Another reason to get on the college Hoops bandwagon - big games between teams who aren't afraid to schedule tough. Here are 10 of the Best:
10. Texas Tech v. Pitt (Nov 27th). Tech put up 178 points earlier this season playing a NAIA foe I cannot remember. Let's see how they fare against the big boys. Also, with Pitt's schedule, this is one of the few legit glimpses you'll get of the Pathers before January's Big East schedule.
9. Wisconsin @ Marquette (Dec 6) - Two teams that always fly under the radar, but are always relevant nationally. Throw in the in-state rivaly Big Guy vs Small Guy factor, and you have a really intense ballgame
8. Michigan St @ Texas (Dallas - Dec 20th) - Easily the best college hoops day of the young season offers up another treat in Texas and Michigan St. Both teams have sincere Final 4 aspirations, and will benefit from a tournament-like environment in a huge arena.
7. UCLA @ Texas (Dec 4) - Good matchup between two team with Final Four aspirations, as well as a few question marks in the backcourt.
6. Davidson @ Purdue - Purdue's defense is notoriously stingy. Are they stingy enough to keep the clamps on Steph Curry? Georgetown and Wisconsin couldn't last March...
5. Xavier v. Duke (Nuetral Floor - Dec 20th) - The last time these two met was in the 2004 East Regional Final. Duke prevailed in the last 45 seconds, winning by 4. Since then, the two programs have had surprisingly similar post-season success. X tries to strike a blow for the "don't call me a mid-major" crowd against Golliath Duke.
4. UNC @ Michigan St. (Dec 3) - Tom Izzo's teams are always dangerous in March. Is this team dangerous enough in December to hang with the Heels? (My guess. No.)
3. Duke @ Purdue (Dec 2) - The dookies get a tough test on the road against a scrappy, smart Purdue squad. The kind of team that gave them fits over the past two seasons. Will Duke's increased athleticism be enough to get them over the hump? Is Purdue a nice story, or a serious Final Four contender?
2. North Carolina v. Notre Dame (Nov 26th). Two of four legit frontrunners for National player of the Year square off in Tyler Hansbrough and Luke Harangody, but these teams are far from one-man bands. These are two of the deepest, most balanced squads in the country. Notre Dame is one of 6 or 7 teams that can almost matchup with UNC (on paper). It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
1. Conecticut @ Gonzaga - (Dec 20th) The third of three fantastic games on Dec 20th, UConn travels to Seattle to tackle "America's Team" Gonzaga. Many experts are calling this the best team Mark Few has ever had in Spokane. If that is true, the Zags have a legit shot at reaching the school's first Final Four. A head-to-head matchup against the Huskies will tell a lot about both teams.
The big game has arrived - the Dukes versus the Dukies. How can this not be one of your big games. The first really big upset of the season.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, this is a test for a team that has had severe tests and recovered. Name a team that has its team shot and comes back to be over .500 last year and is runnig on a strong pace this year. Not necessarily a big threat in the A-10 but not a doormat.
Go Dukes!