February 7, 2026
College Basketball
Minnesota Upsets Michigan State
In a significant upset, the Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the 10th-ranked Michigan State Spartans 76 - 73, ending a seven-game losing streak. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson led the Gophers with 22 points and 7 rebounds. The victory was Minnesota's first over a top-10 team since 2021. The loss was the second straight for the Spartans, dropping them to fourth place in the Big Ten standings.
NCAA President Speaks Out
Off the court, NCAA President Charlie Baker made headlines with his comments on the recent trend of former professional players attempting to return to college athletics. Baker referred to the situation as "the theater of the absurd" and suggested it might finally push Congress to create uniform laws for college sports. His comments came in the wake of cases like that of Charles Bediako, who has been playing for Alabama after a stint in the NBA's G-League, and Amari Bailey, who has expressed a desire to return to UCLA after playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
UConn Seeding Concern
Meanwhile, despite a dominant 22 - 1 record, the UConn Huskies may face a lower-than-expected seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament due to a week Big East schedule. With only six Quadrant 1 wins, the Huskies' strength of schedule is being questioned. The Big East has only one other ranked team, and more than half the conference is ranked 75th or worse in the NET rankings, limiting UConn's opportunities for high-quality wins.
High School Basketball
High School Basketball News
A high school basketball playoff game in Vancouver, British Columbia, ended in violence when an 18-year-old was stabbed and severely injured after a game between Eric Hamber Secondary and Killarney Secondary. The incident occurred after several fights broke out among spectators following Killarney's 97 - 95 overtime victory. No arrests have been made, and police are asking for witnesses with video footage to come forward.
-Sources: Associated Press. (2026, February 4). Minnesota shocks No. 10 Michigan State, handing Spartans 2nd straight loss. FOX Sports. https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/minnesota-upsets-no-10-michigan-state-7673-fending-off-late-spartans-surge-to-stop-7game-skid
O'Neil, D. (2026, February 4). 'The theater of the absurd': NCAA president says former pro players pushing to go back to college may make Congress act. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/04/sport/ncaa-president-college-basketball
News Desk. (2026, February 5). Teen severely wounded in stabbing after high school basketball playoff game in Vancouver. KSE. https://kse.com.pk/teen-severely-wounded-in-stabbing-after-high-school-basketball-game-in-vancouver/
Parrish, G. (2026, February 4). Top 25 and 1: UConn's NCAA Tournament seeding could be hurt by weak Big East schedule. CBS Sports. https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/college-basketball-rankings-top-25-and-1-uconn-big-east/