Football is already in full swing this holiday weekend (click here for the guide), but don’t forget about key match-ups off the gridiron. Coach K & Co. hope to make a statement early in this NCAA basketball season, as the Duke Blue Devils take on Oregon. Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans will set out to prove why they’re ranked number two.
Dwight Howard and the Magic will test young John Wall (in his Reebok Zig Slashes) and the Wizards, and the road-struggling Heat will try to tame the Mavericks in Dallas.
Across the northern border, the Sharks take on the Canucks, and the Sabres battle the Canadiens. To top it off, David Beckham heads back to England with the L.A. Galaxy for a friendly match against the Newcastle Jets. Not a bad weekend for non-football-loving athletes.
*All times are Eastern Standard Time; availability and network channels depend on location. Highlighted games are STACK’s must-see matchups.
Times and channels are subject to change.
NCAA College Basketball Top 25
Friday
Miami of Ohio at #3 Ohio State: 4 p.m. on Local Channels Only
#10 Syracuse vs. Michigan: 7:30 p.m. on Local Channels Only
Texas Southern at #4 Kansas State: 8 p.m. on Local Channels Only
Ohio at #6 Kansas: 8 p.m. on ESPN Full Court
#8 Purdue vs. Southern Illinois: 8:30 p.m. on Local Channels Only
San Diego Christian at #22 San Diego State: 10 p.m. on Local Channels Only
Saturday
North Carolina-Asheville at #16 Georgetown: 12 p.m. on Local Channels Only
#19 Illinois at Western Michigan: 1 p.m. on ESPN3
Evansville at #23 Butler: 2 p.m. on Local Channels Only
#1 Duke at Oregon: 4 p.m. on Local Channels Only
Rice at #21 Texas: 4 p.m. on Local Channels Only
Penn at #5 Pittsburgh: 7 p.m. on ESPN3
Arizona at #6 Kansas: 10:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Sunday
Tennessee Tech at #2 Michigan State: 1 p.m. on Local Channels Only
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at #12 Missouri: 4 p.m. on ESPN Full Court
Charleston at #25 North Carolina: 5:30 p.m. on Local Channels Only
#14 Florida at Florida State: 7:30 p.m. on Local Channels Only
NBA [National Coverage Only]
Friday
Houston Rockets at Charlotte Bobcats: 7 p.m. on ESPN2
Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics: 7:30 p.m. on TSN
Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzles: 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Saturday
Orlando Magic at Washington Wizards: 7 p.m. on NBA TV
Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves: 8 p.m. on NBALP
Miami Heat at Dallas Mavericks: 8:30 p.m. on Sportsnet One
Chicago Bulls at Sacramento Kings: 10 p.m. on WGN
Sunday
Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets: 8 p.m. on The Score

Soccer
Saturday
L.A. Galaxy at Newcastle Jets: 3:30 a.m. on FSC
Arsenal at Aston Villa: 7:30 a.m. on ESPN2
Eintracht Frankfurt at Bayern Munich: 9:30 a.m. on GOLTV
Manchester City at Stoke City: 9:55 a.m. on FSP
Blackburn at Manchester United: 10 a.m. on FSC
Birmingham City at Fulham: 12 p.m. on FSC
AC Milan at Sampdoria: 12 p.m. on FSP
Villarreal at Zaragoza: 12 p.m. on GOLTV
Fiorentina at Juventus: 2:30 p.m. on FSC
Wigan at West Ham United: 5 p.m. on FSC
Everton at West Brom Albion: 6 p.m. on FSP
Sunday
Parma at Inter Milan: 6:30 a.m. on FSP
Chelsea at Newcastle United: 8:30 a.m. on FSP
Catania at Lazio: 9 a.m. on FSC
Liverpool at Tottenham: 11 a.m. on FSC
Wolfsburg at Cologne: 11:30 a.m. on GOLTV
Roma at Palermo: 2:30 p.m. on FSC
Paris Saint-Germain at Olympique Lyonnais: 3 p.m. on FSP
Almeria at Valencia: 3 p.m. on GOLTV
NHL [National Coverage Only]
Friday
Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres: 7:30 p.m. on TSN
Montreal Canadiens at Atlanta Thrashers: 7:30 p.m. on RDS
San Jose Sharks at Vancouver Canucks: 10 p.m. on TSN
Saturday
Buffalo Sabres at Montreal Canadiens: 7 p.m. on NHL Net
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators: 7 p.m. on CBC
San Jose Sharks at Edmonton Oilers: 10 p.m. on CBC

Golf
Friday
2010 European Tour Dubai World Championship: 10 a.m. on The Golf Channel
Saturday
2010 European Tour Dubai World Championship: 10 a.m. on The Golf Channel
Sunday
2010 European Tour Dubai World Championship: 10 a.m. on The Golf Channel