The Schedule for ESPN's 24 Hour Tip-Off Marathon Released: Top 10 Reasons to Watch

For the third year in a row, ESPN will be hosting a 24 hour College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon on their family of networks.

And while I (obviously) watched the past 48 hours worth of marathony-goodness, my one qualm with the event was that, with the exception of basketball junkies like myself -- those that can handle a 24 hour binge even if prime time matchups like Gonzaga and Michigan State are cut with 6am tips between St. Peter's and Monmouth -- there really wasn't all that much on the schedule that would appeal to the masses.

That changes this year, as we get three matchups between top 25 teams, and, depending on what preseason poll you are looking at, a good majority of the top ten teams, and more than half of the top 25, will be lacing 'em up on Tuesday, November 16th.

It is easy to criticize ESPN for the way that they cover sports these days. But in this instance, they seem to be well on their way to getting it right. Sure, I would love if this was the actual opening day for college basketball -- it always bugs me how games just kind of start happening -- but until that time comes, I think we can all agree that this is a dandy consolation prize.

Hit the jump for the Red Bull Top Ten Reasons to Watch.*

*(Not actually sponsored by Red Bull ... or anyone for that matter. I should be though.)

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1. Jacob Pullen vs. Malcolm Delaney: Kansas State will likely be a top five team once the final preseason rankings start to trickle out. Even with Dominique Sutton and Denis Clemente gone, the Wildcats will have a very good shot at winning the 2011 Big XII title because they return a big, athletic front line, bring in a talented group of five newcomers, and -- mostly -- because they return Jacob Pullen, who should be the favorite to win conference player of the year. Virginia Tech, on the other hand, will be a top 25 team after bringing back everyone from a 25 win team a year ago. The biggest reason for their predicted success is Malcolm Delaney, a favorite for ACC player of the year. Pullen and Delaney are both senior leaders for their teams, and happen to be two of the best guards in the country, both averaging around 20 ppg last season. This should be a fun game to watch, with the battle between Pullen and Delaney taking center stage.


2. The Clash of the West Coast Titans: With all do respect to Washington, this battle between schools from mid-major conferences may very well be a matchup between the two best teams out west. Everyone knows about Gonzaga, and with forward Elias Harris and two-guard Steven Gray both back, the 'Zags will remain a factor nationally. Much fewer people know about SDSU, but the Aztecs have a loaded front line, headlined by Kawhi Leonard, and essentially return their entire roster. Steve Fisher's club may very well be the favorite to win the MWC. My advice: if you care at all about doing well in your NCAA Tournament pool, stay up for the 11 pm EST tip. You'll want to know about these two clubs, and the matchup between Leonard and Harris may very well be the second best individual battle of the day.


3. YUM!: For those that may not know, Louisville will be moving out of legendary Freedom Hall and into a new arena next season. That arena's name? The KFC Yum! Center. Yes, the exclamation point is included in the actual name of the arena. The first game ever to be played in the Yum! Center is when defending national runner-up Butler comes to visit.
   


4. 2007 Title Rematch: Yes, Florida beat Ohio State for the 2007 national title, when Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and company knocked off Greg Oden's recruiting class. Not a single players from that game will be participating in this one, but that doesn't mean this contest isn't filled with intrigue. Florida was a tournament team a year ago, returns almost everyone of importance, and brings in their missing piece in freshman Patric Young. Ohio State, on the other hand, lost Evan Turner, but replaces him with one of the three best recruiting classes in the country, which includes the uber-talented Jared Sullinger. It wouldn't shock me if both clubs ended up in the preseason top ten.


5. Brittany Griner: She's 6'8", dunks a basketball with ease, and has already punched one girl in the face. Guaranteed, anything you miss will be on youtube within the hour.
   


6. Steve Lavin heads west: Steve Lavin became a national name when he took over the UCLA program after Jim Harrick was fired. He was run out of Westwood in 2003, spending the next seven years in front of the camera as an analyst with ESPN. This summer, Lavin took the head coaching position at St. John's. With the connections he has out west, trips to the left coast, like the one the Johnnies are taking to play St. Mary's, could help gain Lavin visibility with recruits out west. Making the drive up the coast to Moraga is a much easier trip for Californian parents than hopping a red-eye to make it to Storrs, CT, for a noon tip on a Saturday.


7. Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry, and a title defense: Duke is the reigning national champion. While this won't actually be their initial title defense, and their opponent is none other than the mighty Miami of Ohio, this is still going to be most of the country's first chance to get a glimpse at the Devils. How good is Kyrie Irving? Can Seth Curry play at this level? Watch and learn.
   


8. More talented freshman: Duke isn't the only team with talented newcomers. We've already mentioned the kids headed to Ohio State and Florida. But what about Joe Jackson, Jelan Kendrick, and the other four freshmen that are primed to return Memphis to C-USA glory? Or Tobias Harris at Tennessee? Or Perry Jones at Baylor? Or even Trey Zeigler, a freshman headed to Central Michigan to play for his dad instead of one of the bigger programs that recruited him? These kids are the stars -- both in college and the pros -- of the future.


9. First impressions are the most important: There arequite a few very good basketball teams taking part in this event. A few of them are legitimate national title contenders. There are even more than have a real shot at being an Elite 8 or Final Four team. There are teams that will contend for conference titles and players that will be in the running for individual accolades like all-american and conference player of the year. There's never been a better time than now to get your first look at them.


10. COLLEGE BASKETBALL IS BACK!!!: Enough said.