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College Basketball Watchability Rankings: 5 games to watch in Week 2

By Nathaniel Reeves

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 13: USC guard Elijah Stewart (30) celebrates after USC guard Jordan McLaughlin (11) scores right before the 1st half buzzer during a college basketball game between the North Dakota State Bison and the USC Trojans on November 10, 2017, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 13: USC guard Elijah Stewart (30) celebrates after USC guard Jordan McLaughlin (11) scores right before the 1st half buzzer during a college basketball game between the North Dakota State Bison and the USC Trojans on November 10, 2017, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Here’s what to watch for in week two of the college basketball season with major holiday tournaments getting underway.

The Champions Classic is in the rearview mirror, but college basketball fans still have plenty to look forward to in week two of the 2017-18 regular season.

Thanksgiving week means the start of a number of holiday tournaments around college basketball, which provide several high-profile matchups year in and year out. A new tournament will enter the fold this year, as the inaugural PK80 Tournament has a stacked field featuring top ten teams Duke, Michigan State and Florida, among several others.

That won’t be the only tournament worth watching, as the Battle 4 Atlantis and Maui Invitational will also feature multiple games between potential national championship contenders. This is the best week of the year for fans until conference tournament season, as games start early in the morning on Monday and last until well after dark every night throughout the week.

Of course, it’s hard to project what exactly the best matchups of week two are going to be, as we don’t know who will advance in each tournament. These are the five best game on the schedule for now, with more sure to emerge from various tournaments in the coming days.

Tennessee vs. Purdue 

Purdue is looking like a legitimate threat to win the Big Ten, and will get its first real test against a Tennessee that that is headed under the right direction under Rick Barnes in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday afternoon.

Matt Painter’s team returned several key pieces from last year’s Sweet Sixteen team, opening the season ranked 20th. The Boilermakers have looked terrific while averaging 102 points per game during a 4-0 start, rising all the way to No. 11 in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted efficiency ratings earlier last week by virtue of a 15-point road win over Marquette.

Replacing Caleb Swanigan is all but impossible, but Purdue’s frontcourt is in good hands with Vince Edwards and 7-2 Isaac Haas producing well in the early going. Guard Carsen Edwards leads the Boilermakers with 18.5 points per contest, while sharpshooter Dakota Mathias is hitting a ridiculous 81.3 percent of his 3-point attempts so far.

Barnes guided a Tennessee roster with little talent to a competitive 16-16 mark last season, and now has a little more to work with. The Volunteers have looked good in wins over Presbyterian and High Point to open the season, allowing just 53 points in each victory.

Forward Admiral Schofield is much improved with 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest through two games. Grant Williams also appears to be building on his strong freshman campaign and is half a rebound shy of averaging a double-double in the early going.

Many might be looking forward to a potential second round matchup with Villanova on Thursday and either SMU or Arizona further down the road in the final, but Purdue needs to avoid overlooking a sneaky competitive Tennessee team.