Weird box score alert: Illinois beat Texas Tech tonight despite 15 fewer assists (5 vs 20). In the last 15 seasons, teams with 15 fewer assists than opponents win 0.6% of the time. The Illini are the 1st team in that span to beat a Top-25 opponent despite 15 fewer assists.

The last 3 players with at least 42 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists in a D-I game: - Brycen Blaine tonight - TCU’s Mike Jones in 1997 - Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson in 1990

An all-time game for Charleston Southern’s Brycen Blaine tonight in a win at The Citadel: - 42 points - 8-13 from 3 - 11 rebounds - 8 assists He’s the only player with at least 40 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 8 3s in a Division I game over the last 30 years.

1st 40-Point Game of the D-I Season, Last 8 Years: 2025: TJ Long (Vermont) 2024: Davion Bailey (UIW) 2023: Tyler Thomas (Hofstra) 2022: Drew Pember (UNC-Asheville) 2021: Felipe Haase (Mercer) 2020: Luka Garza (Iowa) 2019: Tarik Cool (Idaho St) 2018: Chris Clemons (Campbell)

Vermont’s TJ Long had 40 points & 13 boards in today’s win at Brown, the first 40-pt game this D-I season. The Rockville Centre, NY native cc @kevconnorsespn is the 3rd America East player w/ a 40-point double-double the last 30 years, joining Jameel Warney & Taylor Coppenrath.

Indiana is the first team to score 100 points in a regulation game against a Shaka Smart-coached Division I team. Today was the first time the Hoosiers cracked 100 in regulation against a high major opponent in nearly 10 years—since January 19, 2016 vs Illinois.

Alabama is the first team to drop 100 points in a regulation road win over an AP Top-5 opponent in 24 years. The last to do it was Kansas at (4) Arizona on December 1, 2001. These Bama guards are quite good.

Christian Anderson is the first Division I player with 30 points & 10 assists in a season-opener since South Dakota State’s Nate Wolters in 2011.

Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson tonight in a win over Lindenwood: - 34 points - 11 assists - 7 rebounds - 4 steals No other Division I player has had that many points, assists, rebounds, and steals in any regulation game over the last 15 years.

Arizona’s Koa Peat is the first Division I freshman with 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in a win over a Top-5 team over the last 20 years.

Arizona attempted only 5 3-pointers tonight, the fewest by any team in a win over a Top-5 opponent since St. John’s attempted 5 in a win over Duke in 2011.

For Arizona tonight in a win over (3) Florida: - Koa Peat: 30 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists - Jaden Bradley: 27 points, 5 assists They’re the only pair of teammates with 25 points and 5 assists each in a win over an AP Top-5 team over the last 20 years.

Also — I just watched the 1963 game — Cincinnati got absolutely hosed. Clear as day goaltending on Loyola not called which would’ve put Cincinnati up 5 with 25 seconds to play. Should’ve gone to the monitor.

Florida’s largest lead tonight was 2 points. The Gators are the 2nd team to win a National Championship Game without ever holding a 2-possession lead — Loyola Chicago’s largest lead was also 2 points in the 1963 Final.

This year’s 3 Final Four games were decided by a combined 11 points, tied for the 3rd-smallest margin in Final Four history. 1950 and 1982 each featured a combined 10-point spread between the 3 games.

No freshmen played in the national championship game for the first time since 1989.

On the other side, Houston lost 5 games this season by a total of 16 points.

Of the 48 national champions since Indiana went undefeated in 1975-76: - All have lost at least twice - 40 have lost a game by double digits - 7 have lost a game by 20+ points* - 1 lost a game by 30+ (2013-14 UConn) *Florida lost by 20 to Tennessee on Feb. 1.

Duke’s Cooper Flagg this season: 709 pts 277 reb 156 ast 52 stl 50 blk No player has ever had more pts, rebs, ast, stl, and blk in a season. In the Tournament: 105 pts 38 rebs 25 ast 10 blk 3 stl No player has ever had more pts, reb, ast, stl & blk in a single Tournament.

Houston’s LJ Cryer is the first player with 25 points and 6 3-pointers in a Final Four game since Bobby Hurley in 1992. J’Wan Roberts is the first player with 10 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 stocks in a Final Four game since Grant Hill in 1994.