The 2026-27 college basketball season tips off Monday with 20 of the preseason AP Top 25 teams in action, highlighted by two ranked-on-ranked showdowns. Defending champion Florida enters as the No. 1 team and faces in-state rival No. 14 Miami in Tampa, while a renewed Pac-12 rivalry takes center stage in Las Vegas as No. 5 Arizona meets No. 22 UCLA. Other notable neutral-site contests include No. 15 Gonzaga against Purdue, No. 18 Iowa State versus Memphis, and Ohio State taking on No. 25 BYU in Salt Lake City.
No. 5 Arizona vs. No. 22 UCLA (Las Vegas, 10 p.m. ET, TNT)
Arizona will be without forward RJ Godfrey due to eligibility issues, but the Wildcats boast a formidable trio in freshman Caleb Holt, Ivan Kharchenkov, and center Mo Krivas. UCLA counters with Texas Tech transfer Jaylen Petty and 17-year-old freshman Nikola Kusturica, along with forward Eric Dailey Jr. Coach Mick Cronin's slow-tempo approach has limited Arizona's transition game in six of the last seven meetings. Analysts lean toward UCLA covering the 4.5-point spread, with a pick of UCLA +4.5.
No. 14 Miami vs. No. 1 Florida (Tampa, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Florida's frontcourt trio of Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, and Alex Condon is considered the nation's best. Miami's Malik Reneau and Somto Cyril will try to contain them, while Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis has impressed in exhibitions. The consensus pick is Florida to win but Miami to cover the 5.5-point spread (Miami +5.5).
Memphis vs. No. 18 Iowa State (Sioux Falls, 7 p.m. ET, FS1)
Memphis loses big man Nemanja Popovic to NCAA ineligibility for six games, a significant blow against Iowa State's trapping defense. The Cyclones will also be without guard Killyan Toure (shoulder), but fifth-year senior Tamin Lipsey returns. Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger holds a strong non-conference record against the spread (43-29-1). The pick is Memphis +13.5, expecting the Tigers to stay within the number if they limit turnovers.
No. 15 Gonzaga vs. Purdue (Las Vegas, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Gonzaga's trio of big men — Braden Huff, Massamba Diop, and Izan Almansa — presents a major mismatch against Purdue's lone serviceable big, Daniel Jacobsen. The Zags also feature NBA prospect Davis Fogle on the wing. Despite Purdue's superior shooting, analysts favor Gonzaga to win and cover as 4.5-point favorites (Gonzaga -4.5).
Ohio State vs. No. 25 BYU (Salt Lake City, 9 p.m. ET, FS1)
BYU retains star guard Robert Wright III, adds five-star wing Bruce Branch III, and lands former Michigan State big man Jaxon Kohler. Ohio State's ceiling hinges on five-star forward Anthony Thompson. The pick is BYU -2.5, with the Cougars expected to win a close contest.
