This was one of those midweek NCAAB slates where the rankings didn’t protect anyone. Portland finally got Gonzaga, Minnesota ended a long skid by never trailing Michigan State, and Oklahoma State out-executed BYU while forcing turnovers. Illinois and Houston looked like top-tier teams doing top-tier things, and Clemson won a close one even while going ice-cold late.
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Latest NCAAB Odds & Lines
Before you build the next card, check the latest NCAAB odds and lines for moneyline, spread, and totals. Nights like this, with ranked teams getting clipped and margins flipping late, can reshape the market quickly.
NCAAB Picks of the Day
For quick-hit angles across the next slate, start with today’s college basketball picks and compare approaches. I think it’s most useful when you’re deciding whether an “upset” was a real matchup problem or just one hot shooting night.
UC Irvine Anteaters
vs
CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners
Open
vs
Feb 05, 2026 22:00 EST
–
Score
–
-16.00 -110
Spread
+16.00 -110
o+145.50-110
Total
u+145.50-110
-2,000
Moneyline
+1,100
CSU Fullerton Titans
vs
UC Riverside Highlanders
Open
vs
Feb 05, 2026 22:00 EST
–
Score
–
-6.50 -110
Spread
+6.50 -110
o+155.00-110
Total
u+155.00-110
-333
Moneyline
+260
Cal Baptist Lancers
vs
Tarleton State Texans
Open
vs
Feb 05, 2026 22:00 EST
–
Score
–
-9.50 -110
Spread
+9.50 -110
o+141.50-110
Total
u+141.50-110
-526
Moneyline
+385
Top Takeaways
- Portland beating Gonzaga matters because it snapped a 20-game series losing streak and handed Gonzaga its first WCC loss. That’s not noise, that’s a real midweek landmine.
- Illinois’ 17 made threes and 40-point win is the kind of profile that nukes totals and spreads in either direction, depending on where you land.
- Houston’s offense didn’t need fireworks. It was clean, balanced, and never gave UCF a path back into the game.
- Minnesota never trailed against Michigan State. When an underdog controls from the opening tip, it’s usually effort plus shot quality, not luck.
- Oklahoma State’s turnover math was decisive: 16 forced turnovers turned into 21 points, and that’s how you beat a talented team even when one guy scores 36.
- Clemson won despite not making a field goal in the final four minutes. That’s a tight-game lesson: free throws and defensive stands can still carry you.
NCAAB Game Recaps
Gonzaga vs Portland Recap: Portland wins 87-80
Joel Foxwell tied his career high with 27 points as Portland upset No. 6 Gonzaga 87-80, handing the Bulldogs their first WCC loss. James O’Donnell scored 16 off the bench, Cameron Williams had 14 despite foul trouble, Jermaine Ballisager Webb posted 13 points and nine rebounds, and Garrett Nuckolls added 11 as the Pilots snapped a 20-game losing streak in the series.
Foxwell’s line was loaded: 11-of-18 shooting, 3-of-8 from three, a game-high eight assists, and four rebounds. He might’ve pushed past 27 if not for leg cramps that limited him in the final five minutes. Gonzaga got 24 points and 10 rebounds from Graham Ike, with Mario Saint-Supery adding 12 and Davis Fogle scoring 10, but Portland’s scoring spread and execution held up late.
Northwestern vs Illinois Recap: Illinois wins 84-44
Andrej Stojakovic scored 17 points as No. 5 Illinois crushed Northwestern 84-44 for its 12th straight win. Ben Humrichous, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Keaton Wagler each scored 13 as Illinois used hot shooting and ball movement to blow it open.
The betting story is the shooting gap. Illinois hit 17 of 38 from deep, while Northwestern shot 29.2% overall and finished 14 points below its previous season-low scoring output. Tre Singleton led the Wildcats with eight points, and Big Ten scoring leader Nick Martinelli was held to four points on 2-for-10 shooting.
UCF vs Houston Recap: Houston wins 79-55
Kingston Flemings scored 18 points as No. 8 Houston cruised to a 79-55 home win over UCF. Chris Cenac Jr. recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Milos Uzan added 12 as Houston won its third straight.
UCF never found a reliable scoring engine. Riley Kugel led with nine points, and four other Knights scored eight, Themus Fulks, John Bol, Jamichael Stillwell, and Jordan Burks, but that balance didn’t translate to pressure. Houston controlled it as a full-game script.
Michigan State vs Minnesota Recap: Minnesota wins 76-73
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson scored 22 points with seven rebounds as Minnesota upset No. 10 Michigan State 76-73, snapping a seven-game losing streak. Cade Tyson added 17 and Langston Reynolds had 14 points with eight assists as the Gophers never trailed.
This is the type of upset bettors respect because it wasn’t a late surprise. Minnesota led the whole way and finally got a win for the first time since Jan. 6, with Bobby Durkin adding 13 points and eight rebounds and Isaac Asuma scoring 10. Michigan State got 16 from Coen Carr, 15 from Jordan Scott, and 12 from Trey Fort on four threes, plus 10 points and 11 assists from Jeremy Fears Jr., but it was their second straight loss.
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BYU vs Oklahoma State Recap: Oklahoma State wins 99-92
Anthony Roy scored a season-high 30 points as Oklahoma State upset No. 16 BYU 99-92 in Stillwater. Jaylen Curry added 18, Parsa Fallah had 13 points and seven rebounds, and Vyctorius Miller scored 14 in the second half after not taking a shot before halftime.
Oklahoma State won the efficiency and turnover battle. The Cowboys shot 54.7% from the field and forced 16 turnovers, turning them into 21 points. BYU got a massive 36 from AJ Dybantsa and 20 points with eight rebounds from Richie Saunders, plus 15 from Robert Wright III, but the Cougars still dropped their third straight because they couldn’t protect the ball enough.
Clemson vs Stanford Recap: Clemson wins 66-64
Nick Davidson scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds as No. 20 Clemson edged Stanford 66-64, extending its ACC road winning streak to 13 games. Davidson hit two free throws for a 64-62 lead with 23 seconds left, and Clemson held after Ebuka Okorie missed a three with 7.1 seconds remaining. Ace Buckner added two late free throws and finished with 11, while Chase Thompson scored a career-high 10.
This game was messy late in a way bettors recognize. Clemson didn’t make a field goal in the final four minutes, and still won, which tells you it was defense and free throws deciding the margin. Aidan Cammann led Stanford with a career-high 19 points, Okorie added 18, and Oskar Giltay pulled 11 rebounds.
Notre Dame vs Louisville Recap: Louisville wins 76-65
No. 24 Louisville used a late first-half run and bench production to beat Notre Dame 76-65 at home. Isaac McKneely led with 13 points, hitting four threes, while Sananda Fru, Ryan Conwell, and Khani Rooths scored 12 each, and Rooths grabbed 12 rebounds.
The key stretch was that late first-half push that changed the game’s shape. J’Vonne Hadley exited early due to an apparent aggravation of a back injury, which is noted here but not expanded beyond that. Notre Dame got 18 from Cole Certa but lost for the eighth time in nine games.
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers
College hoops is where you get paid for reading volatility correctly. Midweek spots, travel, and matchup quirks matter, and the market can overreact to one result if you’re not careful. Following multiple sports handicappers helps you compare styles and find which analysts consistently identify the right side of these ranked games and upset spots.
If you want extra leans without forcing plays, the free service plays hub is useful for checking what’s being targeted. For fundamentals and a repeatable process, the Bettor’s Handbook is the baseline, and if you’re scaling up access across the season, compare pricing packages to match your volume.
