Exactly two months from today, ESPN will be hosting their second annual 24-hour college basketball Tip-Off Marathon. While it isn't exactly the start of the season (many teams around the country will be playing sometime in the previous week), it is still college hoops.
For 24 straight hours.
Can it get any better than that? Maybe if I was watching with Megan Fox. And she was a UConn fan. But I digress...
On Nov. 17th we get 24 hours of college hoops.(photo credit: Rush the Court)
Anyway, the schedule was released yesterday, and we have ourselves quite a few excellent match-ups (all times EST, and all games on ESPN unless noted):
12 AM Cal State Fullerton @ UCLA: Both teams will look much different this season than they did last year as CSF will be looking to replace Josh Akognon and his 23.9 ppg while the Bruins will be playing their first game in four years without Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, and Alfred Aboya. It will also be your first chance to see UCLA sophomore Malcolm Lee, who some expect to be a star, in an expanded role.
2 AM San Diego State @ Saint Mary’s: This match-up, which is a rematch from the NIT Quarters last year, is highlighted by two freshman - SDSU's Kawhi Leonard, a top 100 recruit for Steve Fisher, and St. Mary's Matthew Dellavedova, the #1 rated junior player in Australia. Both teams are sleepers to win their respective conferences.
4 AM Northern Colorado @ Hawaii: For the second straight season, Hawaii will be hosting the 4 AM tip time. The Rainbows will be led by athletic wing Roderick Fleming.
6 AM Monmouth @ Saint Peter’s, 8 AM Drexel @ Niagara: Never before in the 8,200 game history of college basketball on ESPN, has a game been aired in either of these time slots. While the early game will be a bit tough to wake up to watch (let alone to play, you think its going to be a sluggish game?), you should be in for a treat in the second game. Bruiser Flint's Drexel team brings back a couple tough guards, while Niagara brings back four of their five starters, and should give Siena a run atop the MAAC.
10 AM Clemson @ Liberty: While the Tigers lost their top two perimeter shooters in KC Rivers and Terrence Oglesby, they were able to sign USC de-commit Noel Johnson to complement Trevor Booker and Demontez Stitt. The Seth Curry-less Flames were able to land a home game against the ACC school after helping Clemson out with a late-scheduled home game last season.
12 PM Northeastern @ Siena: Coming back-to-back trips to the second round of the dance, Siena loses Kenny Hasbrouck but returns enough talent (including Alex Franklin, Edwin Ubiles, Ryan Rossiter, and last year's hero Ronald Moore) to make another run. Northeastern should be pretty good as well. They return Matt Janning, Chaisson Allen, and Manny Adako and will make some noise atop the CAA.
2 PM Arkansas-Little Rock @ Tulsa: Tulsa, who is led by center Jerome Jordan, a potential NBA first rounder, could unseat Memphis from the top of the C-USA. Some media outlets have them as a top 25 team thanks to the addition of freshmen Donte Medder and Jordan Clarkson, who was ranked in ESPN's top 100.
4 PM Temple @ Georgetown: Temple loses leading scorer Dionte Christmas and center Sergio Olmos, but returnees Lavoy Allen and Ryan Brooks are both talented kids. Georgetown, on the other hand, returns their entire core with Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, and Greg Monroe coming back and has a shot to win the Big East.
5:30 PM Binghamton @ Pittsburgh (ESPN2): Binghamton reached the NCAA tournament last season, and returns leading scorer DJ Rivera. The Bearcats might have an actual shot at beating the Panthers, as Pitt not only lost four starters from last year, but their two best returners Gilbert Brown (academics) and Jermaine Dixon (broken foot) may both miss the game.
6 PM Charlotte or Elon @ Duke: This will probably be your first chance to see the bigger Blue Devils play. Duke caught a break as freshman Andre Dawkins was allowed to enroll a year early, giving Coach K his third guard on the roster. Can Kyle Singler handle playing the three?
7:30 PM Arkansas vs. Louisville in St. Louis (ESPN2): Louisville lost a lot to the league (T-Will, Earl Clark), but they return two talented big men in Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings. You will get a chance to see if Peyton Siva can be the guy everyone though Edgar Sosa would turn into. Arkansas is a program in turmoil, but with four double figure scorers coming back and a couple of talented newcomers, the Razorbacks have enough talent to make a run at a tournament bid.
8 PM Gonzaga @ Michigan State: Despite losing key role players Travis Walton and Goran Suton, Michigan State once again looks like a favorite in the Big Ten. They will be led by Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers, and Delvon Roe. Gonzaga lost a ton of talent, but they return a solid back court of Matt Bouldin, Demetri Goodson, and Steven Gray, but will they have enough size to handle the Spartans inside?
10 PM Memphis vs. Kansas in St. Louis: Memphis has not caught a break this off-season. Latavious Williams went to China, they lost Coach Cal and their entire recruiting class, their 2007-2008 season was vacated, and they are now down to eight players after Angel Garcia tore his acl. Oh, and they get to play consensus #1 Kansas this early in the season. Fun.
11:30 PM TCU or Cal St Northridge @ Arizona State (ESPN2): The Sun Devils, who will be starting the post James Harden era, are not yet sure who they will be playing in the pre-season NIT.
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