2010-2011 Building the Dam College Basketball Preview-National

We begin our preview with a look at the national landscape. Below you will find a Preseason Top 25 Poll made up by most of our Conference Correspondents, along with some games and Pre-Season Tournaments to watch. Enjoy!

 

Preseason Top 25

 

1. Kansas State

2. Kansas

3. Duke

4. Michigan State

5. Ohio State

T6. Pittsburgh

T6. Villanova

8. Florida

T9. Kentucky

T9. Gonzaga

T11. North Carolina

T11. Butler

13. Baylor

14. Missouri

15. Purdue

16. Illinois

T17. Memphis

T17. Washington

19. Georgetown

20. San Diego State

21. Texas

22. Virginia Tech

23. Tennessee

24. Temple

25. BYU

(Also Receiving Votes) : West Virginia, Texas, Georgia, Xavier, Wichita State, Minnesota, Florida State, UCLA, New Mexico

Top 15 Games to Watch

 

By ConnorOSU

Unlike in College Football, NCAA Basketball Teams are willing to play the big games.

Here are the 15 Games you must watch this season (All Times Pacific):

15. San Diego State @ Gonzaga, November 16^th, 8:00 PM, ESPN2

A great game to start off the season between two Top 25 mid-majors.

14. Kansas vs Memphis, December 7^th, 4:00 PM, ESPN

The kickoff to the Jimmy V Classic Doubleheader. Possible preview of a NCAA Tournament Game.

13. North Carolina @ Illinois, November 30^th, 6:30 PM, ESPN

 

Two Top Ten teams battle it out to close Thanksgiving Weekend.

12. Purdue @ Virginia Tech, December 1^st, 4:30 PM, ESPN

The loss of Robbie Hummel is huge for the Boilermakers, but this will still be a great Top 20 Matchup.

11. Duke @ Maryland, February 2^nd, 6:00 PM, ESPN

You’ll have to wait until February for this marquee ACC Matchup, but this very well could be Duke’s first loss.

10. Kansas State @ Kansas, January 29^th, 4:00 PM, ESPN

This will no doubt be the Big 12 Game of the Year, with both teams in the Preseason Top 15.

9. Kansas State vs Gonzaga, November 22^nd, 6:30 PM, ESPN2

Another Wildcat game and another top 15 matchup. This one will be played in Kansas City though, so the KSU has the edge.

 

8. Purdue @ Michigan State, February 26/27

This one could very well decide the Big Ten Championship, as both teams are in the Preseason Top 5.

7. Michigan State vs Syracuse, December 7^th, 6:00 PM, ESPN

The second game of the Jimmy V Classic Doubleheader, #3 vs #21 at Madison Square Garden. Doesn’t get any better.

6. Kansas State vs Florida, December 18^th, 12:30 PM, FSN KC

The Gators are in the Top 10 in most preseason polls, and they will get their chance to prove that they belong in this one.

5. Michigan State @ Purdue, January 22^nd, 6:00 PM, ESPN

A preview of the more important matchup two months later. Still should be a good one though.

4. Duke vs Butler, December 4^th, 12:15 PM, ESPN

It doesn’t get much better than this. A re-match of last year’s national championship game in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

 

3. Michigan State @ Duke, December 1^st, 6:30 PM, ESPN

Actually, it does get better than that. #3 vs #1 at Cameron Indoor. It should be crazy.

2. Duke @ North Carolina, March 5^th, 5:00 PM, CBS

Basketball’s greatest rivalry will take center stage on the last weekend of the regular season. If both teams live up to pre-season hype, this one has the makings of an instant-classic.

1. North Carolina @ Duke, February 9^th, 6:00 PM, ESPN

And of course, everything is always better at Cameron Indoor.

 

Other preview goodness after the break

Must watch Pre-Season Tournaments

By ConnorOSU

 

When College Football begins to wind down, the College Basketball Pre-Season Tournaments take over across the nation. Here are the ones that you have to keep an eye on.

Maui Invitational (November 22^nd-November 24^th)

The tournament begins the Monday before Thanksgiving and ends the day before the holiday. Three of the eight teams in the field are in the Top 15. There is a very real possibility of the third ranked Spartans facing either Washington or Kentucky in the Championship, with the loser of the UW-UK Semifinal most likely facing UCONN in the Consolation Game. Whatever happens, it is sure to be must see television.

1^st Round Matchups (All Times Pacific):

Wichita State vs UCONN, Nov. 22^nd, 12:00 PM, ESPN2
Oklahoma vs Kentucky, Nov. 22^nd, 2:30 PM, ESPN2

Michigan State vs Chaminade, Nov. 22^nd, 6:30 PM, ESPNU
Virginia vs Washington, Nov. 22^nd, 9:00 PM, ESPN2

 

Predictions

Champion-Michigan State

2nd Place-Washington

3rd Place-Kentucky

 

Preseason NIT (November 15th-November 26th)

 

The original preseason tournament looks to be pretty strong this season. Villanova, UCLA, Wake Forest, VCU, and Tennessee are all in the field. A total of ten games will be on the ESPN family of networks, and of course the Final Four will be played at the Mecca of Basketball: Madison Square Garden.

1^st Round Matchups (All Times Pacific):

Hampton @ Wake Forest, Nov. 15^th, 4:00 PM, ESPNU
Nevada vs Pacific, Nov. 15^th, 5:30 PM
VCU vs Winthrop, Nov. 15^th, 6:30 PM
Pepperdine @ UCLA, Nov. 15^th, 8:00 PM, ESPNU
Marist @ Villanova, Nov. 16^th, 2:30 PM, ESPNU
Missouri State vs Arkansas State, Nov. 16^th, 4:00 PM
George Washington vs Boston U, Nov. 16^th, 5:00 PM
Belmont @ Tennessee, Nov. 16^th, 6:30 PM, ESPNU

Predictions

 

Champion-Tennessee

2nd Place-Villanova

3rd Place-VCU

 

Old Spice Classic (November 25th-November 28th)

 

Throughout the past few years, the Old Spice Classic has made its way through the preseason tournament ranks. The Thanksgiving Weekend tournament always provides good basketball, and there’s nothing better than Turkey and Hoops. This year’s field is a little weaker than in past seasons, but defending Pac-10 Champion California and the Temple Owls face off in the 1st Round.

1^st Round Matchups (All Times Pacific):

Boston College vs Texas A&M, Nov. 25^th, 9:00 AM, ESPN2
Wisconsin vs Manhattan, Nov. 25^th, 11:00 AM, ESPN2
Georgia vs Notre Dame, Nov. 25^th, 4:00 PM, ESPN2
Temple vs California, Nov. 25^th, 6:00 PM, ESPN2

 

Predictions

 

Champion-California

2nd Place-Wisconsin
3^rd Place-Georgia

CBE Classic (November 14^th-November 24^th)

The CBE Classic might just have the weirdest format ever, but it includes some awesome teams. There are 3 Rounds in the Tournament (If you can call it that), the Regional Round, the Subregional Round, and the Championship Round. A total of 12 teams will participate, but Duke, Kansas State, Gonzaga, and Marquette will automatically advance to the Championship Round no matter what happens against the smaller schools. The “other” teams, led by San Diego State, will compete in the Subregional round no matter what they do early on against the big boys.

 

Confused? All you need to know is that San Diego State will face Gonzaga on November 16^th, Duke will face Marquette on November 22^nd, and Kansas State will face Gonzaga after Duke-Marquette.

1^st Round (Regional Round) Matchups (All Times Pacific):

James Madison @ Kansas State, Nov. 12^th, 6:00 PM, ESPNU

Bucknell @ Marquette, Nov. 14^th, 11:00 AM

IUPUI @ Gonzaga, Nov. 14^th, 1:00 PM, FSN NW

Princeton @ Duke, Nov. 14^th, 2:00 PM, ESPNU
Miami (Ohio) @ Duke, Nov. 16^th, 4:30 PM, ESPNU

San Diego State @ Gonzaga, Nov. 16^th, 8:00 PM, ESPN2

Green Bay @ Marquette, Nov. 17^th, 6:00 PM
Presbyterian @ Kansas State, Nov. 18^th, 5:00 PM, FSN KC

Predictions

Champion-Duke
2^nd Place-Kansas State

3^rd Place-Gonzaga

 

Diamond Head Classic (December 22^nd-December 25^th)

The Diamond Head Classic is back for a second season, and while the field isn’t especially strong (Butler is the only team in the Preseason Top 25), there is sure to be some great Basketball on the Islands. Besides for Butler, Pac-12 members Utah and Washington State will be present, along with the San Diego Toreros and the Hawaii Warriors. Rounding out the field will be Mississippi State, Baylor, and Florida State.

 

So, not the best of fields, but an interesting one for sure.

1^st Round Matchups (All Times Pacific):

Mississippi State vs Washington State, Dec. 22^nd, 12:00 PM, ESPNU
San Diego vs Baylor, Dec. 22^nd, 2:00 PM, ESPNU
Utah vs Butler, Dec. 22^nd, 8:00 PM, ESPNU
Florida State @ Hawaii, Dec. 22^nd, 10:00 PM, ESPNU

Predictions

Champion-Butler
2^nd Place-Washington State

3^rd Place-Florida State

Finally, be sure to check back on November 15th for the ESPN College Hoops Tipoff Marathon. BTD will have an Open Thread up and I'll be there as much as possible. The schedule is below:

Date                             Matchup                                       Time (Pacific)           Network

November 15^th            Miami (Florida) @ Memphis            9:00 PM                    ESPN

November 15^th            Saint John’s @ Saint Mary’s          11:00 PM                     ESPN

November 16^th            Central Michigan @ Hawaii              1:00 AM                     ESPN

November 16^th            Stony Brook @ Monmouth              3:00 AM                     ESPN

November 16^th            Robert Morris @ Kent State            5:00 AM                      ESPN

November 16^th            Northeastern @ Southern Illinois      7:00 AM                      ESPN

November 16^th            Oral Roberts @ Tulsa                     9:00 AM                      ESPN

November 16^th            La Salle @ Baylor                          11:00 AM                      ESPN

November 16^th            Virginia Tech @ Kansas State         1:00 PM                      ESPN

November 16^th            Marist @ Villanova                          2:30 PM                       ESPNU

November 16^th            Ohio State @ Florida                       3:00 PM                       ESPN

November 16^th            Miami (Ohio) @ Duke                      4:30 PM                      ESPNU

November 16^th            Butler @ Louisville                          5:00 PM                      ESPN

November 16^th            Belmont @ Tennessee                    6:30 PM                      ESPNU

November 16^th            South Carolina @ Michigan State     7:00 PM                      ESPN

November 16^th            San Diego State @ Gonzaga           8:00 PM                     ESPN2

November 16^th            Nevada or Pacific @ UCLA              8:30 PM                     ESPNU

So there you have it. Make sure to check back tomorrow when our Conference Coorespondents break down the Big 12, MAC, and Mountain West. 

Go Beavers!