Tuesday Night Terror: The Underdogs Bark the Loudest in College Hoops

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From the desert in Tempe to the coast of Rhode Island, the favorites fell in spectacular fashion.

Display of Dominance: The NC State Wolfpack dismantles No. 16 North Carolina

The Score: NC State 82, NC Tar Heels 58

On Tuesday night at a sold-out Lenovo Center, NC State seized control early with an 8–0 run and never looked back, leading by double digits for the final 26 minutes of the contest.

Copeland’s Masterclass: Senior guard Quadir Copeland led all scorers with 20 points, seven assists, and four steals, remarkably finishing the game with zero turnovers.
Freshman Firepower: Matt Able reached a new career-high for the second straight game, pouring in 19 points fueled by a 5-of-7 performance from beyond the arc.
Defensive Lockdown: The Wolfpack forced 12 turnovers and limited UNC to just 28 points in the paint, a significant improvement after struggling defensively in their previous outing.
Bracket Implications: The victory snaps a two-game skid for NC State, moving them to 19–8 (10–4 ACC) and providing a massive boost to their resume as they push for a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Desert Stunner: Arizona State Topples No. 13 Texas Tech

Just days after Texas Tech pulled off their own massive upset over then-No. 1 Arizona, the Red Raiders found themselves on the wrong end of the “upset bug.”

The Score: Arizona State 72, No. 13 Texas Tech 67
The Story: Maurice Odum (23 points) and Massamba Diop (14 points) led a relentless Sun Devils attack that forced the Red Raiders into uncharacteristic mistakes.
The Injury: The loss was made even more bitter for Texas Tech as star forward JT Toppin—the hero of the Arizona win—exited the game in the second half with a leg injury. Without their double-double machine, the Red Raiders’ late-game comeback fell just short.

The Streak-Snapper: Rhode Island Drowns No. 18 Saint Louis

In South Kingstown, the Ryan Center was rocking as the Rhode Island Rams played the ultimate spoiler, ending the nation’s second-longest winning streak.

The Score: Rhode Island 81, No. 18 Saint Louis 76
The Sharpshooter: Jonah Hinton put on a clinic, knocking down nine 3-pointers on his way to a career-high 29 points.
The Fallout: The loss ends the Billikens’ incredible 18-game winning streak. Despite 21 points from star big man Robbie Avila, Saint Louis couldn’t overcome Hinton’s barrage from deep or their own 18 turnovers.

Lone Star Heartbreak: SMU Shoots Down No. 21 Louisville

The Atlantic Coast Conference saw its own shake-up as the Mustangs proved they are one of the most dangerous unranked teams in the country.

The Score: SMU 95, No. 21 Louisville 85
Closing Time: Tied 76–76 with six minutes to go, SMU went on a clinical 19–9 run to finish the game. Boopie Miller (23 points) and Jaron Pierre Jr. (25 points) dominated the backcourt matchup.
The Stats: The Mustangs shot a blistering 58.5% from the field, ending Louisville’s five-game winning streak and moving SMU into the top half of the ACC standings.