ON THIS DAY IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL
December 3.
Different years. Same date. Games worth remembering.
ON THIS DAY · December 3PAINT
Unranked. Unforgettable.
Unranked wins over ranked teams. Best rank beaten first. Showing 14 of 36.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | UCLA87 | #1 Kentucky77 | At home · Pauley Pavilion · Los Angeles, CA |
| 2025 | Clemson70 | #4 Kentucky66 | At home · Littlejohn Coliseum · Clemson, SC |
| 2007 | Florida State70 | #4 Florida66 | At home · Tucker Center · Tallahassee, FL |
| 1969 | Wisconsin67 | #4 Kansas62 | At home · The Wisconsin Field House · Madison, WI |
| 1978 | Arizona State89 | #5 San Francisco79 | At home · ASU Activity Center · Tempe, AZ |
| 1988 | Southern Methodist82 | #7 Florida76 | At home · Moody Coliseum · Dallas, TX |
| 1984 | Virginia Tech89 | #7 NC State65 | Neutral site |
| 2003 | West Virginia68 | #8 Florida66 | At home · Charleston Civic Center · Charleston, WV |
| 1982 | Rutgers57 | #8 UCLA54 | Neutral site |
| 2023 | Rutgers63 | #10 Indiana48 | At home · Jersey Mike's Arena · Piscataway, NJ |
| 2006 | North Carolina83 | #10 Kentucky79 | On the road · Rupp Arena · Lexington, KY |
| 1974 | Kansas71 | #10 Kentucky63 | At home · Allen Fieldhouse · Lawrence, KS |
| 1963 | Arizona51 | #10 Wisconsin46 | On the road · The Wisconsin Field House · Madison, WI |
| 2025 | Michigan67 | #11 Wisconsin64 | On the road · Kohl Center · Madison, WI |
ON THIS DAY · December 3PAINT
When the ranked collide
Ranked matchups, highest-ranked team first. Showing 10 of 35.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | #1 Louisville58 | #4 Michigan43 | At home · KFC Yum! Center · Louisville, KY |
| 2015 | #4 Duke80 | #2 Wisconsin70 | On the road · Kohl Center · Madison, WI |
| 2012 | #1 Kentucky73 | #5 North Carolina72 | At home · Rupp Arena · Lexington, KY |
| 1995 | #7 Kansas81 | #1 Massachusetts75 | Neutral site |
| 1995 | #5 UCLA82 | #3 Kentucky81 | Neutral site |
| 2006 | #4 Villanova85 | #5 Oklahoma74 | At home · Finneran Pavilion · Villanova, PA |
| 1982 | #1 North Carolina78 | #9 Tulsa70 | At home · Carmichael Auditorium · Chapel Hill, NC |
| 2004 | #6 Duke72 | #5 Michigan State50 | On the road · Breslin Center · East Lansing, MI |
| 1981 | #2 Kentucky70 | #9 Ohio State64 | At home · Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center · Lexington, KY |
| 2017 | #11 UCLA97 | #1 Kentucky92 | On the road · Rupp Arena · Lexington, KY |
ON THIS DAY · December 3PAINT
Down to the wire
Ranked teams. Three points or fewer between them.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | #25 Utah69 | #8 Wichita State68 | 1 pt |
| 2012 | #1 Kentucky73 | #5 North Carolina72 | 1 pt |
| 1995 | #5 UCLA82 | #3 Kentucky81 | 1 pt |
| 2003 | #10 Indiana80 | #9 Maryland74 | 6 pts |
ON THIS DAY · December 3PAINT
Top ten. Taken down.
The widest losses by a team ranked in the top ten.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Virginia Tech89 | #7 NC State65 | 24 pts |
| 2004 | #6 Duke72 | #5 Michigan State50 | 22 pts |
| 1989 | #10 North Carolina76 | #8 Missouri60 | 16 pts |
| 2023 | Rutgers63 | #10 Indiana48 | 15 pts |
| 2020 | #1 Louisville58 | #4 Michigan43 | 15 pts |
ON THIS DAY · December 3PAINT
Never count them out
Largest deficits erased, measured from play-by-play. Earliest on file: 2006.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Trailed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Oregon State69 | Nevada-Las Vegas63 | Trailed by 22 |
| 2022 | Northeastern74 | Colgate69 | Trailed by 20 |
| 2017 | Cal State Fullerton78 | Pacific77 | Trailed by 20 |
| 2012 | #11 Xavier66 | Purdue63 | Trailed by 19 |
| 2026 | Furman97 | Elon88 | Trailed by 18 |
ON THIS DAY · December 3PAINT
Points on points
The highest combined scores on this date.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | #4 Jacksonville152 | Saint Peter's106 | 258 total pts |
| 1991 | Illinois120 | Milwaukee116 | 236 total pts |
| 1994 | Southeast Missouri State119 | Troy113 | 232 total pts |
| 1991 | UT Arlington117 | Nicholls State115 | 232 total pts |
| 1995 | Louisiana State127 | George Mason104 | 231 total pts |
ON THIS DAY · December 3PAINT
You had to be there
The biggest crowds, by announced attendance.
| Season | Winner | Opponent | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #4 Syracuse69 | Indiana52 | 26,414 fans |
| 2009 | #1 North Carolina98 | #13 Michigan State63 | 25,267 fans |
| 2012 | #1 Kentucky73 | #5 North Carolina72 | 24,398 fans |
| 2017 | #11 UCLA97 | #1 Kentucky92 | 23,976 fans |
| 2006 | North Carolina83 | #10 Kentucky79 | 23,860 fans |
ON THIS DAY · December 3PAINT
Big nights
The highest-scoring individual games on this date.
| Season | Player | Game | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Lynn Greer | Temple vs. Wisconsin | 47 pts · 4 reb · 2 ast · 6 threes |
| 2017 | DeWayne Russell | Grand Canyon vs. Louisville | 42 pts · 3 reb · 2 ast · 3 threes |
| 2012 | Damian Lillard | Weber State vs. San Jose State | 41 pts · 8 reb · 4 ast · 6 threes |
| 2001 | Tarise Bryson | Illinois State vs. Central Michigan | 41 pts · 6 reb · 4 ast · 4 threes |
| 2019 | Kevin Larkin | Delaware State vs. Cairn University | 40 pts · 11 reb · 6 ast · 3 threes |