Top 5 Men’s Basketball Game Breakdowns 11/11 – 11/13
It isn’t every week that a college basketball game is played on an aircraft carrier, but that’s exactly what is taking place this weekend as the first weekend of official college basketball play gets underway. Until we get to preseason tournaments, which are just around the corner, the first good matchups tend to be few and far between. Still, here are five matchups that might be worth your time as we gradually shift the calendar from gridiron to hardwood.
NO. 1 NORTH CAROLINA VS. MICHIGAN STATE (7 p.m. Friday onboard the USS Carl Vinson in San Diego, California)
Now here is a novel idea... play a college basketball game on board an aircraft carrier docked oceanside. It may seem like a strange way to open up the 2011-12 season, but you can’t deny the concept is interesting. The Carrier Classic pits the nation’s top-ranked Tar Heels against a Michigan State squad that could be interesting if it overcomes some early-season inexperience. This is a rematch of the 2009 NCAA championship game, where the Tar Heels handily prevailed. The last time these teams met in December 2009, North Carolina scored an 89-82 victory. The Tar Heels have won 10 of 13 meetings between these teams, with the last MSU victory coming on November 29, 2000. North Carolina walloped UNC-Pembroke 100-58 in an exhibition game behind Tyler Zeller’s double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. The Spartans played two exhibition games against Ferris State and Hillsdale, two Michigan teams, and won by an average combined margin of 29.5 points.
TOWSON AT NO. 8 KANSAS (8 p.m. Friday at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas)
Coming off of two impressive exhibition victories, Kansas is primed and ready to open the 2011-12 season in solid style – not to mention defend a long winning streak. This is the first game in the EA Sports Maui Invitational and the first time Kansas has faced Towson since an 87-61 win in November 2006 at the Las Vegas Invitational. Kansas hasn’t lost a home opener since 1972, so one of the nation’s longest winning streaks is on the line in this game (it should also be safe). Senior guard Tyshawn Taylor and junior guard Elijah Johnson are back in the lineup following a two-game suspension for violating team rules, so the Jayhawks will have some missing power back. Towson is coming off a 4-26 record, and Kansas is 2-1 against members of the Colonial Athletic Association.
OREGON AT NO. 9 VANDERBILT (10 p.m. Friday at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tennessee)
A big matchup between Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference schools gets underway Friday when Oregon travels to face Vanderbilt. The Commodores enjoy a top-10 ranking and a 4-2 edge in the season series. Vanderbilt eked out a 76-75 victory in the teams’ last meeting back in November 2005, so this game could be exciting if past history is any indication. Vanderbilt returns all five starters from a 23-11 team of a year ago, while Oregon finished 21-11 last year and tied with Stanford for seventh place in the conference. Oregon was 3-8 last year on the road. Vanderbilt has beaten Oregon in all three meetings and it has also won 52 of the 59 openers played inside Memorial Gym. Jeffery Taylor’s 17 points led the way as the Commodores beat Xavier (La.) 102-62 in their exhibition game.
RIDER AT NO. 11 PITTSBURGH (6 p.m. Sunday at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
This game is a special one for the Panthers because it is alumni day, meaning Pitt basketball alum will be featured at halftime. For Pittsburgh, this will be the second regular-season contest following a date with Albany on Friday night to open up the season. Pittsburgh came dangerously close to losing an exhibition contest when it beat Kentucky Wesleyan, 76-67, behind 22 points by Lamar Patterson and 20 points by Ashton Gibbs. Pittsburgh beat Rider last year in the teams’ only previous showdown. Rider will start Anthony Myles at point guard in place of Jon Thompson, who is serving the remainder of his two-game suspension stemming from an incident in last year’s MAAC tournament against Canisius.
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AT VIRGINIA (4 p.m. Sunday at John Paul Jones Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia)
This nationally-televised Sunday game pits the Cavaliers against South Carolina State in the season opener for Virginia; it happens to be the first meeting for both schools. Virginia finished last season with a 16-15 overall record and a 7-9 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play, and fell to Miami in the ACC tournament’s first round. South Carolina State, which opened its season Friday against Claflin, is coming off a 10-22 overall record and 5-11 mark in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play.
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