Jay Bilas' Top 10 Games to See

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Conference play, rivalries and banners on the line are no-brainers for great games. I already know that I will be riveted by epic battles like Duke-North Carolina, UCLA-Arizona, Texas-Kansas, Michigan State-Indiana and Syracuse-UConn. But the games that get my blood pumping for the season are the ones that will be played before the ball drops in Times Square. Here are 10 early games I would dig deep into my own pocket to see:</p>

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1. Georgetown at Memphis, Dec. 22, ESPN
The Hoyas have the discipline to give Memphis fits. <font color="#000000">Jonathan Wallace</font> is the most underappreciated great guard in the country, and <font color="#000000">DaJuan Summers</font> is ready to take off. Memphis has more horses and the home crowd. <font color="#000000">Joey Dorsey</font> couldn't deal with Greg Oden, who had a rough time with <font color="#000000">Roy Hibbert</font>. Dorsey has to battle Hibbert, and the transitive property of equality.</p>

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2. Texas at Michigan State, Dec. 22, ESPN2
No Kevin Durant, no problem. Texas will still be very good, and the Longhorns' game at Michigan State will be a shootout and a great way to start the holiday season. Last season, Texas and Tennessee had an epic battle on this same day, and you can expect the Spartans and Horns to do likewise.</p>

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3. Marquette at Wisconsin, Dec. 8, ESPN2
This game is Duke-Carolina with cheese. These two teams really want to beat each other, no matter how many times they tell us its just another game. Marquette has great guards and Tom Crean has built for this season with an older group. Wisconsin just keeps "fundamentalling" you to death, and the Badgers will be tough in Madison.</p>

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4. USC vs. Memphis, Dec. 4, ESPN
Memphis has the most explosive talent in the nation, and <font color="#000000">Derrick Rose</font> gives <font color="#000000">Chris Douglas-Roberts</font> and crew a legit point guard to bring it all together. USC is young, but talented, and this will be a spotlight (in Madison Square Garden for the Jimmy V) that <font color="#000000">O.J. Mayo</font> will crave. Plus, it will still be early, so all of the "can Memphis hold the Mayo" jokes will still be somewhat fresh &hellip; or at least tolerable.</p>

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5. North Carolina at Ohio State, Nov. 29, ESPN
This will be a high-scoring game. North Carolina is, along with Memphis, one of the best teams in the nation going into the season. Watch for <font color="#000000">Ty Lawson</font> to be much improved, <font color="#000000">Deon Thompson</font> to make an impact and <font color="#000000">Tyler Hansbrough</font> to simply take over. Ohio State will be much better than people think, and <font color="#000000">Kosta Koufos</font> will be a great player in Columbus before he's done.</p>

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6. Maui championship game, Nov. 21, ESPN
The Maui always delivers great games, and this season will be no exception. Maybe it's the tiny high school gym that turns every player into Jimmy Chitwood, or maybe its Bill Raftery in shorts. The final could pit Marquette and Duke, with great guards, tradition and emotion.</p>

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7. Arizona at Kansas, Nov. 25, ESPN
Kansas is Final Four good and has very good experience and depth. Arizona is younger and should be hungrier for success. Despite being played just three days after Thanksgiving, the crowd at Allen Fieldhouse will show no signs of the effects of L-tryptophan.</p>

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8. NC State at Michigan State, Nov. 28, ESPN
Michigan State has another Big Ten title team, and Tom Izzo will be blending talented newcomers <font color="#000000">Kalin Lucas</font>, <font color="#000000">Chris Allen</font> and <font color="#000000">Durrell Summers</font> with vets <font color="#000000">Drew Neitzel</font> and <font color="#000000">Raymar Morgan</font>. NC State may not have an established point guard, but the Wolfpack will still be a big challenge in what should be a fun game to watch.</p>

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9. Indiana at Southern Illinois, Dec. 1, ESPNU
Who scheduled this one? This is like agreeing to fight an angry snake in the depths of its favorite hole. Indiana newcomer <font color="#000000">Eric Gordon</font> will get an eye-opener in Carbondale, and if Indiana isn't ready for a fight, Southern Illinois will win. No team in America closes out better than Southern Illinois. It's like a clinic.</p>

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10. George Mason vs. Kansas State, Nov. 22, ESPN2
The Patriots should be good and prepared to take on a high-powered group of talented young players, and new Kansas State coach Frank Martin in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla. George Mason's <font color="#000000">Folarin Campbell</font> is ready to be a star, and <font color="#000000">Michael Beasley</font> will get a chance to shine for the Wildcats. Don't be surprised to see Mason pull this one off.</p>

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