Men's and Women's College Basketball 2022-23 Season Starts Before Election Day

When Does NCAA Basketball Start in 2022? originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

College basketball is quickly approaching and it’s bound to be another action-packed season.

Last season, we saw the Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team bring home the championship after defeating North Carolina in a tightly contested battle. On the women’s side, favorite South Carolina finished on top after beating UConn in the final. 

This upcoming season could prove to be even more eventful as Duke loses Coach K after 43 legendary years with the team and a few conference changes shake up the college basketball landscape.

Ahead of the competition, here’s a look at some of the biggest college basketball games of the 2022-23 season:

What are some of the biggest college basketball games this season?

The games to watch for the men’s college basketball 2022-23 season are as follows: 

• No. 1 Gonzaga at No. 12 Texas, Nov. 16
• No. 16 Villanova at No. 25 Michigan State, Nov. 18
• No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 1 Gonzaga, Nov. 20
• No. 2 North Carolina at No. 17 Indiana, Nov. 30
• No. 11 Creighton at No. 12 Texas, Dec. 1
• No. 7 Baylor vs. No. 1 Gonzaga, Dec. 2
• No. 21 Alabama at No. 3 Houston, Dec. 10
• No. 17 Indiana at No. 8 Kansas, Dec. 17
• No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 10 UCLA, Dec. 17

Here are the best women’s college basketball games of the 2022-23 season:

• No. 6 Texas at No. 5 UConn, Nov. 14
• No. 1 South Carolina at No. 2 Stanford, Nov. 20
• No. 3 NC State at No. 5 UConn, Nov. 20
• No. 1 South Carolina at No. 5 UConn, Feb. 5
• No. 8 Iowa at No. 10 Iowa State, Dec. 7
• No. 3 NC State at No. 4 Louisville, Jan. 22
• No. 7 Baylor at No. 6 Texas, Jan. 22
• No. 7 Baylor at No. 10 Iowa State, Feb. 4
• No. 4 LSU at No. 1 South Carolina, Feb. 12

What are the biggest storylines of the 2022-23 season?

Men’s college basketball begins on Monday, Nov. 7, instead of the following day, which is Election Day. Some teams have opted to play on Nov. 8, but many contests are taking place before the holiday.

The college basketball world said goodbye to Coach K after 43 iconic years with Duke. Time will tell how the Blue Devils bounce back and mesh with new head coach Jon Scheyer in his first year. 

In similar news, Villanova’s head coach Jay Wright retired on April 20 after leading the school to two national titles. Kyle Neptune has some big shoes to fill as he takes on his first season with the Wildcats. 

In a historic matchup, Oscar Tshiebwe and Kentucky will take on Drew Timme and Gonzaga on Nov. 20, which will be the first matchup between a returning AP Player of the Year and a returning two-time AP All-American since Dec. 1, 1973.

Shaheen Holloway, who led St. Peter’s to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament last season in a historic Cinderella story, is headed to his alma mater Seton Hall to coach the Pirates.

What season is college basketball played in?

Men’s and women’s college basketball starts in the fall and ends in the spring.

When does NCAA basketball start?

The 2022-23 NCAA Division I men's college basketball season will start on Monday, Nov. 7 and end on Monday, April 3.

The 2022-23 NCAA Division I women’s college basketball season begins on Tuesday, Nov. 8 and concludes on Sunday, April 2.

When did NCAA basketball start?

The first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was created in 1939 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The idea came about by coach Harold Olsen of Ohio State and has now turned into one of the biggest sporting events in the country.

The first 11 years of the tournament featured only eight teams, whereas 68 teams are included now.

Following the men's event, the first NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament took place in 1982, consisting of 32 teams. Now, 68 teams compete in the tournament.

How long is the college basketball season?

The regular season consists of four months followed by the NCAA tournament, which lasts nearly three weeks. The season concludes with a championship game.