College Basketball Returns

The wait is over. Arenas are filling up, student sections are buzzing, and college basketball is officially here. With a new season comes rivalries, unexpected upsets, breakout stars, and the beginning of another race toward March Madness.

As the 2026-2027 season gets underway, teams across the country are preparing for a lengthy journey ahead. With March Madness serving as the end goal, the opening weeks will offer the initial glimpse of which teams have what it takes to compete with the best.

The Michigan Wolverines won the 2026 men’s NCAA national championship, taking down the UConn Huskies 69-63 on April 6^th. Michigan built an entirely new roster through the transfer portal and boy did it pay off. The Wolverines posted a stellar 37-3 record and were arguably one of the most dominant teams in recent history. To start the new season, Michigan is ranked 16^th.

To begin the 2026-2027 season, the initial top five teams in the Preseason AP Top 25 are: Florida, Duke, Illinois, UConn, and Arizona. Let’s take a quick look at each of these teams and what they have to offer.

FLORIDA

The Gators gave us an early show to begin the new season with an impressive 77-67 win over 14^th ranked Miami last night. This team is absolutely massive. With Condon, Chinyelu, and Haugh, Florida sure makes life difficult for opposing teams. The Gators also retained Boogie Fland; therefore, returning approximately 81.8% of their scoring from last season. Not only do the Gators have a stacked roster, but the most dangerous part is also that they have something to prove. Florida entered the NCAA tournament last year as the number one overall seed. Proven to be a place destined for failure. And boy did it fail the Gators. Florida lost in the second round to Iowa. Yikes. Look for the Gators to make a deep run this season.

DUKE

Like the Gators, the Blue Devils also return four major players: Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, Patrick Ngongna II, and Dame Sarr. Oh…and for the fifth starter?? John Blackwell. A 6-foot-5 All-Big Ten guard who just arrived in Durham from Wisconsin. That should be illegal. Love or hate them, Duke will always be amongst the top. Especially for the time being. Head Coach Jon Scheyer continues to recruit well and develop talent. Duke may have the most balanced roster entering the 2026-2027 season. But which will win? Size or depth?

ILLINOIS

Illinois enters the season looking to replace a backcourt that produced a lot last season. Illinois lost key players: Keaton Wagler, Kylan Boswell, and Ben Humrichous. This season, look for David Mirkovic to step up. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 13.6 points per game a year ago and enters this year as a preseason first-team All-American. Mirkovich can do it all - score, rebound, and pass. Illinois also has a huge frontcourt with Tomislav Ivisic (7-foot-1), Zvonimir Ivisic (7-foot-2) and Andrej Stojakovic (6-foot-7). Stojakovic averaged 13.5 points a game last season. The Fighting Illini also added Stefan Vaaks from Providence to help replace some of the scoring they lost in the offseason.

UCONN

The Huskies are looking to finish what they couldn’t last year after falling to Michigan in the National Championship game. A tough ask with losing star Alex Karaban. However, UConn returns a talented backcourt led by Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins, while Dan Hurley added a talented Freshman class and selected transfers. The biggest question – Can Hurley turn a younger roster into a championship team? It will be tough, but I won’t be surprised.

ARIZONA

Last year, the Wildcats reached their first Final Four in 25 years. To repeat that, head coach Tommy Lloyd will also look to rebuild a fresh roster. Arizona lost much of its roster from last year, including NBA-bound stars Koa Peat and Brayden Burries. The Wildcats will lean on returners Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov while looking for freshman Caleb Holt to live up to expectations. Arizona lost to 22nd ranked UCLA to open the season. Kharchenkov led the way with 38 points and 10 boards.

As the race for March Madness begins, one thing is for certain: expect surprises, upsets, and plenty of drama along the way. Which team will be standing at the top when it all comes to an end? Buckle up and enjoy the ride. It sure will be a wild one.