Opening Weekend Games to Watch

College basketball starts tomorrow, and we couldn't be more excited. It's just 125 days until the beginning of the NCAA Tournament. This weekend's games might be some player's first foray into the world of major college basketball, but their performances this weekend could give a team the win they need to get that bid to the big dance. Let's take a look at some of the mid-major games we'll be keeping an eye on.

Friday

7:00pm - Pitt vs. Gonzaga

Pitt isn't going to be fantastic this year, but Gonzaga lost Kevin Pangos and Byron Wesley. Will the Zags be a top 10 team again or will this be a down year? They do still have pre-season All-American Kyle Wiltjer. Their opener against Pitt should give us an idea of how good this team could be.

7:00pm - Chattanooga vs. Georgia

The Mocs lost their head coach, Will Wade, to VCU after last season. Still, they finished last season at 22-10 (15-3) and will look to have another great season under first-year head coach Matt McCall. They will get a good first test against Georgia who finished a respectable 21-12 last season.

7:30pm - Sacramento St. vs. Arizona St.

Sacramento St. had one of their best years in school history last year going 21-12 (13-5) and playing in the CIT. Head coach Brian Katz has this team trending in the right direction. When he took over the program in 2008, the team won just 2 games. Arizona St. is looking to capitalize on one of the most talked-about head coaching hires of the offseason. Bobby Hurley is coming over to the Sun Devils after a successful run with Buffalo. Can he duplicate that success at Arizona St.? It will be interesting to see how these teams react to each other.

8:00pm - North Florida vs. Illinois

North Florida is probably the favorite to win the A-Sun. If they're going to be a bracket buster come March, though, this is a game they need to be competitive in.

8:00pm - Wofford vs. Missouri

Chattanooga is the favorite to win the Southern Conference, but Wofford will have something to say about that. Their first game of the season will be a good test for them and a nice measuring stick.

9:00pm - Belmont vs. Marquette

Belmont has established themselves as a perennial contender for an NCAA Tournament bid. Will they give Wojo fits in the opener? Don't be surprised to see a close game here.

9:00pm - Green Bay vs. Stanford

Green Bay had a really good non-conference win last year against Miami (FL). Can they repeat that feat this year by beating Stanford?

9:00pm - Boise St. vs. Montana

This is a huge matchup of two potential March bracket busters. Both of these teams could make life difficult for a higher seed in the tourney. It's nice to see them challenging themselves in the non-conference by playing a quality opponent.

9:30pm - Stephen F. Austin vs. Baylor

Give Baylor credit for scheduling this one. Stephen F. Austin has been one of the best mid-majors in the country for several years now. That will be true again this season. Are they good enough to be a solid Baylor team? We'll find out. 

Saturday

12:00pm - Colorado St. vs. Northern Iowa

We can't wait for this one. Northern Iowa was one of the best teams in the country last year, mid-major or not. Colorado St. is no slouch either. This will be a great game and will give us some clarity about how these teams will fare moving forward.

7:00pm - Harvard vs. Providence

Tommy Amaker has built a powerhouse program at Harvard. Providence has had a nice run under head coach Ed Cooley. This will be a competitive game that will have ramifications moving forward.

8:00pm - NJIT vs. Kentucky

NJIT won't win this game. It might not even be competitive. But the Highlanders pulled off a huge upset last year by beating Michigan in Ann Arbor and went to the CIT to play post-season basketball for the first time in school history. Expectations are high for NJIT and this will be a good measure of how they deal with harsh conditions.

9:00pm - Cleveland St. vs. Akron

Akron is going to be one of the best mid-majors in the country this season, and Cleveland St. is always competitive in Horizon League play.

Sunday

1:00pm - Wake Forest vs. Bucknell

They might be the mid-major playing against a P5 team, but this is a winnable game for Bucknell.

2:30pm - Iona vs. Valparaiso

This might just turn out to be the game of the weekend. Iona disappointed last year by not making the NCAA Tournament despite being the clear favorite in their conference. Valpo, on the other hand, has had great success under Bryce Drew making NCAA Tournaments in 2 of the last 3 years.