- - College basketball opening night takeaways: Arizona's Koa Peat shows why he belongs among elite NBA prospects

Jeff Eisenberg November 4, 2025 at 4:53 PM

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So much for the widely held belief that Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer are a cut above the rest of this year’s freshman class.

Arizona’s Koa Peat made a strong opening statement Monday night that the Big Three should be at least a Big Four.

Peat delivered one of the finest debuts by a freshman in recent memory while spearheading 13th-ranked Arizona’s 93-87 upset of reigning national champion Florida. The 6-foot-8 forward took it to what is supposed to be the deepest frontline in college basketball this season, scoring 30 points and adding 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.

Florida returned preseason All-American Alex Condon and every other frontcourt player from last year’s title team, some two or three years older than the 18-year-old Peat. The five-star freshman overpowered all of them, finishing lobs, bullying his way to the rim off the dribble or backing down smaller defenders and finishing over either shoulder.

KOA PEAT ARE YOU SERIOUS 😱GET TO TNT NOW 📺 pic.twitter.com/Mogf5s2uE4

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 4, 2025

A performance like that will come as no surprise to Arizona fans who have been watching Peat do this at the high school level for years. Peat led Gilbert Perry High School to four consecutive state championships and also contributed to three gold medal-winning USA teams in FIBA international tournaments.

Concerns about whether Peat’s bully-ball style of play will translate at the NBA level often keep him from being mentioned alongside Peterson, Dybantsa or Boozer. He said in a summer interview with Hoops HQ he sometimes feels “kind of forgotten.”

Hardly anyone will forget Peat’s college debut Monday night. Florida certainly won’t.

The kids are alright

Peat wasn’t the only member of this year’s heralded freshman class to deliver a strong debut.

Dybantsa came up big after Villanova stormed back from a double-digit deficit in the second half. He attacked the rim effortlessly and scored a team-high 21 points as the Cougars closed out the Wildcats 71-66.

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas combined for 53 points, 11 assists and 4 steals in a blowout victory over Southern.

Peterson, the early favorite to go No. 1 in the 2026 NBA Draft, was as advertised, tallying an efficient 21 points on 11 shots in a rout of overmatched Green Bay. Eighteen of Peterson's points came in the first half, earning him a flattering compliment from Green Bay coach Doug Gottlieb.

Closest thing to Kobe I’ve seen. Kid is awesome https://t.co/TxRCCIh6nc

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) November 4, 2025

Auburn survives the night’s most inexplicable blunder

Steven Pearl’s head coaching debut did not go as smoothly as planned.

The new Auburn coach needed overtime to escape disaster against Bethune Cookman after a bewildering error at the end of regulation.

With Auburn leading by three and time about to expire, Elyjah Freeman fouled Arterio Morris as he attempted a half-court heave. Morris made all three free throws with triple zeros on the clock, sending the game to overtime.

#20 Auburn Fouls on the Half Court attempt, Bethune-Cookman (+24.5) forces OT pic.twitter.com/wSJc9svUSN

— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) November 4, 2025

Credit Auburn for recovering in overtime and pulling away for a 95-90 victory. Keyshawn Hall scored 28 points for a Tigers team that begins the season No. 20 in the AP poll despite losing all five starters and its head coach from last season.

Not like this, Boise State

Two nights after Boise State's football team suffered a stunning blowout loss to Fresno State, the school's basketball program endured an even more implausible defeat.

The Broncos opened their season with a baffling 79-78 home loss to Division II Hawaii Pacific.

Final moment of @HPU_MBB's MASSIVE UPSET of Boise State 🙌🦈🏀@HIsportsradio @HPU pic.twitter.com/mGPlWPUELE

— Ku'ulei (@KuuleiAgbayani) November 4, 2025

Not like this, TCU

Is it possible for a team to eliminate itself from NCAA tournament contention on Nov. 3?

TCU opened with a baffling 78-74 home loss Monday night against a New Orleans team that went 4-27 last season and has former players under investigation in college basketball’s gambling corruption scandal.

TCU entered as a 21.5-point favorite yet somehow trailed by as many as 21 points with just over seven minutes remaining in regulation. The Horned Frogs used a late 20-2 run to make the score closer. Jayden Pierre and Tanner Toolson both missed potential go-ahead 3-pointers in the final minute.

A year ago, in year nine under Jamie Dixon, freshman-laden TCU suffered through a forgettable 16-loss season and failed to win a single Big 12 tournament game. The Horned Frogs were supposed to be better this season, but this was a nightmare start.

College referees are already in midseason form

Late in the first half of Monday’s marquee game, Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu complained to the referees that Arizona’s Tobe Awaka had gotten away with a grab as they were wrestling for position on a rebound. Chinyelu had a pretty unassailable case considering most of the front of his No. 9 jersey had been ripped off.

Rueben Chinyelu's Florida jersey was "completely torn off the front" against Arizona. Brian Andreson and Grant Hill with the call for TNT Sports. 🏀 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/aPZFJlK0DS

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 4, 2025

Chinyelu exited the game and changed into a No. 34 jersey with no name on the back. The referees reviewed the play to see if there was excessive contact but could do nothing about the missed common foul.

Heavenly start for Loyola Chicago

In its first game since the passing of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt at 106, Loyola Chicago won on a buzzer beater.

​​Deywilk Tavarez buried a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer off a beautifully designed out-of-bounds play as the Ramblers defeated Cleveland State, 91-88.

Destiny: @RamblersMBB wins at the buzzer over Cleveland State in its first game after Sister Jean's passing less than a month ago. Chills. pic.twitter.com/qY7r3at0tu

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 4, 2025

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Sports”