Last night was a bit chalky overall, with a lot of teams playing buy games. However, we did have a massive result in Knoxville with Louisville falling by 21 to the Vols! We also had history made with the Miami (OH) Redhawks going to 11-0 for the first time in school history with their win over Wright State. Staying in Dayton, the Flyers impressed, dominating Florida State! What stood out to you?

METHODOLOGY

Each game is assigned a Power Rating (1–5):

 5️⃣ Must-Watch
National-impact game; typically Q1 vs. Q1.

4️⃣ High-Level Matchup
Strong game with postseason or résumé relevance.

 3️⃣ Notable/Competitive
High quality mid-major matchup and/or decent high-major game

 2️⃣  Worth Monitoring
Intrigue, rivalry angle, or stylistic fun; Typically the solid mid-major matchups will go here. 

1️⃣ Minimal Impact
Not a major bracket game, but includes a fun storyline or a mid/low major game of interest

Cincinnati Area Thoughts:

The three teams in Cincinnati that I cover the most are Cincinnati, Xavier, and Northern Kentucky. All 3 are playing tonight.

3️⃣ First: Xavier hosts Creighton to open their Big East Slate! Neither team appears to be close to the tournament right now, but this could help set the tone for both teams as we start the 20 game round robin! 6:30, FS1. Xavier is favored by 2.5 currently.

3️⃣ Second: Northern Kentucky hosts Oakland to continue their Horizon League slate! This matchup could go a long way to helping decide the fate of both teams in the HL regular season standings! I will unfortunately not be in attendance as I will be at the X/Creighton game. NKU favored by 2.5. I will re-watch the game and have all of your coverage after!

2️⃣ Finally: Alabama State travels into Fifth Third to play Cincinnati. My only question right now is which UC team shows up? Bearcats are favored by 21.5, but I’ll take Alabama State to cover, until Cincinnati can prove it on the court! 7:00, ESPN+

High Major/High Profile Games:

4️⃣ Vanderbilt @ Memphis | This one might just be the best game of the night. Vanderbilt has risen quickly with their 10-0 start, and Memphis has really struggled out of the gate. Both teams should have a chip on their shoulder for this in-state rivalry matchup! Q1 for Memphis, Likely Q1/2 border for Vanderbilt! 7:00, ESPN2

3️⃣ South Florida @ Alabama | Bama is favored by 14.5 here, but that feels like a ton of points. I think USF is sneaky good and a contender in the AAC. Give me Bama, but wouldn’t be shocked if the Bulls cover! 8:00, SECN+

3️⃣ Georgetown @ Marquette | The Golden Eagles are somehow favored by 4.5, despite not showing anyone anything this year. I’ll take Cooley and co. to get a solid win to open Big East play in Milwaukee! 8:30, FS1!

4️⃣ Arizona State @ UCLA | Preseason, I would have predicted UCLA here by a ton, however, the Bruins haven’t looked great while the Sun Devils have looked really solid to start the year! Here’s a resume opportunity for Bobby Hurley and co.! | 10:30, FS1

HM’s Playing Buy Games: Florida, UCF, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, NC State, Ole miss, Gonzaga, USC, Colorado, Stanford, Oregon. I would almost guarantee one or more of these teams gets a good scare in their week before Christmas buy game!

Mid-Major Games to Watch:

1️⃣ UC Santa Barbara @ Green Bay | I love that these teams scheduled this one! Obviously not a huge impact type of game, but should be really fun nonetheless! 7:00, ESPN+

1️⃣ Jacksonville @ Florida A&M | Not ,uch to talk about here, however, it’s a rivalry matchup and should be close! 7:00

2️⃣ Chattanooga @ Bellarmine | This is a really intriguing matchup. I saw Bellarmine in person on Saturday and they are absolutely solid. Look for this to be a close, competitive game! 7:00, ESPN+

1️⃣ Siena @ Vermont | Northeastern regional rivalry between two really solid teams?! Yes please! Should be a fun, competitive matchup! 7:00, ESPN+

1️⃣ Kennesaw State @ Middle Tennessee | KSU is off to a solid 8-2 start, however, MTSU looks to be up for the challenge from what I’ve seen of these two this year! 7:30, ESPN+

2️⃣ Eastern Washington @ Washington State | This game is FREE on YouTube! This is a really fun in-state rivalry. WSU is favored, but should be close!

2️⃣ Sam Houston @ Oregon State | Not a game that will make national waves, but a really fun contest between middling teams. 9:30, ESPN+

2️⃣ Loyola Chicago @ San Francisco | 10:00, ESPN+. This one should be MUCH higher on this list, however, Loyola has been awful. Look for San Francisco to roll at the Chase Center.