The 2026-27 college basketball season tips off Monday with 20 of the preseason AP Top 25 teams in action, featuring two ranked-on-ranked matchups that set the tone for the campaign. 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 sees No. 5 Arizona take on No. 22 UCLA in Las Vegas.
Arizona vs. UCLA in Las Vegas
No. 5 Arizona meets No. 22 UCLA at 10 p.m. ET on TNT. Arizona will be without forward RJ Godfrey due to eligibility issues, but boasts a formidable trio of freshmen Caleb Holt, Ivan Kharchenkov, and big man Mo Krivas. UCLA counters with Texas Tech transfer guard Jaylen Petty and 17-year-old freshman Nikola Kusturica, plus forward Eric Dailey Jr. Coach Mick Cronin's slow-tempo approach has limited Arizona's transition game in six of the last seven meetings. The pick: UCLA +4.5.
Florida vs. Miami in Tampa
No. 1 Florida faces No. 14 Miami at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN. Florida's frontcourt of Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, and Alex Condon is considered the nation's best trio. Miami relies on Malik Reneau and Somto Cyril to contain them, while Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis has impressed in exhibitions. The pick: Miami +5.5.
Other Top 25 Games
No. 18 Iowa State meets Memphis in Sioux Falls (7 p.m. ET, FS1) with Memphis missing big man Nemanja Popovic for six games; Iowa State guard Tamin Lipsey returns from injury. Pick: Memphis +13.5. No. 15 Gonzaga battles Purdue in Las Vegas (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT) with Gonzaga's three elite big men — Braden Huff, Massamba Diop, Izan Almansa — against Purdue's lone serviceable big Daniel Jacobsen. Pick: Gonzaga -4.5. Ohio State faces No. 25 BYU in Salt Lake City (9 p.m. ET, FS1) with BYU retaining star guard Robert Wright III and adding five-star wing Bruce Branch III and former Michigan State big Jaxon Kohler. Pick: BYU -2.5.
