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The college basketball season typically starts in the first week of November, with the non-conference portion lasting until the last week of December. Conference play then begins in January, with tournaments taking place at the end of February or beginning of March. These tournaments determine the automatic bids for March Madness, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, which takes place in April.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| When does the non-conference portion of the college basketball season start? | The first week of November |
| When does the non-conference portion of the college basketball season end? | The last week of December |
| When does the conference play start? | After the non-conference portion ends |
| When do the conference tournaments that determine March Madness automatic bids start? | End of February or beginning of March |
| When is the 2024-25 college basketball season? | Started on November 5, 2024 |
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What You'll Learn
The non-conference season starts in November and ends in December
The non-conference college basketball season typically begins in the first week of November and ends in the last week of December. This period is a great opportunity for teams to assess their strengths and weaknesses before conference play begins in the new year.
During the non-conference season, teams face a variety of opponents from different conferences, providing a unique challenge and a chance to gauge their performance against a diverse range of competition. It is a time for experimentation and strategy adjustment, as coaches and players work together to find the right combinations and tactics that suit their strengths.
In the 2024-25 season, the non-conference games kicked off in early November, with teams like Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan, and Louisville taking to the courts. Purdue, for instance, continued their impressive streak of remaining undefeated against non-conference regular-season opponents since 2020. Their success was largely attributed to the presence of two-time national player of the year, Zach Edey, who has since moved on to the Memphis Grizzlies.
This part of the season is crucial for teams to build momentum, fine-tune their lineups, and gain valuable experience before diving into the more intense conference play. It is a time for both established and up-and-coming players to showcase their skills and make a name for themselves, as well as for coaches to implement their strategic visions for the team.
The non-conference season is a critical foundation for the rest of the college basketball year, and teams approach it with a mix of excitement and determination, knowing that the outcomes of these early games can have a significant impact on their overall trajectory in the season ahead.
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Conference play begins in January
The college basketball season typically starts in the first week of November, with the non-conference portion lasting until the last week of December. This is followed by the conference play, which begins in January.
The 2024-25 season, for example, kicked off in November 2024, with teams like Purdue, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Ohio State, Michigan, and Louisville taking to the courts. Purdue, for instance, played Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, while Ohio State upset No.19 Texas 80-72. Michigan, with their new coach Dusty May, stormed past Cleveland State with a score of 101-53. Louisville, also under new leadership with coach Pat Kelsey, defeated Morehead State 93-45.
The conference tournaments that determine the March Madness automatic bids usually commence towards the end of February or the beginning of March. These tournaments are eagerly anticipated by fans and bettors alike, with the NCAA Tournament betting lines being released once the teams are revealed on Selection Sunday.
The college basketball season, thus, spans several months, with the non-conference games setting the stage for the more competitive and intense conference play that follows in January.
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Conference tournaments start in February or March
Conference tournaments in college basketball usually start in late February or early March. These tournaments determine the automatic bids for March Madness, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball tournament, which takes place in the latter part of March.
The college basketball season typically begins in the first week of November and runs through to the end of December, during which time teams play non-conference opponents. Conference play then begins in January, and the conference tournaments start in February or March.
The conference tournaments include the ACC Tournament, SEC Tournament, Big East Tournament, Big Ten Tournament, Big 12 Tournament, and Pac-12 Tournament. These tournaments are eagerly anticipated by fans and closely followed by sports bettors, who use the results to inform their March Madness predictions.
The 2024-25 college basketball season saw some notable upsets and changes. For example, the Buckeyes upset No. 19 Texas 80-72, and Michigan started the season with a new coach, Dusty May, who led them to a 101-53 victory over Cleveland State.
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The NCAA Division I men's basketball Final Four takes place in April
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, also known as March Madness or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion at the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The NCAA Division I men's basketball Final Four takes place in April, with the 2025 Final Four being held on April 5 and 7 in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The tournament features four regions, each with a third-place game. Each venue hosts two sets of four teams, known as "pods." The pods are assigned to limit travel for teams, with the highest-ranked teams usually getting the closest sites. The pods are arranged as follows: Pod A: 1 vs. 16 and 8 vs. 9; Pod B: 2 vs. 15 and 7 vs. 10; Pod C: 3 vs. 14 and 6 vs. 11; and Pod D: 4 vs. 13 and 5 vs. 12.
The Final Four is the culmination of the tournament, with the winning team being crowned the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Champion. The tournament has a long history, dating back to 1952, when it competed with the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) founded by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. The NIT was held in New York City at Madison Square Garden. Over the years, there have been speculations about expanding the tournament size, with the NCAA considering a move to 96 teams in 2011.
The branding of the tournament has also evolved, with both the men's and women's tournaments being unified under the "NCAA March Madness" banner starting in 2022, featuring variations of the same logo. The Final Four for the men's tournament was also rebranded as the "Men's Final Four" in 2022 to match the branding of the "Women's Final Four" used since 1987.
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The offseason is a good time to ask about the next season's start date
The 2024-25 season kicked off in November 2024, with teams across the country taking to the courts to showcase their skills and strategies. The offseason leading up to this season would have been the perfect time to mark calendars and prepare for the action to come. For example, Purdue fans would have eagerly awaited their team's season opener, riding on the momentum of their impressive streak of not losing to a non-conference regular-season opponent since 2020.
Ohio State fans would have been intrigued to see how their new head coach, Jake Diebler, would fare in his first game. The offseason speculation would have been buzzing with predictions and strategies, making the start of the season all the more exciting. Michigan also debuted a new coach, Dusty May, alongside Yale transfer Danny Wolf, creating a buzz among fans and players alike. Louisville, under the guidance of Pat Kelsey, delivered a stellar defensive performance in their season opener, holding Morehead State to just 45 points.
The offseason provides an opportunity for teams to regroup, strategize, and make personnel changes, whether it's coaching staff or player rosters. It's a time when fans can reflect on the past season, anticipate the future, and eagerly await the release of the new season's schedule. This downtime also allows for a break in the action, building up excitement and anticipation for the fast-paced and thrilling nature of college basketball.
So, while the offseason may be a time of relative quiet in the college basketball world, it's also a period that fuels the excitement and sets the stage for the upcoming season. It's the calm before the storm, where questions about the start date, new players, and potential strategies loom large, only to be answered when the season tips off.
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Frequently asked questions
The non-conference portion of the college basketball season usually takes place from the first week of November to the last week of December. The conference games then begin in late December.
Conference tournaments usually start in late February or early March.
NCAA Tournament betting lines are released once the tournament is revealed on Selection Sunday.
The 2024-25 college basketball season began in November 2024.
