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NCAA Basketball: 5 bold predictions for the 2019-20 opening week

GAINESVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 04: Terance Mann #14 of the Florida State Seminoles scores in front of Kevarrius Hayes #13 and Chris Chiozza #11 of the Florida Gators during a NCAA basketball game at the Stephen C. O' Connell Center on December 4, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 04: Terance Mann #14 of the Florida State Seminoles scores in front of Kevarrius Hayes #13 and Chris Chiozza #11 of the Florida Gators during a NCAA basketball game at the Stephen C. O' Connell Center on December 4, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – NOVEMBER 06: Dotson of the Jayhawks shoots. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – NOVEMBER 06: Dotson of the Jayhawks shoots. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

NCAA basketball season is here. An exciting opening week is about to begin and here are five bold predictions that just might come to fruition right away.

After months and months of waiting, the 2019-20 NCAA basketball season has arrived. It is now time for the real games to begin and fans across the country are buzzing with excitement regarding their favorite teams. Even though only 25 teams are ranked in the preseason AP poll, there are both positive and negative surprises every single season. The unpredictability of NCAA basketball is a major part of why the sport is so popular and that is only compounded by the end-of-season single-elimination NCAA Tournament.

Even though the Big Dance might still be several months away, it is also already time for each program to start thinking about their potential resume. These games, even early in November, could have a major impact on at-large potential for a number of squads and therefore these games could be pivotal come March. Unlike some seasons in the past, there are some flat-out elite early-season matchups in the opening week. Of course, the Champions Classic is the headlining event but there are also quite a few others worth noting on your watch schedule.

As the opening week gets underway on Nov. 5, let’s declare some bold predictions for some of the outcomes. These will undoubtedly all turn out to be wrong but it is a fun exercise nonetheless. The predictions in this piece will look into some potential superb individual performances, possible upsets, and previewing what could be the best game of the entire week.

For reference, the “opening week” lasts from Tuesday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 10th for the sake of this article. Now, without any further ado, let’s dive in.