College basketball returned on Monday with a packed opening night slate that delivered upsets, offensive explosions, and historic upsets. No. 22 UCLA stunned No. 5 Arizona 84-75, while No. 3 Illinois routed FDU 120-45 with a program-record 19 three-pointers. No. 1 Florida opened with a convincing win over Miami, and 28.5-point underdog East Texas A&M shocked Oklahoma 68-64 for the program's first victory over a power-conference opponent.
Winners
Illinois showcased a revamped transition offense, scoring 75 points above their previous home margin record. Seven players hit multiple threes, led by Andrej Stojakovic's 20 points. Florida's Thomas Haugh made four three-pointers and added 10 rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal in a 19-point effort. UCLA's Trent Perry scored 21 points with five assists in the upset over Arizona, while BYU's Rob Wright III poured in 33 points in a 94-83 win over Ohio State. Gonzaga's Davis Fogle tallied 22 points in a 78-72 victory over Purdue. High Point and Murray State also earned impressive wins to start their seasons.
Losers
North Carolina survived a scare against Western Carolina, winning 80-72 after a second-half collapse. Miami's Reneau fouled out with just five points in a loss to Florida. Iowa State fell 80-76 to Memphis despite being a KenPom top-10 team. Oklahoma suffered a historic 68-64 loss to East Texas A&M, the second-largest point-spread upset in 30 years. UCF needed overtime to escape FGCU despite Dior Johnson's 41 points.
