Battle 4 Atlantis: Upsets and Thrilling Matches Define Early Tournament Action

The Battle 4 Atlantis tournament has kicked off with a series of thrilling and unexpected matches, shaking up the college basketball landscape. One of the most notable upsets came when unranked West Virginia took down No. 3 Gonzaga in an overtime thriller. The Mountaineers, who were 14.5-point underdogs, erased a 10-point second-half deficit to force overtime and eventually won 86-78. West Virginia guard Tucker DeVries was instrumental in the victory, sending the game to overtime with a clutch steal and two free throws, and then securing the win with additional clutch free throws in overtime. Javon Small led the Mountaineers with 31 points, while Amani Hansberry and Toby Okani contributed 18 and 10 points, respectively.

Gonzaga’s loss was part of a larger trend of top-ranked teams falling this week. The Bulldogs, who had started the season 5-0 with wins over Baylor, Arizona State, and San Diego State, joined No. 2 UConn and No. 5 Iowa State in suffering unexpected defeats. These losses are likely to result in significant changes in the college basketball rankings next week.

In another closely contested match, Oklahoma edged out Providence 79-77. The Sooners improved to 5-0 for the season, despite a strong performance from the Friars. Providence was led by Wesley Cardet Jr., who scored 11 points in the first half, but ultimately couldn’t overcome Oklahoma’s consistent offense, led by Kobe Elvis‘s 26 points. The Friars outrebounded the Sooners 38-25 but were unable to capitalize on their rebounding advantage.

Indiana also had a disappointing start in the tournament, getting blown out by Louisville. The Hoosiers will now face No. 3 Gonzaga in a consolation bracket game, while West Virginia will take on Louisville in the semifinals. These matchups promise to be intense as teams fight for tournament positioning and pride.