Rejoice! The college basketball season is starting.
You don’t need to wait until March Madness to enjoy the action. There are several high-quality games in the first month of the 2025-26 season. To help you find some of the best matchups, here’s a guide on what we think are the five must-see games in November.
5. No.9 Kentucky vs. No. 11 Louisville
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 11, 8 p.m. ET
Site: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY
TV: ESPN
Duke vs. North Carolina gets all the attention, but the most intense in-state rivalry belongs to the Wildcats vs. the Cardinals. The annual grudge match lost some of its luster with the departure of frenemies John Calipari and Rick Pitino. However, Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey have brought new energy. Both coaches are in Year 2, and their programs have high expectations from demanding fans. Pope won last year’s meeting in Lexington, but this season, Kelsey has homecourt advantage and possibly a deeper team.
4. No.3 Florida vs. No. 13 Arizona
Date: Monday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m. ET
Site: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
TV: TNT
You can’t do any better than having the defending national champion open up against a formidable foe. Florida, which hasn’t lost since February, has a decent shot at repeating with the return of center Alex Condon, who flirted with the NBA draft. Plus, Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee is expected to fill the void left by Final Four MOP Walter Clayton Jr. This will be a big test for Arizona, which will be relying on a highly regarded recruiting class, led by Koa Peat and Brayden Burries.
3. No.2 Houston vs. No. 18 Tennessee
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 25, 6 p.m. ET
Site: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
TV: TNT
Who doesn’t love an Elite Eight rematch? This time it’s at the Players Era Festival. Last year, Houston crushed Tennessee 69-50 in the Midwest Region final in Indianapolis. For the Cougars, they return three key starters (Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan, and Joseph Tugler) for what could be Kelvin Sampson’s best chance at finally winning a national championship. For the Volunteers, they have some new faces, but transfers Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Maryland) and Amaree Abram (Louisiana Tech) are expected to make an immediate impact.
2. No.19 Kansas vs. No. 6 Duke
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 18, 9 p.m. ET
Site: Madison Square Garden in New York City
TV: ESPN
A matchup of bluebloods like Kansas vs. Duke is must-see TV under any circumstances. In this Champions Classic meeting, the spotlight will focus on the Jayhawks’ Darryn Peterson and the Blue Devils’ Cameron Boozer, who both are expected to be NBA lottery picks. Peterson is in contention for the top overall selection. He will try to lift Kansas after an uncharacteristically subpar season (21-13 with a first-round upset loss to Arkansas). Meanwhile, the pressure will continue to be on Jon Scheyer until he delivers a national championship.
1. No.8 BYU vs. No. 4 UConn
Date: Saturday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m. ET
Site: TD Garden in Boston, MA.
TV: FOX
The possible No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NBA draft vs. the best program over the past three seasons. BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, a Massachusetts native, isn’t the household name that Cooper Flagg was as an incoming freshman. However, an impressive performance against UConn on national TV in the Hall of Fame Series will boost his Q rating. The Huskies should be in the Final Four hunt again after falling short last season. They might have the best starting lineup in the sport, led by Solo Ball and Alex Karaban.
About Michael Grant
Born in Jamaica. Grew up in New York City. Lives in Louisville, Ky. Sports writer. Not related to Ulysses S. Grant.