College basketball’s Feast Week is always that first little glimpse that the season gives us of what’s in store a few months down the road. Games at all hours of the day, teams playing multiple games in less than 24 hours, legitimate national title contenders battling each other for wins that will stand out on resumes come early March.
It’s not March, but it’s still fantastic in its own right.
Here are the seven best events to keep an eye on this week.
- Monday, Nov. 24
- Tennessee vs. Rutgers, 1 p.m. | TNT
- Baylor vs. Creighton, 2 p.m. | truTV
- Kansas vs. Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. | TNT
- St. John’s vs. Iowa State, 4:30 p.m. | truTV
- Houston vs. Syracuse, 6 p.m. | TNT
- Oregon vs. Auburn, 8 p.m. | truTV
- Alabama vs. Gonzaga, 9:30 p.m. | TNT
- Michigan vs. San Diego State, 10:30 p.m. | truTV
- Maryland vs. UNLV, 12 a.m. | TNT
- Tuesday, Nov. 25
- Rutgers vs. Notre Dame, 1 p.m. | TNT
- Iowa State vs. Creighton, 2:30 p.m. | truTV
- Kansas vs. Syracuse, 3:30 p.m. | TNT
- St. John’s vs. Baylor, 4:30 p.m. | truTV
- Houston vs. Tennessee, 6 p.m. | TNT
- Michigan vs. Auburn, 8:30 p.m. | TNT
- Gonzaga vs. Maryland, 9:30 p.m. | truTV
- Oregon vs. San Diego State, 11 p.m. | TNT
- Alabama vs. UNLV, 12 a.m. | truTV
- Wednesday, Nov. 26
- Game 1 Consolation, 1 p.m.
- Game 2 Consolation, 3:30 p.m.
- Third-Place Game, 7 p.m. | TNT
- Game 3 Consolation, 8 p.m.
- Championship Game, 9:30 p.m. | TNT
- Game 4 Consolation, 10:30 p.m.
- Game 5 Consolation, 12 a.m.
- Thursday, Nov. 27
- Game 6 Consolation, 2 p.m.
- Game 7 Consolation, 4:30 p.m.
This is the new big dog (turkey?) in town, and that’s probably not changing any time soon.
Nine top 25 teams, nationally televised games at all hours of the day, an almost certain to be heavyweight title game on Thanksgiving Eve night; This is pure Feast Week bliss worth avoiding family, friends, responsibilities anything else for.
- Game 1: NC State vs. Seton Hall | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN2
- Game 2: USC vs. Boise State | 5 p.m. | ESPN2
- Game 3: Washington State vs. Chaminade | 9 p.m. | ESPNU
- Game 4: Arizona State vs. Texas | 11:30 p.m. | ESPN2
- Game 5: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN2
- Game 6: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 | 5 p.m. | ESPN
- Game 7: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 | 8 p.m. | ESPN
- Game 8: Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN2
- Championship game: Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
- Third-place game: Loser of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 7 | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2
- Fifth-place game: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 8 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2
- Seventh-place game: Loser of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 8 | 11:59 p.m. | ESPN2
It’s been knocked from its throne as the undisputed king of Feast Week, but there’s still a lot to like about the 2025 edition of college basketball’s most storied early season tournament.
Will Wade’s attempt to immediately revive NC State basketball is probably the biggest draw here, but you also have legitimate NCAA Tournament contenders here in USC and Texas. Plus, this might be the best chance we’ve ever had for Chaminade to actually win the tournament. So that’s exciting.
3. CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic
No. 5 Duke vs. No. 21 Arkansas (8 p.m./CBS)
Oklahoma State vs. Northwestern (10:30 p.m./Peacock)
Turkey Day isn’t just for pigskin. If you’re looking for a roundball alternative, you have one this season in the form of high-powered Duke going up against John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks inside the United Center. True sickos can also stay up late and watch Northwestern-Oklahoma State in the second game of the double-header on Peacock.
4. Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational (Magic Bracket)
Semifinal games: No. 9 BYU vs. Miami, Georgetown vs. Dayton
This is the biggest sneaky good event of the week in my eyes.
BYU and Miami are both loaded with offensive talent and figure to play an extremely entertaining, up-and-down game in the opener. Then there’s Georgetown, which has looked like perhaps the third best team in the Big East through the season’s first couple of weeks. Hoya fans will have a much better sense of just how excited to be after seeing the team compete on Thanksgiving and the day after.
5. Fort Myers Tip-Off (Beach Division)
Nov. 24-27: Fort Myers, Fla.
- Bucknell vs. Bowling Green | 12 p.m.
- VMI vs. Buffalo | 2:30 p.m.
- Michigan State vs East Carolina | 1 p.m.
- North Carolina vs. St. Bonaventure | 6 p.m.
- Bucknell vs. Buffalo | 1:30 p.m.
- VMI vs. Bowling Green | 11 a.m.
- St. Bonaventure vs East Carolina | 12 p.m.
- North Carolina vs. Michigan State | 4:30 p.m.
Let’s be real, this is basically an “event” that revolves around a singular game: North Carolina vs. Michigan State in the middle of Thanksgiving Day. Hey, but at least it’s a really good game.
I don’t think a ton of people expected both of these teams to be unbeaten by the time this game rolled around, but barring something shocking on Tuesday, that’s exactly what we’re going to get.
Nov. 26-28: Paradise Island, Bahamas
LOOK HOW THEY MASSACRED MY BOY!
In just a couple of years, the Battle 4 Atlantis has gone from an 8-team field loaded with ranked squads and a handful of realistic national title contenders to … this.
The predictive metrics LOVE these Vanderbilt and Saint Mary’s teams, and everyone who watches him loves Virginia Tech freshman Neoklis Avdalas from Greece. Outside of that, there’s not nearly as much juice here as we’re used to seeing.
7. Rady Children’s Invitational
Semifinal games: No. 10 Florida vs. TCU, No. 23 Wisconsin vs. Providence
Thus one lost a little bit of luster when Wisconsin was throttled by BYU on Friday, but there’s still a lot to be interested in when it comes to the two headliners of this event. Assuming Florida and Bucky take care of business on Thanksgiving, the matchup between the pair the day after will be worth sitting down and taking in.
