The 2026‑27 men’s college basketball season officially opens on Sunday, November 1, kicking off a landmark year that will see the NCAA tournament expand to a record 76 teams.
The opening night features a high‑profile double‑header in Rome, Italy, where the Notre Dame men’s team meets Villanova at 9:30 a.m. ET, followed by the women’s squads at noon, a nod to Pope Leo XIV, a Villanova alumnus.
Opening night in Rome
The same day, a midnight‑start ‘Field of 68’ tip‑off brings eight additional games across Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, setting the tone for a packed November schedule.
Michigan, the reigning national champion, enters the season as the team to watch, while early‑season tournaments such as the Players Era in Las Vegas and the Maui Invitational in Hawaii promise competitive matchups before conference play begins.
The tournament path will move through Selection Sunday on March 17, a series of regional rounds, and culminate with the championship game on April 5, offering a clear roadmap from the opening games to the final showdown.
Adding a modern twist, the 21st Century 3v3 Bracket will let fans construct their own fantasy lineups using iconic NBA players from the 2000s, blending nostalgia with a digital‑first competition.