The best opening-day matchup in each region
We've got our first game of the season tipping off in less than an hour! Here's a look at the games around the country that stand out to me on this opening day of the 2025-26 season
I’m not wasting any time with an intro today. Let’s get right into it! Here is (in my humble opinion), the best matchup in all 10 regions on this opening day slate.
A quick note: we do have a lot of cross-region games on this list and on the schedule in general. So in an effort to maintain the format of this list (as opposed to just a list of the Top 10 games to watch), I limited myself to games played in that region. For example, a Region 3 game might feature a team from R3 and R5, but if it’s being played in Region 3, it’ll fall under the Region 3 category.
What games will you be watching today? Drop them in the comment section below!
Region 1 → Keene State at Colby Sawyer, 6 p.m. ET: Both return significant contributors from last season and each enters 2025-26 with a prime opportunity to take a step forward as a program, coming off sub-.500 seasons last winter. For Keene, the playmaker to watch is junior guard Brynn Rautiola, a two-time First Team All-LEC honoree and 2025 D3hoops.com All-Region honoree. Rautiola is a difficult matchup for any defense, and comes off a sophomore campaign in which she averaged 18.8 PPG. How about for CSC? That would be senior forward Elyza Mitchell, who played her high school basketball just a couple miles down the road from the Keene State campus. The forward averaged 11.1 PPG and 8.3 RPG in 2024-25, and is the Chargers’ top returner.
Region 2 → Babson at Roger Williams, 7 p.m. ET: Per Scott Peterson’s preseason model, Babson is No. 3 in the NEWMAC and RWU is No. 2 in the CNE, making this a matchup of two teams that will certainly be in the mix for conference titles and NCAA Tournament bids. RWU gets two of its top three scorers from last year back in Sophia Coppola and Chloe Richardson, while Babson brings back a pair of starters in Samantha Reale and Allessia Carlo. In last season’s meeting, Babson won decisively, 72-57, but I anticipate a closer duel this time around in a key non-conference test for both squads.
Region 3 → No. 2 Scranton at No. 22 SUNY Geneseo, 6 p.m. ET: One of only two matchups between a pair of Top 25 teams on tonight’s slate, I expect we’ll learn a lot about both Scranton and Geneseo tonight. They each come off deep tournament runs—Scranton to the Elite Eight, Geneseo to the Sweet 16—and bring back a number of go-to contributors from last season, making this the type of game you’re likely to find down the road in March. Scranton is my preseason No. 1 with nearly 80% of its production back from a squad that went 29-2, but Geneseo has the home court (a place they were 11-2 in 2024-25) and certainly displayed their ability to go toe-to-toe with elite opponents back in the spring, knocking both Catholic and Montclair State out of the tournament in the first two rounds. The question going in for Geneseo is, how do the Knights replace Mackenzie Reigle? She was so valuable in the backcourt last season, and if the Knights are going to keep pace with the Lady Royals, it’ll take solid guard play.
Region 4 → St. Mary’s (MD) at Gwynedd Mercy, 6 p.m. ET: I’m breaking my rule of needing the region’s game of the day to be played in that region…but Gwynedd Mercy is Region 5. I think that’s close enough, as we’ve got Region 4 representation with St. Mary’s (MD). This should be a pretty good UEC vs. AEC matchup between two teams that should both benefit from significant continuity between last season and this season. St. Mary’s returns nearly its entire team from 2024-25! Typically, that amount of returning experience lends itself to much better early-season chemistry, and more consistent possessions on the court, something I expect from this one tonight.
Region 5 → Widener at Ursinus, 8 p.m. ET: We’ve got a late tip-off at the Gwynedd Mercy tip-off classic, and this is an underrated matchup in my opinion. Widener looks to be set up for another strong year out of the MAC Commonwealth, bringing back 79% of last year’s production (from an 18-9 team). Mia Robbins is certainly in the conversation for the top post players in Region 5, as the senior looks to follow up on a season in which she led the Pride in scoring (18.0 PPG) and was second in rebounds (8.4 RPG). On the other side, Ursinus went 10-5 in the Centennial last season and has a decent chance to build on that this season, which makes starting the year off on the right foot that much more important. The Bears were one of the top scoring offenses in the Centennial last season, but the same was true for Widener in the MACC. Needless to say, don’t be surprised if this one turns out to be higher-scoring, especially on a neutral court.
Region 6 → Westminster (MO) at Rhodes, 5:30 p.m. ET: Rhodes is looking to take a step forward. Westminster is aiming to avoid a significant step back. That’s the storyline here, and we’ll probably have a better idea of where both teams are at once this one wraps up in Memphis. Rhodes has been a frequent SAA champ in recent years, last winning the league tournament in 2023, but the Lynx struggled to a 6-19 campaign last winter. Returning a few veteran contributors, most notably leading scorer Avery Marsh, should help push the Lynx back towards the top of the SAA. Westminster made a surprise run to a 17-1 SLIAC record (and 20-6 mark overall) in 2024-25, but the Blue Jays only bring back less than 25% of last year’s production. Replacing that many seniors is a tough undertaking for any program, but you never know what newcomers might step in right away, and we should see some of that tonight for Westminster.
Region 7 → Alma at No. 14 John Carroll, 5 p.m. ET: JCU is back. After a couple seasons outside of the national spotlight, the Blue Streaks are in the preseason Top 25, the favorite to win NCAC in my view (thed3statlab.com Preseason model has JCU 21 spots ahead of DePauw, who is ranked No. 2), and one of the most experienced teams in Region 7 with four returning starters. Alma is an underdog coming into this one, especially with JCU playing at home, but the Scots bring back four players who started 15+ games in 24-25. That includes forwards Emmerson Goodin and Breckyn Werner, who will be a strong presence in the post against a solid JCU defense.
Region 8 → Chicago at St. Norbert, 8 p.m. ET: Game 2 of one of the best classics on this opening weekend slate, you’ve got two teams here that both have a real chance to be contending for NCAA Tournament bids come February. Chicago’s guard play intrigues me most, as the Maroons graduated a couple of talented guards in Sophia North and Bella Alfaro but bring back a versatile 5’10 guard in Kate Gross, along with Chris Sanders (1.2 APG as a FR in 24-25), and Bri Simpson (7.4 PPG in 24-25). The frontcourt should be a real strength as well, with Caroline Workman and Kasi Samuda returning as starting forwards. What should we expect from SNC to counter this UChicago squad? After all, the Green Knights went 22-5 last season—their fourth straight season with 18+ wins—and are certainly the frontrunner to win the NACC. And SNC undoubtedly has the post presence to counter Workman and Samuda in preseason All-American Taylor Thiry. The senior has started 54 straight games and averaged 15.8 PPG last season.
Region 9 → No. 23 Hope at No. 15 UW-La Crosse, 8:30 p.m. ET: Both Hope and UW-La Crosse enter this season with a few question marks, but also a lot of talent on the roster, and in that dynamic, it creates a big-time matchup on a neutral court. Part of the UW-River Falls classic, this Top 25 duel will give us our first chance to see how La Crosse looks in the post-Lauryn Milne era, something that could play a significant role in how the first few weeks of this season go for the Eagles. While Milne (and fellow starter Kailee Meeker) graduated, UWL has three starters from last year’s second round NCAA Tournament squad back, giving this team some preseason momentum. Hope returns a few key contributors as well, none bigger than Sydney Vis and Anna Richards. Expect to see high-level guard play in this Midwest showdown.
Region 10 → Whitman at No. 25 Mary Hardin-Baylor, 6 p.m. ET: These two met last season in Walla Walla, Washington, where Whitman emerged with a 14-point win in a physical game. A year later, I expect the same sort of intensity to be present, and while UMHB returns three starters from that game, Whitman returns zero. The Blues might be one of the most inexperienced teams in Region 10 this season, but always attract considerable talent and should get big minutes from Holly Morgan and Briana Andrade. UMHB enters as the preseason pick to win the ASC, and has plenty of confidence with so much experience back on the floor from last season’s 17-9 team. This should be a competitive battle in the Lone Star State.
Honorable mentions
Texas Lutheran at Hardin-Simmons, 6:00 p.m. ET: TLU, at this point, is the frontrunner in the SCAC, but lost a couple key pieces from last year’s conference title-winning squad. HSU has 2025 D3hoops.com National Rookie of the Year Jacqueline Berry back on the floor. This has the makings of being a game decided by single digits.
No. 3 UW-Oshkosh vs Carroll, 6:00 p.m. ET: The opening game of the St. Norbert Classic, Carroll has been a contender out of the CCIW for a few years now. But is it enough to slow down a dangerous Oshkosh team with national title aspirations? We’ll find out soon enough.
Wheaton (IL) at Lebanon Valley, 7:00 p.m. ET: This is a unique Midwest vs. Mid-Atlantic matchup, and I think it might be a bit underrated in this stacked opening day slate. Wheaton is always competitive and carries over a significant group of returners from 2024-25, while LebVal finds itself as a top contender to win the MAC Freedom after going 19-7 last winter. This is a neutral court game at the JCU Tournament.
Springfield at Western New England, 5:30 p.m. ET: Two Top 100 teams (per thed3statlab.com Preseason Model) match up here and I think we end up seeing a really tight game in southern Massachusetts.