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The 2014 NCAA basketball season kicked off on Friday, making this the best time to be a sports fan because we get to enjoy both basketball and football at the same time. There were 23 games played on Friday night, while there were no upsets of any of the top 25 teams in the rankings, there were still a lot of exciting games, which gave fans a preview of what to expect this season in college basketball.
The defending champions Connecticut, came in ranked #17 in the country, due to the talent they lost after their championship season, and had a tough time in their season opener against the Bryant Bulldogs. The Huskies were down 34-28 at halftime, but were rescued by the play of senior guard Ryan Boatwright, who scored 16 of his game high 24 points in the second half, which the Huskies dominated and 38-19, giving them the 66-53 victory. The season is still young, but the Huskies might be in trouble this season, if they are having difficulties dispatching a team like Bryant at home.
Michigan State has been one of the most consistent basketball teams since Tom Izzo became their coach, and one of the things Spartan fans are used to is Michigan State finding ways to win, no matter how ugly it is. This was the case against Navy, a team that won only nine games last season. The Spartans played well in the first half, but struggled on both sides of the ball in the second half, but the 18th ranked team in the country was able to escape with a 64-59 victory.
These two games illustrate what makes the college basketball season so exciting, because it is probably the only sport where a top ranked team can lose to an unknown on any given night, which is why millions tune in for March Madness every year.
This week, there are some big games on the schedule, which is great. The Champions Classic and Maui Invitational will have the biggest games of the week, but there are also a lot of good games to enjoy. Some of the top games to look out for this week include:
#10 Texas Longhorns vs. Iowa Hawkeyes, Thursday, November 20, 7 PM. ET.
This game is part of the 2K Classic that will take place in Madison Square Garden, in New York.
The Hawkeyes were one of the biggest surprises in the first half of the season last year, but they faltered down the stretch, eventually losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Tennessee. They are a more experienced team than last season, and will provide a very tough challenge for Texas.
The Longhorns are finally back in the top 10, and will be trying to prove that they deserve their preseason ranking with a win against Iowa.
#23. Syracuse Orange vs. California Golden Bears, Thursday, November 20, 9 PM. ET.
This is the second regional semifinal of the 2K Classic in New York.
Both teams will be going into this game undefeated, despite winning 19 games last season, Cal missed out on the NCAA Tournament, and had to settle for the NIT, but they made it to the quarterfinals, and lost a 1 point game to top seeded SMU.
The Orange were one of the best college basketball teams last year, winning 28 games, but were upset by 11th ranked Dayton in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
#6 North Carolina vs. Davidson, Saturday, November 22, 2 PM. ET.
This is an interstate game with the potential to be the best game this weekend, both teams met in Chapel Hill last season, and went into overtime, where the Tar Heels were able to eventually pull off the victory. They will be playing at a neutral site this time around, which should make things a little more interesting.
These are just some of the games to look out for this week, there are a lot more games to be played this week that have the potential to be great, so just sit back and enjoy the start of the 2014 college basketball season.
