College basketball season opens with 183-game slate; No. 1 Florida wins
The gist
The 2026-27 men's college basketball season opened with 183 games; No. 1 Florida beat No. 14 Miami 77-67.
It is the first season with a 76-team NCAA tournament bracket.
How it unfolded
- Nov 1, 2026The men's season begins with one game, Notre Dame vs. Villanova in Rome, Italy, at the Palazzetto dello Sport (9:30 a.m. ET), the Eternal City Tip-Off. Notre Dame beat Villanova.
- Nov 2, 2026The first game on U.S. soil tips at 12:01 a.m. between High Point and Liberty in Rock Hill, SC, at the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon.
- Nov 2, 2026The full opening day features 183 games involving Division I teams, though NCAA.com counts 182.