It’s been an epic year in the college basketball world, filled with unforgettable games, incredible performances and shocking storylines. In the sport’s new landscape — shaped by NIL and revenue sharing — there is no shortage of drama. The transfer portal and the coaching carousel added plenty of intrigue in 2025, while an influx of freshmen stars led the overall talent level in the game to skyrocket.
As 2026 nears, here’s a look back at the biggest moments from the past 12 months:
10. Derik Queen Hits Game-Winner / The Kevin Willard Saga
With rumors swirling that coach Kevin Willard would be leaving Maryland for Villanova at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, the Terrapins advanced to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament on an absurd game-winner from Derik Queen. Maryland trailed Colorado State 71-70 with 3.7 seconds remaining when Queen caught an inbound pass at the top of the key, drove left and kissed an impossible floater off the glass to give his team the victory.
The outside noise regarding Willard’s future had grown louder over the preceding days, in part because of comments Willard made during a press conference before March Madness. Asked about his job status, Willard admitted that he had addressed the subject with his players and voiced his frustrations with how Maryland operates. As speculation that he was on his way out mounted, Willard was booed by fans at the Terps’ Sweet Sixteen send-off. “I understand fans are going to be pissed because I’m in limbo,” Willard said. “I get it. I’m kind of pissed to be honest with you, because I didn’t expect to be in this situation.”
9. John Calipari Returns to Rupp Arena
After leaving Kentucky for Arkansas in 2024, John Calipari made his highly anticipated return to Rupp Arena on Feb. 1, 2025. The Razorbacks had been struggling immensely, losing six of their first seven SEC games. Meanwhile, the Wildcats were ranked 12th in the nation and coming off a big-time victory over No. 8 Tennessee in Knoxville.
Calipari heard a lot of boos from the sold-out crowd of more than 21,000, but his team quieted the noise, grabbing the 89-79 upset win. The game proved to be a turning point for Arkansas, which made the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. “I’ve got to be honest with you, I looked up a couple of times (at the scoreboard), and I thought we were losing because I kept looking at Kentucky instead of Arkansas,” Calipari said afterward. “I made it clear it was a privilege and an honor to coach here. We had 15 unbelievable years of a great run and support.”
8. Bruce Pearl Unexpectedly Retires
On Sept. 22, 2025, just 42 days before the 2025-26 season tipped off, Bruce Pearl made the surprise announcement that he would be stepping down as head coach of Auburn and handing the keys to his son Steven. One of the nation’s most prominent coaches, the 65-year-old Pearl retired with a 694-270 all-time record. He is a three-time Horizon League Coach of the Year, four-time SEC Coach of the Year and the winningest coach in Auburn men’s basketball history.
Tennessee was in the midst of a four-year NCAA Tournament drought when Pearl joined the program in 2005. Then the Vols made six straight tourneys and became a fixture in the AP Top 25. Similarly, Auburn was one of the worst teams in the SEC when Pearl replaced Tony Barbee in 2014. Over an 11-year run, Pearl guided the Tigers to two Final Fours and three SEC regular season titles.
7. The Freshman Takeover
The 2024-25 freshman class was one of the best in recent memory, accounting for nine of the top 10 picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Not only did Duke forward Cooper Flagg win National Player of the Year, but Texas guard Tre Johnson (the SEC’s leading scorer), Maryland forward Derik Queen and Rutgers guard Dylan Harper were all named to the 2025 AP All-America Honorable Mention team.
The 2025-26 freshman class looks to be even better. Forward Cameron Boozer, another Duke superstar, is the current frontrunner for the Wooden Award, with BYU wing AJ Dybantsa and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson also in contention. Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., Houston guard Kingston Flemings and Arizona forward Koa Peat are in the All-American conversation, and several others have established themselves as key pieces on tournament teams. In November, Hoops HQ’s Editor-in-Chief Seth Davis begged the question, “Is this the best freshman class ever?”
6. Rick Pitino Leads St. John’s to Its First Outright Big East Title Since 1985
In the eight years before St. John’s hired Rick Pitino, the program had gone 50-98 in league play and reached the NCAA Tournament just once. Things turned around immediately with the Hall of Famer at the helm. The Johnnies finished 20-13 (11-9 in the Big East) in 2023-24, then had a magical 2024-25 campaign, claiming their first conference regular season championship in four decades.
Led by Pitino and three All-Big East players (wing RJ Luis Jr., forward Zuby Ejiofor and guard Kadary Richmond), St. John’s went 18-2 in league games, including a pair of victories against UConn. The Red Storm clinched the Big East title with a 71-61 win over Seton Hall on March 1, ending the longest drought in conference history. Two weeks later, they secured the Big East Tournament title as well.
5. The SEC Makes History
The 2024-25 SEC was the greatest conference in men’s college basketball history. A record 14 league teams earned bids to the NCAA Tournament (87.5 percent of its membership) and the conference won 21 tourney games, breaking the ACC’s record of 19 set in 2019. It also had eight teams in the final AP poll (including four of the top six), 15 teams in the top 50 of the NET and the highest KenPom rating ever (+22.09). And of course, Florida — an SEC school — took home the national championship.
Hoops HQ’s SEC Correspondent Chris Dortch previously outlined how a conference known for its football became the most dominant force in hoops, pointing to an emphasis on stronger nonconference scheduling, the advent of the SEC Network (which became a recruiting tool), the hiring of experienced head coaches and the appointment of an associate commissioner whose sole responsibility is basketball. That formula led to a season unlike any we’ve ever seen.
4. Cooper Flagg Wins National Player of the Year
A tremendous National Player of the Year race between Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Auburn’s Johni Broome culminated with Flagg becoming just the fourth freshman ever to win the prestigious award, joining Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant.
Flagg, who was ranked No. 1 in the class of 2024 despite reclassifying, entered college with an enormous amount of hype. At 18 years old, he somehow exceeded expectations, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals to lead Duke to a 35-4 record and ACC regular season and tournament titles. “He’s as good as any freshman I’ve seen,” longtime Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told Hoops HQ.
3. Four No. 1 Seeds Deliver Epic Final Four
For the second time ever, all four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament — Florida, Houston, Auburn and Duke — reached the Final Four. Much was made about the lack of Cinderellas this year, but the meeting of powerhouses in San Antonio did not disappoint. The combined margin of victory of 11 points tied for the second-lowest at the Final Four in the past 50 years.
Both Florida and Houston staged dramatic comebacks to advance to the national title. The Gators trailed Auburn 46-38 at halftime before storming back, while the Cougars pulled off one of the most stunning victories in tournament history, erasing a six-point deficit in the final 35 seconds against Duke. The championship game was just as compelling, as Houston squandered a 12-point advantage in the second half. While the contest featured 12 ties, Florida led for a grand total of 1:04. Its largest lead was the final two-point margin.
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2. Walter Clayton Jr. Leads Florida to the National Title
Florida trailed UConn 61-58 with less than four minutes left in the Round of 32. Then senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. took over, scoring eight points amid a 12-3 run to help the Gators secure the victory. That was the first in a string of memorable performances from the All-American. He hit a pair of dagger threes in the Elite Eight, dropped a career-best 34 points in the national semifinal and made numerous clutch plays on both ends of the floor in the championship game. It was a remarkable run for Clayton — the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player — and his team, which claimed its third NCAA title in the past 20 years.
The Gators had one of the most difficult treks to the mountaintop in tournament history, completing four comebacks. Their opponents’ seed total of 33 tied with North Carolina in 1994 for the toughest a No. 1 seed has traversed to a title. Their triumph also made Todd Golden, 40, the youngest coach to win a national championship since NC State’s Jim Valvano did it in 1983 at the age of 36.
1. Dick Vitale Returns to the Broadcast Booth
After a two-year battle with cancer, the great Dick Vitale, Hoops HQ’s Person of the Year, made his triumphant return to broadcasting on Feb. 8, 2025, to call Duke-Clemson for ESPN. The game was outstanding — the Tigers upset the Blue Devils, 77-71 — but the night was all about Dickie V, who received a lengthy ovation from the fans at Littlejohn Coliseum and burst into tears as soon as the broadcast began.
“It was like a miracle to me,” Vitale told Hoops HQ. “Every time I do a game now, it’s like a miracle that I’m here because I know what I went through. I had five major surgeries on my vocal cords. I went through six months of chemo. I went through 65 radiation treatments. So when I did that game, I’m saying to myself, I can’t believe I’m sitting here.”
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