With the start of college football right around the corner, some fans may be setting aside some extra cash for a bowl week vacation. But as fun as a trip to the Sun Belt can be in January, I don’t think enough sports’ fans appreciate college basketball’s holiday tournaments.

Where else in sports can you see your team compete three times in four days (regardless of whether they win or lose), sit within 20 rows of the court at all times, make the player’s parents smile by joining the small cheering section, and enjoy all the perks of a tropical vacation?

Of course, for some fans the choice of a bowl vacation or holiday tournament may depend on the quality of the teams. And while I’m no expert on the upcoming college football season, now that the preseason football rankings have been released I can make my case. For many teams, the holiday basketball tournament is the better choice.

Arizona – NIT Tipoff, November 29th and 30th 

Pros: While it is fun to see a team integrate new players, this is even more enjoyable when the team is winning. And Arizona should be able to do exactly that. Everyone wants to see freshmen phenoms Aaron Gordon and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson play against college competition. But watching to see how much of a sophomore year leap Kaleb Tarczewski and Brandon Ashley have made is equally important. And it will be interesting to see whether transfer PG TJ McConnell’s great stats at Duquesne translate to the Pac-12.

Other Thoughts: Perhaps because of the excitement for those players, I don’t think enough people are raving about guard Nick Johnson. Johnson was a lights out three point shooter, above average passer, solid driver, and outstanding steal artist last season. And as the 22nd ranked player in the 2011 high school class, it isn’t like he has the pedigree of a glue guy. Is it possible for a player to be a star and also be the least exciting reason to watch this team?

Cons: In a normal year, Arizona basketball wins hands down over football. But New York City is a bit of a long flight for only two games, and the NIT bracket is an elimination format. That means if Arizona loses a home game in the first two rounds the Wildcats won’t even make the trip to New York. If it weren’t for that uncertainty, this would be a slam dunk. It also hurts that the football team is receiving a few votes in the preseason polls. If the football team ends up in a quality bowl, this could be a harder decision than in a normal year.

Bottom Line: With only two night games in New York, that’s just more time to see a Broadway show or take in some other evening entertainment. The possibility of Duke vs Arizona at Madison Square Garden is just too good to pass up.

Oklahoma St – Old Spice Classic, November 28th to December 1st

Pros: Last year Trey Burke returned to Michigan and the Wolverines had one of the most exciting seasons in over a decade. The expectations for Oklahoma St. point guard Marcus Smart are just as high.

Other Thoughts: Sometimes it can be hard to pull off crazy dunks against conference opponents. Everyone has seen Markel Brown in conference play, and no Big 12 coach wants to see him slip to the basket for a ridiculous alley-oop. But in a tournament format like this, teams have very little opportunity to scout each other. The chances of Brown sneaking behind the defense for the dunk-of-the-year are high.

Cons: Oklahoma St. might be the favorite in Big 12 football this year. The chance to go to a BCS Bowl might be too good to make plans for a basketball trip.

Bottom Line: Rare is the player who passes up being a Top 5 NBA pick for another year of college. Fans need to enjoy every minute of Smart’s season. And a quick visit to the theme parks in Orlando should get the rest of the family on board.

Iowa – Battle 4 Atlantis, November 28th to 30th

Pros: It has been awhile since Iowa basketball has been more relevant than Iowa football, but that era may be about to begin. The long rebuild under Fran McCaffrey should be paying off this season. Last year’s NIT runner-up squad loses only one quality rotation player and with Top 100 recruits Mike Gessell and Adam Woodbury making the sophomore year leap to stardom, this team seems poised for a return to NCAA tournament glory.

Other Thoughts: Iowa fans may be waiting for an NCAA tournament run, but you want to see a team like Iowa early in the year. They don’t necessarily have the most talent in the country, but their experience might be enough for them to beat some better teams early in the year. Tennessee will be breaking in a new PG, and Kansas will be integrating an entirely new rotation. And even though Iowa might not be more skilled than those teams, early in the year they could surprise a Kansas-level team with their hard work and knowledge of the game.

Cons: Iowa doesn’t have an easy bracket draw. While that should give them the opportunity to pad their NCAA resume, it could also lead to a heart-breaking trip if the team plays poorly.

Bottom Line: For Kansas fans the trip to the Bahamas is a no brainer. For Iowa fans, the basketball team has been an afterthought in recent years. That is coming to an end.

Baylor – Maui Invitational, November 25th to 27th

Pros: Obviously Isaiah Austin is worth the price of admission. And given all the talent in the 2014 NBA Draft, Austin has every incentive to give 100 percent this season. But I’m equally excited to see whether Ricardo Gathers breaks out as a sophomore, and to see highly ranked freshmen Allerik Freeman and Ishmail Wainwright take the floor.

Other Thoughts: Is the location a pro or con here? Hawaii is unbelievable, but I can’t see myself flying across the ocean, paying Maui’s pricey hotel fees, and then heading into a gym to watch basketball. I’d rather spend the time exploring waterfalls or watching the sunrise at Haleakala.

Cons: Brady Heslip struggled last year, Gary Franklin only posted good shooting numbers last year because he never shot, and while JUCO PG Kenny Fred-Chery is solid, he doesn’t have Pierre Jackson’s credentials. That weakness in the backcourt could keep this team from winning the tournament.

Bottom Line: I seriously doubt Baylor will follow Texas’ lead and lose the opening game to Chaminade. That “bye” should make Baylor the prohibitive favorite. And while Scott Drew often wins the recruiting battles, but loses the X’s and O’s component of the game, that can be muted in these early season events. Scott Drew’s team could be at its best here.

Maryland – Paradise Jam, November 22nd to 25th

Pros: Yes, this is partly about seeing Michigan transfer Evan Smotrycz make an impact with his lights out three point shooting. Yes, this is partly about seeing prized recruit Roddy Peters in action for the first time. But what this is really about is watching a core of six Top 100 athletes take the first steps towards Mark Turgeon’s vision. Maryland has no seniors on the roster this year. And in March of 2015, Maryland fans will want to say they watched this team grow from the beginning.

Other Thoughts: Despite Maryland’s youth, there isn’t a team in this tournament that Maryland can’t beat. Providence is athletic, but equally young. Vanderbilt had a number of key players leave the team this off-season. La Salle must replace leading scorer Ramon Galloway. And these games mean something. Given the depth of the ACC this year, having a few neutral site wins could be the difference between the NCAA and NIT for Maryland.

Cons: Depth is an issue for the Terrapins. As we saw with Shaquille Cleare missing the team’s trip to the Bahamas, a few early injuries or academic problems could make three games in four days problematic.

Bottom Line: It is a bit unfair to compare Maryland basketball and football. Obviously the basketball is always the more attractive draw, but given the youth on this team, I can see a number of people deciding to pass on this year’s team. That is a mistake. The best time to cheer for a team is when the roster is young and your expectations are low. Even with a young roster, Maryland can start to put together an NCAA resume in the Virgin Islands.

Wisconsin – Cancun Challenge, November 26th and 27th

Pros: The Badgers lose a ton of production in its front-court, but the replacements are well worth the price of admission. Sam Dekker is a special athlete who should become a star in Bo Ryan’s system. And Frank Kaminsky was unbelievably efficient (122 ORtg) in limited minutes off the bench last season. The team also welcomes back Josh Gasser from injury. With a strong returning core that includes lights out shooter Ben Brust, watching Wisconsin build chemistry should be extremely fun.

Other Thoughts: With St. Louis and West Virginia in the tournament, Dekker and Kaminsky should be challenged physically. The games may end up being ugly defensive battles, but that also might make for some buzzer beaters in this tournament.

Cons: The Cancun Challenge is only a 4-team bracket down in Cancun, so you only get to see the Badgers twice. The football team is also ranked, so a New Year’s Day Bowl game is definitely a possibility.

Bottom Line: Wisconsin basketball and football is often a tough call. But with head coach Bret Bielema leaving the football team this off-season, it is worth taking a trip and sitting in the front row to fall in love with Dekker’s game.