagg. This year, the Blue Devils have another potential player of the year in Cameron Boozer, who put up a career-high (4 games) 35 points against Indiana State, in a 100-62 blowout at the aptly named, Cameron Indoor Stadium on the Duke University campus.

Boozer made 13 of 16 shots from the field, going 2-for-2 from behind the arc, adding seven free throws in 11 attempts. The 6’9”, 250-pound forward also collected 12 rebounds, handed out five assists, blocked three shots and made three steals.

Boozer and his brother Cayden are sons of Duke legend, Carlos Boozer, an olympic gold medalist, member of the 2001 Duke national championship team, and 13-year NBA veteran.

Cameron Boozer is averaging 22.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He and his non-identical twin, Cayden, a 6’4” guard, are both freshmen at Duke, now 4-0. The 4th-ranked Blue Devils are home for #25 Kansas on Tuesday, November 18.

November 13, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Purdue point guard, Braden Smith, has been an IdleGuy.com Player of the Day a number of times in 2024 and 2025, as he’s been a major player in the success of Boilermaker basketball.

In Thursday night’s tilt with #8 Alabama, the 2nd-ranked Boilermakers improved to 3-0 with an 87-80 win against the Crimson Tide. Smith led all scorers with 29 points, 21 coming in the second half when he took over the game, nailing 3-pointers and delivering deft passes for crucial buckets and solid ball rotation.

Smith finished 7-for-19 from the field, but hit half of his 10 3-point attempts, and was 10-for-12 from the foul line. Smith also snatched seven boards and delivered four assists as the relentless Purdue offense wore down Alabama late.

Another key to the victory was Purdue’s dominance on the glass, outrebounding Alabama, 52-28, asserting their size in the paint. Trey Kaufman-Renn, playing in his first game of the season, scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.

Purdue hits the courts next on Sunday, November 16, when they host Akron. Alabama, now 2-1, has a tough schedule ahead, with games against #14 Illinois and #19 Gonzaga scheduled for the 19th and 24th, respectively.

November 12, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Beware the Thundering Herd, especially sharp-shooting forward, Wyatt Fricks, who hung 34 points on the Phoenix Wednesday night in a 96-89 Marshall win over visiting Elon.

Fricks was raining in 3-pointers, hitting seven of eight from outside the line. When he wasn’t bombing away from deep, he was equally effective on two-point shots, going 6-for-6, for an overall shooting night of 93%, 13-for-14.

Not known for his shooting touch over the prior three seasons in which he averaged 3.8, 6.0, and 5.0 points per game, Fricks exploded against Elon with a career-high while also nabbing nine boards. The 6’10” senior from Lawrenceville, Georgia is averaging 21.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, as Marshall improved to 3-0 with Wednesday’s win.

Next on the schedule for Marshall is a noon visit to Virginia on Saturday, November 15.

November 11, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

9th-ranked Kentucky and #12 Louisville met up Tuesday night at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville for early season state-wide bragging rights. After a closely contested first 8 1/2 minutes, Louisville, trailing 22-19, embarked on a 27-6 run to take a 46-28 lead with under five minutes to play in the first half, cruising to a 96-88 victory.

The Cardinals led, 53-46, at the break and expanded their edge to as many as 20 points in the second half. The Wildcats closed to within four points with just more than four minutes remaining, but could get no closer.

Leading the Cardinals was freshman guard, Mikel Brown Jr. with 29 points on 8-for-16 shooting, including three timely 3-pointers. Brown Jr. also made 10 of 11 from the foul line, pitched five assists and nabbed a pair of rebounds.

Brown Jr., playing in just his third collegiate game, established a solid career high scoring mark in 33 minutes of floor time. Hailing from Orlando, Florida, Mikel Brown Jr. was a five star recruit, choosing Louisville over offers from Alabama, Indiana, and Ole Miss, and played in the 2025 McDonald’s All-American game as a high school senior.

Louisville improved to 3-0, dropping the Wildcats to 2-1. The Cardinals host the Ohio Bobcats on Saturday, November 15. Kentucky will look to get back on the winning track Friday when they meet East Illinois at Rupp Arena.

November 10, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

16th-ranked Iowa State went to 3-0 as the Cyclones swamped Mississippi State, 96-80, Monday night in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Tamin Lipsey scored a game-high 25 points for the Cyclones, draining 14 in the second half. Iowa State forced 26 turnovers, racing to a 53-35 lead at the brake and rolled to an easy victory.

Lipsey, a 6”1” senior guard out of Ames, Iowa, distributed six assists and chipped in defensively with three steals. He was 9-for-17 from the field, hitting two of five 3-pointers, going 5-for-6 from the charity stripe. Lipsey has scored in double figures in each of the Cyclones’ games this season, averaging 17.7 points per outing.

Iowa State will be off until next Monday, November 17, when they host the Stonehill Skyhawks.

November 9, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

T.J. Long pumped in 40 points as the Vermont Catamounts remained undefeated (3-0), with an 89-84 double overtime win at Brown Sunday in Providence, Rhode Island.

Long, a 6’4” graduate student, made 13 of 26 shots from the field with five 3-pointers and nine of 10 free throws. He also ripped down 13 rebounds to go with three steals and a pair of assists. Long is averaging 25.3 points per game.

The Catamounts trailed, 32-24, at halftime, but scored 41 points in the second half to tie the game at 65-all. Long scored five points in the first overtime, and six in the second OT. Teammate T.J. Hurley knocked down four free throws in the fial 10 seconds to seal the victory.

Last season, the Catamounts won the America East conference championship, earning their way to the NCAA tournament where they were eliminated in the opening round by Duke, 64-47.

Next up for Vermont is a short hop to meet the Northeastern Huskies in Boston on Saturday, November 15.

November 8, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Although it came in a losing effort, Zuby Ejiofor’s double-double was his first of what will likely be many similar efforts this season.

#5 St. John’s fell to #15 Alabama, 103-96, Saturday at Madison Square Garden. It was the Red Storm’s first loss o the season, as Alabama improved to 2-0.

Ejiofor scored 27 points on 9-for-12 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, to go with three assists, two steals and two blocks in 28 minutes of playing time. The 6’9” senior from Garland, Texas made two of three from beyond the arc and five of his boards were on the offensive end.

LaBaron Philon Jr. pumped in 25 points for the Crimson Tide.

St. John’s won’t hit the hardwood again until next Saturday (11/15), when they host William & Mary. Alabama has a date with #1 Purdue Thursday, November 13.

November 7, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

National player of the year candidate J.T. Toppin poured in 31 points Friday night, leading Texas Tech over Sam Houston, 98-77, as the 10th-ranked Red Raiders improved to 2-0.

Toppin missed Tech’s season opener due to a minor injury, but came out firing in his 2025-26 debut. An AP Preseason All-American, Toppin hit on 10 of 19 shots, grabbed 14 rebounds, along with four assists, three steals and a blocked shot.

A 6’9” junior forward who transferred to Texas Tech after his freshman season with New Mexico, Toppin registered his 20th double-double in 34 games with the Red Raiders. In last season’s NCAA Tournament, he had double-doubles in all four of Tech’s games, reaching the elite eight, where they were eliminated by eventual national champion Florida, 84-79.

Next up for Toppin and the Red Raiders is a trip to Illinois on November 11, to play #17 Fighting Illini.

November 6, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Junior forward Alex Condon pumped in 25 points to lead all scorers as the reigning national champion Florida Gators got their first win of the season, downing North Florida, 104-64 Thursday in Gainseville.

Condon, at 6’11”, 230 pounds, dominated the paint in his 26 minutes of floor time, ripping down 10 boards, with four assists, two steals and three blocked shots. He went 8-for-12 from the field and made nine of 10 free throws. Condon averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 boards last season and the team looks forward to him improving on those numbers as the Gators seek a repeat national championship.

Coming off the bench in spectacular style was Micah Handlogten, who scored 17 points in 18 minutes with 13 rebounds. The 7’1” senior weighs in at a hefty 260 pounds. The overmatched Ospreys couldn’t do much to stop him.

Ranked #3 preseason, the Gators lost their opener to #13 Arizona. They host Florida State next, on Tuesday, November 11.

November 4, 2025 College Hoops Player of the Day

Sophomore guard Christian Anderson pumped in a career-high 34 points and dished 11 assists as #10 Texas Tech got their season off to a flying start with a 98-60 win over visiting Linwood.

Last season, as a freshman with the Red Raiders, Anderson scored in double figures in 17 regular season games, capping off a solid campaign with 19 points in the Big 12 Tournament semifinal game, an 86-80 loss to Arizona and helped Texas Tech reach the Elite Eight in the Big Dance, eventually losing to National Champion Florida, 84-79 in the Elite 8, out of the West region.

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, the 6’ 3” Anderson also grabbed seven boards in Tuesday night’s season tip-off.

Next up for the Red Raiders is a Friday (11/7) visit by Sam Houston. On Tuesday, November 11, Texas Tech heads to Champagne, Illinois, for an early Top 25 tilt with #17 Illinois.

AP Top 25 (11/24)
(1st place votes)

1. Purdue 6-0 (46)
2. Arizona 5-0 (11)
3. Houston 5-0 (4)
4. Duke 7-0
5. UConn 5-1
6. Louisville 5-0
7. Michigan 4-0
8. Alabama 3-1
9. BYU 4-1
10. Florida 4-1
11. Michigan State 5-0
12. Gonzaga 5-0
13. Illinois 5-1
14. St. John’s 3-1
15. Iowa State 4-0
16. North Carolina 5-0
17. Tennessee 5-0
18. UCLA 5-1
19. Kentucky 4-2
20. Texas Tech 4-2
21. Auburn 4-1
22. Arkansas 5-1
23. NC State 4-0
24. Vanderbilt 5-0
25. Indiana 5-0