clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Feast Week-Plus Viewer’s Guide: Monday, November 22, 2021

Now, the real fun begins, as things tip off in Las Vegas for a relocated Maui Invitational, the Legends and Hall of Fame Classics return, and teams take the floor for some brand new events.

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

NCAA Basketball: Virginia at Houston Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

For a more complete listing of today’s games, visit the daily schedule at Matt Sarz’s Sports, adjustable by time zone.

All times are Eastern.

Fabletics Jacksonville Classic Finals

Duval Bracket (Host)

CBSSN will air both games.

Championship: Florida State (ACC, 3-1, 27 KenPom) vs. Missouri (SEC, 3-2, 112 KP), approx. 8:30 p.m.
Consolation: Loyola Marymount (WCC, 2-2, 93 KP) vs. SMU (American, 3-2, 72 KP), 6 p.m.

Jax Bracket (Visitor)

Pass The Ball ($) will stream both games.

Championship: Boston University (Patriot, 3-2, 171 KP) vs. Sam Houston State (WAC, 2-2, 196 KP), approx. 1:30 p.m.
Consolation: Northern Illinois (MAC, 1-2, 319 KP) vs. Little Rock (Sun Belt, 3-2, 300 KP), 11 a.m.

In Sunday’s DUVALLLLL semifinals, the Seminoles routed the Lions, 73-45, while the Tigers rallied to force OT against the Mustangs, grabbing an 80-75 win while there. I’d consider FSU an even heavier favorite to win the title given today’s matchup, while the WCC could use a strong performance from LMU, given the strength the rest of the conference has displayed so far this season.

In the Jax bracket, the KenPom top 200 teams took down the teams ranked 300th or worse in Sunday’s semifinals to set up an intriguing title game this afternoon at UNF Arena,

U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Finals

PDF Bracket

ESPN3 will stream all four games.

7th/8th Place: Bradley (MVC, 1-4, 202 KP) vs. Duquesne (A 10, 1-4, 199 KP), 3 p.m.
4th/6th Place: Brown (Ivy, 4-2, 234 KP) vs. Colorado (Pac-12, 4-1, 51 KP), approx. 5:15 p.m.
3rd/5th Place: Creighton (Big East, 4-1, 64 KP) vs. Southern Illinois (MVC, 2-2, 133 KP), approx. 7:45 p.m.
Championship: Colorado State (MW, 5-0, 53 KP) vs. Northeastern (CAA, 3-2, 152 KP), approx. 10 p.m.

Sunday was an excellent day for the Mountain West, as Utah State took down Oklahoma to win the Myrtle Beach Invitational, while Boise State roared past Ole Miss to finish the Charleston Classic with a pair of victories. Then, there’s Colorado State, who took down Creighton, 95-81, to put itself into the final of this year’s Paradise Jam. The Rams will meet Northeastern, 59-47 winners over Southern Illinois, in a surprising title game.

Gulf Coast Showcase Quarterfinals

FloHoops ($) will stream all four games.

Rice (C-USA, 3-1, 142 KP) vs. Evansville (MVC, 2-3, 206 KP), 11 a.m.
Vermont (AE, 3-1, 94 KP) vs. Oakland (Horizon, 2-2, 156 KP), approx. 1:30 p.m.
Akron (MAC, 2-1, 118 KP) vs. Fordham (A 10, 2-2, 269 KP), 5 p.m.
Appalachian State (Sun Belt, 2-2, 183 KP) vs. Delaware (CAA, 2-1, 159 KP), approx. 7:30 p.m.

The Gulf Coast Showcase returns to Estero, Fla, (just outside of Fort Myers) after taking the 2020-21 season off due to the pandemic. While Vermont and Akron look like the favorites to meet in Wednesday night’s final, the Catamounts should face a stiff test from Oakland in today’s second quarterfinal, while Tuesday’s semifinal against either App State or Delaware should test the Zips.

Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship Quarterfinals

FloHoops ($) will stream all three games.

Toledo (MAC, 2-1, 129 KP) vs. Charlotte (C-USA, 3-0, 193 KP), 12 p.m.
Drexel (CAA, 2-1, 176 KP) vs. Tulane (American, 1-2, 134 KP), approx. 2:30 p.m.
Valparaiso (MVC, 0-3, 254 KP) vs. Jacksonville State (ASUN, 1-2, 125 KP), 5:30 p.m.
Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt, 1-1, 246 KP) advances to semifinals automatically due to Abilene Christian’s (WAC, 1-2, 164 KP) withdrawal (COVID).

Speaking of the pandemic, the Nassau Championship is the first tournament of the season to feel its effects, as Abilene Christian, one of the favorites for the title had to withdraw because of positive COVID tests in the program. That resulted in an updated bracket that will see only three games per day instead of four. With five KenPom top 200 teams among the seven remaining participants, the chase for the title is wide open.

Naples Invitational Quarterfinals

FloHoops ($) will stream all four games.

Kent State (MAC, 1-1, 137 KP) vs. James Madison (CAA, 4-0, 173 KP), 12 p.m.
Wright State (Horizon, 1-2, 120 KP) vs. George Washington (A 10, 1-4, 256 KP), approx. 2:30 p.m.
ETSU (SoCon, 1-2, 151 KP) vs. Murray State (OVC, 3-0, 107 KP), 5:30 p.m.
Missouri State (MVC, 2-1, 73 KP) vs. Long Beach State (Big West, 1-2, 293 KP), approx. 8 p.m.

This new event is a sibling of both the Gulf Coast and Nassau events above. While Missouri State looks like a clear favorite, seeing as the Bears are the lone KenPom top 75 team in the field, I would consider everyone but GW and Long Beach State as potential title threats. There’s a half-dozen intriguing potential auto bid winners in this group.

Maui Jim Maui Invitational (in Las Vegas) Quarterfinals

PDF Bracket

Texas A&M (SEC, 4-0, 76 KP) vs. Wisconsin (Big Ten, 2-1, 42 KP), 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
Butler (Big East, 3-1, 75 KP) vs. Houston (American, 3-0, 9 KP), approx. 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Oregon (Pac-12, 2-1, 38 KP) vs. Chaminade (PacWest (DII), 2-0), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
Saint Mary’s (WCC, 4-0, 44 KP) vs. Notre Dame (ACC, 2-0, 36 KP), approx. 11:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

For the second season in a row, the Maui Jim Maui Invitational will not call the Lahaina Civic Center home. But rather than relocating to Asheville for a second time, the event moves to Las Vegas, due to its sizable Hawaiian population. All 12 games will be played at the Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort, which will also serve as UNLV’s secondary home court next month. Of the eight teams in this year’s field, only Notre Dame (2017) has won the title. The Fighting Irish have what should be the most difficult test in the quarterfinals, as they take on Saint Mary’s in the nightcap. Houston, the lone team in KenPom’s top 30 in the field, is the tournament favorite.

Mammoth Sports Construction Crossover Classic Day 1

ESPN+ ($) will stream both games.

Nevada (MW, 1-3, 74 KP) vs. South Dakota State (Summit, 4-1, 78 KP), 7 p.m.
Washington (Pac-12, 2-2, 139 KP) vs. George Mason (A 10, 4-1, 138 KP), approx. 9:30 p.m.

This is sort of a new event, born out of the relocation of what was originally going to be the Battle 4 Atlantis for 2020. A new tournament had to be created for contractual reasons, so the Dakota Crossover Classic was born. This season’s event is a three-night, four-team round-robin. Thanks to GMU’s early win over Maryland, South Dakota State’s impressive 3-1 start in D1 games, and Nevada and Washington’s early struggles (not anticipated in the Wolf Pack’s case), these six games should receive more attention than originally expected when the field was announced.

Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans Fort Myers Tip-Off Semifinals

Beach Division (Host)

FS1 will televise both games.

Ohio State (Big Ten, 3-1, 19 KP) vs. Seton Hall (Big East, 3-0, 31 KP), 6 p.m.
California (Pac-12, 2-2, 117 KP) vs. Florida (SEC, 3-0, 18 KP), approx. 8:30 p.m.

Both Seton Hall (Michigan) and Florida (FSU) have recorded marquee wins already this season, while Ohio State fell to Xavier in its lone quality win opportunity so far and Cal has lost to UC San Diego and UNLV so far. The Golden Bears also needed two OTs to defeat Southern Utah in their on-campus game for this event on Thursday.

The four visiting teams will play out their own bracket in Fort Myers starting on Tuesday. However, those games are not scheduled to be televised or streamed as of the time this post published.

Roman Legends Classic Presented by Old Trapper Semifinals

PDF Bracket

Virginia (ACC, 2-2, 60 KP) vs. Georgia (SEC, 2-2, 167 KP), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
Providence (Big East, 4-0, 70 KP) vs. Northwestern (Big Ten, 4-0, 39 KP), approx. 9:30 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))

With Virginia losing its opener to Navy and suffering a blowout loss at Houston on Tuesday and Georgia losing to both Cincinnati and Georgia Tech, the first semifinal features a pair of teams that are very much trying to get themselves on the right track this season. Providence, the favorite in Game 2 despite the KenPom gap, might be on its way there, as the Friars have already won at Wisconsin in the Gavitt Games. As for Northwestern, the Wildcats perfect start has seen them defeat KenPom’s 344th, 262nd, 316th, and 326th ranked teams.

Hall Of Fame Classic Presented by Hotels.com Semifinals

ESPN News will air both games.

Cincinnati (American, 4-0, 97 KP) vs. Illinois (Big Ten, 2-1, 5 KP), 6:30 p.m.
Arkansas (SEC, 3-0, 23 KP) vs. Kansas State (Big 12, 2-0, 85 KP), approx. 9 p.m.

Surprisingly, the highest-ranked team in KenPom of this group is also the one with a loss. Illinois lost its Gavitt Games test at Marquette by a single point, without Kofi Cockburn (suspended because of NCAA nonsense). But the Jamaican will be back for tonight’s game against Cincinnati. That game will be a major step up in competition for the Bearcats, and the second semifinal will be the same for K-State, as Arkansas is just a bit more of a formidable foe than either Omaha or Florida A&M.

SoCal Challenge Day 1

Surf Division (Host) Showcase

CBSSN will air both games.

TCU (Big 12, 3-0, 62 KP) vs. Santa Clara (WCC, 4-0, 88 KP), 10:30 p.m.
Fresno State (MW, 3-0, 127 KP) vs. Pepperdine (WCC, 2-3 198 KP), approx. 1 a.m. 11/23

Sand Division (Visitor) Semifinals

FloHoops ($) will stream both games.

Cal Poly (Big West, 1-3, 313 KP) vs. Nicholls State (Southland, 3-2, 208 KP), 3 p.m.
Utah Valley (WAC, 3-1, 200 KP) vs. Idaho (Big Sky, 1-3, 353 KP), approx. 5:30 p.m.

The SoCal Challenge is the second brand new event that will tip off today. While the Sand Division for the four visiting teams takes the form of a traditional bracket, the Surf Division for the hosts will see a showcase format. That’s due to the presence of a pair of WCC teams in the field, so TCU and Fresno State will swap opponents for game two on Wednesday night. The visitors’ bracket in San Juan Capistrano features a pair of teams in Nicholls and Utah Valley who should contend for their respective conferences’ lone NCAA bids.

The Surf Division schedule is a dream for West Coast college basketball fans and those who might have taken this Thanksgiving week off, thanks to a pair of 10 p.m. Pacific tips, both of which will feature Fresno State and a WCC opponent. The Bulldogs’ foe tonight, Pepperdine, was the only host team to lose its on-campus game, by an 86-74 count to Utah Valley after OT.

Good Sam Empire Classic Benefiting Wounded Warrior Project Day 1

UCLA (Pac-12, 4-0, 7 KP) vs. Bellarmine (ASUN (reclassifying), 0-4, 190 KP), 8 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
Gonzaga (WCC, 4-0, 1 KP) vs. Central Michigan (MAC, 1-2, 307 KP), 11 p.m. (ESPNU)

Both Gonzaga (Empire Classic) and UCLA (Legends Classic) were scheduled to play in New York-based events this November. However, both the original version of the Empire Classic and Legends Classic were displaced from their traditional venues. In the end, the Bruins pulled out of the Legends; eventually joining the Bulldogs in a reborn, relocated Empire Classic. Instead of Madison Square Garden, this season’s event will take place in Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. Tonight’s contests are preliminaries for the main event tomorrow night, that showdown everyone wants to see, Bellarmine vs. Central Michigan!

Kidding! Gonzaga will face UCLA tomorrow night, then return to the T-Mobile on Friday night for a matchup with Duke.

Other Games of Note

Hofstra (1-3, 145 KP) at Richmond (2-2, 68 KP) (Baha Mar Bahamas Championship), 7 p.m. (NBCS Washington Plus/SNY/ESPN+ ($))
The Spiders saw their at-large chances take a hit with a Saturday loss at Drake. They’ll look to rebound against a Pride squad that’s already pushed Houston to OT and Maryland to a two-point win.

Belmont (3-1, 61 KP) at LSU (4-0, 30 KP), 8 p.m. (SECN+/ESPN+ ($))
Speaking of Drake, the Bulldogs will meet future MVC rival Belmont in the ESPN Events Invitational at Walt Disney World on Thursday. The Bruins have one last road test, tonight in Baton Rouge, before that Thanksgiving trip.

College of Charleston (3-1, 228 KP) at Oklahoma State (4-1, 37 KP), 8 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
The Cowboys and Cougars meet for the third time in four seasons, with Oklahoma State winning in both 2018 and 2019.

The Citadel (3-1, 201 KP) at Duke (5-0, 10 KP), 9 p.m. (ACCN)
How will the Blue Devils handle Duggar Baucom’s high-powered Citadel offense?

Winthrop (2-2, 178 KP) at Washington State (4-0, 49 KP), 9 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)
The Cougars have been quite impressive so far and they’ll look to keep that up against an Eagle squad that has dropped consecutive road games to Middle Tennessee and Vanderbilt.