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NCAA Basketball: Each top 25 team’s toughest November test in 2023-24

By Joey Loose

Kansas senior center Hunter Dickinson (1), graduate senior guard Nicolas Timberlake (25) and graduate senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) head down court during the first half of Wednesday's exhibition game against Fort Hays State inside Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas senior center Hunter Dickinson (1), graduate senior guard Nicolas Timberlake (25) and graduate senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) head down court during the first half of Wednesday's exhibition game against Fort Hays State inside Allen Fieldhouse. /
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NCAA Basketball Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
NCAA Basketball Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

12. Arizona

November 10 (at Duke)

These Wildcats have been a much improved squad since Tommy Lloyd took over as head coach two seasons ago. He’s done a great job building talent at Arizona, and added Caleb Love into the fold this past offseason. After an opening night test against Morgan State, these Wildcats will be thrown straight into action with a hard test in a true road game at #2 Duke on the first Friday of the season.

Duke is one of the top teams in the nation this year, with a unique mix of young talent, but this isn’t even the only tough test for the Wildcats. Just two weeks later they’ll take on #4 Michigan State as part of the Acrisure Classic, though this game will be in California and not a true road game at least. Arizona doesn’t have it easy to start the year, and we haven’t even mentioned the challenges that await them in December.

11. Gonzaga

November 20 (vs. Purdue)

While Drew Timme is gone, the Bulldogs still have Anton Watson and added a slew of talent in the offseason, including Graham Ike and Ryan Nembhard. There’s good reason why the Bulldogs remain a national power despite playing in the WCC and Mark Few will have this club ready. Another challenging nonconference slate begins with two easy home games but things get much tougher after that.

These Bulldogs head to the Maui Invitational and drew a must-watch matchup in round one. Gonzaga will go to war with Zach Edey and #3 Purdue in the opening round and then get two more challenging matchups the following two days. There’s no question that this is one of the most difficult games the Bulldogs will have all season long and it’ll be interesting to see how this new-look lineup performs over in Hawaii, especially against another squad with national title aspirations.

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