The 2025-2026 college basketball season has the following structure: Non-Conference Play, Conference Play, Conference Tournaments, and the NCAA Tournament. As for the major storylines, fans can expect a lot of exciting events. The main intrigue is whether last year's college basketball champions will be able to retain their title.
After the college basketball season start, the current champions will have a hard time. Many top teams will want to snatch the palm of primacy from their hands. Fans are also expecting new stars. Talented newcomers emerge every season. We'll soon find out which of them will show an awesome game. Finally, many are interested in how the coaches will perform.
So, when does college basketball start in 2025-2026? This will happen in early November. However, don't rush to close the page. In this post, we've prepared for you a lot of interesting info about the upcoming season. In particular, you'll learn key dates, fun facts about the Opening Night, features of March Madness, etc. Let's get started!
Season Structure and Key Dates
Lots of fans are waiting for the upcoming challenge with bated breath. Their expectations are quite clear. Especially considering the multi-stage structure of the competition. For the 2025-2026 college basketball season, it's as follows:
- Non-Conference Play. The beginning of the challenge. The teams are working to get their act together and actively preparing for the future NCAA Tournament.
- Conference Play. The college basketball season start is left behind and the tension is rising. Games in this conference are often critical to participation in the NCAA tournament.
- Conference Tournaments. Matches at this stage are usually very exciting and even unpredictable. Regardless of the results in the Regular Season, winning them gives teams a pass to the final confrontation.
- NCAA Tournament. The tournament isn't called March Madness for nothing. Many of its games are truly insane. College basketball fans watch them with great pleasure.
Below, our team has listed key dates for the upcoming college basketball season. We recommend that you copy them into a separate file. Alternatively, bookmark this page.
- Non-Conference Play (NOV, 2025)
- Conference Play (December, 2025)
- Conference Tournaments (March, 2026)
- Selection Sunday (March, 2026)
- NCAA Tournament (March and April, 2026)
It's expected that dozens of teams from different educational institutions will take part in the college basketball championship: Gardner Webb, UNC Asheville, IU Indianapolis, and so on. Fans will also be able to enjoy the performances of players from Ohio State, North Florida, Jackson State, West Lafayette, and more. In fact, the challenge spans all of America, from Texas, Kansas, and Memphis to Michigan, Kentucky, and San Antonio.
Opening Night Preview
The Opening Night is of great importance to college basketball fans. As soon as the first game begins, sports enthusiasts closely follow the games of different teams. They truly get excited when their favorite colleges or universities win.
The beginning of the season is full of significant events for all fans. Many of them are looking forward to the thrilling programs that typically feature players from Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky. Opening matches are an excellent opportunity for any coach or player who is participating in competitions for the first time to make a name for themselves.
During the games, ranked teams face very strong pressure. Every unranked team tries to achieve the most spectacular victory. The storylines develop quickly and promise many surprises. Players are nervous and key matches turn into real battles. The Opening Night is always a real holiday!
Program Transformations and Storylines
In the new season, major college basketball programs and storylines are being transformed by the evolving landscape. The changes are due to the increased number of player transfers. Another important factor is the so-called coach carousels.
There is a lot of roster turnover among teams that usually strive to become champions. The programs are mainly based on strategic recruitment. In addition, new trainers are hired. Overall, the transfer portal has become the factor that brings unprecedented dynamics to the official games.
The playing style of many teams is also influenced by the personal qualities of the coaches. They certainly learned from the matches of the last season. After analyzing all the games won and played, coaches have developed brand new strategies to help their teams earn points on the field.
Teams to Watch
Like in other seasons, the greatest interest of fans is generated by teams that have shown themselves well in the past. Duke and North Carolina are prime examples. Their rosters include both experienced players and newcomers. We're confident that some newbies will surprise you. There may even be future NBA stars among them.
Besides Duke and North Carolina, we recommend you take a look at Gonzaga. Baylor, Creighton, Indiana, and Illinois are worth your attention too. However, our predictions may not come true. Basketball is a rather unpredictable game. The final results of matches can be affected by anything, from bad training schedules to a couple of poor passes in the first half.
March Madness and Final Four Preview
March Madness is a college basketball tournament held under the auspices of the NCAA. 68 teams participate in it. They're selected through Regular Season and Conference Tournament matches. Teams play in a knockout format, as is customary at the Olympic Games. Note that March Madness is one of the most popular sporting events in the USA, watched by millions of fans.
The Final Four brings the curtain down on March Madness. It has the following format. At first, two semi-finals are held in which the four strongest teams meet. A match for third place then takes place between the losers of the semi-finals. The winners compete in the final, where the champion is determined. Typically, this game has the highest bets from gamblers.
Championship Race Outlook
A number of experts compare basketball to something like a marathon. Therefore, only those teams achieve success where the talents of the players are combined with smart coaching. The path to victory can be very different. Here are some aspects that can influence it:
- Professional recruiting
- Strategic transfers
- Involvement of experienced players
- Coaching insights
- Basketball team cohesion
- Players' resistance to stress
- Well-designed training sessions
- Strong defensive play
- Versatile frontcourts
- Number of successful three-point shots
Conclusion
A new college basketball season start is always a joy for fans. Watching the games of their favorite teams from Division I, Division II, and Division III, they forget about everything else. Sports enthusiasts who place bets on the outcomes of matches experience particular pleasure.
FAQ
What are the time periods in college basketball?
In college basketball, games consist of 2 halves. Their duration is 20 minutes. Still, matches almost never last 40 minutes. This is due to fouls, timeouts, injuries, and so on.
Why is March Madness so special in college basketball?
The main reason is that losing teams are eliminated from the championship. Since players perform at their best, matches are often tense and unpredictable. Everyone strives for victory at any cost.
What month does the college basketball championship start?
November. Opening matches are usually played in the middle or end of the week. Other games can be held on different days, including Monday.
