Multiple Contributors
Nov 3, 2025, 11:00 PM ET
The first slate of men's college basketball in more than 200 days didn't disappoint.
Strong debuts by a loaded freshmen class headlined the action, led by Koa Peat's 30-point performance in the No. 13 Arizona Wildcats' 93-87 upset of the defending champion No. 3 Florida Gators.
Elsewhere, the No. 20 Auburn Tigers narrowly escaped the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats with a 95-90 overtime win in new head coach Steven Pearl's first game since succeeding his father, Bruce.
What did ESPN's analysts make of opening night to the 2025-26 season? Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf break down the highlights below.
How capable did Florida look of defending its title despite the loss to Arizona?
There is nothing for the Gators to sulk about after losing to No. 13 Arizona, a legit Big 12 contender that showed the college basketball world on Monday that it has a star in Peat with Big 12 player of the year aspirations.
Thomas Haugh proved he has the versatility to play in the small forward spot he was moved to with an incredible 27 points, but the Florida frontcourt struggled to stop Peat from attacking the rim.
In the Gators' backcourt, Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland had poetic moments in which they demonstrated the benefits of employing two point guards. Under the nine-minute mark, Lee -- All-Ivy League at Princeton the last two seasons -- hit Fland with a no-look pass as the former Arkansas star finished in the lane and drew a foul. That said, there were stretches in which they gave into their instincts, and the offense didn't consistently flow with two natural distributors who arguably forced too many shots.
Florida's defensive challenges -- the Gators surrendered 50 points in the paint -- is its biggest priority after Monday's loss. And the chemistry the Gators will need to chase another ring will require more time with their new backcourt. But despite the loss, they have the pieces to make another run. -- Medcalf
Could Koa Peat play himself into the Freshman of the Year conversation?
Peat produced one of the best college debuts we've seen in recent years, finishing with 30 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in a win over reigning national champions Florida -- and what looked like the best returning frontcourt in the country.
The versatile forward was the West Coast version of Cameron Boozer in the class of 2025, winning everything at the high school and international level while producing consistently over all four years. Now he's making a case that the Big Three of Darryn Peterson-AJ Dybantsa-Boozer at the top of this class is a Big Four, at minimum.
According to ESPN Research, Peat was the first player in Big 12 history to have 30 points and 5 assists in their career debut. He looked like he was ready to carry a talented Arizona team this season. -- Borzello
What did we learn from some of the other freshmen debuts?
Each player's ranking in the SC Next 100 for the class of 2025 is listed in parenthesis.
Nate Ament (No. 4), Tennessee
Ament had some questions after his performance against Duke in last month's exhibition game, particularly surrounding his shot selection and efficiency on the offensive end. He was much better in Monday's 76-61 win over Mercer, going 6-for-11 from the field and finishing with 18 points and 9 rebounds. His activity on the glass has been surprisingly impressive early, given he was productive in that area against the Blue Devils as well. Ament's usage is not going to be in doubt moving forward, as Rick Barnes' team needs the freshman's explosiveness on the offensive end. The shot-making that made him so sought-after at the high school level will come around soon. -- Borzello
Caleb Wilson (No. 5), North Carolina
The five-star recruit has a claim that even Michael Jordan can't match. After his 22-point performance over 25 minutes in a 94-54 win over Central Arkansas, Wilson became the fifth North Carolina freshman to score 20 or more points in his debut, according to ESPN Research. The 6-foot-8 standout and his teammates faced an opponent ranked 348 out of 365 teams in KenPom's preseason rankings, which means it will only get more challenging from here. But Wilson (3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block) impacted the game on multiple levels in an efficient effort by the freshman. -- Medcalf
0:24
Caleb Wilson elevates for slam dunk vs. Central Arkansas Bears
Caleb Wilson elevates for slam dunk vs. Central Arkansas Bears
Darius Acuff Jr. (No. 7) and Meleek Thomas (No. 11), Arkansas
John Calipari has a strong track record with elite guards. Derrick Rose, John Wall, De'Aaron Fox and others have been the anchors for Calipari's best teams. Acuff and Thomas could be next in line after the duo finished Monday's 109-77 win over Southern with 53 points (7-for-15 from 3), 11 assists, 4 steals and just 3 turnovers combined. The talented freshmen could be the catalysts for a team with veterans like Trevon Brazile (25 points on Monday). It was a strong debut for the young Arkansas guards. -- Medcalf
How did Darryn Peterson look in his debut for Kansas?
Peterson had a 3-pointer and a dunk before the first media timeout and didn't slow down until halftime. The potential No. 1 pick had 18 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 17 first-half minutes, and with the game out of reach, Bill Self didn't need his star freshman much after the break. Peterson played just five second-half minutes and finished with 21 points.
He showed his typical efficient offense, going 7-for-11 from the field and making three 3-pointers. One positive sign for Kansas' offense as a whole was that Peterson and Flory Bidunga (23 points) look like a potentially dominant inside-outside duo after Bidunga was clearly the focal point after Peterson. Being a high-usage option in the post isn't something we saw from Bidunga as a freshman or in October's exhibition games, but it would benefit Peterson from a balance perspective. Friday's trip to North Carolina should be more telling for both Peterson and Bidunga. -- Borzello
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Darryn Peterson gets up for the beautiful jam
Darryn Peterson gets up for the beautiful jam
How did Steven Pearl's debut leading Auburn go?
Welp. Steven Pearl's first game went about as bad as anyone could have imagined.
Bethune-Cookman, a plus-25.5 underdog at ESPN BET heading into the game, left the gym with its head held high after it took the No. 20 Tigers to overtime on the road. The Wildcats (236th on KenPom entering the game) had the lead with 2:05 to play, then hit three free throws at the end of regulation to force overtime. Yes, Steven Pearl's squad escaped with a win in his first game, but any projections about Auburn as a potential SEC sleeper -- Tahaad Pettiford is the only player on the team who logged minutes in the Final Four last season -- were likely erased after that effort on Monday.
The Tigers have a lot to prove after they nearly lost at home to a Bethune-Cookman squad that made 55% of its 3-point attempts. -- Medcalf
