MIAMI, FL —— The NCAA DI new college men’s basketball season tips off on Monday with a loaded schedule, and all the big guns are set to open their respective campaigns.
Among the leading teams in action on Monday are No. 1 North Carolina, defending national champion and joint No. 5 Kansas, No. 7 Duke, as well as No. 4 Kentucky, No. 2 Gonzaga, and No. 5 Baylor.
The day’s opening fixture will begin at 12:00 pm ET on BIG12 via ESPN+ when the fifth-ranked Bears open against Mississippi Valley State at Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas, before the evening’s schedule gets going with three games at 6:30 pm. Fourth-ranked Kentucky entertains Howard at Rupp Arena in Lexington, live on SECN and WatchESPN, No. 16 Villanova battles La Salle live on Fox Sports 1, and No. 22 Michigan plays Purdue Fort Wayne with this game broadcasting live on Big Ten Network.
Meanwhile, reigning champion Kansas will start the defense of its title without head coach Bill Self who is suspended for four games as part of the fallout from a lengthy FBI investigation into college basketball corruption, the Associated Press reported. The fifth-ranked Jayhawks will open their season against Omaha and the game is live on BIG12 via ESPN+.
Below is the complete list of games on the schedule for the opening night of the NCAA DI new college men’s basketball season.
AP Top 25 College Basketball Schedule and TV Channels
Men’s College Basketball
No. 1 North Carolina vs UNC Wilmington 9:00 ET ACC Network
No. 2 Gonzaga vs North Florida 9:00 ET
No. 3 Houston vs Northern Colorado 8:00 ET ESPN+
No. 4 Kentucky vs Howard 6:30 ET SECN/WATCHESPN
No. 5 Kansas vs Omaha 8:00 ET BIG12|ESPN+
No. 5 Baylor vs Mississippi Valley State 12:00 PM BIG12|ESPN+
No. 7 Duke vs Jacksonville 7:00 ET ACC Network
No. 8 UCLA vs Sacramento State 11:30 ET
No. 9 Creighton vs St. Thomas – Minnesota 8:30 ET Fox Sports 1
No. 10 Arkansas vs North Dakota State 8:00 ET ESPN+/SECN+
No. 11 Tennessee vs Tennessee Tech 7:00 ET ESPN+/SECN+
No. 12 Texas vs UTEP 7:00 ET Longhorns Network
No. 13 Indiana vs Morehead State 9:00 ET
No. 14 TCU vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff 8:00 ET BIG12|ESPN+
No. 15 Auburn vs George Mason 8:00 ET ESPN+/SECN+
No. 16 Villanova vs La Salle 6:30 ET Fox Sports 1
No. 17 Arizona vs Nicholls 9:30 ET
No. 18 Virginia vs North Carolina Central 9:00 ET ACC Network Extra
No. 19 SDSU vs Cal State Fullerton 10:00 ET
No. 20 Alabama vs Longwood 8:30 ET ESPN+/SECN+
No. 21 Oregon vs Florida A&M 10:00 ET
No. 22 Michigan vs Purdue Fort Wayne 6:30 ET Big Ten Network
No. 23 Illinois vs Eastern Illinois 9:00 ET ESPNU
No. 24 Dayton vs Lindenwood 7:00 ET ESPN+
No. 25 Texas Tech vs Northwestern State 9:00 ET BIG12|ESPN+
