College basketball returns Monday, and the opening-night schedule has plenty to get excited about. Here are five matchups worth keeping an eye on.
5. No. 18 Iowa State vs. Memphis — 7 p.m. ET, FS1
Iowa State will get an early test of how well it can move on without Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic, its top two scorers from last season’s Sweet 16 team. T.J. Otzelberger’s Cyclones still bring back the next three leading scorers: Killyan Toure, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Bateman. That’s more continuity than most preseason top-25 teams can offer.
Memphis, meanwhile, has a chance to quiet some doubts about the direction of the program. Penny Hardaway has put $2.6 million of his own money toward building the roster, but expectations remain measured. A strong showing against Iowa State would make an early statement.
4. No. 25 BYU vs. Ohio State — 9 p.m. ET, FS1
BYU’s much-anticipated season last year didn’t quite deliver. A.J. Dybantsa lived up to the hype, but the Cougars lost 12 games and went winless in the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Young now has to build a stronger team without Dybantsa, who is expected to be a top pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. He’ll have returning point guard Rob Wright, a deep group of transfers and five-star freshman Bruce Branch III to work with.
Ohio State should make for a lively opening opponent. John Mobley Jr. is one of the country’s more overlooked players, and if Justin Pippen and Amare Bynum make a jump, Jake Diebler may have a tournament-caliber team in Columbus.
3. No. 15 Gonzaga vs. Purdue — 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Purdue has beaten Gonzaga in all five of their previous meetings, including in the 2024 NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. This could be a good opportunity for the Bulldogs to finally get their first win over Matt Painter’s team.
Gonzaga, usually known for its guards, looks set to have one of the country’s strongest frontcourts, with Braden Huff returning and Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop joining the group. Purdue has size, as it typically does, though this frontcourt is less proven than some of the program’s recent ones. Junior guard C.J. Cox had an impressive exhibition season. Now he gets a chance to show that his strong play can carry over to games that count.
2. No. 5 Arizona vs. No. 22 UCLA — 10 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Arizona and UCLA meet for the 116th time in a rivalry that goes back to 1923. A neutral court in Las Vegas isn’t quite the same as a packed arena in Tucson or Westwood, but it’s still a compelling way to open the season.
Arizona has the look of a national title contender, with Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov back. UCLA is harder to size up, though Nikola Kusturica could quickly become a name to know. The 6-foot-9 Serbian wing has the potential to make a big impression right away.
UCLA leads the series 64-51. Bruins coach Mick Cronin is 7-7 against Arizona, and all seven losses came against current Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd.
1. No. 1 Florida vs. No. 14 Miami — 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2
The night’s headline game pits preseason No. 1 Florida against a Miami team some observers see as a possible Final Four contender.
Florida gets Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu back, giving Todd Golden a frontcourt that could be the best in the country. Miami has the size and athleticism to make things difficult, though. Malik Reneau returns, and he’ll have help from sophomore forward Shelton Henderson and Georgia transfer Somto Cyril. If Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis develops into the kind of player coach Jai Lucas expects, Miami could be Duke’s biggest challenger in the ACC.
The last time the nation’s top-ranked team lost its season opener was in 2019, when No. 2 Kentucky beat No. 1 Michigan State in the Champions Classic.
