College Basketball Weekly Preview: 11/24

Who likes basketball tournaments?  We sure do, and this week is going to provide us with a plethora of games to watch and follow.  Before we break down the week's best games, let take a look at what the Illini face this week:

Monday 11/24:

Brown Bears @ Illinois Fighting Illini ~ 7pm CT (ESPN3)

Jim "Thanks for the Tickets" Vainisi (1-0):  Illini win 88-59

Mark "Master P" Primiano (1-0): Illini win 86-52 "Brown couldn't even beat Northwestern."

Aaron "Monkey" Rench (0-0): Illinois wins 89-68 "I have a really strong feeling that the Illini will struggle early on, but make an extremely strong push in the latter half of the game." (submitted Tuesday...but well played)

Matt "Follows Me on Twitter" Silich (1-0): TBA

Brandon "Candy" Cain (0-0): Illini win by at least 12

Bryce "Thanks for the tailgate" Smith (1-0):  Illini win 94-67

Brad "Stuck in a Blackout" Repplinger (1-0):  Illini win 101-66

Trevor "I wish I could edit videos like you" Vallese (1-0): Illini win 89-54

Collin "Ballin" Wittchurch (0-0): TBA

Thursday 11/27:

Indiana State Sycamores vs Illinois Fighting Illini ~ 4pm CT (FoxSports 1)

* - Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational

Vainisi (1-0):  Illini win 82-67

Primiano (1-0):  Illini win 78-63

Rench (0-0): Illinois wins by 20  "I'm surprised Illinois has made such a vast improvement in shooting. They'll keep this up against the Sycamores. I'm also surprised we don't play them more. They're only 90 miles away."

Silich (1-0): TBA

Cain (0-0):  Illini win by 8

Smith (1-0):   Illini win 89-61

Repplinger (1-0):  Illini win 92-71

Vallese (1-0):  Illini win 91-62

Wittchurch (0-0): TBA

Friday 11/28

Baylor Bears/Memphis Tigers vs Illinois Fighting Illini ~ 7/9:30pm CT (FoxSports 1)

* - Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational Consolation/Championship Game

Vainisi (1-0):  Illini beat Baylor 80-72 "No way in hell Memphis beats Baylor"

Primiano (1-0):  "Baylor frightens me more than Memphis does. If we get to play Memphis, I see a close Illini win. If we have to play Baylor, I can see that being our first loss on the year."

Rench (0-0): Illinois by 5

Silich (1-0): TBA

Cain (0-0): "Baylor is not the best team in Texas, but they'll hand the Illini their first loss.  If Memphis, the Illini win by 10.  I don't know anything about basketball."

Smith (1-0):   Illini win 85-72

Repplinger (1-0):  Illini win 79-67

Vallese (1-0):  Illini win 78-71

Wittchurch (0-0): TBA

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Now for a week-long preview!

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Monday 11/24

#12 Villanova Wildcats vs #14 Virginia Commonwealth Rams ~ 6:00pm CT (ESPN2)

*- Progressive Legends Classic at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, NY

7:00pm CT (ESPN3)

Tuesday 11/25

#25 Arkansas Razorbacks @ SMU Mustangs ~ 6:30pm CT (ESPNnews)

Wednesday 11/26

Oklahoma Sooners vs #22 UCLA Bruins ~ 1:30pm CT (ESPN2)

*- Battle 4 Atlantis played in the Imperial Arena on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas (aka a glorified ballroom)

**- Cube/Lecture Hall (for those of you still at work or in class) streaming recommended

Georgetown Hoyas vs #18 Florida Gators ~ 8:30pm CT (Axis TV)

*- Battle 4 Atlantis played in the Imperial Arena on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas (same ballroom)

Thursday 11/27 (Thanksgiving Day)

5:00pm CT (FoxSports 1)

The perfect compliment to Thanksgiving dinner!

Friday 11/28

7/9:30pm CT (FoxSports 1)

Let's face it, we'll probably be playing at 9:30pm CT

Saturday 11/29

Spend your holiday weekend in Evanston.  This guy is pretty entertaining:

Sunday 11/30

#7 Texas Longhorns @ #24 Connecticut Huskies ~ 11:30am CT (ESPN2)

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