College basketball fans have one of the busiest remaining exhibition schedules of the preseason Tuesday, October 27, with 19 games scheduled across the country. The slate includes several nationally recognizable programs, interesting coaching storylines and opportunities for teams to complete their final preparations before the 2026-27 regular season. Purdue visits UConn in a rematch of the 2024 national championship game, while Oklahoma State travels to Wisconsin for a rare meeting between the programs.
North Carolina welcomes Charlotte, Florida hosts Stetson and UAB coach Andy Kennedy returns to Ole Miss in another interesting storyline. There are also several intriguing games involving mid-major programs, including Youngstown State at Akron and Oakland at Cincinnati. Although exhibition results don't count toward official records, the games offer an opportunity to evaluate player development, roster chemistry and potential weaknesses before November.
Tuesday, October 27 men's college basketball exhibition schedule
All times Eastern.
The schedule includes a combination of Division I opponents facing each other and programs hosting teams from outside Division I. Several of the most recognizable schools are approaching their final exhibition opportunities before the regular season begins November 2. Broadcast availability may vary by location and subscription, while games without confirmed television coverage may still offer live statistics through their athletic departments.
Purdue and UConn headline the national schedule
The biggest game on Tuesday's schedule takes place in Hartford, Connecticut, where UConn welcomes Purdue to PeoplesBank Arena for a 7 p.m. ET exhibition. The programs last met in the 2024 national championship game, when UConn defeated Purdue 75-60 to capture its second consecutive NCAA title. That history provides an interesting backdrop for Tuesday's contest, although the current rosters are considerably different from the teams that met in Glendale.
UConn has already defeated Syracuse 72-52 and Michigan State 78-70 during preseason competition, demonstrating its ability to compete against nationally recognizable opponents. Purdue also enters the contest following exhibition victories, including an 87-55 win against Ball State and a 92-62 victory against Purdue Fort Wayne. The matchup should provide both coaching staffs with a valuable opportunity to evaluate their teams against quality competition before the regular season begins.
Fans in Connecticut can watch through WFSB, while UConn+ offers a pay-per-view streaming option. The game should attract considerable attention because both programs have established themselves as consistent national contenders. Even without an official result attached to the standings, the contest offers an opportunity to examine two teams with significant expectations.
Oklahoma State and Wisconsin revisit a 43-year-old connection
Oklahoma State visits Wisconsin at 7 p.m. ET in another intriguing exhibition, bringing together programs that have met only once in official competition. The Cowboys defeated the Badgers 89-84 on December 29, 1983, in a game that featured future Kansas coach Bill Self. Self scored 12 points and contributed three assists in that victory, creating an unusual historical connection between Tuesday's opponents.
Oklahoma State is coming off a 93-85 exhibition victory against Tulsa, highlighted by Kashie Natt's 26 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and five steals. Wisconsin is attempting to develop its new-look backcourt while continuing to build around experienced center Nolan Winter. Both teams have demonstrated encouraging offensive potential during exhibition play, making Tuesday's meeting another useful opportunity to evaluate their progress.
The game will stream on B1G+, with radio coverage available through both schools' networks. Although the exhibition won't count toward the official series record, it gives the programs an opportunity to renew a connection that has been dormant for more than four decades. The matchup also provides a chance for both coaching staffs to evaluate how their teams respond against an opponent from another major conference.
North Carolina, Florida and Cincinnati have important home exhibitions
North Carolina welcomes Charlotte to the Smith Center for a 7:30 p.m. ET contest after splitting its first two exhibitions. The Tar Heels defeated USC 88-70 before suffering a 76-58 loss against Indiana, giving the coaching staff several areas to evaluate before the regular season. Tuesday provides another opportunity for North Carolina to develop its rotation before opening official competition November 2 against Western Carolina, and the game will stream on ACC Network Extra.
Florida hosts Stetson at 7 p.m. ET inside the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville. The Gators are coming off an 82-76 overtime exhibition loss against Baylor and will look to finish their preseason preparations with a stronger performance. The game will stream on SEC Network+, with radio coverage available through the Gators Sports Network, giving fans several ways to follow the action.
Cincinnati also takes the floor at 7 p.m. ET, welcoming Oakland to Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats defeated Ohio State 79-68 before losing 105-96 against Illinois, producing two performances that demonstrated both their offensive potential and defensive concerns. Senior guard Tylen Riley has averaged 27 points and eight assists through those exhibitions, making him one of Cincinnati's most encouraging preseason developments. The game will have audio coverage through GoBearcats.com and the Bearcats mobile app.
Andy Kennedy's return to Ole Miss adds an emotional storyline
UAB visits Ole Miss at 8:30 p.m. ET in one of Tuesday's most interesting coaching reunions. Blazers coach Andy Kennedy spent 12 seasons leading Ole Miss, becoming the winningest men's basketball coach in school history with 245 victories. He also guided the Rebels to the 2013 SEC Tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2013 and 2015, establishing a record of success that remains an important part of the program's history.
Tuesday marks Kennedy's return to Oxford with the program where he once played college basketball. UAB hasn't visited Ole Miss since December 1982, adding another historical element to the contest. The exhibition will take place inside the SJB Pavilion, where Kennedy coached the first game in the building's history in January 2016.
Admission is free, giving Ole Miss fans an opportunity to attend the reunion while both teams complete their preseason preparations. The game will not be streamed, but fans can listen through the Ole Miss Radio Network. Although the contest won't count toward either team's official record, Kennedy's return provides one of the most compelling human-interest stories on Tuesday's schedule.
Akron, Austin Peay and several mid-major programs continue preseason play
Akron hosts Youngstown State at 7 p.m. ET in a regional meeting featuring two programs preparing for conference competition. The Zips enter the season under new head coach Dustin Ford, while Youngstown State continues under Ethan Faulkner. The programs met in an exhibition last year, with Youngstown State earning an 84-78 victory, and Tuesday's rematch will stream on ESPN+.
Austin Peay welcomes IU Indy at 8 p.m. ET after defeating Evansville 79-74 in its opening exhibition. Rashaud Marshall led the Governors with 17 points in that victory, while freshman Felipe Minzer contributed eight rebounds and seven assists. The game will be available on ESPN+ and the Governors Sports Network, giving fans an opportunity to follow another interesting mid-major matchup.
Rhode Island hosts Southern New Hampshire at 7 p.m. ET, while Monmouth welcomes Rhode Island College at the same time. Central Michigan faces North Park at 7:30 p.m. ET after defeating Saginaw Valley State 99-62 earlier this month, and La Salle also opens exhibition play against Neumann at 7 p.m. ET. Valparaiso welcomes Olivet Nazarene at 8 p.m. ET with radio coverage available but no video stream scheduled, while Robert Morris hosts Canisius at 7 p.m. ET in another matchup between Division I programs.
Three West Coast games close the evening
Eastern Washington hosts Western Washington at 9 p.m. ET at Reese Court in Cheney, continuing its preseason preparations before opening regular-season competition. The Eagles defeated CSU Bakersfield 71-65 in their first exhibition before falling 85-54 against Arizona. Tuesday provides another opportunity for Eastern Washington to evaluate its roster before opening the regular season at Stanford.
Grand Canyon hosts Western New Mexico at 10 p.m. ET in Phoenix as the Lopes prepare for their second season in the Mountain West. The program enters the campaign with considerable expectations under Bryce Drew, making the final exhibition another important opportunity to evaluate its rotation. The game will be available through the Mountain West Network.
UCLA welcomes San Diego to Pauley Pavilion at 10 p.m. ET after defeating California Baptist 100-53 in its first exhibition. The Bruins will look to continue building momentum before facing Arizona in their regular-season opener November 2. UCLA's game will stream on B1G+, with radio coverage through AM 790 KABC, while UC Irvine completes the schedule with a 10 p.m. ET exhibition against Cal State Los Angeles at the Bren Events Center.
The regular season is almost here
Tuesday's 19-game slate represents another important step toward the official beginning of the college basketball season. Several programs are playing their final exhibitions, meaning coaching staffs have limited opportunities remaining to evaluate lineups against outside competition. The nationally prominent games should attract considerable attention, particularly Purdue-UConn and Oklahoma State-Wisconsin, but the smaller programs also have important work ahead.
For teams preparing for conference races, developing chemistry and identifying dependable contributors can make a significant difference once the results begin counting. Tuesday provides another opportunity for fans to evaluate teams that could become interesting stories during the regular season. With November approaching, college basketball's preseason is nearly complete, and the games that matter most are almost here.
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