NCAA Basketball: Each top 25 team’s toughest November test in 2023-24
By Joey Loose
20. Baylor
November 7 (vs. Auburn)
After boasting a fantastic backcourt last season, Baylor is back with several new faces in this talented rotation and looking to make noise in this new-look Big 12. They’ll get their chance to showcase this new lineup on the second night of the season as they’ll take on Auburn in a neutral-site game at the Sanford Pentagon in South Dakota. Led by Johni Broome, the Tigers have potential to make their own type of noise in the SEC and it’s a great season opener for both squads.
Baylor’s November isn’t very challenging, though a few games in December make up for the easy start. They’ll have four very winnable home games against mid-major foes but also head to New York as part of the Preseason NIT, facing off against Oregon State on November 22nd before either Florida or Pittsburgh two days later.
19. North Carolina
November 29 (vs. Tennessee)
Last year’s preseason #1 largely disappointed, but North Carolina looks to change the script this season. Armando Bacot and RJ Davis are back, joined by faces old and new in a lineup packed with talent. Fortunately for the Tar Heels, they’ll have some time to acclimate this talent with three pretty simple home games to open the season before taking a trip down to the Bahamas.
Seeing as they’ll face Northern Iowa in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis, our attention is after that holiday tournament, even though tougher matchups could await in the other rounds. The Tar Heels will play host to #9 Tennessee in their first game after the holiday, playing as part of the new ACC/SEC Challenge. This will be one of the marquee matchups of that event and match the Tar Heels with a Volunteers squad that looks extremely dangerous and returns a lot of the talent from last year.