Confetti is seen over the SEC logo after the Florida Gators defeated the Tennessee Volunteers in the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., on March 16, 2025. Andy Lyons/Getty Images
There’s so much going on in the sports world, from a World Series Game 7 to the heart of NFL and college football seasons, to the NBA and NHL just beginning their own seasons in recent weeks. Thus, the start of the 2025–26 college basketball season may have flown under the radar, but the season tips off on Monday.
Lots has happened since the Florida Gators cut down the nets to cap off last year’s March Madness. So, here’s a look at the top storylines and things to know before 169 games involving Division I teams take place on Monday, Nov. 3.
Florida Is Ready to ‘Run It Back’
The Gators won consecutive national titles in 2006 and 2007 thanks to the latter team having several returning stars. Well, that’s the same situation that this year’s Florida Gators have after defeating Houston in the national title game. But they also have several highly touted newcomers, including transfers Boogie Fland, who was a five-star prospect, and Xaivian Lee, who was a two-time All-Ivy First-Team selection. Florida’s 12-game win streak is the longest active in the sport, the team is the favorite to win the SEC, and the Gators are hoping to become the eighth program with at least four national championships.
Purdue’s Program History
The Purdue Boilermakers are the preseason AP No. 1 team for the first time in program history. The team is coming off a Sweet 16 appearance and is led by a consensus All-American from last year in Braden Smith. He averaged 15.8 points and 8.7 assists, with the latter leading the Big Ten. Dropping dimes is Smith’s specialty, and he has an NCAA record in his sights. Smith is 319 assists shy of surpassing Bobby Hurley for the most assists in Division I history, and after notching 313 assists last year, this record is certainly within reach.
Fabulous Freshmen
There’s no consensus top overall recruit this year, a la Cooper Flagg last season, but there are a pair of incoming freshmen who are a cut above all others. Kansas’s Darryn Peterson was the Naismith Prep Player of the Year and co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game. Bill Self, who has coached Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, and others, has labeled Peterson the best player he’s ever recruited. Then there’s BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, who was the FIBA U-19 World Cup MVP and, like Peterson, is in the running to be the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Dybantsa has the Cougars ranked (No. 8) in the preseason top 10 for the first time in school history.
Last Dance for the Zags
No program has dominated a single conference like what Gonzaga basketball has done in the West Coast Conference. Over coach Mark Few’s 26 seasons with Gonzaga, the Bulldogs have 22 regular season titles and 20 WCC Tournament championships. However, this season will be Gonzaga’s last in the West Coast Conference, where it has spent the last 74 years, before it joins the new Pac-12 in 2026–27. A seemingly harder strength of schedule would await them in the Pac-12, so this may be the Zags best opportunity to finally get that elusive first title for quite a while.
Major Rule Change
Borrowing from its pro counterpart in the NBA, college will implement coach’s challenges for the 2025–26 NCAA Basketball season. At any point during a game, coaches will be able to challenge out-of-bounds calls, defenders in the restricted-area arc, and basket interference/goaltending calls. Teams must possess a timeout in order to be able to challenge, and if the challenge is successful, then the team is granted one additional replay review. If unsuccessful, then they won’t be able to challenge for the rest of the game.
New Kid on the Block
There are half-a-dozen programs that are changing conferences this season, but just one of those is upgrading from Division II to Division I. That is the New Haven Chargers, who are joining the Northeast Conference, and they’ll be thrown into the fire from the jump, with their first game coming at No. 4 UConn on Monday. New Haven, however, won’t be eligible for postseason competition until the 2028–29 season due to the NCAA’s policy on transitioning to Division I.
Schools Hoping to Break Through
No program has more Final Four appearances (seven) without a national championship than the Houston Cougars. UH lost in the title game last season but has reloaded with the No. 3 high school recruiting class, which has enabled it to have the No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Poll.
Ross Kelly
Author
Ross Kelly is a sports journalist who has been published by ESPN, CBS and USA Today. He has also done statistical research for Stats Inc. and Synergy Sports Technology. A graduate of LSU, Ross resides in Houston.
