The 2025-26 Division I NCAA basketball season formally tipped off early Monday morning, kicking off a five-month journey to this season’s Closing 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. With a handful of season-opening invitationals and made-for-TV slugfests, there’s truly a fairly first rate slate of hoops on opening week this yr.
With out additional ado, listed below are the must-see matchups from faculty basketball’s opening week.
3 Florida vs. 13 Arizona | Corridor of Fame Collection (Las Vegas), TNT/TruTV, 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST
Essentially the most fascinating query forward of this faculty basketball season is whether or not final season marked the start of a UConn-esque stretch of dominance for the Florida Gators or if it was a one-off season of future.
Todd Golden’s potential to rebuild will definitely be examined, because the Gators misplaced three of their most impactful gamers to the NBA in Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin. Returning middle Alex Condon would be the workforce’s point of interest, however transfers Xaivian Lee (Princeton) and Boogie Fland (Arkansas) are poised to make Florida one of many nation’s greatest backcourts once more.
This recreation can be notable for the truth that it would mark the collegiate debut of LeBron James’ son, Bryce, with Arizona. It’s additionally the primary half of the season-opening Corridor of Fame Collection doubleheader at T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas, the place Ballislife might be current tonight with in-person protection.
8 BYU vs. Villanova | Corridor of Fame Collection (Las Vegas), TNT/TruTV, 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST
The second recreation of the stacked Corridor of Fame Collection doubleheader in Las Vegas on Monday options the long-awaited debut of tremendous prospect AJ Dybantsa, who’s in agency rivalry with Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer to develop into the No. 1 decide in probably the most fascinating high prospect debates in current reminiscence with these three Grade A elite abilities.
However, it’s laborious to imagine that Villanova hasn’t been to the NCAA Event since 2022. The college gave coach Kyle Neptune the axe this offseason and made Kevin Willard public enemy primary on the College of Maryland by poaching him from the Terps, so it will likely be fascinating to see if Willard’s tenure begins off on the suitable foot.
Texas vs. 6 Duke | Dick Vitale Invitational (Charlotte), ESPN, 8:45 p.m. EST/5:45 p.m. PST
The Dick Vitale Invitational between Texas and Duke will function one other long-awaited collegiate debut, as probably the most achieved prep basketball gamers of all time in Cameron Boozer will play his first regular-season recreation for the college his father, Carlos, starred at within the early 2000s earlier than turning into an NBA All-Star. The Blue Devils additionally function one other possible lottery decide in sharpshooter Isaiah Evans and loads of depth across the edges that ought to have them poised to make one other deep NCAA Event run.
Like Villanova, Texas can be getting into a brand new period within the teaching seat. Sean Miller might be making his return to energy convention faculty hoops after his involvement in a corruption scandal led to his ousting from the College of Arizona in 2021 after reviving his inventory with a profitable stint at Xavier.
19 Kansas vs. 25 North Carolina | ESPN, 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST
This recreation received’t mark Darryn Peterson’s debut, that comes in opposition to Oakland on Monday night time, nevertheless it does mark the tremendous prospect’s first look on the massive stage. With one other potential high 5 decide in North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson on the opposite finish, this can be a recreation we could possibly be wanting again on by way of nostalgic social media posts in a handful of years.
Along with including a famous person in Peterson, the Jayhawks return ahead Flory Bidunga, who averaged 5.9 factors and 5.4 rebounds final season as a real freshman. If Bidunga progresses as anticipated this season, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to see him sneak his means into the primary spherical of the NBA Draft in June.
Senior Seth Trimble headlines UNC’s crop of returners, and the Tar Heels additionally went out and snatched guards Kyan Powell (Colorado State) and Jonathan Powell (West Viriginia) out of the switch portal, however some uncertainty surrounding the Heels’ depth has them barely scraping the Prime 25 to begin the season.
15 Alabama vs. 5 St. John’s | FS1, 12 p.m. EST/9 a.m. PST
Something that entails St. John’s don Rick Pitino is must-see TV at this level, particularly now that he’s sitting within the teaching chair for New York’s iconic collegiate basketball program.
There was no higher story in faculty hoops final season than the Johnnies’ return to prime time, and all expectations are that Pitino and his roster, headlined by Windfall switch Bryce Hopkins and returning star Zuby Ejiafor. Star guard RJ Luis did surprisingly select to depart the workforce, opting to go undrafted within the 2025 NBA Draft, however my hunch is the Johnnies might be fantastic.
Alabama, after all, has became a juggernaut of types since Nate Oats took over in 2019, and they need to as soon as once more be squarely in rivalry for the SEC title this season, led by returning star Labaron Philon, who’s one other participant most definitely to listen to their title known as within the first spherical of the NBA Draft.
14 Arkansas vs. 22 Michigan State | FOX, 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST
Anytime two premier coaches like Arkansas’s John Calipari and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo sq. off in a nationally televised recreation, whether or not it’s to begin the season or finish it, you’re greatest off clearing the schedule for these two hours and discovering a tv set to park in entrance of, ideally with a snack and a beverage. You may simply see Coen Carr create an everlasting spotlight.
DJ Wagner, a Calpari man by way of and thru from Kentucky to Arkansas, headlines the Razorbacks’ crop of returners. Their run within the NCAA Event final season garnered them some respect within the polls, even supposing it accompanied a turbulent common season.
