Saturday delivered a March-caliber showcase across men’s college basketball, with three Top 10 teams falling and the national picture shifting by the hour. In Washington, D.C., Duke took down No. 1 Michigan in a heavyweight clash. Hours before, Arizona stormed into Houston and handed the No. 2 Cougars a rare home defeat in the rugged Big 12 Conference. And in one of the day’s biggest shocks, Cincinnati dismantled No. 8 Kansas on its home floor. With conference races tightening and postseason resumes strengthening, this Saturday was nothing short of madness.
No. 3 Duke knocks off No. 1 Michigan 68-63 in D.C.
The Blue Devils added another marquee victory to its resume Saturday night, outlasting the Wolverines 68-63 in the nation’s capital, for the program’s 11th win over an AP No. 1 team.
The turning point came in a four-minute stretch bridging halftime. Trailing late in the first half, Duke closed the final two minutes on a surge and carried it into the opening two minutes of the second half, completing a 9-0 run that flipped a deficit into a 38-33 lead. Patrick Ngongba’s free throws at the horn gave the Blue Devils a 35-33 halftime edge before Dame Sarr and Isaiah Evans extended the margin after the break.
Michigan repeatedly clawed back. Yaxel Lendeborg’s jumper with 3:49 left cut it to 57-56, and Elliot Cadeau’s bucket with 1:39 remaining made it 64-61. But Cameron Boozer answered with a clutch mid-range jumper and later converted two free throws to keep Duke in front.
Boozer led the Blue Devils with 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, despite being limited in the second half with foul trouble. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg led all scorers with 21 points and seven boards, but his efforts came up short.
Cam Boozer showing off the vision 👁️
(via @espn) pic.twitter.com/oiHdUzbr9c
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 22, 2026
In the final seconds, Michigan forced a stop and had a chance to tie, but Ngongba corralled a crucial offensive rebound off his own missed layup, forcing the Wolverines to foul. Isaiah Evans iced the game at the line, sealing Duke’s ninth ranked win of the season.
No. 4 Arizona “upsets” No. 2 Houston 73-66, hands Cougars rare home loss
The Wildcats handed the Cougars men’s basketball its first home loss of the season and just its second since joining the Big 12 Conference in 2023 with a 73-66 victory Saturday night.
A shorthanded Arizona controlled key stretches and never trailed over the final 5 1/2 minutes. After a back-and-forth 35 minutes, Motiejus Krivas’ dunk and Jaden Bradley’s drive sparked a decisive 10-0 run that gave the Wildcats a 60-50 lead with 5:30 remaining.
10-0 run for the Cats! pic.twitter.com/FUpLztX8Sx
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) February 21, 2026
Houston finally answered with a 3-pointer by Kingston Flemings at the 2:28 mark, cutting the deficit to 61-57 and ending a 10-minute field-goal drought. But the Cougars could not draw closer than four the rest of the way.
Arizona built a 36-31 halftime lead behind Anthony Dell’Orso and Bradley, who consistently attacked off turnovers. The Wildcats forced multiple Houston mistakes and converted second-chance opportunities throughout.
Bradley sealed the win at the foul line in the final minute as Arizona improved its standing in ever-changing conference race. Anthony Dell’Orso led the Wildcats with 22 points and seven steals, while Jaden Bradley and Ivan Kharchenkov combined for 33.
Houston dropped its first two-game losing streak in more than two years, a rare stumble for one of the league’s most consistent programs.
Cincinnati gets huge upset win over No. 8 Kansas
The Cincinnati Bearcats delivered a stunning statement on the road, taking down No. 8 Kansas 84-68 inside Allen Fieldhouse.
The Bearcats had not beaten an AP top 10 team on the road since 1990 (Louisville), and the victory also marked Kansas’ largest home loss to an unranked opponent under head coach Bill Self, who has led the Jayhawks since 2003.
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Kansas (20-7, 10-4 Big 12) struggled to keep pace with Cincinnati’s offensive rhythm and dominant defensive play. Moustapha Thiam powered the Bearcats with a career-high 28 points, with Baba Miller adding 18 and Jalen Celestine tallying 14.
Moustapha Thiam is BALLING for Cincinnati right now.
He’s got 25 points and No. 8 Kansas is being tested! @GoBearcatsMBB pic.twitter.com/MHvXK0mfkS
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) February 21, 2026
Despite strong efforts from Kansas standouts Flory Bidunga with 18 points and Darryn Peterson having 17, Cincinnati seized control after halftime, limiting the Jayhawks’ scoring opportunities down the stretch.
Kansas entered the matchup having won nine of its last 10 conference games, while Cincinnati arrived with a momentum of its own, riding a three-game win streak and showing steady improvement. On Saturday afternoon, that confidence translated into one of the Bearcats’ most significant wins in decades.
As the Big 12 title race tightens, Kansas will face No. 2 Houston on Monday, Feb. 23, while the Bearcats travel to Lubbock, Texas, hoping to take down Texas Tech.