-Originally published 11/9/21-
Top Week Watches
Tuesday: 9:30 – #10 Kentucky @ #9 Duke – ESPN
Wednesday: 6:30 – Buffalo @ #6 Michigan
Thursday: 6:30 – George Washington @ #21 Maryland – BTN
Friday: 11:30 – #4 Villanova @ #2 UCLA – ESPN2
Underrated Week Watch: Friday 7:00 – Army @ #9 Duke – ACCN
Coach K plays his final home opener against his Alma mater and first coaching stop from 75-80.
Top Weekend Watch: Saturday 10:30 – #5 Texas @ #1 Gonzaga – ESPN2
Guide
Tuesday, November 9th
Fresh Squeezed
7:00 – #3 Kansas @ Michigan State – ESPN
MSU’s offense is still questionable but Izzo will have the squad playing good defense again. The Jayhawks will be without key forward Jalen Wilson the first three games of the season after a DUI. Transfers Remy Martin from Arizona State and Jalen Colman-Lands will add perimeter shooting for Kanas in a game that could be tight as both teams start the reboot from disappointing 2020 seasons.
Pick: Kansas
9:30 – #10 Kentucky @ #9 Duke – ESPN
Coach K’s final game in Madison Square Garden will also be a matchup between two squads who missed the NCAA Tourny last season. Duke’s Paolo Banchero might be the freshman of the year in a game full of future NBA talent including Kentucky guard TyTy Washington.
Pick: Duke
Lower Grove
4:30 – Mount St Mary’s @ #4 Villanova – FS1
Mount St. Mary’s won the Northeast Conference and made the NCAA Tourney last season.
7:00 – Texas Southern @ #13 Oregon – Pac12
Winners of the SWAC Conference, NCAA tourney participants in 6 of the last 8, and Sharquir O’ Neal-son of Shaq-is on the roster.
7:00 – Siena @ #23 St. Bonaventure – ESPN+
The Bonnies are the favorite to the win the competitive A-10 this season and Siena just missed the NCAA tourney after losing to Rick Patino’s Iona squad 55-52 in the Metro Atlantic semi-finals as the top seed last season.
8:00 – Tennessee Tech @ #12 Memphis – ESPN+
The Tigers have pulled in two top-10 recruits in #3 Emoni Bates and #7 Jalen Duren.
8:00 – Morehead State @ #22 Auburn – SECN/ESPN+
OVC winners that threatened West Virginia for a half in the NCAA Tourney.
9:00 – Louisiana Tech @ #14 Alabama – SECN
LT participated in the NIT last season. Alabama has the fire power to win the SEC and make a run.
Of Note
6:00 – Akron @ #17 Ohio State – ESPN2
6:00 – Eastern Michigan @ Indiana – BTN
6:30 – Central Connecticut @ #24 UConn
7:00 – Bellarmine @ #7 Purdue
7:00 – UT Martin @ #18 Tennessee – SECN
7:00 – Loyola MD @ #19 North Carolina – ACCN
7:00 – Quinnipiac @ #21 Maryland
7:00 – Belmont @ Ohio – ESPN+
7:00 – Oakland @ West Virginia – ESPN+
7:00 – Lafayette @ Syracuse – ACCN
8:00 – Jackson State @ #11 Illinois – BTN
8:00 – Hofstra @ #15 Houston – ESPN+
8:00 – Mercer @ #16 Arkansas – SECN/ESPN+
9:00 – Navy @ #15 Virginia – ACCN
9:00 – Dixie State @ #1 Gonzaga
9:00 – Houston Baptist @ #5 Texas – LN
10:30 – Northern Arizona @ Arizona – Pac12
11:00 – CSU Bakersfield @ #2 UCLA – Pac12
Wednesday, November 10th
Of Note
6:30 – Buffalo @ #6 Michigan
7:00 – Lehigh @ Rutgers
7:00 – Fairleigh Dickinson @ Seton Hill – FS1
9:00 – Penn @ #20 Florida State – ACCN
9:00 – Detroit Mercy @ Wyoming – Antoine Davis for DM might be the best 3-point shooter in CBB.
Thursday, November 11th
Of Note
6:30 – George Washington @ #21 Maryland – BTN
Friday, November 12th
Fresh Squeezed
9:00 – San Diego State @ BYU
BYU lost most of its production from one of the best rebounding and 3-point shooting squads in the country last season but lured a number of transfers and recruits to stay a threat in the WCC. Top guard Alex Barcello (16.1ppg, 4.3rpg, 47% 3p%) returns. SDSU will compete for the Mountain West behind an elite defense and rebounding team once again.
Pick: San Diego State
11:30 – #4 Villanova @ #2 UCLA – ESPN2
The Bruins will get a test early but the roster is loaded with all five starters including POTY candidate Johnny Juzang returning and Peyton Watson, a top-10 prospect join a deep squad that can shoot and play defense. Nova rolls in with four starters including a Player of the Year candidate of their own in Collin Gillespie.
Pick: UCLA
Lower Grove
6:00 – Utah State @ Richmond – CBSSN
Two big squads that can rebound and play defense. Richmond is a top-50 team.
7:00 – Army @ #9 Duke – ACCN
The season opening at Cameron Indoor for Coach K’s final season. They’ll welcome his Alma mater.
Of Note
6:30 – Kent State @ Xavier –FS1
6:30 – Central Arkansas @ Butler – FS2
6:30 – Western MI @ Michigan State – BTN
7:00 – Robert Morris @ #10 Kentucky – SECN
7:00 – Niagara @ #17 Ohio State
7:00 – Radford @ #15 Virginia – ACCN/ESPN+
8:00 – Tarleton @ #3 Kansas – ESPN+
8:00 – South Dakota St @ #14 Alabama – SECN+/ESPN+
8:00 – Rice @ #15 Houston – ESPN+
8:00 – UL Monroe @ #22 Auburn – SECN+/ESPN+
8:30 – Indiana State @ #7 Purdue – BTN
8:30 – Incarnate Word @ #8 Baylor –ESPN+
8:30 – New Hampshire @ Marquette – FS2
8:30 – Pittsburgh @ West Virginia – ESPNU
9:00 – Arkansas State @ #11 Illinois
9:00 – Brown @ #19 North Carolina – ACCN
9:00 – UT Rio Grande Valley @ Arizona – Pac-12
11:00 – SMU @ #13 Oregon – Pac-12
Saturday, November 13th
Fresh Squeezed
10:30 – #5 Texas @ #1 Gonzaga – ESPN2
A monster game that’ll see Drew Timmie and #1 recruit Chet Holmgren hit the floor for the Bulldogs while Chris Beard starts his tenure with Texas by trying to blend in a crop of talented transfers around returning guards Andrew Jones and Courtney Ramey. Mark Few won’t be coaching due off-court issues but the Zags still have a leg up at Texas may need a few games to get everything together.
Pick: Gonzaga
Lower Grove
2:00 – Vermont @ #21 Maryland – TBD
12-straight 20+ win seasons and 4-straight 26+ win seasons for Vermont before the shortened 10-5 2020 season. They’ll be back on track to match their previous win totals again this year.
Of Note
Noon – Coppin State @ #24 Uconn – FS2
2:00 – Florida Gulf Coast @ Loyola Chicago – ESPN3
3:00 – Gardner-Webb @ #16 Arkansas – SECN+/ESPN+
7:00 – NCC @ #12 Memphis – ESPN+
7:00 – USC @ Temple – ESPN+
7:00 – Georgia @ Cincinnati – ESPN+
8:00 – Prairie View A&M @ #6 Michigan – BTN
8:00 – Campbell @ #9 Duke – ACCN/ESPN+
Sunday, November 14th
Fresh Squeezed
1:00 – #20 Florida State @ Florida – ESPN
Leonard Hamilton will have FSU at the top of the ACC again but loses all his starters. He’ll be sorting through his wealth of new talent again early against a Florida squad that went 15-10 last season by finished 1st in shooting % and 3-point % in the SEC last season. Turnovers in roster and gameplay are an issue but the enough shooters remain to stay dangerous.
Pick: FSU
Lower Grove
Noon – Yale @ Seton Hall – FS1
The Ivy league didn’t play in 2021 but Yale will be top of the conference again. SH is dangerous in the Big East with one of the top 3-point shooters returning in Jamir Harris who averaged over 20ppg.
Of Note
Noon – East Tennessee St @ #18 Tennessee – SECN
5:00 – Canisius @ #23 St. Bonaventure – ESPN+
5:00 – Drexel @ Syracuse – ESPN