ON THIS DAY IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL
March 15.
Different years. Same date. Games worth remembering.
ON THIS DAY · March 15PAINT
Unranked. Unforgettable.
Unranked wins over ranked teams. Best rank beaten first. Showing 14 of 58.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Maryland83 | #2 Duke74 | Neutral site · First Horizon Coliseum · Greensboro, NC |
| 1998 | Rhode Island80 | #2 Kansas75 | Neutral site |
| 1981 | Kansas88 | #3 Arizona State71 | Neutral site |
| 2014 | UCLA75 | #4 Arizona71 | Neutral site · MGM Grand · Las Vegas, NV |
| 2008 | Arkansas92 | #4 Tennessee91 | Neutral site · McCamish Pavilion · Atlanta, GA |
| 2003 | Missouri68 | #4 Kansas63 | Neutral site · American Airlines Center · Dallas, TX |
| 1992 | Purdue61 | #4 Indiana59 | At home · Mackey Arena · West Lafayette, IN |
| 2024 | Mississippi State73 | #5 Tennessee56 | Neutral site · Bridgestone Arena · Nashville, TN |
| 2024 | Oregon67 | #6 Arizona59 | Neutral site · T-Mobile Arena · Las Vegas, NV |
| 1968 | Santa Clara86 | #6 New Mexico73 | Neutral site |
| 2008 | Clemson78 | #7 Duke74 | Neutral site · Spectrum Center · Charlotte, NC |
| 1987 | Florida85 | #7 Purdue66 | Neutral site |
| 1987 | Louisiana State72 | #8 Temple62 | Neutral site |
| 1981 | UAB69 | #8 Kentucky62 | Neutral site |
ON THIS DAY · March 15PAINT
When the ranked collide
Ranked matchups, highest-ranked team first. Showing 10 of 74.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | #1 UCLA90 | #3 Santa Clara52 | At home |
| 1957 | #2 Kansas73 | #4 Southern Methodist65 | On the road · OT |
| 1968 | #4 North Carolina91 | #3 St. Bonaventure72 | Neutral site · RAL |
| 2019 | #5 Duke74 | #3 North Carolina73 | Neutral site · Spectrum Center · Charlotte, NC |
| 2025 | #4 Florida104 | #5 Alabama82 | Neutral site · Bridgestone Arena · Nashville, TN |
| 1969 | #4 North Carolina87 | #5 Davidson85 | Neutral site · CP |
| 1963 | #3 Loyola (IL)61 | #6 Mississippi State51 | Neutral site |
| 1968 | #1 Houston91 | #9 Louisville75 | Neutral site |
| 2025 | #8 Tennessee70 | #3 Auburn65 | Neutral site · Bridgestone Arena · Nashville, TN |
| 1975 | #6 Kentucky76 | #5 Marquette54 | Neutral site |
ON THIS DAY · March 15PAINT
Down to the wire
Ranked teams. Three points or fewer between them.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #22 Michigan81 | #11 Maryland80 | 1 pt |
| 2019 | #5 Duke74 | #3 North Carolina73 | 1 pt |
| 1997 | #18 Iowa State67 | #10 Cincinnati66 | 1 pt |
| 1949 | #8 San Francisco64 | #12 Utah63 | 1 pt |
| 1969 | #6 Purdue75 | #14 Marquette73 | 2 pts |
ON THIS DAY · March 15PAINT
Top ten. Taken down.
The widest losses by a team ranked in the top ten.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | #1 UCLA90 | #3 Santa Clara52 | 38 pts |
| 1958 | #9 Kentucky89 | #8 Notre Dame56 | 33 pts |
| 2025 | #4 Florida104 | #5 Alabama82 | 22 pts |
| 1975 | #6 Kentucky76 | #5 Marquette54 | 22 pts |
| 1987 | Florida85 | #7 Purdue66 | 19 pts |
ON THIS DAY · March 15PAINT
Never count them out
Largest deficits erased, measured from play-by-play. Earliest on file: 2006.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Trailed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Akron76 | Miami (OH)74 | Trailed by 18 |
| 2024 | San Diego State86 | #18 Utah State70 | Trailed by 17 |
| 2017 | Southern California75 | Providence71 | Trailed by 17 |
| 2016 | Ball State78 | Tennessee State73 | Trailed by 17 |
| 2023 | Morehead State68 | Clemson64 | Trailed by 15 |
ON THIS DAY · March 15PAINT
Points on points
The highest combined scores on this date.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Georgetown115 | Virginia111 | 226 total pts |
| 2016 | Washington107 | Long Beach State102 | 209 total pts |
| 2008 | Boise State107 | New Mexico State102 | 209 total pts |
| 1973 | #17 Kentucky106 | #19 Austin Peay100 | 206 total pts |
| 1975 | Arizona102 | Purdue96 | 198 total pts |
ON THIS DAY · March 15PAINT
You had to be there
The biggest crowds, by announced attendance.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | #9 Duke79 | #22 Florida State69 | 26,352 fans |
| 2003 | #12 Duke75 | North Carolina63 | 23,745 fans |
| 2003 | NC State87 | #9 Wake Forest83 | 23,745 fans |
| 2013 | #9 Miami (FL)69 | Boston College58 | 22,169 fans |
| 2013 | NC State75 | Virginia56 | 22,169 fans |
ON THIS DAY · March 15PAINT
Big nights
The highest-scoring individual games on this date.
| Season | Player | Game | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati vs. Arkansas | 56 pts · 7 reb · 10 ast |
| 2026 | TJ Power | Pennsylvania vs. Yale | 44 pts · 14 reb · 2 ast · 7 threes |
| 1963 | Rod Thorn | West Virginia vs. Saint Joseph's | 44 pts · 6 reb · 1 ast |
| 1987 | Danny Manning | Kansas vs. Missouri State | 42 pts · 4 reb · 2 ast · 0 threes |
| 2000 | Kevin Braswell | Georgetown vs. Virginia | 40 pts · 4 reb · 5 ast · 4 threes |