The long wait is over: college basketball is back, and opening day delivers an intriguing lineup of games. From powerhouse matchups between ranked contenders to mid-major showdowns, this slate offers an early taste of what’s to come this season. There are plenty of storylines as teams take the floor for the first time. Here are five games to watch as the 2025-26 college basketball campaign tips off.
5) Troy vs. Kent State
Troy begins its 2025-26 season as the defending Sun Belt champion after capturing the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2017. While the Trojans return just under 40% of last year’s scoring, they bring back a steady veteran core led by preseason All-Sun Belt First Team forward Thomas Dowd. Brothers Cooper and Cobi Campbell headline the backcourt, with Cobi set to debut after missing last season due to injury.
Transfers Corbin Green and Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow add depth and versatility, while freshmen Emmanuel Clarton and Javen Colbert bring athleticism to a reshaped rotation under head coach Scott Cross.
Kent State aims to build on its strong 24-win campaign, which concluded with an NIT quarterfinal appearance last season. In his 15th season at the helm, Rob Senderoff returns eight players, including key starters Delrecco Gillespie, Morgan Safford, and Cian Medley.
Gillespie is the team’s top rebounder (8.1 RPG, per Sports Reference) and a consistent interior presence, while Medley runs the offense. Safford returns from injury and provides scoring punch, giving Kent State a balanced veteran group capable of contending in the MAC once again.
This opener features two postseason basketball programs, hungry for more. Kent State’s disciplined half-court sets and polished guard play will test Troy’s size and interior rebounding. It’s a strong early measuring stick for both mid-major teams.
4) High Point vs. Furman
Opening day features a marquee mid-major matchup as reigning Big South champion High Point faces a battle-tested Furman squad in the Field of 68 Tip-Off Marathon. The Panthers enter with momentum after a historic 29-win campaign and their first NCAA Tournament berth in program history.
Best day of the year 😏
🆚 | Furman
📍 | Rock Hill, S.C.
📺 | YouTube
📊 | https://t.co/C05B5rtyH3#GoHPU x #OnTheProwl pic.twitter.com/AdT5EYv7Wo— HPU Men’s Basketball (@HPUMBB) November 3, 2025
In his first year as head coach, Flynn Clayman inherits a completely retooled roster led by experienced transfers such as Rob Martin, Cam’Ron Fletcher, and Owen Aquino. With one of the nation’s most efficient offenses last season, High Point looks to maintain its pace and shot-making edge despite heavy roster turnover.
Furman, picked second in the Southern Conference preseason poll, returns much of the core from its 25-win NIT team under veteran coach Bob Richey. Preseason All-SoCon selections Cooper Bowser and Tom House anchor an experienced lineup that also features Ben Vander Wal and a deep group of role players. Bowser gives the Paladins interior presence and rim protection, while House stretches the floor as a reliable outside shooter.
These programs haven’t met in three seasons, yet every past matchup has been tightly contested. The Panthers will look to push tempo and use their length to pressure Furman’s ball handlers, while the Paladins aim to control pace through disciplined half-court execution. It’s a contrast in styles, with both sides eager to prove their mid-major rank early in the season.
3) Boston College at Florida Atlantic
Boston College opens its 2025-26 campaign looking to build on last year’s ACC title game appearance and NIT berth under fifth-year head coach Earl Grant. Grant’s rebuilt roster boasts more size and athleticism, with newcomers like 6-foot-11 center Boden Kapke and forward Aidan Shaw boosting the frontcourt.
The Eagles’ improvement starts with leadership from Donald Hand Jr., last season’s ACC Most Improved Player, who averaged 15.7 points and 6.1 rebounds. Redshirt sophomore Jayden Hastings anchors the paint, while South Dakota transfer Chase Forte brings defensive grit and playmaking to the backcourt.
Florida Atlantic, under second-year head coach John Jakus, continues its steady rise after reaching postseason play for the fourth straight year. The Owls return several key guards, including Niccolo Moretti. After a strong debut campaign that earned Jakus national recognition, FAU now has a mix of proven experience and ten newcomers, highlighted by American Conference Preseason Freshman of the Year Josiah Parker.
This matchup offers a compelling contrast of styles and roster makeup. Boston College’s size and defensive discipline will be tested against FAU’s speed, spacing, and ball movement. The Eagles need Hand to set the tone offensively and Hastings to control the rim if they hope to slow the Owls’ tempo. FAU’s ability to handle Boston College’s length and physicality will determine if Jakus’ squad can start the season with another signature nonconference win.
2) Villanova vs. BYU
The Kevin Willard era at Villanova officially begins Monday night as the Wildcats take on nationally ranked BYU to open the 2025-26 season. After three straight missed NCAA Tournaments, the program turned to Willard, fresh off a Sweet 16 run with Maryland, to restore the Wildcats’ defensive identity.
Willard inherits a nearly overhauled roster, returning only sophomore guard Tyler Perkins, while building around freshman point guard Acaden Lewis and sharpshooter Bryce Lindsay. Villanova’s early challenge is chemistry, as there are many new faces.
After months of talk, it is here: The most anticipated season in BYU men’s basketball history.
Tonight. Villanova.
The run begins.
WHO’S READY FOR SOME COUGS BASKETBALL!? pic.twitter.com/3bPvQZpF2E
— TorresOnBYU (@TorresOnBYU) November 3, 2025
BYU, meanwhile, enters the season with top-10 buzz under second-year head coach Kevin Young. The Cougars boast elite spacing and an NBA-style offense led by five-star freshman A.J. Dybantsa and Baylor transfer point guard Rob Wright III. They also bring back key veterans from their Sweet 16 run, including Keba Keita and Richie Saunders, along with strong complementary pieces like Kennard Davis Jr. and Dawson Baker. The lineup versatility and scoring balance make BYU one of the more complete attacks in the country.
The goal for Villanova will be to slow the pace and keep the game in a half-court setting, forcing BYU out of rhythm. The Wildcats’ defense will be tested by a Cougars team that moves the ball fluidly and shoots with confidence. If Lewis and Lindsay can control tempo and get timely perimeter scoring help from Perkins or Matt Hodge, Villanova can make this opener competitive. Still, BYU’s firepower presents a steep first test for a rebuilding group.
1) Florida vs. Arizona
The defending national champion Florida Gators open their 2025-26 season against the 13th-ranked Arizona Wildcats on Monday night in the Hall of Fame Series. Todd Golden’s team returns its entire frontcourt, led by preseason All-American Alex Condon and fellow juniors Thomas Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu, forming perhaps the best interior trio in the country.
The challenge lies in a rebuilt backcourt, where transfers Boogie Fland (Arkansas) and Xaivian Lee (Princeton) step into significant roles following the departures of Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin.
Arizona enters the season with a stable foundation. Tommy Lloyd’s squad brings back four key contributors, including senior guard Jaden Bradley and center Motiejus Krivas, while welcoming five-star freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat as potential go-to scorers. The Wildcats will again push the tempo under Lloyd, but questions remain about half-court execution and perimeter shooting after Caleb Love’s exit.
Both teams thrive in a fast-paced environment, and this matchup should reflect that rhythm early. It’s an intriguing opening-night matchup, with one team defending a crown and the other chasing its first since 1997.