Your information to males’s faculty basketball Feast Week: The 9 finest video games to look at

Another Feast Week, one other buffet of elite nonconference matchups that provides faculty basketball groups the possibility to pad their NCAA match résumés with high-quality wins.

The finest motion will come out of Las Vegas, the place 18 of the nation’s high groups — together with eight of the AP Top 25 — will play within the Players Era Festival, which ensures every collaborating program $1 million. The marquee matchups embrace Alabama vs. Gonzaga on Monday and Houston vs. Tennessee on Tuesday, culminating in a championship sport on Wednesday.

While the expertise is concentrated within the desert, there are nonetheless notable matchups elsewhere this Thanksgiving week. ESPN’s Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello and Joe Lunardi preview 9 of the must-watch contests beneath.

All occasions in Eastern.

Monday

4:30 p.m. | Players Era Festival

This sport options two of one of the best defenses in faculty basketball over the previous couple of seasons, a pair of models that put a premium on ball stress and forcing turnovers. Iowa State would seem higher suited to deal with an aggressive protection with Tamin Lipsey, one of many nation’s finest level guards, operating the present, as St. John’s continues to be a piece in progress at that place. The battle up entrance will function loads of offensive versatility, with Bryce Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor on one facet for the Red Storm, and Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson on the opposite for the Cyclones. — Borzello

8 p.m. | Players Era Festival

Both groups wish to notch their first noteworthy win of the marketing campaign, as Oregon swept by way of a gentle opening to its schedule whereas Auburn got here up simply quick in opposition to Houston in its one huge sport up to now. With Tigers main scorer Keyshawn Hall anticipated to overlook this one after struggling an harm within the loss to Houston, they are going to want Tahaad Pettiford to interrupt out of his early-season stoop. One of the nation’s most gifted level guards, Pettiford is averaging solely 10.8 factors and taking pictures simply 28.8% from the sector. Pettiford will go in opposition to Ducks star Jackson Shelstad, who seems to be creating right into a constant scorer and playmaker. — Borzello

9:30 p.m. | Players Era Festival

This sport has the makings of an offensive thriller with two of essentially the most succesful scoring outfits in faculty basketball. Gonzaga (94.0 factors per sport) and Alabama (91.0 PPG) will not be solely ranked within the high 10 in adjusted offensive effectivity on KenPom; they play at a top-75 tempo. Triple digits may be wanted to win this one. Gonzaga’s Braden Huff and Graham Ike are 6-foot-10 towers who energy a crew that has performed superior protection up to now. As for Alabama, Aden Holloway (17.7 PPG) and Labaron Philon Jr. (20.5 PPG) look like early contenders for SEC Player of the Year. — Medcalf

Tuesday

5 p.m. | Players Era Festival

Some of the nation’s most gifted offensive gamers will compete on this one. For Baylor, the emergence of Tennessee switch Cameron Carr as certainly one of faculty basketball’s elite scorers has been a pleasing shock; he has paired extremely nicely with highly effective scorer Tounde Yessoufou, a projected lottery decide. On the opposite facet, St. John’s will counter with Bryce Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor. But the massive query is whether or not the Red Storm will get constant guard play: Ian Jackson and Joson Sanon can rating but in addition can battle as decision-makers, whereas Dylan Darling is a sound lead guard however lacks the explosiveness of the opposite two. — Borzello

6 p.m. | Players Era Festival

Tennessee will hope Nate Ament (No. 4 in ESPN’s newest 2026 NBA mock draft) can lead the No. 1 offensive rebounding crew in America to a win over the No. 1 defensive in America after the Volunteers misplaced to the Cougars within the Elite Eight final March. On the opposite facet, Kelvin Sampson constructed his Houston program on expertise, however NBA prospects Kingston Flemings (projected No. 19) and Chris Cenac Jr. (projected No. 7) could possibly be the ticket to the coach’s first nationwide title. We won’t see both crew hit 70 factors on this sport, however the efforts of star freshmen might resolve the end result. — Medcalf

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Houston Cougars vs. Auburn Tigers: Game Highlights

Houston Cougars vs. Auburn Tigers: Game Highlights

8:30 p.m. | Players Era Festival

We’re nonetheless ready to see one of the best of each Auburn and Michigan, although every had a dominant efficiency final week earlier than heading out to Nevada, with the Tigers defeating Jackson State 112-66 and the Wolverines beating Middle Tennessee 86-61. The query is whether or not both opponent will get extra constant level guard play. Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford has actually struggled taking pictures the ball after wanting like one of the crucial dynamic guards within the nation final season, whereas Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau registered 9 assists and 13 turnovers throughout his previous three outings. With injured Tigers ahead Keyshawn Hall anticipated to sit down, Auburn additionally must discover a counter for Yaxel Lendeborg. — Borzello

4:30 p.m. | Fort Myers Tip-Off

Assuming North Carolina and Michigan State survive their respective opponents on Tuesday, this pair of blue bloods ought to put undefeated information on the road in Florida. The Spartans have been the extra spectacular of the 2 — embarrassing Kentucky eventually week’s Champions Classic — whereas the Tar Heels already equaled their Quadrant 1 win complete from a season in the past by knocking off Kansas. North Carolina stays short-handed with guard Seth Trimble out for the foreseeable future, however 6-foot-10 freshman Caleb Wilson has been a double-double generator. The Spartans are older, with three seniors of their high six, however have but to shot the ball nicely. If type holds, it will come right down to UNC’s offense in opposition to Tom Izzo’s typical smothering protection. — Lunardi

8 p.m. | CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic

This model of Duke has an edge over final season’s version: a outstanding potential to get to the free throw line, with practically a 50% rise in free throw price from final season as of writing. That energy, seen in final week’s win over Kansas, permits Cameron Boozer & Co. to regulate the movement of the sport and the put up. An Arkansas crew that wanted a miracle to beat Winthrop final week will demand one other epic effort from freshmen Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas, who’re averaging a mixed 35.1 factors and eight.5 assists per sport. Equally vital for this contest in Chicago would be the Razorbacks’ defensive effort within the paint from Nick Pringle and Trevon Brazile (1.8 blocks per sport). — Medcalf

Friday

12:30 p.m. | SentinelOne Showdown

Two of America’s supreme offenses will face off at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Black Friday. Sign me up. Each suffered its first lack of the season final week, with UConn falling at dwelling to Arizona and Illinois dropping one to Alabama in Chicago. How wholesome will the Huskies be for this one? Tarris Reed Jr. missed the Arizona loss with an ankle harm, whereas Braylon Mullins (ankle) hasn’t performed but this season. UConn is able to exploiting Illinois’ defensive points, whereas the Huskies could possibly be weak to the Illini’s offensive rebounding prowess. — Borzello