College Basketball: Four best games for the opening week
By Bryan Mauro
Heading into the first full week of the college basketball season fans will not have to wait long to see premier matchups that feature some of the biggest names in college basketball.
These five games are the best of what college basketball has to offer during the first full week. Get your popcorn and your beverage of choice because these games are appointment television.
Minnesota Golden Gophers at Providence Friars
TV: Fox Sports 1
When: Monday, October 13
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, Rhode Island
Why This Game is Important:
The Gophers and the Friars are two teams who are loaded with talent; both teams are expected to finish near the top of their respective conferences. Each of these teams has a flashy incoming freshman class. The freshmen on these teams should play a key role for their teams this season.
Minnesota Coach Richard Pitino guided his squad to one of the best season to season turnarounds in the NCAA. The Gophers have all the key cogs back from their team a year ago. If they all stay healthy, Minnesota will be fighting for one of the top spots in the Big Ten. Pitino has been able to build his team with homegrown talent, and an early game against another contender in a Power 5 league is a tremendous test for this Gophers team.
Providence Coach Ed Cooley brings the Friars into this season with high expectations. Can Providence live up to those expectations and be one of the best teams in the Big East? Minnesota is going to present many challenges for this Friars’ team, but Providence will be able to keep this one close, especially on their home floor.