While much of the sports world’s attention on Monday night was focused on the NFL and NBA, the 2025-26 college basketball season kicked off with a full and loaded slate of games — and chaos has already ensued.
Several matchups caught fans’ eyes, most notably the Arizona Wildcats scoring a win over defending NCAA champion Florida Gators. However, the biggest upset of the day took place far from the spotlight in Boise, Idaho, at a time when most people were probably asleep.
The Boise State Broncos, led by longtime head coach Leon Rice, have built one of the most consistent and successful programs emerging from the Mountain West Conference. But they suddenly find themselves 0-1 to start the season after a surprising 79-78 loss to Hawaii Pacific — a Division II school.
“HAWAI’I PACIFIC SHOCKS BOISE STATE,” read the NCAA’s headline. “DII Hawai’i Pacific grabs a STUNNING win on the road.”
Typically, this matchup is considered a “buy game,” where a program like Boise State pays a smaller school such as Hawaii Pacific to play on the road. Usually, the smaller program is a heavy underdog with little chance of coming away with a win. However, as history has shown, these games don’t always go as expected.
For the Broncos, beginning their season with a home loss to a Division II team is a significant blemish on their resume.
Hawaii Pacific held a narrow 38-37 lead at halftime and remained neck-and-neck with Boise State throughout the contest. Guard Joshua West led the charge for HPU, putting up 23 points, three rebounds, one assist, and an impressive four steals in 31 minutes. Three other players for Hawaii Pacific also scored in double figures.
On Boise State’s side, Dylan Andrews led the team with 15 points and nine assists, while three others also reached double digits in scoring. Despite out-rebounding Hawaii Pacific, the Broncos shot worse from both the field and beyond the arc. Ultimately, they couldn’t pull away, falling victim to a shocking upset that will be difficult to overcome.
Stay tuned as the college basketball season continues to deliver surprises.
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More NCAA news:
– [Will Wade Sends Stern Warning to College Basketball After NC State Debut](#)
– [Colorado’s Deion Sanders Breaks Routine With Surprising Decision](#)
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/division-ii-team-pulls-off-shocking-upset-of-major-college-basketball-program-10989136
