Ten College Basketball Games To Watch This Week

After seven long months, the greatest sport on earth is back. The schedule for the opening few days is not as stacked as it used to be with the Champion’s Classic, but there are still some matchups to keep your eyes on.

Purdue Fort Wayne (0-0) @ #22 Michigan (0-0)
Monday, 6:30 PM ET, Big Ten Network

Junior Center Hunter Dickinson will be the heart of this team again, the big man racked up 18.6 PPG and 8.5 RPG last season. However, the rest of last year’s starting five is gone, so a combination of transfer and newcomers will fill in the gaps. Look for a Fort Wayne team that returns almost everyone to challenge the Wolverines in game one.

Pick: Michigan 77, Purdue Fort Wayne 69

George Mason (0-0) @ #15 Auburn (0-0)
Monday, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN+

If one top-25 team goes down on Monday, I expect it will be Auburn. George Mason was inconsistent last year, but the Pats bring back the core of the squad and add transfer Victor Bailey from Tennessee. I expect Auburn’s talent to win out at the end of the day, but this will be close.

Pick: Auburn 76, George Mason 66

Murray State (0-0) @ Saint Louis (0-0)
Monday, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN+

After a wonderful year in 2021-22, it will be a rebuilding season for Murray State. The Racers lose their top four scorers and their head coach to boot. New head man Steve Prohm will do his best with a talented transfer class, but expect the experience of Saint Louis to be too much.

Pick: Saint Louis 73, Murray State 72

Sam Houston (0-0) @ Oklahoma (0-0)
Monday, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN+

Led by a pair of A+ transfers in Grant Sherfield and Joe Bamisile, Porter Moser looks poised to get Oklahoma back in the NCAA Tournament picture. The Sooners should have no trouble with a Sam Houston squad that lost its two best players.

Pick: Oklahoma 72, Sam Houston 61

Memphis (0-0) @ Vanderbilt (0-0)
Monday, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN+

This is probably the best game on Monday, both squads have a chance to go dancing. In his fourth season, Penny Hardaway appeared to underdeliver on preseason expectations again before turning it around at year-end. Hardaway’s teams have been too inconsistent in the past for me to trust them, and with three transfers in the projected starting lineup, that appears to be the case again.

Pick: Vanderbilt 72, Memphis 71

South Dakota (0-0) @ Wisconsin (0-0)
Monday, 8:30 PM ET, Big Ten Network

A lot of the stars from last year’s Wisconsin team are gone, but despite the rebuilding season, I expect the Badgers to take of South Dakota on opening night.

Pick: Wisconsin 78, South Dakota 68

Utah Valley (0-0) @ Utah State (0-0)
Monday, 9:00 PM ET, Mountain West Network

San Diego State appears to be the class of the Mountain West, but Utah State plans on challenging the Aztecs for that crown. With a quartet of transfers joining four returning starters, Utah State will impress on opening night.

Pick: Utah State 73, Utah Valley 66

South Dakota State (0-0) @ Boise State (0-0)
Wednesday, 9:00 PM ET, Mountain West Network

Pick to come following Monday’s results.

Towson (0-0) @ UMass (0-0)
Thursday, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN+

Pick to come following Monday’s results.

Southern Illinois (0-0) @ Oklahoma State (0-0)
Thursday, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN+

Pick to come following Monday’s results.