College basketball picks, schedule: Predictions for Florida vs. Miami, more Top 25 games on opening day

The 2026-27 college basketball season has finally arrived. After an offseason full of court cases with unresolved outcomes for dozens of players fighting for a fifth year of eligibility, actual basketball games will be the focus in the coming days and weeks to follow. 

Twenty of the preseason AP Top 25 teams will be in action on Monday, including two ranked-on-ranked matchups that will set the table for what should be a season full of intriguing storylines. Florida enters the season ranked No. 1 and seeks its second title in three years but will be tested early against in-state foe No. 14 Miami in Tampa.

One of the final games of the night will see a former Pac-12 rivalry renewed when No. 5 Arizona faces No. 22 UCLA in Las Vegas. That game will represent the debut for two of the best freshmen in the sport: Arizona's Caleb Holt and UCLA's Nikola Kusturica. Last season, Arizona defeated UCLA in a thrilling neutral site matchup in Los Angeles.

Other teams that will be in action include No. 15 Gonzaga against Purdue, No. 18 Iowa State facing Memphis and Ohio State matchuping up against No. 15 BYU. All three of those games will be played at neutral sites.

Let the games (and season!) begin. 

All times ET

No. 14 Miami vs. No. 1 Florida (Tampa)

6 p.m. on ESPN, Fubo (try for free): The key matchup to watch is how Miami's frontcourt stacks up against Florida's, which is arguably the best trio (Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon) in the nation. Will Malik Reneau and Somto Cyril be able to limit the damage? If so, this game will be tight down the stretch. Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis has looked awesome for Miami during its exhibition games. He has a chance to be a real star this season. I'm picking Florida to win, but Miami to cover. Pick: Miami +5.5 -- Cameron Salerno

Memphis vs. No. 18 Iowa State (in Sioux Falls)

7 p.m. on FS1, Fubo (try for free): Memphis big man Nemanja Popovic has been ruled ineligible by the NCAA for the first six games. That's a big deal because the 24-year-old Serbian looks like Penny Hardaway's best player. His playmaking would've been critical against an Iowa State defense that traps early and often. That forces Memphis bigs like Corneilous Williams and Maxim Logue into bigger roles, and they both aren't razor-sharp playmakers. Iowa State won't have ace defensive guard Killyan Toure (injured shoulder), but fifth-year senior guard Tamin Lipsey is eligible to play. His creation and ball-hawking defense help make Lipsey a top-10 player in the country for some stat-based metrics. Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger is also elite against the number in non-conference games (43-29-1 since taking the Iowa State gig). 

But I'm starting to think Iowa State is a bit overvalued right now. Sixth on KenPom? That's rich. Life without Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic isn't going to be easy at first. This Iowa State offense will need time to coalesce with so many new faces adopting bigger roles than ever. I'm bullish on the Cyclones becoming a great defensive team, but it might not be humming on all cylinders right away in a scramble-heavy scheme that isn't easy to ace right away. Memphis is also being power-rated outside the top-100 on Bart Torvik. I think it's closer to a top-70 unit. Take the points. If Memphis doesn't turn it over 20 times, it'll stay within this number. Pick: Memphis +13.5 -- Isaac Trotter

No. 15 Gonzaga vs. Purdue (Las Vegas)

7:30 p.m. on TNT: Gonzaga can give this Purdue defense a lot of problems. Purdue has one serviceable big man right now in Daniel Jacobsen. Gonzaga has three of the best big men in the country in Braden Huff, Massamba Diop and Izan Almansa. That math ain't mathing. I do think Purdue's offense should find a better rhythm against a Gonzaga team that isn't quite as physical as the UConn defense that totally eviscerated the Boilermakers in last week's exhibition laugher. Gonzaga will likely play a bit more drop coverage, and Purdue has a cavalry of guards who can drain pull-up jumpers. Purdue is clearly the better shooting team, but Gonzaga has so many more paths to creating better shots with its trio of elite bigs and future NBA wing Davis Fogle. Take the Zags. They will have the best two players on the floor (Huff and Fogle). Pick: Gonzaga -4.5 -- Trotter

Ohio State vs. No. 25 BYU (in Salt Lake City)

9 p.m. on FS1, Fubo (try for free): This has the potential to be the best game of the night. With AJ Dybantsa gone, it will be a new chapter at BYU. However, the Cougars did retain star guard Robert Wright III, added another five-star wing in Bruce Branch III and landed former Michigan State big man Jaxon Kohler, who is one of dozens of players hoping for a fifth year. Even though I think Ohio State is due for a strong season, BYU wins this game. I'm also going to be keeping an eye on Ohio State five-star forward Anthony Thompson. His play will determine Ohio State's ceiling this year. Pick: BYU -2.5 -- Salerno

No. 5 Arizona vs. No. 22 UCLA (in Las Vegas)

10 p.m. on TNT: Arizona is a bit short-handed without bruising forward RJ Godfrey, who is still stuck in 5-in-5 legal purgatory, but the Big Three of Caleb Holt, Ivan Kharchenkov and big man Mo Krivas is extremely intimidating. Arizona's guards are so much bigger than UCLA's, and the Bruins won't have much of an answer for Mount Krivas in the paint. But this UCLA outfit is no slouch. Texas Tech transfer guard Jaylen Petty is a flat-out baller, and prized 17-year-old freshman Nikola Kusturica is a high-motor wing who may be the best prospect in the world. 

Forward Eric Dailey Jr. is also a tough matchup for Arizona's short-handed frontcourt. Plus, UCLA coach Mick Cronin knows that you have to bring the game to a crawl to limit Arizona's mighty transition attack. Six of the last seven matchups between Cronin and Tommy Lloyd have landed in the mid-60s from a possessions standpoint. If Arizona wants to win, it's going to have to do it on Cronin's terms. The under is easily the best play on the board here, but we're forced to pick a side, too. I lean UCLA because it has its full arsenal. Arizona does not. Pick: UCLA +4.5 -- Trotter

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