Image Courtesy: Blogging the Bracket
Outside of the annual Champions Classic to open the season, the week that leads up to Thanksgiving is truly the opening of the college basketball season as both multiple team events and single games define the early part of the season. With everyone out of school and on Thanksgiving break, eyes are all on this college basketball season.
Maui Jim Maui Invitational (Lahaina, Hawaii)
November 21-23
Teams Participating: Arizona, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Creighton, Louisville, Ohio State, San Diego State, Texas Tech
Quarterfinal Match-Ups:
10.Creighton
23.Texas Tech
Projected Score: Creighton 72, Texas Tech 67
9.Arkansas
Louisville
Projected Scorer: Arkansas 77, Louisville 65
Ohio State
17.San Diego State
Projected Score: San Diego State 78, Ohio State 74
14.Arizona
Cincinnati
Projected Score: Arizona 77, Cincinnati 70
Semifinal Match-Ups:
9.Arkansas
10.Creighton
Projected Score: Arkansas 75, Creighton 70
14.Arizona
17.San Diego State
Projected Score: San Diego State 77, Arizona 72
Final/Third Place Match-Ups:
10.Creighton
14.Arizona
Projected Score: Creighton 78, Arizona 74
9.Arkansas
17.San Diego State
Projected Score: Arkansas 74, San Diego State 73
Battle 4 Atlantis (Paradise Island, Bahamas)
November 23-25
Teams Participating: Butler, BYU, Dayton, Kansas, NC State, Tennessee, USC, Wisconsin
Quarterfinal Match-Ups:
6.Kansas
NC State
Projected Score: Kansas 80, NC State 72
21.Dayton
Wisconsin
Projected Scorer: Dayton 68, Wisconsin 65
USC
BYU
Projected Score: USC 71, BYU 66
22.Tennessee
Butler
Projected Score: Tennessee 73, Butler 61
Semifinal Match-Ups:
6.Kansas
21.Dayton
Projected Score: Kansas 77, Dayton 75
USC
22.Tennessee
Projected Score: Tennessee 71, USC 68
Final/Third Place Match-Ups:
21.Dayton
USC
Projected Score: Dayton 84, USC 68
6.Kansas
22.Tennessee
Projected Score: Kansas 77, Tennessee 70
ESPN Events Invitational (Bay Lake, Florida)
November 24, 25, 27
Teams Participating: Florida State, Memphis, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Seton Hall, Siena, Stanford
Quarterfinal Match-Ups:
Florida State
Siena
Projected Score: Florida State 75, Siena 66
Ole Miss
Stanford
Projected Score: Ole Miss 77, Stanford 74
Oklahoma
Nebraska
Projected Score: Oklahoma 80, Nebraska 72
Memphis
Seton Hall
Projected Score: Memphis 76, Seton Hall 72
Semifinal Match-Ups:
Florida State
Ole Miss
Projected Score: Ole Miss 77, Florida State 69
Oklahoma
Memphis
Projected Score: Oklahoma 75, Memphis 71
Final/Third Place Match-Ups:
Florida State
Memphis
Projected Score: Memphis 70, Florida State 65
Ole Miss
Oklahoma
Projected Score: Oklahoma 82, Ole Miss 77
Phil Knight Invitational (Portland, Oregon)
November 24, 25, 27
Teams Participating: Alabama, Connecticut, Iowa State, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oregon, Portland, Villanova
Quarterfinal Match-Ups:
1.North Carolina
Portland
Projected Score: North Carolina 78, Portland 64
Iowa State
Villanova
Projected Score: Villanova 72, Iowa State 68
Connecticut
Oregon
Projected Score: Connecticut 75, Oregon 71
18.Alabama
Michigan State
Projected Score: Michigan State 77, Alabama 76
Semifinal Match-Ups:
1.North Carolina
Villanova
Projected Score: North Carolina 76, Villanova 74
Connecticut
Michigan State
Projected Score: Michigan State 80, Connecticut 76
Final/Third Place Match-Ups:
Villanova
Connecticut
Projected Score: Connecticut 75, Villanova 73
1.North Carolina
Michigan State
Projected Score: Michigan State 84, North Carolina 76
Phil Knight Legacy (Portland, Oregon)
November 24, 25, 27
Teams Participating: Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Oregon State, Portland State, Purdue, West Virginia, Xavier
Quarterfinal Match-Ups:
7.Duke
Oregon State
Projected Score: Duke 82, Oregon State 69
Florida
Xavier
Projected Score: Florida 75, Xavier 73
Purdue
West Virginia
Projected Score: Purdue 72, West Virginia 70
2.Gonzaga
Portland State
Projected Score: Gonzaga 76, Portland State 67
Semifinal Match-Ups:
7.Duke
Florida
Projected Score: Duke 75, Florida 70
2.Gonzaga
Purdue
Projected Score: Purdue 71, Gonzaga 68
Final/Third Place Match-Ups:
2.Gonzaga
Florida
Projected Score: Gonzaga 82, Florida 78
7.Duke
Purdue
Projected Score: Purdue 81, Duke 80
Other Games
November 20
4.Kentucky at. 2.Gonzaga
7:30 PM ET, ESPN
If Oscar Tsheibwe does not foul out like he did on Tuesday against Michigan State, Kentucky should be fine and defeat a tough Gonzaga team, led by Drew Timme.
Projected Score: Kentucky 80, Gonzaga 75
3.Houston at. Oregon
9:30 PM ET, ESPN
Houston is looking like the best team in the country but they will be tested on Sunday in Eugene. The Cougars should get the win if they play through star Marcus Sasser.
Projected Score: Houston 84, Oregon 77
