NCAA Basketball Recap

December 21, 2025 • Sports

Hosted by Big Dill

About This Episode

Generated sports podcast with host Big Dill based on prompt: I want the scores from yesterday’s mens NCAA college basketball games. Give me scores, highlights, and top performers.

Transcript

Welcome to Big Dill Sports, I'm your host, Dillon. Today, we're diving into the thrilling matchups from this weekend’s NCAA basketball action. From top-25 clashes to jaw-dropping upsets, it was a weekend to remember! So, let’s not waste any time and get straight into the highlights.

First up, we had No. 6 Purdue steamrolling No. 21 Auburn, 88-60. Purdue's shooting was sizzling, hitting nearly 56% from the field. Trey Kaufman-Renn was on fire with 18 points and Braden Smith dazzled with an 11-point, 14-assist double-double. Auburn struggled with foul trouble, especially Kevin Overton's valiant effort with 22 points.

Over in Madison Square Garden, we witnessed a stunner. No. 19 Texas Tech rallied from 17 points down to shock No. 3 Duke, 82-81. Christian Anderson was the hero with a monstrous 27 points, including the game-winning free throw. Duke’s Cameron Boozer scored 23 points but missed crucial free throws in the dying seconds.

Onto Houston, who snapped Arkansas’s four-game win streak with a 94-85 victory. Emanuel Sharp led the charge with 22 points, dropping pivotal threes in quick succession. Meanwhile, Arkansas’s Darius Acuff Jr. put up a fight with 27 points.

Iowa turned their game against Bucknell into a showcase with a dominating 94-39 win, forcing 25 turnovers. Alvaro Folgueiras was a standout off the bench with 17 points and maniacal defense.

Virginia held off Maryland 80-72, with Dallin Hall having a perfect evening, scoring 20 points on flawless shooting. Maryland’s David Coit led with 15 points but was undone by turnovers.

Rutgers and Penn gave us a nail-biter. Tariq Francis exploded with 34 points, including a dramatic buzzer-beating three-pointer that lifted Rutgers to a 70-69 victory.

Now, let’s touch on a few notable non-conference outcomes. UCF extended their win streak by thrashing Florida Gulf Coast 102-80, with Jordan Burks making five threes. Stanford's Ebuka Okorie made headlines, setting a freshman record with 32 points in their win over Colorado, while Loyola Chicago edged past Santa Clara 80-78, thanks to Kayde Dotson’s late-game heroics.

Aaron Glass shone for Washington State in their 84-78 triumph over Mercer, and Utah overwhelmed Eastern Washington 101-77. Utah Tech pulled off an exciting comeback to slip past Weber State 82-80, thanks to Ethan Potter's clutch performance.

Before we wrap up, it’s time to highlight our 'big dill' of the week. This title goes to Christian Anderson from Texas Tech. His stellar performance against Duke, especially under pressure, makes him a true game-changer. That's the kind of player who embodies what being a 'big dill' is all about.

That wraps up today’s NCAA basketball recap. Thanks for tuning into Big Dill Sports. I’m Dillon, and I’ll catch you all next week for more hoops action and stories. Stay sporty and keep those game faces on!

## Major Matchups and Headlines
Saturday’s men’s NCAA slate featured 20 games, headlined by top‐25 clashes and major upsets. No. 6 Purdue dominated No. 21 Auburn, while No. 19 Texas Tech rallied to shock No. 3 Duke. No. 8 Houston edged No. 14 Arkansas, Iowa throttled Bucknell, Virginia overpowered Maryland, and Rutgers snapped Penn in thrilling fashion ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/top-25-roundup-no-19-texas-tech-rallies-hand-no-3-duke-first-loss--flm-2025-12-21/?utm_source=openai)).

### No. 6 Purdue 88, No. 21 Auburn 60
Purdue (11-1) shot 55.9% overall and 46.2% from three en route to an 88-60 rout of Auburn (8-4) in Indianapolis. Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting with six rebounds, while Braden Smith recorded a 11-point, 14-assist double-double. Auburn’s Kevin Overton led the Tigers with 22 points, but foul trouble and a limping Tahaad Pettiford hampered their comeback efforts ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/no-6-purdue-has-no-issues-routing-no-21-auburn--flm-2025-12-21/?utm_source=openai)).

### No. 19 Texas Tech 82, No. 3 Duke 81
At Madison Square Garden, Texas Tech rallied from 17 down to stun Duke (11-1) 82-81. Christian Anderson poured in 27 points—23 in the second half—and calmly sank the tiebreaking free throw with 3.4 seconds left. J.T. Toppin added 19 points and 10 rebounds. Cameron Boozer led Duke with 23 points and seven assists but missed key free throws in the final minute ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/top-25-roundup-no-19-texas-tech-rallies-hand-no-3-duke-first-loss--flm-2025-12-21/?utm_source=openai)).

### No. 8 Houston 94, No. 14 Arkansas 85
Houston (11-1) snapped Arkansas’s four-game streak, winning 94-85 in Newark. Emanuel Sharp led the Cougars with 22 points, including three pivotal threes in 85 seconds. Freshman Kingston Flemings chipped in 21 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Texas A&M’s discipline at the line (19 points off 12 turnovers) and 21-point run sealed the win, while Arkansas’s Darius Acuff Jr. scored 27 ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/no-8-houston-snaps-no-14-arkansas-four-game-streak--flm-2025-12-21/?utm_source=openai)).

### Iowa 94, Bucknell 39
Iowa (10-2) forced 25 turnovers and converted them into 40 points in a dominant 94-39 win over Bucknell. Alvaro Folgueiras led the Hawkeyes off the bench with 17 points, seven steals, and a blistering 6-of-7 shooting in the first half. Tavion Banks added 16 points and nine rebounds; Kael Combs chipped in 13 points. Bucknell’s Ruot Bijiek led his team with nine points ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/iowa-forces-25-turnovers-55-point-rout-bucknell--flm-2025-12-21/?utm_source=openai)).

### Virginia 80, Maryland 72
In Charlottesville, No. 23 Virginia (10-1) held off Maryland 80-72. Dallin Hall was lethal, scoring a season-high 20 points on perfect 8-for-8 shooting. Jacari White added 15 points, highlighted by a thunderous dunk that ignited a 17-0 run spanning the break. Maryland’s top scorer David Coit led the Terps with 15, but 19 turnovers and frontcourt injuries to Pharrel Payne stymied their efforts ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/top-25-roundup-no-19-texas-tech-rallies-hand-no-3-duke-first-loss--flm-2025-12-21/?utm_source=openai)).

### Rutgers 70, Penn 69
Tariq Francis exploded for a career-high 34 points and drilled a buzzer-beating three to lift Rutgers (6-6) past Penn. Francis made 15 of 19 free throws in the second half, fueling a comeback from a six-point deficit with under two minutes left. Penn’s TJ Power posted 19 points and 13 rebounds, but missed two free throws in the closing seconds, opening the door for Rutgers’s rally ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/rutgers-tariq-francis-34-sinks-penn-last-second-3--flm-2025-12-21/?utm_source=openai)).

## Notable Non-Conference Results
### UCF 102, Florida Gulf Coast 80
UCF (10-1) extended its win streak to nine games, trouncing FGCU. Jordan Burks led the Knights with 23 points (18 in the first half) and five threes, while Themus Fulks added 21 points and five assists. Jamichael Stillwell registered 14 points and 13 rebounds, including eight offensive boards. FGCU’s Jordan Ellerbee scored 21 in a losing effort ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/401824829?utm_source=openai)).

### Stanford 77, Colorado 68
Freshman Ebuka Okorie erupted for a season-high 32 points—breaking Stanford’s freshman scoring record—on 18-of-21 free throws to power the Cardinal to a 77-68 win at the Hall of Fame Series. Benny Gealer chipped in 13 points with three threes, while Chisom Okpara added 11. Colorado’s Barrington Hargress led the Buffaloes with 16 points and six assists but struggled with foul trouble ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/boxscore/NCAAB_20251220_STNFRD%40COLO/?utm_source=openai)).

### Loyola Chicago 80, Santa Clara 78
Kayde Dotson poured in 26 points—including 15 down the stretch—in Loyola Chicago’s 80-78 road win. Justin Moore added 15 points, and Deywilk Tavarez contributed 13. Santa Clara’s Christian Hammond tallied 25 points, and Elijah Mahi posted 21, but a late 0-for-11 drought doomed the Broncos ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20251220_LOYCHI%40SNCLRA?utm_source=openai)).

### Washington State 84, Mercer 78
Aaron Glass scored a team-high 24 points and five rebounds, while Eemeli Yalaho added 14 points and 10 boards, as Washington State (5-8) held off Mercer. Rihards Vavers chipped in 12 points off the bench. Mercer’s Baraka Okojie matched Glass with 24 points; Connor Serven posted 15 points and seven rebounds ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20251220_MERCER%40WASHST?utm_source=openai)).

### Utah 101, Eastern Washington 77
Don McHenry drilled six threes en route to 27 points, while Terrence Brown orchestrated the offense with 20 points and 11 assists in Utah’s rout of EWU. Keanu Dawes tallied a 21-point perfect shooting night (9-for-9). Eastern’s Alton Hamilton IV battled with 19 points and nine rebounds ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20251220_EWASH%40UTAH?utm_source=openai)).

### Omaha 85, Lamar 82 (OT)
Lance Waddles poured in 25 points with six rebounds and three steals, and Paul Djobet added 22, to guide Omaha to an 85-82 overtime win. Rob Lee Jr. led Lamar with 24 points; Braden East chipped in 17 points and 14 rebounds ([games.cbssports.com](https://www.games.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20251220_OMA%40LAMAR/?utm_source=openai)).

### Cal Baptist 74, Sacramento State 67
Martel Williams scored 14 points and hauled in five rebounds, while Thomas Ndong added 12 points and 17 boards in Cal Baptist’s road victory. Sacramento State’s Jahni Summers recorded 21 points and two steals; Mikey Williams added 18 points and five assists ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20251220_SACST%40CALBPTST?utm_source=openai)).

### UNLV 84, Fresno State 72
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn led UNLV with a game-high 28 points, seven rebounds, and three steals in the Rebels’ Mountain West opener. Kimani Hamilton poured in 20 points, and Tyrin Jones registered 18. Fresno State’s Wilson Jacques contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds; Jake Heidbreder added 17 points and five assists ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/boxscore/NCAAB_20251220_FRESNO%40UNLV/?utm_source=openai)).

### Tulane 63, Portland State 61
Asher Woods scored 21 of his team-high 21 points and sank two free throws with two seconds remaining as Tulane edged Portland State. Rowan Brumbaugh added 14 points, while Portland State’s Keyon Kensie and Terri Miller Jr. each posted 22 points and eight rebounds ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/expert-picks/NCAAB_20251220_PORTST%40TULANE/?utm_source=openai)).

### Richmond 80, Citadel 56
Jaden Daughtry erupted for 17 points off the bench and four steals in Richmond’s wire-to-wire win. Mike Walz chipped in 14 points and five rebounds; Citadel’s Logan Applegate and Braxton Williams each scored 10 ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20251220_CIT%40RICH?utm_source=openai)).

### Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 93, Southwestern Adventist 36
Leo Torbor paced the Islanders with 13 points and four steals, and Franck Yetna added 11 points and nine rebounds in dominant fashion over D-II Southwestern Adventist. Andre Guajardo Mancilla led the Knights with 10 points and three steals ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20251220_SWADV%40TXAMCC?utm_source=openai)).

### Utah Tech 82, Weber State 80
Ethan Potter poured in 23 points with eight rebounds and drilled the go-ahead layup with two seconds left as Utah Tech rallied past Weber State. Tijan Saine led Weber State with 28 points and four assists; Trevor Henning added 17 ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20251220_UTTCH%40WEBER?utm_source=openai)).

NCAA Basketball Recap