The 2026-27 college basketball season tips off Monday with 20 preseason AP Top 25 teams in action, highlighted by two ranked-on-ranked matchups. No. 5 Arizona faces No. 22 UCLA in Las Vegas at 10 p.m. ET on TNT, while No. 1 Florida meets No. 14 Miami in Tampa at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN. Other notable games include No. 18 Iowa State vs. Memphis in Sioux Falls (7 p.m. ET, FS1), No. 15 Gonzaga vs. Purdue in Las Vegas (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT), and Ohio State vs. No. 25 BYU in Salt Lake City (9 p.m. ET, FS1).
Arizona vs UCLA
Arizona enters without forward RJ Godfrey due to eligibility issues but boasts a frontcourt of freshmen Caleb Holt, Ivan Kharchenkov, and Mo Krivas. UCLA counters with Texas Tech transfer Jaylen Petty and 17-year-old freshman Nikola Kusturica. The game is expected to be low-possession under coach Mick Cronin, with analysts leaning UCLA +4.5.
Florida vs Miami
Florida's frontcourt trio of Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, and Alex Condon is considered among the nation's best. Miami relies on transfers Malik Reneau, Somto Cyril, and Acaden Lewis. The pick is Florida to win but Miami to cover +5.5.
Iowa State vs Memphis
Memphis will be without big man Nemanja Popovic (ineligible for six games), while Iowa State misses guard Killyan Toure (shoulder). Senior guard Tamin Lipsey leads the Cyclones. Analysts favor Memphis +13.5, citing Iowa State's offensive adjustment period.
Gonzaga vs Purdue
Gonzaga's three elite big men — Braden Huff, Massamba Diop, and Izan Almansa — pose a mismatch for Purdue's single serviceable big, Daniel Jacobsen. Gonzaga is favored -4.5, with Huff and wing Davis Fogle seen as the best two players on the floor.
Ohio State vs BYU
BYU retains star guard Robert Wright III and adds five-star wing Bruce Branch III and former Michigan State big Jaxon Kohler. Ohio State's ceiling hinges on five-star forward Anthony Thompson. The pick is BYU -2.5.
