3 top-10 teams fall on thrilling Tuesday of men’s hoops

Three top-10 men’s basketball teams tasted defeat Tuesday night.

Here’s a look at what went down:

Purdue escapes Nebraska after halting 22-point comeback bid

Boilermaker fans experienced the full spectrum of fandom in Purdue’s 80-77 overtime win over No. 7 Nebraska.

First: The euphoria of a blowout. Purdue jumped out to a 40-24 lead in the first half. At one point, the Boilermakers led by as many as 22. Then, the discomfort of a shrinking lead. Nebraska chipped away at the lead, tying the game at 68 apiece with just 13 seconds left.

Third, came the agony of missing a game-winning jumper with just three seconds, sending the game into overtime. Fourth, the pain of having led the entire game, but finding themselves down trailing with 91 seconds left in two minutes into overtime. Nebraska led 77-75.

Rienk Mast sends it to OT 🔥 @HuskerMBB

📺: FS1 pic.twitter.com/x5ayx3IlG3

— Big Ten Men’s Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 11, 2026

The Cornhuskers looked poised to win until Purdue’s Oscar Cluff made a free throw and then a layup with six seconds remaining to take the lead for good.

Nebraska’s hopes ran out when Jamarques Lawrence slipped shortly after taking the inbound pass, turning the ball over to Purdue’s Gicarri Harris, who added two more free throws as insurance points.

The loss is Nebraska’s third in its last four games.

Wisconsin rallies to beat No. 8 Illinois in OT

Trailing by 12 points with nearly eight minutes left in the second half, Wisconsin was struggling to combat No. 8 Illinois’ momentum on the road. Although they erased a 14-point deficit at then-No. 2 Michigan in January, they did in the first half.

But by the final buzzer at State Farm Center, it was again Badgers guard John Blackwell eagerly waving goodbye to opposing fans, a result of Wisconsin coming back to beat the Fighting Illini in overtime, 92-90.

The victory marked the Badgers’ second top-10 win of the season and the fifth time in the last 9 games that they’ve overcome a double-digit deficit to win.

Outside of Blackwell, the main orchestrators were guard Nick Boyd and forward Austin Rapp, dropping 25 and 18 points, respectively. Blackwell added 24.

After Illinois guard Keaton Wagler’s three-point play, the trio willed Wisconsin back into the game, outscoring their opponent 14-5 before Rapp’s game-tying three with almost two minutes left in regulation. 

The two teams were tied 81 apiece entering overtime, and it was all Boyd and Blackwell from there.

The senior and junior, respectively, traded baskets and handed the Badgers an eight-point lead halfway through the five minutes. Although Illinois cut it to a two-point game, it wasn’t enough to overcome Wisconsin’s 8-0 run.

John Blackwell extends the @BadgerMBB lead 😤

📺: Peacock pic.twitter.com/FmLt9Znmfl

— Big Ten Men’s Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 11, 2026

The win solidifies the Badgers in a top-seven spot of the Big Ten standings, while the Fighting Illini lose their second straight game. 

TCU makes late run to down No. 5 Iowa State

TCU was on the wrong side of the momentum battle late against No. 5 Iowa State, down 55-50 with 2:38 left in a game decided by runs.

But the Horned Frogs didn’t quiver at the deficit; rather, they responded in an even bigger way — a 12-0 run and 62-55 victory. Holding Iowa State to its lowest scoring total of the season, it was the program’s first win against an AP top-5 team in over two years.

COURT STORM IN FORT WORTH ⛈️ @TCUBasketball takes down No. 5 Iowa State! pic.twitter.com/Dp3R76gINE

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 11, 2026

After Cyclones guard Nate Heise’s layup to give them the five-point lead, TCU never looked back. 

Micah Robinson slammed one on the following possession and Jayden Pierre’s jumpshot was money off an Iowa State turnover. TCU then forced the Cyclones into a shot clock violation, and Pierre made them pay with a three-pointer.

Two-point lead.

In less than two minutes, everything that could’ve gone wrong for Iowa State did.

TCU proceeded to score the last five points before the final buzzer, while the Cyclones would go on to miss their final three shots and turn it over one more time. Across the Horned Frogs’ 12-0 run, Iowa State went 0-4 with four turnovers.