My brothers and sisters in Christ, I know how tempting fall is. I know that the leaves change color and it’s very pretty, but let’s square up: we’re watching sports the next couple days.
It’s awesome to have college hoops back in our lives. But between that, the NFL, college football and any NHL/NBA interests you might have, there’s just so much. So much to watch, keep track of, gamble on (if that’s your thing), tweet about. You’re but one person, with a phone and a tv and a laptop, maybe an iPad, perhaps another tv or two… my point is, you have a finite number of screens to devote to Division I hoops the next couple of days. Let me help you with your weekend viewing plans.
By the way, the weekend starts at 7 p.m. ET on Friday’s; if Gonzaga-Michigan State and their big warship shoot-hoops outing wanted inclusion, they needed to move to true primetime.
Must Watch (Times ET)
Liberty at No. 20 Alabama, 8 pm, Friday (ESPN+/SECN+)
Nate Oats’ Crimson Tide are undergoing a youth movement integrating two McDonald’s All-Americans (Brandon Miller and Jaden Bradley), the No. 1 player in South Carolina (Noah Clowney), another top-100 sharpshooter (Rylan Griffen) from the prep class of 2022, along with former Ohio guard Mark Sears. Liberty, meanwhile, has six super-seniors using their extra year in Lynchburg for Ritchie McKay who are bent on cutting down the nets again after seeing their string of conference titles halted at three by Bellarmine in 2022. Both are likely to be tough outs; for Liberty, stacking a win against a ranked team might be very important come March, while Oats’ precocious talents can grow up quick if they can hold off a group of grown men in their second regular season game together.
Honorable mentions: Kentucky-Duquesne (7 p.m., Friday, SECN); Villanova-Temple (7 p.m., Friday, ESPNU); UCLA-Long Beach State (11 p.m., Friday, PAC-12 Network)
Must Monitor (Times ET)
Eastern Michigan at No. 22 Michigan, 9 p.m., Friday (ESPNU)
The Emoni Bates Redemption Tour kicks off in earnest against the Wolverines. The matchup with Jett Howard (son of Juwan) will be a good litmus test for Bates; it will also give a good idea of how much Eastern Michigan might lean on him this year. His best work might be done in the margins early on; my biggest fear is that Eastern Michigan will take this generational talent a year removed from being a consensus top-five recruit in the country—but definitely in need to build back some confidence after a decidedly uneven experience at Memphis—and drop all the expectations and responsibility on his still-lean shoulders. Still though… even the threat of a signature Emoni Bates game against a top-25 team is something to keep an eye on.
Honorable Mention: Florida State-UCF (7 p.m., Friday, ESPNU); Stanford-Wisconsin aka the Brew City Battle (7:30 p.m., Friday, FS1); Grand Canyon-Nevada (4 p.m., Saturday);
Must Avoid (Times ET)
Saint Peter’s at Seton Hall, 12 p.m., Saturday (FS2)
This is going to be awesome for about 10 minutes, most of it pregame. Shaheen Holloway’s hosts the former program that he raised to never-before-seen heights at his new stomping grounds in Newark. But this is no longer the Saint Peter’s that thrilled in March—no more Doug Edert; no more Clarence Rupert; KC Ndefo is still here for this matchup, just playing for the Pirates now. I hope this doesn’t get ugly; I fear it might. We’ll always have March 2022.
Honorable Mention: Arkansas State-LSU (6 p.m., Saturday); Washington State-Boise State (7 p.m., Saturday); Colorado-Tennessee (1 p.m., Sunday)
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As you no doubt know, our benevolent father Pepe smiled down on all of us at the Liacouras Center last night and the Temple students got to rush the court. Twice.