Overreact to college basketball exhibition results at your own peril
There are hard truths we all have to face at some point when we’re growing up: Not everyone is going to like you, your parents aren’t perfect, Rainbow Road can be fun but it’s clearly the most overrated track on Mario Kart, etc. The same can be said for growing up as a sports fan. […]
Growing up as a sports fan, there comes a time when we understand the significance of preseason games. During my upbringing, it was 1991 when I first grasped the importance of these games. The Detroit Lions' preseason loss to an unknown opponent taught me that preseason games did not matter. They were played with normal jerseys, fans in the stands, referees, and scores being kept. Fast forward to the present day, college basketball fans are re-learning this lesson as exhibition games are now allowed.
The 2025-26 season marked the first time Division-I college basketball teams were permitted to play exhibition games against each other without requiring a waiver from the NCAA. This shift has resulted in a "proper" college basketball preseason where legitimate national title contenders are facing off against one another.
However, the excitement and overreactions surrounding the results of these exhibition games have led some fans to take things too far. Despite the initial shock, the majority of fans have remained level-headed and realized that these results do not hold much weight. As we approach the first week of November, it is crucial for college basketball fans to remember the importance of preseason games and not let themselves get caught up in the hype.
Written by urgent.news from SB Nation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
