Calling all college basketball fans! The 2024-25 college basketball season is already underway as it started on November 4, 2024. The 2025-26 season will start on November 3, 2025. If you’re a fan and can’t wait for the season to begin, here are some things you need to know about the upcoming year.
When Does the College Basketball Season Start?
The current college basketball season, 2024-25, started on November 4, 2024. The Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indy) Jaguars faced off against the Indiana University Columbus (IU Columbus) Crimson Pride to open the season. The Jaguars beat the Crimson Pride 100 to 44.
When Does The 2025-26 College Basketball Season Start?
At the moment, the 2025-26 college basketball season is expected to start on November 3, 2025. However, it’s important to note that this date was only recently suggested. It’s possible the first game of the season could be later or earlier than this proposed date as schedules are finalized.
What Changes Are in the Upcoming College Basketball Season?
As of this writing, there haven’t been any changes yet announced for the 2025-26 college basketball season.
However, the 2024-25 season did undergo some changes, including:
- Ejection for abusing an official: In the past, players would only receive an ejection from a game if they harmed an official. Now, players will be rejected from the game and receive a one-game suspension if they physically abuse an official.
- Off-ball fouls: Before this season, defensive fouls would only be reviewed during media timeouts. Now, they’ll be reviewed as they happen.
- Reviews for last-second shots: Previously, an out-of-bound call on last second shots had to be called by the floor officials. Now, officials can review the play and reverse the floor decision if the player is found to have been out of bounds.
- Out-of-bounds appeals: An experimental rule, coaches are now allowed to make appeals for out-of-bounds calls in the last two minutes of the game. If the appeal fails, it costs the team a timeout, similar to how challenges work in the National Football League (NFL).
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When Does the College Basketball Season End?
The 2024-25 regular season for men’s basketball will run until March 16, 2025. The tournament (and March Madness) starts on March 18 with the championship game on April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The 2025-26 regular season for men’s college basketball is expected to end on March 15, 2026, with the tournament running from March 17 to April 6. The National Championship will be held at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
When are March Madness Games?
For the 2024-25 season, Selection Sunday is scheduled for March 16. The First Four round will be held on March 18 and 19 in Dayton, OH at the UD Arena. The first and second rounds and regional games will take place on the 20th through the 30th across the United States. The Final Four is expected on April 5 and the NCAA championship game is set for April 7, both in San Antonio, Texas at the Alamodome.
For the 2025-26 season, Selection Sunday is March 15, 2026. The First Four match up on March 17 and 18 at Dayton, OH. First and second rounds, Sweet 16, and Elite Eight are scheduled for March 19 through 29. The Final Four takes place on April 4 and the National Championship is set for April 6, both at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
When is the 2024-25 Women’s College Basketball Season?
The women’s basketball 2024-25 season also started on November 4, 2024 and will end on March 16, 2025. The tournament begins on March 19 with the final game happening on April 6 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
The proposed start date for the 2025-26 women’s basketball season is Nov 3, 2025, with the Final Four on April 3 and the championship on April 5.
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How Can You Get Tickets to College Basketball Games?
Tickets for college basketball games sell out quickly, especially day-of. Buy tickets early. Or, opt for season passes. Prices for individual games vary quite a bit from school to school, but season tickets are generally the best deal.
It’s important to note though that season tickets do not cover any March Madness games. These seats can be purchased on a first-come, first-served basis or through a lottery system. Like regular season games, these tickets tend to go quickly, so it’s important to stay abreast of any news about when they’ll come on sale.
How Can You Play Basketball in College?
Of course, first and foremost, if you want to play basketball in college, you have to have a love of the game. You’re not going to get a spot on the varsity team if you don’t have a passion for it. If you have a passing interest in the game or just want to stay active, it’s very likely your college will have a club-level basketball team you can try out for.
For those looking to enter the varsity team though, it’s important to
- Have advanced skills. While you don’t necessarily have to have played since you were 5 years old, you definitely need the basketball skills to demonstrate you are the best of the best.
- Be athletic, coordinated, and have stamina. Height helps, too, but obviously that’s something you can’t change!
- Have good grades. Grades may not seem important to a career in basketball, but if your grades dip too low, you could lose your spot on the team. Qualifying for athletics requires a minimum grade point average.
- Have determination. A strong work ethic is required to play any college sport. College athletes need to always be available for practices and make it one of your top priorities.
To increase your chances of making a varsity basketball team, you should be extremely active on your high school team, attend basketball training camps and clinics, and have played for a number of years.
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What Schools Have Strong Basketball Programs?
The Huskies from the University of Connecticut (UConn) won the 2023-2024 men’s college basketball tournament. In women’s basketball, the Gamecocks from the University of South Carolina took home the championship.
Other top basketball programs from around the United States include Duke University, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Stanford University, University of Florida, and University of California – Los Angeles.
If you’re looking forward to the college basketball season, make sure to mark November 3rd on your calendar! You’ll also definitely want to mark down those March Madness dates. What team will you be rooting for?
Want to learn more about the colleges that have strong basketball programs? Check out College Raptor’s free College Match tool to learn about student life, your admission chances, cost, and more.
