One of the most highly anticipated early-season college basketball events will take place on Friday evening at the capital city of Maryland in a doubleheader between four well-respected programs.
This year's Veterans Classic will feature a showdown between Wichita State and Providence, both of which are coming off NCAA Tournament appearances last season. The Shockers and Friars are both rebuilding, however, after the latter lost Jalen Lindsey, Kyron Cartwright and Rodney Bullock, among others. The former brings back Markis McDuffie, an NBA prospect, but is looking to replace the production left behind by starters Landry Shamet, Conner Frankamp, Zach Brown, Rashard Kelly and Shaq Morris.
The nightcap of the event will feature host Navy taking on Maryland. The Terps missed the Big Dance last season, and while they lost Kevin Huerter to the NBA, they bring back star big man Bruno Fernando along with rising star Anthony Cowan and one-and-done candidate Jalen Smith, and have realistic optimism of challenging for returning to the NCAA Tournament.
How to watch Wichita State vs. Providence
- When: Friday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. ET
- Where: Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Maryland
- TV: CBS Sports Network (Channel finder or authenticate through your provider and stream online)
- Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Game prediction, pick
Latest odds via SportsLine: Providence -4.5
Yes, Providence lost a lot from last season, and yes, so too did Wichita State. But for my money, I'm rolling with Gregg Marshall's Shockers. They have a ton of question marks and are hugely inexperienced, but he's proven to be remarkably consistent during his tenure with WSU. Pick: Wichita State +4.5
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How to watch Maryland vs. Navy
- When: Friday, Nov. 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Maryland
- TV: CBS Sports Network (Channel finder or authenticate through your provider and stream online)
- Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Game prediction, pick
Latest odds via SportsLine: Maryland -15
Put simply, Maryland is the best team in this game and the best team in the event by a wide margin. After barely squeezing out a season-opening win over lowly Delaware, I suspect the Terrapins will come out looking to prove a point. Poor Navy. Pick: Maryland -15
