The Countdown Is On: College Basketball Returns in Just 25 Days!
As the leaves start to crisp and football games blaze under stadium lights, the unmistakable buzz of college basketball edges closer. For fans of the sport, this is an exciting signal: the 2025-2026 college basketball season is almost here. The Kentucky Wildcats recently held their annual Pro Day on Tuesday, Big Blue Madness is set for Saturday, and the Blue-White Game kicks off on October 17th. Just a week later, the Wildcats will face off against the preseason number one, the Purdue Boilermakers, in an exhibition game that's already stirring up anticipation. It's incredible to realize how swiftly we're approaching tip-off (2025-26 schedule, tip times, TV info).
To mark 25 days until the season begins, let's dive into five compelling storylines shaping the upcoming college hoops campaign. Every five days, we’ll unveil five fresh tales, building up to 25 by the season's start on November 3rd. As Kentucky Sports Radio's devoted college basketball enthusiast, I’ll be sharing plenty of previews, including my much-anticipated annual College Basketball Manifesto. Get ready, the madness is just around the corner!
As Jon Rothstein famously says: And. Here. We. Go.
Purdue’s Braden Smith and His Quest for History
Here’s a bold statement: sports records are facing an identity crisis. Recent changes, like extending player eligibility to five or even six years, have rewritten college sports history in ways that may never be undone. Yet, there remain some genuine record-breaking pursuits — one of which Purdue’s Braden Smith is chasing.
Only four players in college basketball history have logged over 1,000 career assists. Bobby Hurley, now Arizona State’s head coach, tops the list with 1,076 assists during his standout Duke career. Through three seasons at Purdue, Smith has already chalked up 758 assists. Remarkably, he’s led the nation in assists the last two years running. The challenge? If Purdue plays 35 games, Smith needs to average 9 assists per game to break Hurley’s record. Slightly more manageable, at 38 games, that average drops to 8.4 per game. Given Smith averaged 8.7 assists last season, it's a Herculean task, but not impossible—will the NCAA’s all-time assist leader crown be his by the end of 2026?
Florida Gators Aim for Back-to-Back Greatness
Back-to-back National Championships are elusive trophies in college basketball. Before recent champions UConn claimed consecutive titles in 2023 and 2024, the Florida Gators were the last to achieve it in 2006 and 2007. Now, Todd Golden and the Gators have the chance to echo Coach Billy Donovan's legendary feat.
Florida’s strength likely lies in their frontcourt, which may be the finest in the nation this year. Veterans Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon are back, offering skilled forward play, while Rueben Chinyelu promises to be a formidable interior defender.
That said, the Gators’ backcourt presents some intriguing questions. Transfers Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee bring undeniable talent, yet their chemistry and fit within Florida’s system remain unproven. Fland was a top-five freshman playmaker before an injury slowed his momentum at Arkansas, a team that paradoxically excelled without him. Lee faces a massive leap from the Ivy League’s Princeton to the SEC, but his sophomore breakout and consistent junior-year stats—16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game—highlight his potential. Both guards offer dynamic playmaking and perimeter shooting but do they possess the consistency and synergy to complement Florida’s dominant frontcourt? This is the compelling unknown heading into the season.
The Dreaded March Madness Hangover
There’s a curious and somewhat unfortunate phenomenon in college basketball — the March Madness hangover. Look no further than the recent past: North Carolina’s 2022 Cinderella run to the championship game was followed by a 2023 season where they missed the NCAA Tournament altogether, despite starting the year ranked #1.
Other examples include Miami, who reached the 2023 Final Four but fell to a losing record the next year, and Florida Atlantic, which struggled to break into the bubble after their national runner-up finish. Even NC State’s 2024 campaign saw a drop to 12-19 and a coaching change after their Final Four appearance.
With all four top seeds advancing to the 2025 Final Four, it seems unlikely for a similar collapse in 2026. However, trends are hard to ignore. Florida and Houston, as reigning champions and finalists, respectively, start among the top three teams, with Duke trailing in the top ten. Auburn might be the most vulnerable candidate this season, losing nine seniors and seeing a coaching transition from Bruce Pearl, who retired on the very first day of official practice, to his son Steven Pearl. Auburn still ranks in the preseason Top 25, but could the Tigers face a post-Final Four slump this year? This unpredictable storyline is ripe for debate.
Evan Miya’s Top Player and Team Projections
If you haven’t yet discovered Evan Miyakawa’s work, it’s time to make his analytics site a regular stop. While KenPom is the grandfather of basketball analytics, Evan is quickly carving a significant niche, offering fresh insights and projections that are gaining national traction.
His latest rankings spotlight the Top 30 individual players and Top 10 teams for the 2025-2026 season. Kentucky fans might be surprised to see no Wildcats in the Top 30—a glaring omission of Otega Oweh, a likely preseason All-American. However, Kentucky still boasts five players in the Top 100, a tally matched only by Florida.
Leading the pack is Purdue’s Braden Smith, with Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, Texas Tech’s JT Toppin, Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford, and Alabama’s Labaron Philon rounding out the top five. Freshman standouts like Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson also make the list.
As for team rankings, Kentucky narrowly misses the Top 10, landing at #11. Houston claims the top spot, bolstered by projections as the nation's best defense. Purdue ranks second, thanks to an explosive offense. Duke, Florida, and Connecticut round out the elite tier, while Michigan, Arizona, Illinois, BYU, and Gonzaga follow. Notably, Arizona and Illinois receive considerably higher praise here than in many other national rankings — a contrast worth keeping an eye on.
Kentucky’s Grueling Schedule
Big Blue Nation knows the Wildcats never shy away from tough challenges, and 2025-2026 is no exception. Last season, Kentucky faced the nation’s third hardest schedule, largely due to the daunting SEC competition. This year, Coach John Calipari has further intensified their non-conference matchups.
The ‘Cats kick off with a high-stakes game at rival Louisville on November 11th, a team projected in the Top 10. Later in November, they’ll face Michigan State at Madison Square Garden — an iconic venue known for high-pressure games. December cranks the difficulty even higher: Kentucky hosts North Carolina, travels to face Gonzaga in Nashville, welcomes Indiana, and takes on St. John’s in Atlanta. It’s entirely possible that every one of these contests could feature Top 25 opponents, setting the stage for a brutally competitive season.
But here’s where it gets controversial: With so many intense storylines and tough games, who truly has the edge this season? Can historical records like Braden Smith’s assist chase be preserved, or are we witnessing an era where records become less meaningful due to eligibility quirks? Will Florida’s backcourt live up to the hype or expose cracks beneath their strong front? And is the March Madness hangover really a predictable curse, or can we expect surprises?
What do you think? Which storyline excites or concerns you the most? Feel free to share your thoughts and spark a lively conversation in the comments below!
