College basketball is back this weekend. The 2026-27 season tips off Sunday, November 1, with Notre Dame and Villanova playing in Rome, and it ends in early April with the first men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments to feature 76 teams. Here’s when college basketball starts, the opening-week games worth your time and the key dates for the rest of the season.
When does the 2026-27 college basketball season start?
- Men’s season: starts Sunday, November 1, 2026, and ends with the national championship game on Monday, April 5, 2027.
- Women’s season: starts Sunday, November 1, 2026, and ends with the national championship game on Sunday, April 4, 2027, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
The very first games are a doubleheader in Rome, Italy, on November 1. The men of Notre Dame and Villanova tip off at 9:30 a.m. ET at the Palazzetto dello Sport, and the women’s teams from the same schools follow at noon ET. We broke down the men’s game in our Notre Dame vs. Villanova prediction.
Opening week: games to watch
Sunday, Nov. 1
- Notre Dame vs. Villanova (men and women) in Rome, Italy.
Monday, Nov. 2: opening day
- Midnight tip: the Field of 68 opening-day marathon starts at 12 a.m. ET with High Point vs. Liberty in Rock Hill, South Carolina, the first of eight games.
- Florida vs. Miami in Tampa. The preseason No. 1 Gators open at the Orion180 Tip-Off Classic. Read our Orion180 Tip-Off Classic preview and why Florida opens at No. 1.
- Women’s opening day starts at 10:30 a.m. ET and includes Maryland vs. South Carolina, Arizona vs. Stanford, Oklahoma vs. North Carolina in Paris, Lehigh vs. UCLA and Cornell vs. UConn.
Later in the first two weeks
- Wake Forest at Vanderbilt, Nov. 5
- UConn vs. Michigan in Boston, Nov. 6
- Penn State vs. Pitt in Philadelphia, Nov. 8
- Duke vs. Michigan State at the Champions Classic in Chicago, Nov. 10
- Oklahoma State at Texas A&M, Nov. 12
- Georgia at North Carolina, Nov. 13
- Illinois at Duke, Nov. 17
Early-season tournaments
- Players Era 8: Nov. 17-19, Las Vegas
- Maui Invitational: Nov. 23-25, Hawai’i
- Players Era 16: Nov. 24-28, Las Vegas
- Baha Mar Hoops (women): Nov. 19-20
- Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis: Nov. 24-26
March Madness grows to 76 teams
This is the first season the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments each include 76 teams, up from 68. The new opening round features 24 teams playing 12 games before the traditional first round. That means more teams with a real shot in March, and more conference races that matter right to the end.
Key NCAA Tournament dates
- Men: opening round March 16-17, first round March 18-19, Sweet 16 March 25-26, Elite Eight March 27-28, Final Four April 3, championship April 5.
- Women: Selection Sunday March 14, opening round March 17-18, first round March 19-20, Sweet 16 March 26-27, Elite Eight March 28-29, Final Four April 2, championship April 4 in Columbus.
Players to know
The AP preseason All-America teams give you a head start. On the men’s side: Jeremy Fears Jr. of Michigan State, Thomas Haugh of Florida, Tyler Tanner of Vanderbilt, David Mirkovic of Illinois and Motiejus Krivas of Arizona. On the women’s side: Sarah Strong of UConn, JuJu Watkins of USC, Mikayla Blakes of Vanderbilt, Madison Booker of Texas and Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame. See more in our college athletes to watch in 2026-27.
Make your picks on RallyFuel
Think you know who wins opening week? Make free game predictions on RallyFuel, climb the fan leaderboard and earn rewards. Browse every men’s basketball program and women’s basketball program.
FAQ
When does college basketball start in 2026?
The 2026-27 men’s and women’s seasons both start Sunday, November 1, 2026, with Notre Dame vs. Villanova in Rome. Monday, November 2 is the first full opening day.
What is the first college basketball game of 2026-27?
Notre Dame vs. Villanova at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Rome, Italy, at 9:30 a.m. ET on November 1 (men), followed by the women’s game at noon ET.
How many teams are in the 2027 NCAA Tournament?
76 teams in both the men’s and women’s tournaments, the first time the brackets have been that size. A new opening round features 24 teams playing 12 games.
When is the 2027 Final Four?
The men’s Final Four is April 3 and the championship is April 5, 2027. The women’s Final Four is April 2 and the championship is April 4 in Columbus, Ohio.
When is the Champions Classic?
Duke vs. Michigan State headlines the Champions Classic in Chicago on November 10, 2026.
