Happy November! The 2025-26 college basketball season is finally here, and it begins with a packed slate of incredible non-conference matchups.
Below are the top games to watch this month, including a star-studded Champions Classic, a clash of rivals in Kentucky and another loaded Feast Week. All rankings are from the Preseason AP Top 25.
No. 3 Florida vs. No. 13 Arizona, Nov. 3, 7 p.m. ET, TNT (Hall of Fame Series – Las Vegas)
Opening night in Las Vegas! Florida’s quest to repeat begins with a top-15 matchup against the Wildcats, who are led by a pair of five-star freshmen in 6-foot-7 forward Koa Peat and 6-foot-4 guard Brayden Burries. All eyes will be on the Gators’ new backcourt duo of 6-foot-4 senior Xaivian Lee and 6-foot-3 sophomore Boogie Fland, two major offseason additions via the portal. If Lee and Fland are as advertised, Florida has a real chance to win back-to-back national titles.
No. 19 Kansas at No. 25 North Carolina, Nov. 7, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Two blue bloods looking to rebound from disappointing seasons. Two sensational freshmen and top NBA prospects in Kansas’ 6-foot-6 guard Darryn Peterson — the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 Draft — and North Carolina’s 6-foot-10 forward Caleb Wilson. Friday night at the Dean Dome. It doesn’t get much better than this.
No. 15 Alabama at No. 5 St. John’s, Nov. 8, Noon ET, FS1
The World’s Most Famous Arena will be rocking for this Saturday matinee. Prepare for a fast-paced, high scoring, closely contested affair. After signing the nation’s No. 1-ranked transfer class, St. John’s has arguably the most talented roster in college basketball. Alabama has another deep backcourt with returnees Labaron Philon, Aden Holloway and Latrell Wrightsell, as well as Miami transfer and former McDonald’s All-American Jalil Bethea.
No. 9 Kentucky at No. 11 Louisville, Nov. 11, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey have found immediate success at their respective programs, bringing new energy to this intense rivalry. Both of these teams have Final Four potential in 2025-26, and this game should be a track meet with elite guard play and plenty of buckets. The biggest names to keep an eye on are Kentucky’s 6-foot-4 senior wing Otega Oweh (No. 14 on Hoops HQ’s ranking of the top 100 players for the upcoming season) and Louisville’s 6-foot-5 freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. (No. 19).
No. 10 Texas Tech at No. 17 Illinois, Nov. 11, 8:30 p.m. ET, FS1
Make sure you have two screens ready for Nov. 11. Illinois might have the most intriguing roster in college hoops. Brad Underwood’s team will be powered by the Balkan Five, a quintet of talented players from Eastern Europe, including twins Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. We will learn a great deal about the group in this early-season clash with the Red Raiders. Led by All-American J.T. Toppin, a 6-foot-9 junior forward, Texas Tech is projected to finish near the top of the Big 12 for a third straight year.
No. 1 Purdue at No. 15 Alabama, Nov. 13, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
You should watch Purdue — the preseason favorite to win the national championship — whenever you can this season, but definitely circle this one. The Boilermakers won’t see a tougher opponent in November than Alabama, which has four consecutive top-25 matchups on its nonleague schedule (St. John’s, Purdue, Illinois and Gonzaga). The battle between Purdue’s Braden Smith and Crimson Tide star Labaron Philon, two of the best guards in the nation, will be fascinating to watch.
No. 13 Arizona at No. 12 UCLA, Nov. 14, 10 p.m. ET, Peacock
New UCLA star Donovan Dent, a 6-foot-2 point guard who was the 2024-25 Mountain West Player of the Year, is must-see TV. The Bruins are expected to ascend a level after adding the Wooden Award candidate and retaining three starters (Skyy Clark, Tyler Bilodeau and Eric Dailey), and this will be their only matchup against a ranked opponent in November, so East Coasters should prepare to stay up late.
No. 4 UConn vs. No. 8 BYU, Nov. 15, 7 p.m. ET, FOX (Hall of Fame Series – Boston)
The hype around BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 wing and projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, continues to build. He’ll have a chance to make a big statement less than two weeks into the season when the Cougars face Dan Hurley’s revamped UConn squad at the historic TD Garden in Boston (not far from where Dybantsa grew up in Brockton). After a down year, the Huskies look like national title contenders once again. This will be their first opportunity to prove themselves worthy of all the preseason buzz.
No. 19 Kansas vs. No. 6 Duke, Nov. 18, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN (Champions Classic)
The Champions Classic is back at Madison Square Garden this year, and it will feature two of the brightest stars in the sport: Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer, a 6-foot-9 freshman forward who was voted ACC Preseason Player of the Year. The Jayhawks have won five straight at the annual event, including a 69-64 victory over the Blue Devils in 2022. Duke should be favored in this one, but with a premier talent like Peterson in the mix, anything can happen.
No. 18 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Houston, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. ET (Players Era Festival)
With a strong returning core and one of the country’s top recruiting classes, Houston could very well claim the program’s first national title in 2026. A late November meeting with Tennessee, which is led by stellar freshman Nate Ament (the projected No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft), at the Players Era Festival will reveal a lot about just how good Kelvin Sampson’s new team is. The Volunteers will be hungry for revenge after the Cougars knocked them out of the 2025 NCAA Tournament in the Elite Eight.
No. 7 Michigan vs. No. 20 Auburn, Nov. 25, 8:30 p.m. ET (Players Era Festival)
You’ll have just enough time to grab a quick dinner after Tennessee-Houston before the tipoff of this gem. Michigan enters the season with extremely high expectations because of its new loaded frontcourt: 6-foot-9 graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 7 on Hoops HQ’s ranking of the top 100 players), 6-foot-9 sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. and 7-foot-3 junior center Aday Mara. On the flip side, Auburn has one of the nation’s most electrifying guards in 6-foot-1 sophomore Tahaad Pettiford (No. 8 in the top 100).
No. 6 Duke vs. No. 14 Arkansas, Nov. 27, 8 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic)
Thanksgiving hoops! While you’re glued to the couch after stuffing your face with turkey and pie, enjoy this superb ACC/SEC duel. Coach John Calipari has put together a stacked roster for his second season in Fayetteville, headlined by five-star freshman guards Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas. This game kicks off a difficult stretch for the Razorbacks, as they will also face Louisville, Texas Tech and Houston before the Christmas break.
