The Biggest Stock Risers After the First Week of College Basketball

The first week of the 2026-27 college basketball season is officially in the books.

The opening week delivered some outstanding first impressions. It’s far too early to draw major conclusions, as most teams have only played two games. But the first few days gave an early look at which programs might be better than expected.

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These three teams stand out as the biggest stock risers.

Valparaiso Beat Purdue in Mackey Arena on a Buzzer-Beater

Valparaiso entered the season with most expecting them to finish in the middle of the pack in the Missouri Valley Conference. They were picked fifth in the preseason poll, slotted in behind Murray State, Illinois State, UIC, and Belmont. They finished last season with an 18-15 record overall and an 11-9 record in conference play.

The Beacons have looked much better than a middle-of-the-pack team playing in a traditionally one-bid conference like the Missouri Valley. They put together an impressive performance in their first game against Western Illinois with a 22-point victory at home. Valparaiso led this game 38-19 at halftime and did not look back.

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The Beacons’ biggest win of the week, however, came when they took down Purdue in Mackey Arena this week. This was arguably the biggest upset of the college basketball season so far.

Purdue entered the season with NCAA tournament expectations and was considered a Top-25 caliber team by many. Valparaiso won in double overtime, 83-80, on a buzzer-beater. It was the first time that Purdue lost a home game to a non-power conference team since 2014.

The Beacons have been led by their returning talent from last season’s squad. Their four leading scorers so far are all returners.

6-foot-3 sophomore guard Rakim Chaney scored 35 points in their victory against Purdue. He’s been the team’s leading scorer to this point. 6-foot-8 sophomore forward J.T. Pettigrew has also been impressive, averaging 14.5 points and 5.0 rebounds. And 6-foot-3 junior guard Justus McNair, who hit the…

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Publish date : 2026-11-10 15:00:00

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