November Preview: It's Time!

It's so close, I can almost hear the shoes squeak on the floor.

Mocs basketball is almost back.

After losing five seniors, the Mocs are really starting over. This month is the month to find out what the youngsters are made of. This month is when we get to start seeing the pieces that hopefully will put the whole puzzle together in the future months and years. This month is the month that we get to get that nasty taste out of our mouths from last year.

It's time.

Easiest Game: Tennessee Temple, November 12. The Crusaders are the lone non-D1 team on the schedule in November. It's a home game, and it's the opener. The Mocs are the best team on Tennessee Temple's schedule. This is one of the easier games pn the Mocs entire schedule. They should be plenty amped up for it since it is the opener. The Mocs need to put on a good show here. Tennessee Temple lost to Lee by 18 last week. They did beat Tennessee Wesleyan (who was ranked 17th in the NAIA Division II poll) on Tuesday night. Still, there is no doubt this is the easiest game on the Mocs schedule in November.

Toughest Game: at Kansas, November 15. This game is the second game of the year, and could be a dominant performance in the other direction. The Jayhawks are ranked in the Top Ten in the country, made it to the national championship game a year ago, and are the favorites in the Big 12. Sure, they lost Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor. Sure they played terribly in their exhibition game on Monday night. Doesn't matter. This is the best team on the Mocs schedule this year, and it's on the road. The only team that comes close to Kansas (from where we stand right now) is maybe Davidson. And that's a home game. So this is an incredibly difficult game.

Most Important Game: Troy, November 19. This is the middle game of the three games in three days for the Mocs in the CBE Classic. Troy plays Louisiana Tech on Sunday while the Mocs battle Southeast Missouri. On Monday before the Mocs play Troy, Louisiana Tech will face off with Southeast Missouri. On Tuesday, the Mocs tackle Louisiana Tech after the Troy-Southeast Missouri game. Troy is the easiest game of the three games, though by no means easy. If the Mocs are to escape the early season with their  record in tact, this is a critical game. It's the one the Mocs need to get the most in the CBE Classic home games.

Predicted Record: 3-3. The Mocs will beat Tennessee Temple and lose to Kansas. I'm predicting the Mocs will beat Troy. That leaves three games (Southeast Missouri, Louisiana Tech, and a trip to Kennesaw State). For the Mocs to go 3-3, they need to just win one of those games. I think this is reasonable. Beating Troy may or may not be a given. A loss to Troy obviously changes the dynamics drastically. Beating Kennesaw State is probably the next most likely win. A 5-1 November is not out of the question if things really go perfectly. Unfortunately, a 1-5 record in November is also not out of the question. There are four legitimate toss-up games. They'll probably be underdogs in at least two of them, and possibly three.

It's time.