Preseason Primer - Best Out-Of-Conference Games

Preseason Primer is STF's guide to guide to some of most intriguing storylines heading into the 2007-2008 college basketball season. Today the primer checks out the best out-of-conference games. Stay tuned in October for Best Preseason Tournaments, Impact Freshmen, Under The Radar Teams, Best Mid-Majors, Reasons to Love College Basketball, Biggest Mismatches, Best College Hoops Blogs, Worst Teams in College Basketball.


Best Out-Of-Conference Games
(Only includes locked in games, not including possible tournament match-ups)





- GEORGETOWN AT MEMPHIS (December 22)
This is almost like an early Christmas gift. Personally my favorite match-up of the preseason tilt. It's a match-up of two Top 5 team with very contrasting style. Georgetown will come into the FedEx Forum trying to control the tempo with it's deliberate Princeton offense. Memphis will do the complete opposite, running at a lighting pace with Chris Douglas-Roberts and super frosh Derrick Rose. Throw in the big man match-up of Roy Hibbert vs. Joey Dorsey, and you've got yourself the best preseason game. Let's just hope Dorsey doesn't run his mouth to Hibbert.

- DAVIDSON VS UCLA (December 8)
Although this game is being played at Anaheim, love the move by UCLA to take on arguably the best mid-major in the country. Throw in additional non-conference, neutral site games against Duke (Dec 1) and North Carolina (Nov 14) and the Stephen Curry led Wildcats have am excellent chance to bolster their RPI resume before they enter SoCo play.

- TENNESSEE AT MEMPHIS (February 23)
A Top 5, out-of-conference game in late February? Thank you Memphis and Tennessee, who are most likely ranked 1 and 1a in terms of best non-conference schedule. Memphis also get home games vs. Arizona (Dec 29) and Gonzaga (Jan 26). Tennessee will host Ohio State (Jan 19) and vs Gonzaga in Seattle (Dec 29).

- KANSAS AT USC (December 2)
Our first real chance to see what OJ Mayo can do against some quality competition. The Brandon Rush/OJ Mayo match-up is worth the price of admission alone.

- INDIANA AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (December 1)
As you can probably tell by now, I'm a huge fan of big BCS schools traveling to mid-major powers. Just like UCLA, you have to credit Indiana for going to Southern Illinois, a team that returns three key starters (Falker, Shaw and Mullins) from a squad that was seconds from the Elite 8.

- WASHINGTON STATE VS GONZAGA (December 5)
The Zags look to get revenge for last year's loss to WSU. For the Cougars, this is their only chance to prove themselves in the preseason, thanks to a very weak schedule.

- OREGON AT KANSAS STATE (November 29)
Very intriguing match-up in the inaugural Pac-10/Big 12 Shootout. For Oregon, we'll get to see what they can do without Aaron Brooks and with expectations. For K-State, we'll see if Frank Martin can coach a contender and what if Michael Beasley can live up to the hype.

- NORTH CAROLINA AT OHIO STATE (November 28)
The Heels play a so-so preseason slate (at Penn, at Rutgers,vs, Davidson), but this game will be more about Buckeyes. Good early test to see how far along this team is compared to last year's National runner-up.