ESPN Men's Basketball

Conference play, rivalries and banners on the line are no-brainers for great games. I already know that I will be riveted by epic battles like Duke-North Carolina, UCLA-Arizona, Texas-Kansas, Michigan State-Indiana and Syracuse-UConn. But the games that get my blood pumping for the season are the ones that will be played before the ball drops in Times Square. Here are 10 early games I would dig deep into my own pocket to see:

1. Georgetown at Memphis, Dec. 22, ESPN
The Hoyas have the discipline to give Memphis fits. Jonathan Wallace is the most underappreciated great guard in the country, and DaJuan Summers is ready to take off. Memphis has more horses and the home crowd. Joey Dorsey couldn't deal with Greg Oden, who had a rough time with Roy Hibbert. Dorsey has to battle Hibbert, and the transitive property of equality.

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