College hoops season is BACK, PEOPLE. Get hyped. You want to know what's on Friday? A whole heck of a lot. Below is every ranked team in action on Friday, Nov. 10, and who they are playing and what to watch for. Television and/or major streaming channels are listed where available.
Marist at No. 1 Duke (7 ET, ACC Network streaming): Duke gets going early with an easy hosting gig. This game was originally supposed to be against Albany, but the team had to back out of the game due to a state law prohibiting any state-funded businesses/entities traveling to North Carolina so long as North Carolina's controversial HB2 law is still in effect.
Stephen F. Austin at No. 2 Kentucky (7 ET, SEC Network): SFA came within a bucket of making last year's Sweet 16, but the coaching staff moved on and Thomas Walkup, the team's best player, graduated. Still, an interesting test to start the season for the Wildcats, who have an amazing freshman class.
No. 3 Kansas vs. No. 11 Indiana (Approx. 9:30 ET, ESPN): The best game of the night, probably. Indiana has a great offense and will have a three-man attack of Thomas Bryant, James Blackmon, Jr. and OG Anunoby. Kansas has, probably, the best backcourt in the country -- and now perhaps the best freshman in America (Josh Jackson) enters on the wing. What a terrific game this is. Both teams can make this year's Final Four. How to Watch | Odds, predictions
Lafayette at No. 4 Villanova (6:30 ET, Fox Sports 2): The reigning champs open up with a game they should win by 20-plus points.
Army at No. 5 Oregon (11 ET, Pac-12 Network): The Ducks won't have Dillon Brooks available (lingering foot issue), but this would be a shock if it's not a 15-point-or-more win. Army is starting over in a lot of ways. The Ducks are Pac-12 favorites.
No. 6 UNC at Tulane (9 ET, ESPNU): What do we have here? A ranked team opening the season on the road. Tulane is terrible right now, though, so UNC shouldn't get too much of a push here. The Tar Heels have a lot of veterans on this squad. Roy Williams willing to open the campaign away from Chapel Hill, hey, nothing but respect for the call.
Lehigh at No. 7 Xavier (7 ET): Xavier will get a nice test early from Lehigh, a team most expect to win the Patriot League.
No. 8 Virginia at UNC Greensboro (7 ET, ESPN3): Credit to Tony Bennett. Another ranked team opening its season on the road. I commend this move. Virginia will not have Austin Nichols for this game either, remember. The vital transfer from Memphis is suspended for the opener due to a violation of team rules.
Central Arkansas at No. 9 Wisconsin (8 ET): The Badgers bring everyone back, and this is a cozy season-opener. Nigel Hayes, Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ have UW as the Big Ten favorites in the eyes of many.
No. 10 Arizona vs. No. 12 Michigan State (7 ET, ESPN): The most interesting game of the night, to me. Both teams have pieces missing. MSU is thin on the front line, while Arizona is down two players it thought it would have: Allonzo Trier and Ray Smith. How to Watch | Odds, predictions
Evansville at No. 13 Louisville (7 ET, ACC Network streaming): The Cardinals have a tremendous crop of sophomores, while Evansville is in a program rebuild after losing two of the best players that school has seen in the past decade-plus.
Utah Valley at No. 14 Gonzaga (9 ET): The Bulldogs have a whole heck of a lot of transfers. Should get an easy win to start the year. Nigel Williams-Goss is a very fun player to watch.
McNeese State at No. 15 Purdue (7 ET, ESPN3): Should be a breeze for Purdue. Sophomore big Caleb Swanigan is a dark horse pick to win Big Ten Player of the Year.
Pacific at No. 16 UCLA (6:30 ET, Pac-12 Network): The Bruins need to avoid what happened to them on opening night last year at home -- they lost to Monmouth. Pacific is now coached by Damon Stoudamire.
Nevada at No. 17 Saint Mary's (11 ET): Outside of the two games in Hawaii, this is the best game of the night. Nevada might steal the Mountain West title this year. They've got his prospect, Cameron Oliver, who could absolutely pop this season. SMC, however, should be considered neck-and-neck with Gonzaga in the WCC. The starting five is back. The Gaels have never entered a season with this much national attention or expectation. Great game that will ultimately have seeding/selection impact come March.
Wagner at No. 18 UConn (7 ET, SNY): The Huskies get a tough test at home here. Wagner should have wound up in last year's NCAA Tournament, and it brings a lot back. UConn welcomes in talented shooting guard Alterique Gilbert, but sophomore Jalen Adams is the name to know. Can become a star.
Colgate at No. 19 Syracuse (7 ET, ACC Network streaming): The Orange have one of the deepest front courts in America. The annual Colgate game! My guess: Syracuse 81, Colgate 58.
Mount St. Mary's at No. 20 West Virginia (7 ET): WVU feels like the most under-discussed ranked team in America to start the season. This should be an easy win. Jevon Carter is the name to know.
Incarnate Word at No. 21 Texas (8 ET, Longhorn Network): Texas is young but extremely athletic and capable of quick growth. Jarrett Allen is the freshman down low who will become a big-time player.
UMKC at No. 22 Creighton (9 ET, Fox Sports 2): Get ready for a really fun return for the Bluejays. Mo Watson, Jr. is a sleeper pick for Big East POY, and remember, Marcus Foster -- who was mercurial but a stat machine at K-State -- is now on Creighton's roster.
Dartmouth at No. 23 Rhode Island (7 ET): Few teams have as much expectation on them, given what they did (or did not, really) achieve last season, like Rhode Island. The Rams have top-20 talent. Dartmouth is a bottom-tier Ivy League team.
Savannah State at No. 24 Iowa State (8 ET): The Monte-Morris-for-Player-of-the-Year march begins. ISU is a mystery team, for certain, but Morris should be a top-10 player of value in America this year.
American at No. 25 Maryland (7 ET, Big Ten Network): Melo Trimble, the stage is yours. One of the burning questions in college hoops as we enter this season is: Which Melo will show up?
