5 Key Opening-Night Games in College Basketball

Ten days from now, we will have college basketball!

Check out our list below of five key opening-night games that will be played on November 6th. In no particular order:

Georgia vs. Oregon (Las Vegas)

The first men’s game of this brand-new event put together by the Hall of Fame at T-Mobile Arena features the rebuilding Bulldogs against an unknown commodity in Oregon. The Ducks haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2021, and it will be interesting to see if Dana Altman can get Oregon back on track in 2023-24. N’Faly Dante, Jermaine Couisnard, and Keeshawn Barthlemy are back to anchor the Ducks’ attack, which should -- ironically -- also get a boost from Georgia transfer Kario Oquendo (12.4 points).

Morehead State at Alabama

This game lost a little bit of its initial pop after OVC Preseason Player of the Year Mark Freeman went out of the Eagles’ lineup with a season-ending wrist injury, but Morehead State still doesn’t qualify as an easy opener for Alabama. This will be the first game for the new-look Crimson Tide, who lost several key pieces from last season's team that earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Princeton vs. Rutgers (Trenton)

Tosan Evbuomwan and Ryan Langborg are no longer a part of the Tigers’ program following last season’s run to the Sweet 16, but Princeton still has more than enough to keep things interesting against the Scarlet Knights. Keep an eye on Rutgers big man Cliff Omoruyi, a player who should push for All-American honors in 2023-24 after averaging 13.2 points and 9.6 rebounds last season.

Kansas State/USC (Las Vegas)

This feels like a Round-of-32 matchup in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats have reloaded and should have one of the top troikas in the Big 12 this season with Tylor Perry (North Texas), Arthur Kaluma (Creighton), and Nae’Qwan Tomlin while the Trojans may boast the sport’s top backcourt tandem with five-star freshman Isaiah Collier and fifth-year senior Boogie Ellis. Expect Sin City to be on fire for this top-tier matchup.

Bellarmine at Washington

Many people on the West Coast believe that Washington is primed for a big year, but the Huskies have their work cut out for themselves early. Scott Davenport’s squad is always a nuisance to play against and extremely difficult to prepare for. Bellarmine will test the Huskies out of the gate on opening night.

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Jon Rothstein is not a FanDuel employee. The reporting of Rothstein is not subject to FanDuel's verification and does not represent the views or input of FanDuel. Betting based on Rothstein's reporting will not guarantee a successful outcome. Always do your own due diligence and use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

Rothstein has been a college basketball insider for CBS Sports since 2010 and a contributor to the CBS Broadcast Network since 2016. He joined FanDuel in 2022 as a Content Creator. Rothstein is also the host of the College Hoops Today Podcast via Compass Media Networks.