Six Takeaways From Tuesday's College Basketball Slate

From Duke's continued success under Jon Scheyer to UConn's rising star Braylon Mullins, here are the key storylines from the latest slate of college basketball games.

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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The college basketball season is heating up as teams jockey for position ahead of March Madness. Tuesday night's slate featured several notable performances and storylines, including Duke's continued success under new head coach Jon Scheyer, the emergence of UConn freshman Braylon Mullins, and NC State's strong start under new coach Will Wade.

Why it matters

With the NCAA Tournament just around the corner, every game carries significant weight as teams look to bolster their resumes and position themselves for a deep March Madness run. The developments from Tuesday's action provide valuable insights into some of the top teams and players to watch as the season reaches its climax.

The details

Despite concerns about long-time assistants taking over for legendary coaches, Jon Scheyer has led Duke to continued success since taking over for Mike Krzyzewski. UConn freshman Braylon Mullins continued his impressive debut season, showcasing his 3-point shooting and rim protection in a blowout win over Xavier. At NC State, new head coach Will Wade has his team exceeding preseason expectations and sitting third in the ACC standings. Tennessee has found its stride behind the strong play of freshman wing Nate Ament, while USC's touted freshman Alijah Arenas introduced himself to the nation with a 29-point performance against Indiana. Elsewhere, mid-major programs Saint Louis and Miami (OH) are making strong cases for at-large NCAA Tournament bids with their continued success.

  • On Tuesday night, the college basketball slate featured several notable games and performances.
  • The month of February is here, meaning March Madness is right around the corner.

The players

Jon Scheyer

The new head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, taking over for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Braylon Mullins

A freshman wing player for the UConn Huskies, known for his elite 3-point shooting and defensive ability.

Will Wade

The new head coach of the NC State Wolfpack, who has his team exceeding preseason expectations and sitting third in the ACC standings.

Nate Ament

A freshman wing player for the Tennessee Volunteers, who has been a key factor in the team's recent four-game winning streak.

Alijah Arenas

A highly touted freshman guard for the USC Trojans, who had a breakout 29-point performance against Indiana in just his fifth collegiate game.

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What they’re saying

“I think he's just getting started. He has such a small circle and he's not on social media and he doesn't have a million people in his ear in his family's ear. He's just like — that's what tells me the guy is going to just keep surging. I think you're going to see even more dynamic nights from him… I think you're going to see this guy on the rim a lot more, mixed in with bomb threes, great pull up game, clever passer. And the guy guards.”

— Dan Hurley, Head Coach, UConn

“That guy is a warrior. He's a dog. He's one of the best freshmen if not the best freshman in the country.”

— Tarris Reed, UConn Big Man

“We heard all the chatter about how we've been beating up on the bottom of the league, right? Well, we've now beaten two of the top teams in the league [Clemson/SMU] on the road.”

— Will Wade, Head Coach, NC State

“We didn't overreact to the bad losses we had. We just stayed the course and kept doing what we're doing. I don't think anything really changed. We just started playing harder as a team.”

— Darrion Williams, Senior Wing, NC State

What’s next

The matchup on Friday between UConn and St. John's will be a highly anticipated game as the Huskies continue their push towards March Madness.

The takeaway

The developments from Tuesday's college basketball action showcase the emergence of several young stars, the continued success of elite programs under new leadership, and the potential of mid-major teams to make noise in the NCAA Tournament. As the season reaches its climax, these storylines will be crucial to follow as teams jockey for position and fans eagerly anticipate the madness of March.