For commissioners of fantasy college hoops leagues, tournaments in November and December are headaches. We'd like to lay out the schedule for the entire year, but these tournaments cause pain in the lower extremities. For the fantasy college hoops player, the tournaments can lead to some easy wins. You just have to schedule your players to take advantage of the extra games during the weekly period. CFHI hopes to help you reap those advantages over the next two weeks. We've already published Chris Bennett's excellent ACC preseason tournament preview. Now, I'll take a spin through the SEC. LSU, Florida, and Arkansas are not scheduled to play in any multi-game tournaments, so you won't be hearing about the Tigers, Gators, or Razorbacks.
Alabama Crimson Tide - Puerto Rico Tip-Off presented by 5-Hour® Energy (Nov. 17-20)
While November is generally balmy in Alabama, it will be even warmer in Puerto Rico where the Tide will take on Maryland followed by either Colorado or Wichita State. Maryland will be without Pe'Shon Howard and Alex Len, so I'd guess Alabama will head to the winners' bracket. Wichita State is one of the top rated teams in the Missouri Valley, but I don't think they have the frontcourt power to hang with Jamychael Green and Tony Mitchell. The top half of the bracket features Temple, Purdue, and Iona. The Gaels are one of the best sources of mid-major fantasy goodness (Michael Glover, Scott Machado, Lamont Jones) and the Owls may have enough talent to stand toe-to-toe with Alabama.
Auburn Tigers - Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Dec. 22-25)
The Tigers are the only SEC team to wait until December to get their tournament in. They will spend Christmas in Hawaii where they face the home Warriors in the first round of the Diamond Head Classic. Hawaii has some talented players in Zane Johnson and Vander Joaquim, so the first round will be no gimme for the young Tigers. The second round is no luau on the beach as either Xavier or Long Beach State (which is one of the best first round tournament games) await. Both teams are stocked with veteran talent, so my guess is Auburn will be enjoy the sites and spectacles of Hawaii after Dec. 23.
Georgia Bulldogs - Progressive CBE Classic (Nov. 13-22)
Georgia is perhaps the least stable team in the SEC. They lost their two major stars and now will have to adjust to a completely new lineup that includes a potentially excellent backcourt trio of Dustin Ware, Gerald Robinson, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Bulldogs get to host Bowling Green and South Dakota State (with fantasy stud guard Nate Wolters) in the guaranteed early games. They will move to Kansas City whether they win or lose the first two games and play California. I assume Georgia won't win that game or the game against Missouri or Notre Dame for third place.
Kentucky Wildcats - Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament (Nov. 11-20)
As one of the four top teams in college basketball, the Wildcats stick out like a sore thumb in the Hall of Fame field. They will face Marist in the opening round and shouldn't have much trouble with the Red Foxes. On Nov. 19, Kentucky will make its way to the Naismith Bracket to play Penn State, which is generally rated as the worst team in the Big Ten. Either Old Dominion (likely without Kent Bazemore as he recuperates from broken foot) or South Florida awaits. If the Bulls make the championship, it would be interesting to see how Augustus Gilchrist fares against the Wildcat bigs.
Mississippi Rebels - Paradise Jam (Nov. 18-20)
It might be nice to head to the University of the Virgin Islands for the week before Thanksgiving. The Rebels will be there among an interesting cast of eight teams. In the opening round, Ole Miss will face Drake who will have Rayvonte Rice. Drake's best player was suspended for the first two games after being arrested with shoplifting. Terrance Henry and Murphy Holloway will likely be too much on the inside for the Bulldogs. Marquette likely awaits. If Mississippi wins, they could face Drexel, TCU, or Virginia, which could be a nice contrast of styles. I am interested to see what kind of minutes freshman Jelan Kendrick gets.
Mississippi State Bulldogs - 2K Sports Classic (Nov. 7-18)
Hopefully, this year's tournament is less eventful for the Bulldogs than last year (teammates fighting in t-shirts in Hawaii is never a good thing). Mississippi State hosts two preliminary games against Eastern Kentucky and Akron. Zeke Marshall, the Zips' seven-footer, could cause some trouble for Renardo Sidney and Arnett Moultrie. Either way, the Bulldogs will face Texas A&M on Nov. 17 in Madison Square Garden. Khris Middleton could be a match up problem for MSU. The winner of the semifinal will likely be the champion because the other side of the bracket features St. John's and Arizona, two squads with a lot of young talent that needs to be molded into teams.
South Carolina Gamecocks - Las Vegas Invitational (Nov. 20-26)
With North Carolina in the field, the Gamecocks will not be the most watched Carolina squad. That said, they get two guarantee games in Columbia against Tennessee State and Mississippi Valley State. The Tar Heels will be waiting in in Las Vegas on Nov. 25. The Saturday after Thanksgiving could set up a battle of for acronym supremacy. If UNLV beats Southern California, the two USC's will meet and maybe the loser will have to change their letters.
Tennessee Volunteers - EA Sports Maui Invitational (Nov. 11-23)
What's the point of an opening round game if the winner doesn't advance? I guess these small schools gets a chance to visit their big school brethren. UNC-Greensboro gets to face Tennessee on Nov. 11, but the Volunteers go to Hawaii win or lose (while the Spartans get a trip to Murfreesboro, Tennessee!). At the fiftieth state, the Volunteers get Duke in the first round. They will make their way to the losers' bracket against either Memphis or Michigan. Both M-teams are better than the rebuilding Tennessee squad. Nevertheless, a trip to Hawaii is always nice.
Vanderbilt Commodores - TicketCity Legends Classic (Nov. 13-21)
Are all of these tournaments really "classics?" The Commodores are expected to have a big season, but they will be without Festus Ezeli who is both suspended and injured. While the senior center likely won't be needed against Cleveland State in the opening round, the second game against Bucknell could be a chore. The Bison boast center Mike Muscala, who could cause problems for the Commodores. Bucknell has been known to pull an upset or two. The championship rounds take place in the Meadowlands. On Nov. 19, Vanderbilt plays North Carolina State. Even without Ezeli, the Commodores should be prohibitive favorites and the same should hold for the finals against either a young Texas squad or Craig Robinson's Oregon State. Look for John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor to score well during the tournament.