College Basketball Kicks Off Season With Opening Matchups

The 2026-27 college basketball season is officially underway, featuring high-scoring season openers, new rosters, and notable coaching debuts across the country. Teams took to the court over recent days to launch their campaigns, showcasing heavy roster reconstruction and high-profile transfers.

In Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh men's basketball team opened its season with a 95-57 victory over Rider on Monday night at the Petersen Events Center. Freshman Chase Foster led the charge by scoring 23 points, setting a program record for the most points scored in a freshman debut. Foster shot 5 of 8 from the field in the first half alone, accumulating 18 points before finishing the evening with five rebounds in 13 minutes.

Pitt transfer Jonathan Powell contributed 18 points, hitting six 3-pointers for the Panthers. Baye Ndongo and fifth-year transfer A'lahn Sumler each added 12 points, while Jalil Bethea chipped in 10 points off the bench. Bryce Baker led Rider with 11 points in the loss. With the victory, Pitt extended a streak of 154 consecutive home wins when scoring 80 points or more.

Meanwhile, the LSU women's basketball team delivered a historic performance at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, routing Southeastern Louisiana 129-35. Ranked No. 8 in the Coaches Poll and No. 9 in the AP Top 25, the Tigers secured a 94-point margin of victory, marking the largest win margin in program history and surpassing previous records set against McNeese in 2003 and Southeastern in 2025.

Za'Kiyah Johnson led LSU with 33 points, while MiLaysia Fulwiley added 20. Mikaylah Williams scored 19 points in just over 25 minutes of play, shooting 6 of 10 from the field including 5 of 7 from beyond the arc, alongside five rebounds and six assists. Chloe Larry, a transfer from Tennessee Tech and Williams' former high school teammate, made her debut for the Tigers off the bench, contributing two points, five rebounds, and four assists.

On the men's side in Baton Rouge, anticipation surrounds the return of head coach Will Wade for his second stint leading the LSU Tigers. The program assembled a completely new 14-player roster for the 2026-27 campaign following an overall 15-17 finish last season. The new squad features familiar Southeastern Conference faces alongside international additions, preparing for their opening matchup against LSU New Orleans.

Additional season-opening action across the collegiate landscape featured several notable results, including UCLA defeating Arizona, Thomas Haugh powering Florida to a victory, and North Carolina surviving against Western Carolina in Mike Malone's debut. Teams will continue their non-conference schedules this week with matchups taking place nationwide.