Mar 21, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard AJ Hoggard (11) dribbles defended by St. Mary's Gaels guard Augustas Marciulionis (3) in the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

College Basketball Regular Season Gets Expanded

Originally posted on Vanderbilt Commodores on SI
By Graham Baakko | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 3:00 PM ET

In an era of college sports where everything seems to be changing each year, there was just one more change added to that list.

On Wednesday, CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander reported that the number of college basketball games played in a season for both men’s and women’s basketball is set to be changed, adding an extra regular season game for each team. The change is scheduled to start during the 2026-2027 season.

Teams are not required to do so, but the change allows for an extra nonconference matchup to be schedule for teams who would want.

Norlander also added in the report that multiple team events are in the middle of deciding whether to expand. The Player’s Festival in Las Vegas could produce as many as four games in late November.

The change to add an extra game to the college basketball schedule also gives teams the opportunity to schedule more marquee matchups, especially later in the season.

“The additional game should also enable more teams to bring back nonconference opportunities in January or February,” Norlander said.

It is important to note that the change does not extend the college basketball season in its entirety as of now. Early November is still the set time when the season will begin and will go on until the National Championship is played in early April.

For power four conference teams such as Vanderbilt, the extra game gives teams an opportunity to do a couple of different things.

Power conference teams could choose to use the additional game to schedule a major conference opponent, whether it be a high-class Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 or Big East team. However, teams may schedule a high-profile game at their own risk.

If Vanderbilt were to schedule an extra game against a power conference school, it would certainly be a huge opportunity to pick up a quadrant I or II victory and bolster its resume come time for the NCAA Tournament.

Another way teams could take the extra game is to schedule another game with a mid-major school. While it would not look as impressive for a team’s resume, the extra game would help a power conference team get a far better chance of getting another win on the schedule.

Regardless of which direction Vanderbilt goes with a 32nd game on its schedule, the change gives fans an opportunity to see more basketball in the same span of a normal basketball season.