By Tiffany Williams –
Men’s college basketball didn’t tiptoe into 2026 — it kicked the door off its hinges.
Thursday, January 1 delivered a full-blown bloodbath across the country, with ranked dreams dented, defenses embarrassed, and scoreboards screaming mercy that never came. If anyone thought New Year’s Day would be sleepy, they weren’t watching.
Start with the outright execution in Hanover. Dartmouth didn’t just beat Elms — it erased them. A 107–43 annihilation that looked less like a college game and more like a scrimmage gone wrong. Anton Strelnikov dropped 16 as Dartmouth ran at will, toyed with matchups, and humiliated Elms from the opening tip. Arik Dagan’s eight points were a footnote in a game that should raise serious questions about how that matchup ever made a schedule.
Oakland pulled off one of the day’s biggest gut punches, slipping past Youngstown State 85–83 in a game that felt like it was hanging by a thread for 40 minutes. Isaac Garrett was unstoppable with 27, slicing through defenders while YSU watched another close one slip away despite Bryson Dawkins’ 20. These are the games that haunt you in March.
Samford handled business at VMI, 78–58, behind Dylan Faulkner’s 25-point statement. VMI never found traction, never found rhythm, and never found a way to slow Faulkner once he got cooking. TJ Johnson’s 17 wasn’t nearly enough to change the story.
Georgia Southern and Coastal Carolina gave us chaos. Overtime chaos. GASO escaped Conway with an 82–81 thriller that left CCU fans staring at the floor. Spudd Webb and AJ Dancler both finished with 22, but only one team walked away breathing. Coastal had chances. Georgia Southern took them.
Stetson continues to quietly grind people down. A 70–67 road win at North Alabama showed toughness, composure, and a closer who doesn’t blink. Jamie Phillips Jr. went nuclear with 29, while UNA’s Donte Bacchus fought with 22 in a game that came down to execution, not effort.
North Dakota defended home court against Oral Roberts, 72–61, leaning on George Natsvlishvili’s 19. ORU got 20 from Yuto Yamanouchi-Williams, but couldn’t string together enough stops to make it interesting late.
Northern Kentucky stayed steady against IU Indianapolis, winning 81–72. Donovan Oday led with 18, while Kyler D’Augustino’s 20 for IUIN came in a losing effort that felt a step behind all night.
Wright State edged Milwaukee 76–70 in a Horizon League scrap that was physical, choppy, and relentless. Michael Imariagbe’s 17 were timely. Milwaukee’s Danilo Jovanovich had 15, but Wright State controlled the tempo when it mattered.
Green Bay dismantled Purdue Fort Wayne 72–54 in a game that was never truly competitive after halftime. Justin Allen and Corey Hadnot II each poured in 21, exposing gaps PFW couldn’t plug.
Long Island smothered Jacksonville 76–57. Grant Asman’s 11 led a balanced LIU attack, while Jacksonville never found offensive oxygen despite Chris Arias’ 13.
Central Arkansas stunned Florida Gulf Coast 85–83 in one of the day’s sneakiest results. Ty Robinson exploded for 27, matching FGCU punch for punch while J.R. Konieczny’s 25 came up just short of saving the Eagles.
Southern Illinois defended home court against Valpo, 75–70, even as Owen Dease torched the nets for 26. SIU survived behind team execution and timely baskets, proving again that individual scoring doesn’t win road games.
Illinois State crushed Evansville 73–47 in a one-sided Missouri Valley mismatch. Chase Walker’s 22 highlighted a Redbirds performance that left Evansville searching for answers Bryce Quinet couldn’t provide alone.
UT Arlington shut down Cal Baptist 63–51. Marcell McCreary led the Mavericks with 14, while Dominique Daniels Jr.’s 25 for CBU came in isolation, not flow.
UNC Greensboro handled Chattanooga 77–72 in a disciplined, sharp performance. KJ Younger’s 24 was the difference, neutralizing UTC’s attempts to claw back behind Jikari Johnson’s 15.
Presbyterian and Wofford delivered fireworks in overtime, with PRST surviving 95–90 thanks to Jaylin Henderson’s monstrous 34. Tijan Saine Jr. kept Wofford alive with 23, but Henderson hijacked the game.
UT Martin ground out a 67–60 win over Western Illinois. Filip Radaković’s 18 anchored a steady performance, while Lucas Lorenzen’s 23 kept WIU within striking distance longer than expected.
SIU Edwardsville edged Southern Indiana 59–55 in a grinder where every basket felt earned. Ring Malith’s 12 was enough. Tolu Samuels’ 14 wasn’t.
Lincoln took care of Morehead State, 77–64, with Milos Nenadic leading the charge at 21. Morehead never recovered from early defensive lapses despite Jon Carroll’s 18.
UC Davis outlasted Cal State Northridge 89–80 in a game that demanded shot-making. Connor Sevilla delivered 23, while Josiah Davis answered with 21 in a losing cause.
UC Irvine handled Cal State Bakersfield 81–77 behind Jurian Dixon’s 26. Ronald Jessamy’s 25 kept CSUB competitive, but Irvine stayed composed late.
Southern Miss rolled past Louisiana-Monroe 87–73 as Tylik Weeks poured in 24. Lavell Brodnex’s 20 couldn’t mask ULM’s defensive breakdowns.
South Dakota State flexed against Omaha, winning 84–69. Damon Wilkinson’s 24 set the tone. Paul Djobet fought with 22, but Omaha couldn’t keep pace.
Montana controlled Northern Arizona 78–64 behind Brooklyn Hicks’ 15. Ryan Abelman’s 13 wasn’t enough to swing momentum.
Little Rock cruised past Tennessee Tech 77–58 with Johnathan Lawson scoring 20. Brandon Muntu added 15 for TNTC in a game that slipped away early.
Belmont outclassed Bradley 88–78 as Tyler Lundblade and Demarion Burch each dropped 25. Bradley competed. Belmont finished.
Queens pulled off a narrow 91–89 win over Eastern Kentucky in a game defined by poise. Jordan Watford’s 17 edged MJ Williams’ 18 in a matchup that swung on execution.
West Georgia survived Bellarmine 87–85 in a track meet. Shelton Williams-Dryden exploded for 28, while Jack Karasinski’s 21 kept Bellarmine knocking on the door.
Northern Iowa stayed methodical against Indiana State, winning 75–66 behind Trey Campbell’s 18. Ian Scott chipped in 15, but UNI controlled the margins.
Hawai’i obliterated UC Riverside 88–45. Isaac Johnson led with 18 as Riverside was overwhelmed from start to finish. Marqui Worthy Jr.’s 14 barely registered.
Austin Peay torched North Florida 102–83. Collin Parker dropped 26 in a game that spiraled fast. Kent Jackson’s 20 came while chasing shadows.
Utah Valley outlasted Tarleton State 91–85 in a shootout where Jackson Holcombe’s 22 met Dior Johnson’s explosive 36. Tarleton scored plenty. Utah Valley scored smarter.
Utah Tech handled Abilene Christian 79–64 behind Chance Trujillo’s 19. Rich Smith’s 22 kept ACU competitive early before depth took over.
Southeast Missouri State beat Eastern Illinois 68–59 in a controlled outing led by Braxton Stacker’s 15. Andre Washington’s 14 never shifted momentum.
Murray State slipped past UIC 81–77 as Fred King’s 18 proved just enough to offset Ahmad Henderson II’s 22.
Montana State dominated Northern Colorado 89–75. Jed Miller’s 24 powered a Bobcats offense that never let UNCO breathe despite Zach Bloch’s 18.
Idaho State ran Sacramento State off the floor 97–84 in a scoring spree fueled by Jamison Guerra’s 24 and Mikey Williams’ blistering 34.
Cal State Fullerton handled UC Santa Barbara 95–84 as Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro scored 25, neutralizing Aidan Mahaney’s 23.
Cal Poly edged UC San Diego 67–65 in a nail-biter. Hamad Mousa delivered 26, while Alex Chaikin’s 17 wasn’t enough to flip the script.
This wasn’t a holiday slate. It was a warning. Defenses got exposed. Road teams got humbled. Stars showed up or vanished. January doesn’t care about preseason expectations — it only counts results. And on the first day of 2026, college basketball made one thing brutally clear: survive, or get run over.
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