Key games in the 2009-10 college basketball season: NOV. 17 Memphis-Kansas This was some game two years ago in an overtime championship game won by the Jayhawks. This time it's the Hall of Fame Showcase in St. Louis, but it's really the Jayhawks' first opportunity in the national spotlight and likely Memphis' last in a rebuilding season. NOV. 18 Monmouth-Saint Peter's The question heading into this New Jersey matchup is "When's the team meal?" As part of ESPN's "Tip-Off Marathon," the Hawks and Peacocks will meet for a 6 a.m. start. This will be quite an eye-opener for the fans, all the points in transition will be called break-fast points and the play will be known as the pick-and-cinnamon roll. DEC. 1-9 This is college basketball's early Christmas present, three huge games over eight days. It starts Dec. 1 with Michigan State at North Carolina in a rematch of last season's title game. Four days later, it's North Carolina at Kentucky. Four days after that Kentucky travels to New York's Madison Square Garden to meet Connecticut. FEB. 10 Connecticut-Syracuse There's no way this game can come close to matching the Orange's 127-117 six-overtime win in the Big East quarterfinals last March, but at least there will be a lot of looking back in the days before. The teams play only once this season, and it's a safe bet it won't go 70 minutes like the instant classic. FEB. 10, MARCH 6 Every conference has its great rivalry matchup, but none compare in this era to Duke and North Carolina. Their second meeting last season was the 41st when both were ranked in the Top 10, and the record stands 21-20 in favor of North Carolina. The first game this season is at Chapel Hill, so the regular season will end in Cameron Indoor Stadium and help determine the top seeds for the NCAA tournament.
