The college basketball season is here, with the UConn Huskies looking to defend their back-to-back national championship victories under coach Dan Hurley.
The transfer portal, conference realignment, NIL, and a very busy coaching carousel has this season looking as unpredictable as ever. Kentucky, Louisville, Arkansas, Michigan, Ohio State, USC, and BYU all have new coaches which could shake up the standings in their respective conferences, while realignment adds a huge brand in Arizona to the Big 12, two quality programs in Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC, and potential top finishers UCLA and Oregon to the Big Ten.
That, along with an elite freshman class and an abundance of veteran returners, has this sport as talent-rich and unpredictable as ever – and the first week will already provide plenty of fireworks.
Below is a look at the five best matchups in the first week of the season, starting with a Monday night matchup in Spokane: