It is finally here. The basketball calendar is stuffed with games for the first time in what seems like an ice age. The 2K Classic has given us some hors dourves this week, but dinner is served starting tonight. The vast majority of DI teams are in action this weekend.
I have sorted through them all and flagged many games of import. Enjoy.
Last Night's GOI
--at Michigan State 86, Youngstown State 61. The Spartans bounced back from Wednesday night ghastly performance against Brown to prevent a march of the Penguins.
--at Texas 103, Alcorn State 44. This one, uh, was not close.
Weekend GOI
Friday
--Eastern Washington at Gonzaga. Rodney Stuckey is about as good as it gets. No Adam Morrison means a different kind of Zag squad than we've seen the last two years....for better or worse.
--Hawaii at UNLV. One of the more evenly matched contests on the docket this weekend.
--UTEP vs Pennsylvania. This is a nice opening game between two solid clubs.
Saturday
--Bucknell at Albany. Patriot fave vs Am East fave. This is an early land mine for the Bison's at-large profile.
--DePaul at Bradley. DePaul is trending upward and Bradley lost a lot from last season's Sweet 16 club. The Braves will be tough in Peoria, though.
--Hofstra at Charlotte. Immediate road test for a Hofstra team with CAA title and possible at-large hopes.
--Toledo at Missouri State. MAC favorite against a good MVC team. Tasty game for Nov 11.
--Marist at Ohio. The Red Foxes are the MAAC preseason darling and Ohio is a talented MAC club that underachieved last year.
--Siena at Stanford. The Saints are good and Stanford has had some problems in the early going in recent seasons.
Sunday
--Arizona at Virginia. In TV Conference Land, this might be the game of the weekend.
--UAB at UW-Milwaukee. Two perennial non-BCS, NCAA teams.
Sun Belt Slate
Friday
--Troy at Auburn. Not quite the Iron Bowl, but an in-state game alert, nonetheless.
--Denver at Colorado. Another Belt team against another Big State U.
--Florida Atlantic at Oklahoma State. The Owls are new to the Belt and have a tall order tonight in Sean Sutton's debut as the Cowboy coach.
--Middle Tennessee State at Tennessee. Yet another in-state game alert for a Belt team.
--South Alabama vs UC-Irvine. Good early opportunity for a Jag win. This game is at Fresno State.
--Arkansas State vs Clemson. Game played at Old Dominion. Big game for an Indian club with some preseason buzz.
Saturday
--Western Kentucky at Kennesaw State. KSU has billed this as the biggest home game in their history to date. WKU opens the season as the Belt favorite.
--Florida International at Miami-FL. In-state game alert, yada yada...
--Jacksonville State at New Orleans (0-2). UNO had a rough start in College Park, MD. They need find their groove and pick up a win here.
--South Alabama at Fresno State. USA's Part II out in Fresno this weekend.
--Arkansas State at Old Dominion. A-State's Part II at ODU this weekend.
--UL-Monroe at Iowa State. The Warhawks' first game as a Belt member.
Sunday
--North Texas at Charlotte. The Mean Green will try to improve by 0.6% this season...like they have for about 38 seasons in a row.
--Arkansas State vs Monmouth. A-State's Part III at ODU.
