ON THIS DAY IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL
April 3.
Different years. Same date. Games worth remembering.
ON THIS DAY · April 3PAINT
When the ranked collide
Ranked matchups, highest-ranked team first. Showing 10 of 13.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | #3 Michigan81 | #2 Kentucky78 | Neutral site · OT |
| 1995 | #1 UCLA89 | #6 Arkansas78 | Neutral site · Seattle |
| 2017 | #6 North Carolina71 | #2 Gonzaga65 | Neutral site · State Farm Stadium · Glendale, AZ |
| 2021 | #3 Baylor78 | #6 Houston59 | Neutral site · Lucas Oil Stadium · Indianapolis, IN |
| 2010 | #3 Duke78 | #6 West Virginia57 | Neutral site |
| 2004 | #7 Connecticut79 | #6 Duke78 | Neutral site |
| 1993 | #4 North Carolina78 | #9 Kansas68 | Neutral site |
| 2000 | #2 Michigan State89 | #13 Florida76 | Neutral site · Indianapolis |
| 2006 | #11 Florida73 | #7 UCLA57 | Neutral site · RCA Dome · Indianapolis, IN |
| 2004 | #14 Georgia Tech67 | #4 Oklahoma State65 | Neutral site |
ON THIS DAY · April 3PAINT
Down to the wire
Ranked teams. Three points or fewer between them.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | #10 Michigan80 | #11 Seton Hall79 | 1 pt |
| 2004 | #7 Connecticut79 | #6 Duke78 | 1 pt |
| 2010 | #11 Butler52 | #13 Michigan State50 | 2 pts |
| 2004 | #14 Georgia Tech67 | #4 Oklahoma State65 | 2 pts |
| 1993 | #3 Michigan81 | #2 Kentucky78 | 3 pts |
ON THIS DAY · April 3PAINT
Top ten. Taken down.
The widest losses by a team ranked in the top ten.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #3 Duke78 | #6 West Virginia57 | 21 pts |
| 2021 | #3 Baylor78 | #6 Houston59 | 19 pts |
| 2006 | #11 Florida73 | #7 UCLA57 | 16 pts |
ON THIS DAY · April 3PAINT
Games for the title
Conference tournament and NCAA Tournament championship games played on this date.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #10 Connecticut76 | #18 San Diego State59 | Neutral site · NRG Stadium · Houston, TX |
| 2017 | #6 North Carolina71 | #2 Gonzaga65 | Neutral site · State Farm Stadium · Glendale, AZ |
| 2006 | #11 Florida73 | #7 UCLA57 | Neutral site · RCA Dome · Indianapolis, IN |
| 2000 | #2 Michigan State89 | #13 Florida76 | Neutral site · Indianapolis |
| 1995 | #1 UCLA89 | #6 Arkansas78 | Neutral site · Seattle |
ON THIS DAY · April 3PAINT
Never count them out
Largest deficits erased, measured from play-by-play. Earliest on file: 2006.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Trailed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Villanova60 | Southern California59 | Trailed by 12 |
| 2008 | Ohio State92 | Massachusetts85 | Trailed by 10 |
ON THIS DAY · April 3PAINT
Points on points
The highest combined scores on this date.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | DePaul100 | South Florida96 | 196 total pts |
| 2021 | #1 Gonzaga93 | UCLA90 | 183 total pts |
| 2008 | Ohio State92 | Massachusetts85 | 177 total pts |
| 2025 | Chattanooga85 | UC Irvine84 | 169 total pts |
| 2025 | UCF88 | Cincinnati80 | 168 total pts |
ON THIS DAY · April 3PAINT
You had to be there
The biggest crowds, by announced attendance.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | #6 North Carolina71 | #2 Gonzaga65 | 76,168 fans |
| 2023 | #10 Connecticut76 | #18 San Diego State59 | 72,423 fans |
| 2010 | #11 Butler52 | #13 Michigan State50 | 71,298 fans |
| 2010 | #3 Duke78 | #6 West Virginia57 | 71,298 fans |
| 1993 | #3 Michigan81 | #2 Kentucky78 | 64,151 fans |
ON THIS DAY · April 3PAINT
Big nights
The highest-scoring individual games on this date.
| Season | Player | Game | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | John Morton Jr. | Seton Hall vs. Michigan | 35 pts · 4 reb · 3 ast · 4 threes |
| 1989 | Glen Rice | Michigan vs. Seton Hall | 31 pts · 11 reb · 0 ast · 5 threes |
| 1995 | Ed O'Bannon Jr. | UCLA vs. Arkansas | 30 pts · 17 reb · 3 ast · 1 threes |
| 1993 | Chris Webber III | Michigan vs. Kentucky | 27 pts · 13 reb · 0 ast · 0 threes |
| 1995 | Toby Bailey Jr. | UCLA vs. Arkansas | 26 pts · 9 reb · 3 ast · 1 threes |