Updated daily - February Players of the Day

January 31, 2025 Player of the Day - Kino Lilly Jr., Brown Bears

Brown University won its second straight Ivy League road game, downing Penn Friday night, 88-79, as Kino Lilly Jr. lit it up from outside, banging home 8 of 9 3-pointers to lead all scorers with a career-high 34 points.

Overall, the Bears were better off shooting from beyond the arc, going 15-24 from outside (62.5%) and 14-32 within. Alexander Lesburt Jr. knocked down five of seven from 3-point range and scored 19 points, helping Brown pull away late.

Lilly Jr., a 6-foot senior guard from Glen Dale, Maryland, leads the 10-8 Bears in scoring and is on track to be named First Team All-Ivy for a third straight season. In his freshman year, 2021-22, he was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year. He's scored in double figures in all but two games this season, as he did in 2023-24, putting down double digits in 28 of 30 contests.

Earlier this season, Lilly became the career leader in 3-pointers at Brown. With Friday's tally, he has 402 and counting. He led the Ivy league in scoring in 2023-24, and is leading it again in 2024-25.

The Bears improved to 10-8 overall and 2-3 in the Ivy League. They play at Princeton Saturday, Feb. 1. Yale leads the Ivy league with a 5-0 mark.

January 30, 2025 Player of the Day - Eric Dailey Jr., UCLA Bruins

If you were to look up the word, "streaky" in the dictionary, you might find a team photo of the 2024-25 UCLA Bruins next to the definition.

UCLA won its fifth straight Thursday night, in runaway fashion, smothering #16 Oregon, 78-52, the string of victories coming after the Bruins lost three straight and four of five, with a win over Gonzaga in the mix.

Throwing in what some might consider an exceptionally streaky performance was sophomore swingman, Eric Dailey Jr., who hit eight of nine shots, including 3-for-3 on three-pointers and 2-for-2 from the foul line, leading all scorers with 21 points in just 23 minutes of playing time.

UCLA led the entire game, and finished the first half up 40-26, but Oregon closed within 10 points early in the second half. The Bruins responded with a 22-4 run that blew the game wide open. Dailey had 10 points, including a 3-pointer and a dunk during the scoring barrage. UCLA shot 56% from the field and out-rebounded Oregon, 28-22.

Dailey Jr., out of Palmetto, Florida, is 6'8", averages 12.4 points and 4.3 rebounds this season, and has scored in double figures in 14 of 21 games.

The Bruins improved to 16-6 while the Ducks dropped to 16-5. UCLA is 7-4 in Big Ten play; Oregon, 5-5. UCLA is 9-1 at home. They defeated the Ducks earlier (Dec. 8), 73-71 at Oregon.

UCLA looks to extend their streak when they host #7 Michigan State on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Oregon returns home to play Nebraska Sunday, Feb. 2.

January 29, 2025 Player of the Day - Josh Hubbard, Mississipi State Bulldogs

Josh Hubbard did all he could to upend #4 Alabama in Wednesday night's battle at #14 Mississippi State, but, despite scoring a career high 38 points, the Bulldogs came up just a little short, dropping an 88-84 decision, their fourth loss in their last six games.

Chris Youngblood led the Crimson Tidewith 23 points. Mark Sears added 17 and Grant Nelson pitched in 15.

Besides Hubbard, only one Bulldog reached double figures. KeShawn Murphy scored 18 points.

Sophomore Hubbard knocked down half of his shots, going 14-for-28, including 6-for-15 from beyond the arc. He was 4-for-4 from the foul line and added three assists.

At 5'11", Hubbard is averaging 17.3 points per game. He has scored in double figures in every game but one this season, putting in nine points in a January 7 Bulldog victory at Vanderbilt. He is the all-time high school leading scorer in the state of Mississippi.

The Bulldogs, while looking to be an at-large team come tourney time, have lost recently to some of the top SEC teams. Over the past two weeks, they've lost at home to Kentucky and Alabama, and suffered road losses at Tennessee and #1 Auburn.

The Bulldogs fell to 4-4 in SEC play and are 16-5 overall. 7-1 Alabama trails 7-0 Auburn by a half game in the conference. Mississippi State may get back on the winning track when they host LSU on Saturday, Feb. 1, and Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 4.

Alabama has won four straight since a January 14, 74-64, loss to Ole Miss. They play at Tennessee on Saturday, Feb. 1.

January 28, 2025 Player of the Day - Zeke Mayo, Kansas Jayhawks

#11 Kansas held off UCF, 91-87, Tuesday night, as Zeke Mayo and Hunter Dickinson each scored 24 points to get the Jayhawks back on a winning footing after falling to Houston on Saturday, 92-86.

Mayo, a senior who transferred to Kansas after three seasons with South Dakota State, knocked down a pair of free throws late in the contest which put the Jayhawks up four points.

Mayo was 8-for-20 overall, but a deadly 6-for-10 from 3-point range, just missing a double-double with nine rebounds.

Averaging 15.4 points per game, Mayo has adapted to the Kansas style well and has scored in double figures five straight games. As a sophomore at South Dakota State he averaged 18.2 points per game, and 19.1 as a junior and was summit League Player of the Year in 2024.

The Jayhawks improved to 15-5, but are just 6-3 in Big 12 play. Houston leads the conference with an 8-0 record, followed by Arizona at 8-1, and Iowa State at 7-2.

Kansas hits the road Saturday, February 1, for a meeting with Baylor.

January 27, 2025 Player of the Day - Cooper Flagg, Duke Blue Devils

Legendary Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski used to stress upon his players the importance of the last five minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half.

Lesson learned. Current Duke head coach, Jon Scheyer, who cut his coaching teeth as an assistant to Coach K imparted this knowledge to the current #2 Blue Devils, who won their 14th straight Monday night, overcoming an early 13-point deficit with a 19-0 run that encompassed the end of the first half and the first six minutes of the second, to take down NC State, 74-64, on the aptly-named Coach K Court at Durham, NC.

Leading the Duke rally was freshman sensation, Cooper Flagg, who scored 23 of his game-high 28 points in the second half, as Duke rallied from being down 37-26 with three minutes left in the first half to a commanding 45-37 lead before the Wolfpack scored a single point in the second.

Duke (18-2, 10-0) held NC State scoreless for a full 8 minutes and 12 seconds, from the 1:53 left in the first half to 6:19 gone in the second.

Flagg hit just one of four 3-point attempts, but was more effective inside the arc, going 8-for-17 overall, making 11 of 13 at the foul line, adding seven rebounds. Flagg is hitting field goals at a 48.7% rate, averaging 19.9 points per game and 8.0 rebounds.

The Blue Devils - who lead the ACC with a 10-0 mark - won't play again until Saturday, February 1, when they host arch-rival North Carolina at 6:30 pm ET. The Tar Heels are unranked at 13-8 and 6-3 in conference play.

January 26, 2025 Player of the Day - John Tonje, Wisconsin Badgers

John Tonje tossed in a game-high 27 points, leading the Wisconsin Badgers to an 83-55 romp past visiting Nebraska, sending the Cornhuskers to their sixth straight loss and near the bottom of Big Ten standings.

18th-ranked Wisconsin recovered from an 85-83 loss at UCLA last week, hoping to regain the form that sent them to seven straight wins prior to that setback.

By all accounts, the Badgers look every bit the part of a Top 25 team that can challenge Big Ten leaders and make some noise in March.

Tonje, a grad student from North Ohama, Nebraska, got some satisfaction by defeating his home state team so thoroughly. He was 9-for-19 overall, canning five of 11 from 3-point range while adding four of five from the foul line. Tonje, a transfer from Missouri in his first season with the Badgers, is hitting 93% of his free throws this season.

Prior to the single injury-plagued single season at Mizzou, Tonje played four years at Colorado State. He was awarded consecutive Big Ten player of the week honors earlier this season, November 18 and 25, 2024.

Wisconsin took sole possession of fourth place in the crowded Big Ten at 6-3, trailing Michigan, Purdue, and 8-0 Michigan State. 2-7 Nebraska leads only 1-8 Washington in the conference.

Wisconsin improved to 16-4 with the win, while Nebraska dropped to 12-8 on the season. The Badgers play at Maryland Wednesday, while the Cornhuskers travel to meet #17 Illinois Thursday.

January 25, 2025 Player of the Day - Curtis Jones, Iowa State Cyclones

Curtis Jones scored a career-high 33 points, as #3 Iowa State overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat home-standing Arizona State, 76-61, holding the Sun Devils to just 21 second half points.

Jones, a senior guard out of Minneapolis, MN, hit on five of 10 from 3-point range and was 10-for-22 overall, adding 8 of 10 free throws, with three steals and seven rebounds.

One of the top scorers in the country, Jones is averaging 18.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game as the Cyclones improved their record to 17-2, and 7-1 in the Big 12, tied with Arizona for second place behind the 8-0 Houston Cougars.

The Cyclones will have an opportunity to take sole possession of second place in the conference when they travel to Arizona to play the Wildcats on Monday night.

January 24, 2025 Player of the Day - Braden Smith, Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue's Braden Smith has produced a fair share of memorable performances, but Friday night's might have been his best as a collegian as he led #11 Purdue past visiting #21 Michigan in a Big Ten blowout, 91-64.

Smith, who was an unmistakable presence directing the Boilermakers' offense for 37 minutes, scored a game-high 24 points, with 10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals.

By the time fans were just getting comfortable in their Mackey Arena seats, Purdue had raced out to a double-digit lead. They continued to build upon it, harassing Michigan players around the arc and in the paint, taking a 51-26 edge into half time.

The Boilermakers caused 22 turnovers and converted most of them into points. Smith committed just one turnover in his nearly-flawless performance.

Despite missing all four times from 3-point range, Smith was still 10-for-17 from the field and 4-for-4 from the foul line. Playing in his third season at Purdue, Smith is averaging 15.4 points and 8.9 assists per game. Friday's effort was his eighth double-double of the season.

Smith's backcourt mate, Fletcher Loyer, knocked down five threes en route to 18 points.

Smith's effort came one game after the 16-5 Boilermakers' first home loss of the season, a 73-70 defeat at the hands of Ohio State, Tuesday night.

Michigan fell to 14-5 overall and third place, at 6-2, in the Big Ten. Purdue improved its conference record to 8-2 and continues to chase 7-0 Michigan State. The Spartans are 16-2 and ranked #8 nationally.

Next up for Purdue is a Friday, January 31, home game against Indiana. Michigan returns to Ann Arbor for a tilt with Penn State Monday night.

January 23, 2025 Player of the Day - Julian Reese, Maryland Terrapins

The Maryland Terrapins won their first road game of the season behind 25 points from Derik Queen and Julian Reese's game-high 27 points and 17 rebounds, romping past #17 Illinois, 91-70, Thursday night in Champaign.

Reese, a homegrown 6'9" forward out of Baltimore, was 12-for-23 from the field and 3-for-3 from the charity stripe. Of his 17 boards, seven came on the offensive end. The senior has played all four years at Maryland and is averaging 13.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per outing. Registering his eighth double-double of the season, his scoring and rebound totals from Thursday night were career highs.

Maryland improved to 15-5 on the season and is tied with Illinois and Indiana at 5-4 in the Big Ten. Illinois dropped to 14-6

Illinois' 17 turnovers and domination in the paint by the Terrapins led to their third loss in their last four games and first back-to-back losses in two years.

The Terrapins have won four of their last five, the lone loss coming on a buzzer-beating, 76-74, setback at Northwestern a week ago.

Both teams are back in action on Sunday, as the Fighting Illini host Northwestern, while Maryland plays at Indiana.

January 22, 2025 Player of the Day - Will Richard, Florida Gators

On their visit to Columbia, South Carolina to play the Gamecocks, the fifth-ranked Florida Gators wound up leading for only 4.8 seconds, but those were the final 4.8 seconds of the game, as Will Richard scored on a driving layup to give Florida a 70-69 victory and send South Carolina to its sixth straight SEC defeat.

The Gators were down by as many as 14 points in the second half before rallying for the win, forcing 15 Gamecock turnovers, many of which resulted in scores for Florida. Even though the Gators were out-shot by South Carolina, 49%-42%, they had more possessions and thus, more shot attempts, 66 to the Gamecocks' 57. They also had a slight advantage at the foul line, making 6 of 9 free throws to 4 of 8 for the home team.

Richard, a 6'4" guard from Fairborn, Georgia, went 9-for-14 from the field, with three 3-pointers, gathered in four rebounds and made three steals. His 22 points tied him for game-high honors with South Carolina's Zachary Davis.

Richard is hitting at a rate of 13.5 points per game and is one of Florida's best outside shooters, making 50.5% of his shots overall, and 33% from beyond the arc.

His bucket as time ran down elevated Florida to its 17th win of the season, against just two losses. The Gators are 4-2 in SEC play and return home to meet Georgia on Saturday. South Carolina, which has never begun an SEC schedule at 0-7, will try to get a win over visiting Mississippi State on Saturday.

Auburn leads the SEC standings at 5-0, followed by Alabama, at 5-1. The Gators are tied for third with Tennessee, Missouri, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M, all with 4-2 marks.

January 21, 2025 Player of the Day - Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State Cyclones

Following a 64-57 loss last week at West Virginia, the Iowa State Cyclones fell from #2 in the rankings to #3, behind #1 Auburn and #2 Duke.

Dropping only their second game of the season, the Cyclones made sure they'd get back to winning Tuesday night, pounding UCF, 108-83, behind a career-high 30 points from junior forward Joshua Jefferson.

Transferring from St. Mary's to Iowa State prior to this season, Jefferson was on target, hitting 9 of 14 shots, including three of his four 3-point attempts and a 9-for-12 effort from the foul line. Jefferson added 7 rebounds - four on the offensive end - five assists and four steals.

A native of Las Vegas, Jefferson is 6'9", averaging 12.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

The 108 points was a season-high for the Cyclones. They shot 56.3% from the field and collected 41 rebounds, improving to 16-2 and 6-1 in Big 12 standings, tied with Arizona behind 6-0 Houston.

Iowa State travels to the Southwest for a pair of road games next. On Saturday, they play at Arizona State and head to Arizona Monday for an encounter with the 12-6 Wildcats.

January 20, 2025 Players of the Day
Ace Bailey, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State Nittany Lions

When the Rutgers Scarlet Knights visited the Penn State Nittany Lions, both teams showed up with an Ace in hand, as in Ace Baldwin Jr. of Penn State, and Ace Bailey of Rutgers.

While Bailey won the scoring battle hands down with a game high 30 points, Baldwin and Penn State took big prize in an 80-72 win.

Ace Baldwin led Penn State with 22 points, contributing a game-highs with eight assists and six steals. Baldwin was 6-for-16 from the field including three 3-pointers. He hit 7 of 9 from the foul line.

Rutgers freshman star, Ace Bailey, scored 30 points on 13-for-15 shooting, making 4 of 5 from beyond the arc, and hit the boards for seven rebounds.

Baldwin, a fifth-year senior who spent his first three seasons at VCU, is averaging 14.7 points and 8.1 assists, both career highs. He is fourth in assists per game nationally.

Ace Bailey took over the freshman scoring lead, averaging 19.9 points per game, ahead of teammate Dylan Harper (19.3) and Duke's Cooper Flagg (19.2).

Penn State improved to 13-6 with the win and a 3-5 mark in the Big Ten conference. They play next at Iowa on Friday, January 24.

Rutgers dropped to 3-5 in conference play and are 10-9 overall. They have a big test coming up Saturday when #21 Michigan comes calling.

January 19, 2025 Player of the Day - Vladislav Goldin, Michigan Wolverines

After dropping an 84-81 decision in overtime on Thursday at Minnesota, #20 Michigan got one back Sunday as Vladislav Goldin pumped in 31 points to defeat visiting Northwestern, 80-76, in overtime.

Goldin, who has scored in double figures twelve straight games, was on target, hitting 9 of 16 from the field, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range, knocking down 10 of 12 from the foul line.

The senior center was active throughout the afternoon, playing 38 minutes, with eight rebounds, four blocked shots, and two assists.

It was the second time Goldin scored more than 30 points in the past couple of weeks. He poured in 36 on January 7, in a 94-75 blowout win at UCLA. Goldin is averaging 16.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. His 64.6% shooting is good for eighth nationally.

The Wolverines survived despite shooting just 29% in the first half and 36.1% for the game. The Wolverines are 14-4 overall and 6-1 in Big Ten play, trailing Michigan State (7-0) and Purdue (7-1)

Michigan will have an opportunity to move up in the standings when they play at #17 Purdue Friday night. Northwestern, dropping to 11-7 (2-5), returns home to face Indiana Wednesday night.

January 18, 2025 Player of the Day - Tyeree Bryan, Santa Clara Broncos

Driven to victory by Tyeree Bryan's career-high 35 points, Santa Clara upset #16 Gonzaga Saturday, 103-99, handing the Bulldogs their second consecutive conference loss for the first time since the 2013-14 season and first home loss of this season.

Bryan banged home seven 3-pointers, three of them coming out of halftime to help erase Gonzaga's 45-44 first-half lead.

The Broncos hit five 3-pointers in the first seven minutes of the second half as they built a double-digit bulge.

Bryan's stellar performance came just two days after he was held scoreless in a 57-54 loss at Loyola Marymount.

The 6'5" guard from Orlando, Florida was 13-for-21 from the field, making 7 of 12 from beyond the arc. He added seven rebounds and dished out four assists as the Broncos improved to 5-2 in conference play and 13-7 overall.

This is Bryan's second full season at Santa Clara. He played at Charleston Southern in 2022-23, where he averaged 10.5 points per game. Bryan averaged 8.4 points per game last season and has upped that to 11.1 in the current campaign.

Santa Clara shot a sizzling 47.4% on threes, making 18 of 38. Overall, the Broncos hit 53.7% (36-69) from the field and had 19 total assists.

Gonzaga dropped into a three-way tie for third in the conference, along with Washington State and Santa Clara, all at 5-2. St. Mary's leads the WCC with a 6-0 mark, followed by San Francisco at 6-2.

Gonzaga is likely to be bounced out of the Top 25 with its back-to-back losses this week. They lost in overtime at Oregon State Thursday, 97-89, but will try to get back on track against Portland next Saturday.

Santa Clara hosts Washington State Thursday night.

January 17, 2025 Player of the Day - Eric Dixon, Villanova Wildcats

Eric Dixon scored a game-high 23 points and made one of two free throws with eight seconds left to lift Villanova to a 75-73 victory over visiting Providence Friday night in Big East action.

The Friars' Jabri Abdur-Rahim failed to hit a 19-foot jumper from the left corner as time expired, dropping Providence to below .500 at 8-9, 4-5 in the Big East.

The Wildcats improved their conference record to 5-3 with the win and are 12-7 overall. They trail Marquette (6-0), St. John's (6-1), UConn (5-1), and Creighton (5-1) in the conference race.

Dixon, a fifth-year senior out of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, is the nation's leading scorer at 24.7 points per game. He's scored in double figures in 32 straight games, dating back to the 2023-24 season. The last time he was held to under 10 points was in a 66-65 loss to UConn on January 24, 2024. Dixon scored nine. Dixon was named to Second Team All-BIG EAST in consecutive seasons (2022-23 and 2023-24).

On Friday, Dixon hit 7 of 16 from the floor, including a pair of there-pointers and 7-for-8 from the foul line. He also collected eight rebounds, four on the offensive boards.

Villanova snapped a two-game losing streak. After topping UConn, 68-66, on January 8, they dropped a pair of road tests at St. John's and Xavier before returning to winning form Friday night.

The Wildcats host Georgetown on Monday, January 20. Providence has a week to recoup before also hosting the Hoyas on Saturday, the 25th.

19 of the nation's top 25 teams will see action on Saturday, starting with a premier SEC match-up as #4 Alabama travels to #8 Kentucky at noon. At 1:00 pm ET #23 Georgia hosts #1 Auburn prior to a Big Ten showdown at 3:00 pm ET, when #13 Oregon faces #17 Purdue in Eugene.

Later on, West Virginia hosts #2 Iowa State, #21 Ole Miss is at #15 Mississippi State, and #3 Duke heads north to meet up with Boston College.

January 16, 2025 Player of the Day - Dawson Garcia, Minnesota Golden Gophers

There were only three games Thursday involving Top 25 teams, but each of them was worth the price of admission because two went into overtime and all three were upsets.

In the Big Ten, Minnesota stormed back from a nine point halftime deficit, forced overtime and defeated #20 Michigan when Dawson Garcia let fly from near half court for a game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer and an 84-81win for the home-steading Golden Gophers, their first conference victory in seven tries.

Garcia led all scorers with 27 points, and added 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. A Third Team All-Big Ten forward in 2023-24 and a First Team Preseason selection for 2024-25, Garcia added four assists, three steals and two blocked shots, helping Minnesota even its record at 9-9. Michigan fell to 13-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play, chasing 12th-ranked Michigan State (6-0), and #17 Purdue (6-1).

A 6'11" senior from Savage, Minnesota, Garcia is fourth in scoring in the Big Ten, averaging 19.1 points per game.

In the American Conference (AAC), Temple took an early lead over #18 Memphis and secured an 88-81 home win as Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 21 for the Owls, handing the Tigers their first conference loss, dropping them to 13-4 on the season. A fifth-year senior, Mashburn has scored in double figures every game this season. The Owls tied Memphis at 3-1 in conference play. They are 11-6 on the season.Tulane and UAB lead the AAC at 4-1.

#16 Gonzaga fell to Oregon State in overtime in West Coast conference play as Michael Rataj scored a career high 29 points and the Beavers upended the Bulldogs 97-89. The Zags dropped to 14-5 and suffered their first conference loss of the season, leaving St. Mary's (15-3) alone at the top at 5-0. Oregon State improved to 14-5 and 4-2 in the conference.

Rataj has hit double figures in all but one game this season for the Beavers, with eight double-doubles.

January 15, 2025 Player of the Day - Curtis Jones, Iowa State Cyclones

Curtis Jones scored 20 of his game-high 25 points in the first half, staking the 2nd-ranked Iowa State Cyclones to a 10-point first half lead over visiting #9 Kansas. From there, Iowa State's fierce defensive play limited the visiting kept the Jayhawks at bay, never giving up the lead, pulling away late for a 74-57 victory.

Jones sizzled in the first half, making his first six shots as Iowa State established the double-digit lead. Overall, the senior sharpshooter out of Minneapolis, Minnesota was nine for 17, making 5 of 6 from beyond the arc, a number of which were bombs from around 30-feet out.

Starting for just the second time this season, Jones saw 36 minutes of floor time, but barely touched the ball in the second half, though he closed the game out with a pair a free throws and a long, arcing 3-pointer that put an exclamation point on the Cyclones' 12th straight win and 28th consecutive at home.

After two seasons at the University of Buffalo, Jones transferred to Iowa State for the 2023-24 season and averaged 10.8 points in 31 games. This season, he's averaging 17.8 points per game - mostly off the bench - and has scored in double digits in all but two of the Cyclones' 16 games. His field goal and 3-point percentages are also at career highs: 46.9% and 41.4%, respectively.

Jones is also reliable from the foul line, knocking down 84.4% of his free throws this season.

Kansas committed 17 turnovers, shot just 41%, were out-rebounded, 43-33, and hit just 4 of 11 free throws.

Iowa State improved to 15-1, their only loss to #1 Auburn, 83-81, back on November 25 at the Maui Invitational. The Cyclones are tied with Arizona and Houston atop the Big 12. All three are 5-0 in conference play. Kansas fell to 12-4 and 3-2 in the conference.

Both teams see action again on Saturday. The Cyclones travel to West Virginia. Kansas hosts Kansas State.

January 14, 2025 Player of the Day - Malik Dia, Ole Miss Rebels

Malik Dia was a one-man wrecking crew on both ends of the court Tuesday night as the 21st-ranked Ole Miss Rebels knocked off #4 Alabama, 74-64, in an SEC showdown.

Dia, a 6'9" junior out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, scored a team-high 23 points and wiped the boards clean with 19 rebounds, four on the offensive end.

Though he missed all three of his 3-point attempts, Dia still shot 52% from the field, going 11-for-21. The performance was his first double-double of the season and season highs in both categories.

Dia arrived at Ole Miss this season after transferring from Belmont where he averaged 16.9 points per game. He spent his first season (2022-23) at Vanderbilt.

Dia's playing time has been somewhat limited, averaging just 19 minutes per game this season, but his 31 minutes of floor time against the Crimson Tide were effective and the most he's played this season. The minutes have gone up recently, as the Rebels have won four straight and nine of their last 10, improving to 15-2 overall and 4-0, atop the SEC standings with Auburn, 88-66 winners at home over Mississippi State Tuesday night.

The road win at Tuscalusa, Alabama, was the first in 35 tries against AP Top 5 teams for Ole Miss.

The Rebels have another road encounter Saturday at #15 Mississippi State, in what promises to be a battle royale.

Alabama dropped to 14-3 and has another tough outing slated for Saturday when they travel to Kentucky to take on the #8 Wildcats. Kentucky topped #11 Texas A&M, 81-69, Tuesday.

January 13, 2025 Player of the Day - Ace Bailey, Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers snapped a three-game slide and UCLA lost its fourth straight, as #4 for the Scarlet Knights, freshman Ace Bailey put the kibosh on the Bruins with 20 points and 10 boards, sending the Bruins back to LA with a 75-68 loss.

Bailey was 7-for-13 from the field, including a three-pointer and 5-for-5 shooting from the foul line. The 6'10" forward out of Chattanooga, Tennessee also had a pair of assists, one steal and three blocked shots. Dylan Harper added 18 for Rutgers.

Bailey provided a dominant presence inside for Rutgers, his shot-blocking abilities and wide wingspan keeping UCLA players from getting uncontested shots. He's averaging 19.0 points and 7.7 rebounds in his first collegiate season. Bailey is hitting at 45.9% from the field, inclusive of his 34.7% effectiveness from beyond the arc. The double-double was his fifth of the season, but the 20 points far from his career high of 39, recorded in an 84-74 loss at Indiana on January 2nd, tying the Rutgers freshman scoring record. He is second nationally in scoring among freshmen.

Bailey was a highly-touted high school star, is the highest-ranking recruit in Rutgers hoops history and was on various national watch lists as a high school player.

The Scarlet Knights got back above .500 with the win, at 9-8, dropping the Bruins to 11-6. Both teams are just 2-4 in the Big Ten.

Rutgers travels to 12-4 Nebraska Thursday for their next Big Ten encounter while the Bruins will try to regain some composure when they host Iowa (also 12-4) Friday.

A big night for Top 25 teams is on tap for Tuesday.

A battle of 13-3 squads is set as #11 Texas A&M travels to #8 Kentucky. #19 Illinois (12-4) plays at 13-4 Indiana. #1 Auburn (15-1) hosts #15 Mississippi State (14-2). #4 Alabama (14-2) welcomes in #21 Ole Miss (14-2). #3 Duke (14-2) should have its way when the 4-12 Miami Hurricanes arrive at Chapel Hill.

#5 Florida (15-1) hosts 13-3 Missouri.

January 12, 2025 Player of the Day - C.J. Cox, Purdue Boilermakers

#20 Purdue completely overwhelmed the visiting Nebraska Cornhuskers, outscoring them 45-28 in the first half and pouring in 59 to their 40 after intermission for a resounding, 104-68 victory Sunday.

Leading the Boilermakers' scoring barrage was freshman, C.J. Cox, who pumped in 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting, including 5 of 7 from beyond the arc. Cox, a 6'3" guard, added four rebounds, two assists, and four steals in just 22 minutes of playing time.

Cox averages less than 20 minutes of playing time per game, yet Sunday's effort was his seventh time scoring in double figures and a career high. A deadly shooter, Cox is hitting 49% of his shots, including a blistering 44.2% from 3-point range.

Purdue got scoring from 13 different players. Fletcher Loyer dropped in 19 points, hitting five of six 3-pointers. Braden Smith dished 14 assists as the Boilermakers ran Nebraska out of the gym.

Purdue players found themselves wide open for uncontested shots throughout. Nebraska committed only 10 personal fouls, and Purdue converted on just three of six free throws.

The Boilermakers shot 63% from the field, and were 19-for-33 (58%) from 3-point range.

Purdue travels to Washington Wednesday, while Nebraska returns home to meet Rutgers on Thursday, hoping to avoid a third straight loss. Purdue has won five straight. The win improved their record to 13-4, going 5-1 in Big Ten action.

Nebraska dropped to 12-4 overall with a 2-3 mark in conference play.

January 11, 2025 Player of the Day - Cooper Flagg, Duke Blue Devils

More than a few college hoops analysts had said it was only a matter of time before Duke's freshman sensation, Cooper Flagg, would deliver a breakout performance.

That performance was Saturday night as Flagg set a freshman ACC record with 42 points, propelling the #4 Blue Devils to a 86-78 victory over Notre Dame before a cheering home crowd.

Flagg, an AP preseason All-American hit 11 of 14 shots from the floor, including four of six 3-pointers and 16 of 17 free throws, adding seven assists and six rebounds. The 6'9" native of Newport, Maine led Duke to a 44-36 lead at the break and continued to put pressure on the Irish in the second half, scoring throughout his 36 minutes of play.

Barely noticed was fellow freshman Khaman Maluach's first double-double in conference play with 19 points and 10 rebounds. The 7'2" center put up a double-double in his second game for Duke, scoring 11 points with 14 boards in a 100-58 wipeout of Army on November 8.

Flagg is averaging 19.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game for the Blue Devils, who remain undefeated in conference play. He's scored in double figures in all but three games, those being non-conference blowouts in which he saw limited playing time.

Duke improved to 14-2, with a 6-0 mark in the ACC leading 5-1 Louisville and Clemson by one game, and Wake Forest and North Carolina - both 4-1 - by 1 1/2.

Duke has won ten straight and looks to extend that to 11 when they host Miami Tuesday.

Notre Dame dropped to 7-9 and 1-4 in the ACC. Boston College (9-7) visits the Irish on Monday, January 13.

January 10, 2025 Player of the Day - Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Maryland Terrapins

His team down nine points with 5:11 left in the game, UCLA head coach Mick Cronin had seen enough. Barking at the sideline official after he thought his players were being fouled, the coach received two quick technicals and got himself tossed. Ejected.

Point guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie made all four free throws and senior forward Julian Reese added a layup on Maryland's ensuing possession, putting the Terps up 66-51, ending the contest for all intents and purposes. Maryland eventually prevailed, 79-61.

Gillespie finished with a game-high and season-high 27 points on 7-for-13 shooting, including 4 of 8 from beyond the arc and 9-for-9 from the foul line, adding four assists and four steals.

Resse notched his seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 boards.

The Terps shot 54% to the Bruins' 41.5. UCLA committed 21 turnovers and the same number of fouls. Maryland made 18 of 21 from the foul line.

After two years at Belmont, Gillespie, a junior from Greenville, TN, transferred to Maryland for the 2024-25 season. He's averaging 13.9 points, 4.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.

Maryland snapped a two game losing streak as they returned home following losses at Washington and Oregon last week. With the UCLA win, they improved to 12-4 and 2-3 in Big Ten play. Their other conference loss was a 83-78 setback at Purdue in December.

For Mick Cronin and his Bruins, the defeat was the third straight, following a 66-58 loss at Nebraska and a 94-75 trouncing by Michigan, after which Cronin called his players "soft" and "delusional", possibly referring to their attitudes after beating Gonzaga 65-62, December 28. UCLA (11-5, 2-3) has lost four of its last five.

Both teams play next on Monday. UCLA continues its East Coast swing with a game at Rutgers, while the Terrapins host Minnesota.

January 9, 2025 Player of the Day - Braden Smith, Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue won its fourth straight game, improving to a 10-4 record, as the 20th-ranked Boilermakers steamrolled Rutgers, 68-50, Thursday night at Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey.

The loss dropped the Scarlet Knights to 8-8 on the season while Purdue notched its fourth Big Ten win against one loss.

Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith each scored 16 for the Boilermakers, with Smith dishing out 14 assists along with three rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot.

Smith's assist total fell one short of his season high of 15, accomplished in the season opener, a 90-73 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christie. It was Smith's seventh double-double of the season. He averages 8.9 assists per game.

A junior, Smith's third season as a Boilermaker appears on track to be his best. He dished 222 free throws in 2023-24 and already has 143 this season. Last season, he averaged 13.0 points per game and he's well above that during this campaign, averaging 15.4.

Nationwide, Smith ranks third in assists-per-game, behind Sean Newman Jr. of Louisiana Tech and Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard, each at 9.6.

Purdue hosts Nebraska on Sunday.

Rutgers ends a three-game homestand, hosting No. 22 UCLA on Monday.

January 8, 2025 Player of the Day - Zhuric Phelps, Texas A&M Aggies

It was a wild time at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma Wednesday night, with the 17th-ranked Sooners hosting #10 Texas A&M in their SEC home opener.

Oklahoma's Brycen Goodine netted a season-high 34 points, but it was the Aggies' Zhuric Phelps who scored the same amount, including the decisive 3-point bucket with 19 seconds left to play, after Texas A&M rallied to erase an 18-point Oklahoma lead.

Phelps, a senior out of Midland, Texas who transferred from SMU to A&M following the 2023-24 season, has been a welcome addition to the Aggies' backcourt, averaging 14.8 points per game.

Wednesday's performance was a career-high for Phelps, hitting on 11 of 25 shots, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range. He was also perfect from the foul line, going 6-for-6, adding five boards and three steals.

Phelps' 60% shooting of 3s was nearly double his season average of 32.7. He's scored in double figures in each of his last six games and the Aggies have now won nine straight, including wins over Texas, Purdue, Wake Forest, Rutgers and Creighton.

Oklahoma turned the ball over 18 times, resulting in 30 points for the Aggies. The Sooners' loss was just their second of the season, dropping them to 13-2. They were unbeaten until they traveled to Alabama a few days ago, on Saturday, January 4, where they were throttled, 107-79.

The Aggies improved to 13-2 and are tied at 2-0 in the SEC with Auburn, Mississippi State, Alabama, and Ol Miss. Texas A&M dropped their season opener at UCF, 64-61, and lost at Oregon, 80-70 on November 26. They have not lost since.

On Saturday, January 11, Texas A&M hosts #5 Alabama while Oklahoma visits Georgia, 82-69 upset winners over Kentucky Tuesday.

January 7, 2025 Player of the Day - Vladislav Goldin, Michigan Wolverines

Tuesday was rife with upsets, including Florida's 73-43 trouncing of visiting #1 Tennessee, and Georgia's rude hosting of #6 Kentucky, in an 82-69 rout.

A little less monumental, but important nonetheless, was #24 Michigan's 94-75 win at #22 UCLA, and center Vladislav Goldin's tour de force 36-point, 7 rebound performance.

While the Wolverines improved to 12-3, the loss was the third in the last four outings for the Bruins, starting with a December 21 loss at North Carolina (76-74) and a January 4 defeat at Nebraska (65-62), Sandwiched in between, an unlikely win over Gonzaga (65-62). They're now 11-4.

UCLA fell from 15 to 22 in the most recent poll, and, from the looks of things, may be dropped completely out next week.

Michigan won its fourth straight, completing a West Coast swing after defeating USC Saturday, 85-74. In Tuesday's triumph, Goldin, the 7'1" center from Nalchik, Russia, dominated the paint and even made one of two from 3-point range, going 13-for-18 overall and making good on nine of 11 free throws.

Goldin, a 5th-year senior, began his collegiate career at Texas Tech in 2020-21 before three years at Florida Atlantic. Transferring to Michigan for the 2024-25 campaign, he's become one of the best big men in the country and makes Michigan a force with which to be reckoned.

Michigan, now leading at 4-0 in Big Ten conference play, returns home to meet the Washington Huskies on Sunday, January 12.

One notable stat from Tuesday's college hoops action comes from Florida, as the Gators completely stifled Tennessee, holding the Volunteers to 21.4% shooting (12-56) and 4-29 (13.8%) from three-point range. The Vols were also shaky at the foul line making just 15 of 25, and were out-rebounded 49-34. Tennessee was the last unbeaten team in the nation and it appears Auburn is lined up to take the top spot. Tennessee had occupied the #1 slot for five weeks.

January 6, 2025 Player of the Day - Jamille Reynolds, South Florida Bulls

South Florida won its fourth straight game, posting a 91-72 win at Wichita State Monday night, as senior forward Jamille Reynolds threw down a season high 22 points and recorded his fourth double-double with 10 rebounds.

Reynolds scored on the inside and out, hitting two of three 3-pointers and going 9-for-14 from the field. In 26 minutes of playing time, the 6'11" transfer out of St. Petersburg, FL, also blocked three shots and was 2-for-2 from the foul line.

Reynolds is well-traveled, having spent his first two seasons at UCF, then transferring to Temple for the 2022-23 season and then on to Cincinnati in 2023-24 before joining the Bulls in the current campaign.

In 14 games, Reynolds is averaging 11.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per outing, both career highs.

The Bulls improved to 9-6 and dropped the Shockers to 10-5. South Florida is tied for the lead in the AAC with Memphis, Rice, and Tulane, each with a 2-0 conference record. South Florida hits the hardwood next on Saturday, January 11, when they travel to meet the Tulane Green Wave.

January 5, 2025 Player of the Day - Hunter Dickinson, Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas took 83 shots and hit 42 of them, registering their 10th win of the season in a 99-48 rout of UCF Sunday. The 49-point margin of victory was the second-largest in program history.

7'2" senior center, Hunter Dickinson, went 12-for-17 from the field and ripped down nine boards. He scored 21 of his game-high 27 points in the first half as the Jayhawks built a 44-25 halftime lead. It got worse for the home-standing Knights in the second stanza, as Kansas scored 55 to their 23.

Dickinson's 27 points was just one short of his season-high. He scored 28 in a 77-69 win over Michigan State on November 12.

Kansas improved to 10-3, getting back on track after their 62-61 loss to West Virginia on New Year's Eve.

The 7th-ranked Jayhawks host Arizona State on Wednesday, January 8.

January 4, 2025 Player of the Day - Johni Broome, Auburn Tigers

One of the reasons the Auburn Tigers are 13-1 and ranked second in national polls is the play of 6'10" senior forward Johni Broome.

Auburn won its sixth straight and opened SEC play with a win on Saturday thanks to Broome's 24 points and seven rebounds in its 84-68 home triumph over visiting Missouri.

Broome hit 9 of 13 shots from the field and canned a three-pointer to go with seven boards and four blocked shot. He is averaging a double-double on the year, averaging 18.6 points and 11.1 rebounds. Broome has scored in double digits every game this season except for a 100-59 blowout over Georgia State in which he played only two minutes.

The Tigers hit the hardwood next in a couple of conference road games, at Texas on Tuesday, January 7, and Saturday, the 11th, at South Carolina.

January 3, 2025 Player of the Day - John Blackwell, Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin improved to 11-3 Friday behind a record-setting 3-point performance and 32 points from sophomore guard, John Blackwell in a 116-85 win over visiting Iowa.

Blackwell, a 6'4" shooter from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, made six of 10 from 3-point range and was 11-for-18 overall, setting a personal career scoring mark as the Badgers established a team record with 21 made 3-pointers on 31 attempts. The Badgers shot a blistering 64.5% from the field and were 15-for-17 at the foul line. Wisconsin is the best in the nation at the charity stripe, hitting 85.3% from the foul line.

Establishing an early lead, Wisconsin was never threatened by the Hawkeyes, taking an 11-point advantage into the break and scoring 62 second half points for a runaway victory, The 31-point win tied for the biggest margin of victory this season, matching a November 10, 87-56 win over Appalachian State.

Blackwell finished with eight rebounds and dealt five assists over his 32 minutes of playing time. He is Wisconsin's second-leading scorer at 15.4 ppg, behind John Tonje's 18.6.

The win was the first in Big Ten play for the Badgers, following losses to Michigan and Illinois in December. Wisconsin travels to Rutgers on Monday.