10 College Basketball Games You Can’t Miss During Opening Week

In this new college basketball era that relies so heavily on the NET rankings to chart your NCAA Tournament path, there’s no one correct way to schedule your team into becoming a national champion.

Last season, Michigan set up college basketball’s 10th-toughest non-conference schedule per KenPom -- Duke, Gonzaga, Villanova, Auburn, Wake Forest, TCU, San Diego State, McNeese, etc. – and learned it was a monster nobody could beat.

Two years ago, Florida started 13-0 thanks in no small part to a piddly non-conference schedule that began with South Florida, Jacksonville and Grambling State and later included Florida A&M, North Florida and Stetson. Kudos to the Gators, we suppose, for playing many of the other Div. I teams in their state.

Nonetheless, Florida built up enough steam to finish second in the SEC, earn a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed and become the last team standing at the Alamodome.

What’s our point? Well, if you can get a championship regardless of whether you build a stronger or weaker pre-conference schedule, then why not go strong? Entertain us!

Fortunately, an increasing number of Power 4 coaches are realizing there’s no downside to giving us big matchups from the jump.

While Notre Dame and Villanova officially opened the season Sunday morning in Italy, the regular season begins far and wide on Monday. Here are 10 intriguing showdowns to enjoy this week:

Monday: Murray State vs. Tennessee State (11:30 a.m.; YouTube)

Before we get to the big boys, you deserve to be hipped to a huge mid-major showdown as part of the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon. There are eight straight games starting at midnight, but this clash in Sioux Falls, S.D., figures to be the most relevant nationally as Murray State is favored to win the Missouri Valley and Tennessee State is favored to be the Ohio Valley’s NCAA rep again. Pro tip: Tune in for Murray State’s Roman Domon. You won’t be disappointed.

Monday: No. 14 Miami vs. No. 1 Florida (6 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

This is what we’re talking about! In-state rivals putting themselves on the line right away on neutral ground in Tampa. There’s a ton to watch, but keep an eye on the post when Florida’s Reuben Chinyelu and Miami’s Somto Cyril battle. When Cyril played last year for Georgia, he got ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul against Chinyelu when he threw a left forearm into his jaw after a basket.

Monday: Ohio State vs. No. 25 BYU (9 p.m. ET, FS1)

We’re watching the five-star freshmen in this “neutral” game in Salt Lake City. Ohio State thinks it can take another step with McDonald’s All-American Anthony Thompson at forward and 2027 reclass LJ Smith at backup guard. BYU lost AJ Dybantsa to the league, but McDonald’s All-American Bruce Branch III averaged 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists in exhibition play.

Monday: No. 5 Arizona vs. No. 22 UCLA (10 p.m. ET, TNT)

The old Pac-12 rivals exchange pleasantries in Vegas. We get our first look at 17-year-old Serbian wunderkind Nikola Kusturica, who reportedly got a two-year, $12 million deal with UCLA. Arizona retained Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov from its Final Four crew and added super-frosh Caleb Holt, among others.

Tuesday: LSU New Orleans at LSU (8 p.m. ET, SEC)

Gotta tune in to see how many players Will Wade will be able to dress for this one. How many Tigers will play 40 minutes? Also, New Orleans has rebranded to LSU New Orleans and switched its colors to purple and gold – just like LSU.

Friday: Saint Louis vs. Missouri (7 p.m. ET; ESPNU)

This in-state rivalry should always be played – and it’s particularly big this year as both schools have NCAA second-weekend aspirations. The Tigers bring one of the nation’s best recruiting classes to St. Louis, led by McDonald’s All-American point guard Jason Crowe, Jr., who shattered California’s prep scoring record by 1,059 points.

Friday: No. 4 UConn vs. No. 16 Michigan (8 p.m. ET; TNT)

Oh, no big deal at TD Garden in Boston. Just a rematch of last year’s national championship game as perhaps the nation’s top two backcourts go blow-for-blow. Michigan boasts Final Four MVP Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney. UConn counters with Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins.

Saturday: Providence vs. Nebraska (7 p.m. ET; FS1)

The Huskers’ lone returning starter from their first Sweet 16 team is super-shooter Pryce Sandfort, but Fred Hoiberg recruited a ton of vets to surround him. Providence hired Nate Oats protégé Bryan Hodgson from USF with a mission to rebuild the Friars in a hurry. He’s bringing transfers from everywhere to this game in Uncasville, Conn.

Saturday: Maryland vs. Georgetown (7:30 p.m. ET; Peacock)

These schools are just 20 miles apart and should always play, but it took Buzz Williams’ arrival last year at Maryland to make this a thing again. Williams’ Terps spent big to get back into the Big Ten mix while the Hoyas are trying to earn the school’s second NCAA bid since 2015. Both teams need wins like this.

Sunday: No. 12 Arkansas vs. No. 9 Virginia (1 p.m. ET; ESPN)

Barely 15 hours after the Terps and Hoyas call it a wrap in D.C.’s Capital One Arena, the Razorbacks and Cavaliers tip it off. Let’s enjoy new Arkansas PG Jordan Smith Jr. (the Naismith HS Player of the Year) versus a veteran Virginia bunch led by preseason ACC Player of the Year Thijs De Ridder.