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Pregame Shootaround: Maui Invitational, Legends Classic highlight night

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Game of the Day: No. 15 VCU vs. No. 12 Villanova, 7:00 p.m.

The Legends Classic kicks off at the Barclays Center with what will be one of the best matchups we get in all of the preseason tournaments. VCU’s ‘Havoc’ is one of the nation’s most intense full court presses, but Villanova is one of the most experienced teams in the country. They won’t be intimidated by someone defending them for 94 feet, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be turned over.

I will be court side at the Barclays Center for that game.

The other Game of the Day: BYU vs. No. 16 San Diego State, 11:30 p.m.

This is one of the most intriguing matchups of the young season. Former Mountain West rivals, BYU is one of the best-scoring teams in the country, a team that plays as fast as anyone. SDSU is the opposite. They are a knockdown, drag out defensive powerhouse, one that has given up 76 total points in their last two games.

Who’s getting upset?: Eastern Washington at Indiana, 7:30 p.m.

The Hoosiers aren’t ranked right now, but they have been quite impressive through the season’s first three games. EWU, however, has a number of big time scorers, including Tyler Harvey. They may be able to gun with Indiana.

Mid-major matchup of the Day: Lipscomb at Belmont, 8:00 p.m.

The Battle of the Boulevard, round two!!!

Five things to watch for:

1. The Maui Invitational: It kicks off at 2:30 p.m. ET with Kansas State, who is fresh off of a loss to Long Beach State, taking on Purdue.

2. Missouri vs. No. 2 Arizona: The second game of the day out in Maui. The Wildcats have yet to look like themselves this season, but Missouri is not all that good this year. Jakeenen Gant won’t be with the Tigers.

3. Murray State at Xavier, 7:00 p.m.: Is Xavier good enough to be a tournament team this season? I don’t know. They might be. But I do know this, the Racers have enough talent on their roster to be one of the nation’s best mid-major programs.

4. No. 24 Michigan vs. Oregon, 9:30 p.m.: So Oregon had one of the worst offseasons of any program in the country. They’re 3-0, and Joseph Young is playing like an all-american. Michigan will be the gauge.

5. Stephen F. Austin at Baylor, 8:00 p.m.: The Lumberjacks are, once again, tough defensively, tough enough that they may be just as good as the team that beat VCU in the opening round of the NCAA tournament last season. This will be a good test for the Bears.

The rest of the top 25:


  • Rider at No. 5 Kansas, 8:00 p.m.
  • Savannah State at No. 7 Louisville, 7:00 p.m.
  • Alabama vs. No. 14 Iowa State, 9:30 p.m.
  • Santa Clara at No. 19 Michigan State, 7:00 p.m.

Notables:


  • Brown at Illinois, 8:30 p.m.
  • Auburn vs. Tulsa, 11:00 p.m.