The Jimmy V Classic is always one of the biggest, most successful college hoops events in December. USATSI

With the college hoops season now less than two months away, we're looking at the biggest events in the sport in the first half of the regular season. There's a litany of November events, of course. I reviewed all of them here.

December's becoming more populated with these one-off proceedings, too. Now, the difference is, November is mostly exempt events, meaning programs can only compete in one tournament-type contest. December is where a lot of doubleheaders are placed. So you'll see many of the same teams listed here. These programs have opted to play in these events as a substitute to scheduling home or road games, which is unfortunate, but has become a big part of the college hoops business model for the first six weeks of the season.

So let's look at what's coming up in December. I've graded everything out again, too. The events are listed in chronological order.

HOOPHALL MIAMI INVITATIONAL

Date : Dec. 3

: Dec. 3 Location : American Airlines Arena, Miami

: American Airlines Arena, Miami Matchups : VCU vs. Illinois, Wofford vs. Miami

: VCU vs. Illinois, Wofford vs. Miami Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : C+

: C+ Comment: I'm wondering how well this event will draw at a pro arena. Miami's going to be good again, but Wofford is always well-coached. VCU-Illinois is intriguing, because the Illini have to be better than last season, while VCU loses Melvin Johnson, who did so much. Still, the Rams will have Mo Alie-Cox (beast) and JeQuan Lewis (expect a bump in his senior season).

HOOPHALL LOS ANGELES INVITATIONAL

Date : Dec. 3

: Dec. 3 Location : Staples Center, Los Angeles

: Staples Center, Los Angeles Matchups : Arizona vs. Gonzaga, BYU vs. USC

: Arizona vs. Gonzaga, BYU vs. USC Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : B+

: B+ Comment: Now you're seeing how we're getting more events that spill over into December. And a few of them are pretty solid. This HoopHall idea is going down on separate coasts on the same day. Arizona-Gonzaga? Heck yeah, that's a good game. BYU is going to give Gonzaga a run in the WCC this year, too. USC will be in need of a quality win here. Definitely endorse this one.

BB&T CLASSIC

Date : Dec. 4

: Dec. 4 Location : Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.

: Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. Matchups : Florida State vs. George Washington, Elon vs. Georgetown

: Florida State vs. George Washington, Elon vs. Georgetown Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : B-

: B- Comment: You realize this event is more than 20 years old? This used to be a tournament event, but now it's just a doubleheader. The intrigue on this one goes up given GW is involved, it's a local game, and now we know Mike Lonergan will not be coaching the team. The Colonials will have an interesting year ahead. Florida State will have Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Dwayne Bacon cooking. Georgetown should beat Elon; I expect a good year, expectations taken into account, for the Hoyas.

JIMMY V CLASSIC

Date : Dec. 6

: Dec. 6 Location : Madison Square Garden, New York City

: Madison Square Garden, New York City Matchups : Arizona State vs. Purdue, Duke vs. Florida

: Arizona State vs. Purdue, Duke vs. Florida Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : B+

: B+ Comment: Duke is the draw, obviously. The Blue Devils are jammed with future NBA picks. Mike Krzyzewski enters this season with confidence that he has a relatively good chance of winning a sixth national title. Florida will probably do some learning against Duke. Arizona State likely the same against a Purdue team I suspect won't get enough credit heading into the season. Matt Painter's Boilermakers should be back in the NCAAs.

PEARL HARBOR INVITATIONAL

Date : Dec. 6-7

: Dec. 6-7 Location : Bloch Arena at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Honolulu

: Bloch Arena at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Honolulu Matchups : Princeton vs. Cal, Seton Hall vs. Hawaii (Dec. 6); Cal vs. Seton Hall, Princeton vs. Hawaii (Dec. 7)

: Princeton vs. Cal, Seton Hall vs. Hawaii (Dec. 6); Cal vs. Seton Hall, Princeton vs. Hawaii (Dec. 7) Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : B

: B Comment: This event is growing. Last season, Oklahoma and Villanova (a Final Four preview!) tipped off. Now, on the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, an even bigger athletic event to commemorate the military, lives lost and American pride. Princeton is going to be a top-60 team; it will be the favorite to win the Ivy. Seton Hall will probably be in the NCAA Tournament mix. Hawaii gets home-island advantage. Cal will have a lottery pick in Ivan Rabb. Good two-day event here. Princeton gets a really good opportunity.

NEVER FORGET TRIBUTE CLASSIC

Date : Dec. 10

: Dec. 10 Location : Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.

: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J. Matchups : Villanova vs. Notre Dame, Pittsburgh vs. Penn State

: Villanova vs. Notre Dame, Pittsburgh vs. Penn State Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : B+

: B+ Comment: Would be an A-minus if I thought Notre Dame was a top 25 team, but I'm afraid that's a tough ask for Mike Brey's roster this season. But you get Nova, who will have a good chance of reaching the Final Four again. Pitt will be in year one under Kevin Stallings, and this will be a good opportunity for Penn State to earn a non-conference win.

HOOPHALL MIAMI INVITATIONAL (PART 2)



Date : Dec. 10

: Dec. 10 Location : American Airlines Arena, Miami

: American Airlines Arena, Miami Matchups : Temple vs. DePaul, LaSalle vs. Georgetown

: Temple vs. DePaul, LaSalle vs. Georgetown Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : C

: C Comment: Yes, another HoopHall event. The thing about a number of these December events -- they're not "exempt," meaning you'll see teams participating in a number of them. That's what happens when you're not playing in a tournament format.

UNDER ARMOUR REUNION

Date : Dec. 12

: Dec. 12 Location : Madison Square Garden, New York

: Madison Square Garden, New York Matchups : South Carolina vs. Seton Hall, Boston College vs. Auburn

: South Carolina vs. Seton Hall, Boston College vs. Auburn Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : B-

: B- Comment: Under Armour continues to be creative. This is, so far as I can tell, the first time a shoe company has opted to put on a multi-team Division I college hoops event. Obviously all four programs playing are Under Armour schools, and it's interesting to note that this isn't Maryland, UCLA or Wisconsin -- some of UA's biggest clients -- involved. (That's a positive sign.) It's something you can't help but wonder if Nike and/or Adidas will attempt to duplicate down the road.

CBS SPORTS CLASSIC

Date : Dec. 17

: Dec. 17 Location : T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas Matchups : UNC vs. Kentucky, UCLA vs. Ohio State

: UNC vs. Kentucky, UCLA vs. Ohio State Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : A

: A Comment: Kentucky is a top-two preseason team. North Carolina a top-10 team, even despite losing key pieces from last year's group that lost at the last second in the national championship game. UCLA will be one of the three best teams in the Pac-12, most likely, and should have a fun talent on the floor in Lonzo Ball. Ohio State is my dark horse team to roar to something in the neighborhood of a 6 seed after having an unusually poor campaign last season.

STATE FARM CHICAGO LEGENDS

Date : Dec. 17

: Dec. 17 Location : United Center, Chicago

: United Center, Chicago Matchups : Dayton vs. Northwestern, Illinois vs. BYU

: Dayton vs. Northwestern, Illinois vs. BYU Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : B+

: B+ Comment: Nice foursome here. Northwestern gets a true challenge (can NU be a 20-win team this season? Very intriguing team), while BYU-Illinois should be a close game. The Illini should do well with a home-like crowd, while BYU will have plenty of bodies. Would love to see that game get into the 80s. More and more, you're seeing how December is filling up with these kind of events. They're good, but obviously it would be better if all of these schools instead opted to play home-and-home series.

CROSSROADS CLASSIC

Date : Dec. 17

: Dec. 17 Location : Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis Matchups : Butler vs. Indiana, Purdue vs. Notre Dame

: Butler vs. Indiana, Purdue vs. Notre Dame Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : B+

: B+ Comment: This event should continue perpetually. Indiana's four biggest college basketball programs revived this doubleheader five years back. It used to be a regular thing more than a half-century ago. Thankfully, it's been a success. That of course is due to the state's love for basketball combined with the success of all these programs. Indiana will have the best team in this quartet.

LONE STAR SHOOTOUT

Date : Dec. 17

: Dec. 17 Location : Toyota Center, Houston

: Toyota Center, Houston Matchups : Arizona vs. Texas A&M, Arkansas vs. Texas

: Arizona vs. Texas A&M, Arkansas vs. Texas Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : B+

: B+ Comment: Zona-A&M could well be a battle between two top-20 teams. That's really good. Texas should be better than Arkansas, but even still, that game has entertainment potential. I think the Longhorns are going to thrive in year No. 2 under Shaka Smart.

MSG HOLIDAY FESTIVAL

Date : Dec. 18

: Dec. 18 Location : Madison Square Garden, New York City

: Madison Square Garden, New York City Matchups : St. John's vs. Penn State, Rutgers vs. Fordham

: St. John's vs. Penn State, Rutgers vs. Fordham Last year's champion : N/A

: N/A Grade : C-

: C- Comment: I'm sorry, I can't sit here and say this will be a key event even in New York City. All three New York-area teams involved in this area in rebuild mode. Penn State is the best team as of now, and I don't see that changing by the time this thing tips a week from Christmas.



CONTINENTAL TIRE LAS VEGAS CLASSIC

Date : Dec. 22-23

: Dec. 22-23 Location : Orleans Arena, Las Vegas

: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas Matchups : USC vs. Missouri State, Wyoming vs. DePaul, Southeast Missouri vs. Chicago State, Troy vs. Cornell

: USC vs. Missouri State, Wyoming vs. DePaul, Southeast Missouri vs. Chicago State, Troy vs. Cornell Last year's champion : SMU

: SMU Grade : C-

: C- Comment: No sure-fire NCAA Tournament teams here. USC could wind up as that, and I'd truly love to see DePaul finally be above average again. It's a mixed-bag event right before Christmas.

DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC