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College basketball Week 3: 5 best games of the week – Virginia vs. Vermont is sneaky good

By Mike Phillips

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - NOVEMBER 16: Casey Morsell #13 of the Virginia Cavaliers shoots over Jack Forrest #4 of the Columbia Lions in the second half during a game at John Paul Jones Arena on November 16, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - NOVEMBER 16: Casey Morsell #13 of the Virginia Cavaliers shoots over Jack Forrest #4 of the Columbia Lions in the second half during a game at John Paul Jones Arena on November 16, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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Showdowns between top power conference schools and dangerous mid-majors highlight the must-watch action in Week 3 of the college basketball season.

The college basketball season always starts with a bang, but then the non-conference schedule has a few dead spots. A prime example is the week before Thanksgiving when there aren’t a ton of marquee games. This is true this year as well, with most of the schedule featuring games between power programs and mid-majors hoping to collect a check for showing up at the big school’s gym, but there are still a few gems to watch, beginning with a matchup featuring reigning national champion Virginia.

Vermont (4-0) at Virginia (3-0)-Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra

The reigning national champs haven’t missed a beat to start the year, racing to a 3-0 start with the Pack Line defense holding opponents to just 36.7 points per game. Virginia will get a good test against a dangerous Vermont team that is the favorite to win the America East.

East Tennessee State (3-0) at Kansas (2-1)-Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+

The Buccaneers, who were featured in this space last week in our mid-major spotlight, look to pick up the crown jewel of non-conference wins for their resume with a win at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks have bounced back nicely from a sloppy loss at the Champions Classic vs. Duke with two home wins in a row, including a rout of Monmouth last week that was headlined by some poor sportsmanship from a Hawks’ player in the final seconds.

2K Empire Classic: Duke (4-0) vs. Cal (4-0)-Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2

The newly no. 1 team, Duke returns to Madison Square Garden for another good non-conference showdown in the 2K Empire Classic against Cal. The Golden Bears are off to a fast start, picking up four straight wins to start the year, but the Blue Devils are a significant step up for Mark Fox’s team.

Jamaica Classic: LSU (2-1) vs. Utah State (4-0)-Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network

In terms of power conference teams, LSU deserves credit for pushing itself in the non-conference season, scheduling a bunch of quality mid-major schools to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume. The Tigers head to Jamaica to face off with another in 4-0 Utah State, the reigning Mountain West champions who are winning without their best player, Neemias Queta, a legitimate NBA prospect working his way back from a knee injury.

Mid-Major Game of the Week: Paradise Jam, Bowling Green (3-1) vs. Western Kentucky (4-0)-Friday at 9:00 p.m. ET on FloHoops

This week’s mid-major spotlight features two potential Cinderellas taking the floor in the Virgin Islands as part of Paradise Jam. Bowling Green played LSU tough on the road in the opening week, but the MAC favorites have yet to really test themselves outside of that game. The Falcons will be pushed here by Western Kentucky, the top team from Conference USA, in a contest that should be a major help to the victor’s resume come March.

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