Binge, stream, skip: There's plenty of college basketball to be served on Feast Week

The dinner table is set, the turkey is waiting and there’s basketball aplenty to be had in the coming days. It’s Feast Week in college hoops and teams are off to sunny locales for tournaments and invitationals meant to sharpen their talents and boost their résumés.

To properly prepare for a full week of games that run from the early morning hours until late night, we’re borrowing a franchise from our fantasy football team: Binge, Stream and Skip.

Tournaments you want to “binge” are ones you won’t want to miss. It deserves prime positioning on the living room TV. Do not schedule dinner during this time period unless it’s meant to be eaten in front of the screen.

Tournaments you want to “stream” are ones with games you’ll want to watch at the start, but you might not finish. There will probably be some blowouts. And even a casual fan could win the bracket game if there were one.

“Skip” isn’t as self-explanatory as you might think. These aren’t tournaments to ignore (such as other ones we’ve left off this list), but rather ones to have on in the background. They could have some good games and will provide the Feast Week ambiance, but they don’t require a viewer to be locked into the action.

Here’s your viewing guide for the 2024 women’s college basketball schedule this week, which features a multitude of ranked matchups. Each entry includes a must-watch item. All times are E.T.

BINGE

Ball Dawgs Classic (FloHoops)

Monday: Duke vs. Kansas State, 3 p.m.; Oklahoma vs. DePaul, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Third-place game, 2 p.m.; Championship game, 4 p.m.

Must-watch game: Duke vs. Kansas State (Monday, 3 p.m.)

If you can only block out time for one tournament this week, make it the Ball Dawgs Classic out of Henderson, Nevada. Three of the four teams — Duke, Kansas State and Oklahoma — are ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press poll, so there’s guaranteed to be at least one matchup of ranked opponents and potentially two.

Kansas State’s scorching hot offense (88.8 ppg) faces its first real test against Duke, an elite defensive team under head coach Kara Lawson. Freshman forward Toby Fournier, a 6-foot-2 freshman forward, has necessarily invigorated the Duke offense.

Oklahoma is also thumping its non-conference opponents by an average of 43 points due largely to its top-10 offense (93 ppg). Raegan Beers, a 6-4 junior center who transferred from Oregon State, is averaging an efficient double-double (21.3 ppg shooting 75%, 11.8 rpg).

Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship (FloHoops)

Monday: Southern vs. NC State, 11 a.m.; LSU vs. Washington, 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Third-place game, 11 a.m.; Championship, 1:30 p.m.

Must-watch game: Championship lining up to be NC State vs. LSU

Should NC State and LSU meet in the title game, it could end up being a determining factor in NCAA tournament seeding come March. LSU’s non-conference schedule is once again weak with only one more significant competitor remaining. The Tigers host Stanford in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Dec. 5. NC State’s schedule is tough and so far has gotten the better of the Wolfpack, with losses to South Carolina and TCU. LSU will look to feed forward Aneesah Morrow, a WNBA first-round prospect averaging an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double, against the smaller Wolfpack lineup.

Baha Mar Women’s Championship (FloHoops)

Monday: Ole Miss vs. Boston College, 5 p.m.; Oregon State vs. UConn, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Third-place game, 5 p.m.; Championship, 7:30 p.m.

Must-watch game: Championship lining up to be Ole Miss vs. UConn

Ole Miss and UConn should advance with ease in the Bahamas. Rebels head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, a Bahamas native, will throw a pressure defense at UConn’s stacked roster led by the No. 1 recruit trio of Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, who made her return last week. The Rebels are allowing 44.5 ppg (second in DI) and came a bucket shy of upsetting Final Four favorite USC in the season opener.

STREAM

Fort Myers Tip-Off (Women’s Sports Network)

Island Division

Thursday: South Carolina vs. Iowa State, 1:30 p.m. (FOX); Purdue vs. Middle Tennessee, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: South Carolina vs. Purdue, 11 a.m.; Middle Tennessee vs. Iowa State, 1:30 p.m.

Shell Division

Friday: Michigan vs. Belmont, 2 p.m.; Virginia Tech vs. Davidson, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: Third-place game, 5 p.m.; Championship game, 7:30 p.m.

Must-watch game: South Carolina vs. Iowa State

The appetizer to Thanksgiving dinner is an enticing matchup between Iowa State center Audi Crooks and the South Carolina frontcourt. The Cyclones defense will have to improve from its upset loss to Northern Iowa to combat the wave of weapons recruited by Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley.

The Shell Division features Michigan freshman Syla Swords (18.8 ppg), an emerging collegiate superstar after playing for Canada in the Olympics.

Cayman Islands Classic (FloHoops)

Thursday: Utah vs. Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m.

Friday: Notre Dame vs. TCU, 5 p.m.; Mississippi State vs. South Florida, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: Notre Dame vs. Utah, 5 p.m.; TCU vs. South Florida, 7:30 p.m.

Must-watch game: Notre Dame vs. TCU

Notre Dame packs a punch at every position and will only grow stronger throughout the year as veterans return from injury. All-American guards Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles lead the scoring in a star-heavy guard battle against fifth-year guard Hailey Van Lith, who won Olympic bronze in Paris. The depleted frontcourt group will have its hands full with 24-year-old veteran Sedona Prince, a decorated 6-7 center who started her collegiate career in 2020.

Acrisure Holiday Invitational

Tuesday: Cal vs. Michigan State, 11 a.m.; Vanderbilt vs. Arizona, 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Third-place game, 11 a.m.; Championship game, 1:30 p.m.

USC vs. Seton Hall, 4 p.m. (truTV)

Friday: USC vs. Saint Louis, 4 p.m. (truTV)

Must-watch player: JuJu Watkins

You and your household are here for one reason only. Watkins and the Trojans are must-watch TV. The sophomore guard scored at least 30 points in 14 of 34 games last season, but hasn’t cracked the threshold yet this year. What better time than now?

Gulf Coast Showcase (FloHoops)

Friday: Boise State vs. Illinois State, 11 a.m. (Game 1); West Virginia vs. High Point, 1:30 p.m. (Game 2); Butler vs. Santa Clara, 5 p.m. (Game 3); Texas vs. New Mexico State, 7:30 p.m. (Game 4)

Saturday: Losers of Games 1 and 2, 11 a.m.; Losers of Games 3 and 4, 1:30 p.m.; Winners of Games 1 and 2, 5 p.m.; Winners of Games 3 and 4, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday: Seventh-place game, 11 a.m.; Third-place game, 5 p.m.; Championship, 7:30 p.m. (could be Texas vs. West Virginia)

The championship game could line up to be Texas vs. West Virginia, two 2023 NCAA tournament teams with some of the nation’s best defenses. It will also be a chance to watch the pairing of All-Americans Rori Harmon and Madison Booker in a tight matchup.

SKIP

Paradise Jam (ESPN+)

Island Division

Thursday: Pittsburgh vs. Kansas, 1:30 p.m.; Northern Iowa vs. Auburn, 4 p.m.

Friday: Auburn vs. Pittsburgh, 1:30 p.m.; Kansas vs. Northern Iowa, 4 p.m.

Saturday: Northern Iowa vs. Pittsburgh, 1:30 p.m.; Auburn vs. Kansas, 4 p.m.

Reef Division

Thursday: Missouri State vs. Gonzaga, 6:30 p.m.; Texas Tech vs. Florida State, 9 p.m.

Friday: Florida State vs. Missouri State, 6:30 p.m.; Gonzaga vs. Texas Tech, 9 p.m.

Saturday: Texas Tech vs Missouri State, 6:30 p.m.; Florida State vs Gonzaga, 9 p.m.

Must-watch team: Northern Iowa

These are all easy games to keep on the TV and the schedule is packed at the back end of the week, when most are off work. Northern Iowa (UNI) arrived on the radar when the Panthers upset Iowa State in an in-state rivalry matchup. It was less than 24 hours after their star forward, Grace Boffeli, was ruled out for the season with a torn ACL. Fifth-year senior Maya McDermott leads the nation in scoring at 28.7 ppg. UNI was picked second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll and could be a major first-week player in the NCAA tournament.

Cancun Challenge

Mayan Tournament

Thursday: Providence vs. VCU, 11 a.m.; San Diego State vs. Wisconsin, 1:30 p.m.

Friday: Wisconsin vs. Providence, 11 a.m.; VCU vs. San Diego State, 1:30 p.m.

Saturday: San Diego State vs. Providence, 11 a.m.; Wisconsin vs. VCU, 1:30 p.m.

Riviera Tournament

Thursday: Vermont vs. Idaho State, 4 p.m.; Rhode Island vs. Iowa, 6:30 p.m.; BYU vs. Rice, 9 p.m.

Friday: Idaho State vs. Rhode Island

Must-watch team: Iowa

It’s another tournament of potential conference champion teams, plus Iowa. The Hawkeyes are keying in on defense without the scoring prowess of Caitlin Clark and running their offense through transfer Lucy Olsen.

Emerald Coast Classic (FloHoops)

Bay Bracket

Monday: Alabama State vs. Alabama, 2:30 p.m.; Clemson vs. UAB, 12 p.m.

Tuesday: Third-place game, 12 p.m.; Championship, 2:30 p.m.

Beach Bracket

Monday: Syracuse vs. Missouri, 5 p.m.; Wichita State vs. Creighton, 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Third-place game, 6 p.m.; Championship, 8:30 p.m.

Must-watch players: Creighton’s Lauren Jensen and Alabama’s Sarah Ashlee Barker

The experienced trio of Jensen, Molly Mogensen and Morgan Maly return for Creighton, which was picked second in the Big East preseason poll behind UConn and began the year in the AP poll. Jensen (23.8 ppg) and Barker (18.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg) were each named to the Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year watchlist. They are both fifth-year players.

North Shore Showcase (Ballertv)

Saturday: Georgia Tech vs. South Dakota State

Monday: Oregon vs. Georgia Tech, 7 p.m.

Tuesday: Oregon vs South Dakota State, 7 p.m.

Must-watch game: Oregon vs South Dakota State

South Dakota State is a powerhouse in the Summit League and, for a fifth straight year, was voted as the favorite to win the conference. Forward Brooklyn Meyer and the crew could give Oregon and guard Deja Kelly a hard out to start the week. It’s also a good time for a peek at a likely NCAA tournament team.