Nov. 26 | Preseason NIT Final Four | ESPN.com's Preseason NIT coverage

	Nick Collison and his teammates have overcome plenty.

NEW YORK -- Here we are again, spending another Thanksgiving in New York City. There are all sorts of celebrations going on, including the big Macy's parade.

There's also another big hoop celebration, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it again this season. The Preseason NIT has had special moments over the years, and I'll be spending Turkey Day in the Big Apple along with the four teams in this year's Final Four: Florida, Stanford, North Carolina and Kansas.

While I miss being with my family down in Sarasota, Fla., this is a basketball junkie's delight. It's always great to be at the mecca of college basketball, Madison Square Garden. We'll see some big-time basketball clashes Wednesday night as Florida faces Stanford in the first semifinal game (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2), followed by North Carolina vs. Kansas (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The championship game is slated for Friday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

North Carolina-Kansas (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
This contest features two traditional powers that have succeeded the right way. Players graduate, no NCAA violations -- these are two classy programs going head-to-head.

North Carolina coach Matt Doherty goes against one of his mentors, Roy Williams. Doherty played for the Tar Heels when Williams was an assistant under legendary Tar Heels coach Dean Smith. And Doherty was one of Williams' assistants in Lawrence. A former Long Island high school star, Doherty played a role in recruiting some of Williams' current players, including senior stars Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich.

Carolina will need an A-plus performance from its trio of diaper dandies -- Rashad McCants, Raymond Felton and Sean May -- to offset a Kansas attack that is one of the best in the nation. The Jayhawks have, in my opinion, the best starting five in America. They have size, scoring, ball-handling, defense and mental toughness.

You won't see a better duo in America than Collison and Hinrich. And sophomore guard Keith Langford is off to a sizzling start, hitting 17-of-19 shots from the floor in wins over Holy Cross and UNC-Greensboro.

Can the young Tar Heels meet this test? Felton must run the show at point guard and his team must execute its offense. He has a world of talent, but he will be challenged by Kansas sophomore guard Aaron Miles. May, the freshman forward, must be effective in the three-second area against the physical Jayhawks. McCants, the explosive freshman guard, must get easy points in transition. And sophomore forward Jawad Williams has to come up big on the glass.

UNC-KU should be an interesting matchup with plenty of emotion for Williams and Doherty. Many in Chapel Hill were heartbroken when Williams turned down his alma mater and couldn't walk away from the Jayhawk program. Loyalty and comfort made Williams say no to the temptation of returning to one of the best places in college basketball, North Carolina.

Williams has said that people in North Carolina don't understand how special Kansas is, and people in Lawrence don't always understand how special it is in Chapel Hill.

Florida-Stanford (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Forward Matt Walsh and point guard Anthony Roberson, Florida's diaper dandies, have lived up to their billing. They've been brilliant. In his first three performances, Walsh (21.7 ppg) has exceeded even what coach Billy Donovan expected.

Roberson has stardom written all over him. He finished second to Michigan State's Paul Davis in the voting for Mr. Basketball in Michigan last year. Roberson has dazzled from the moment he stepped on the practice floor in Gainesville. And the best freshman on the Gators' roster might be 6-foot-8 Christian Drejer, who is sidelined with a high ankle sprain. Many observers feel he could be the best of the three. Wow!

The big question for Florida vs. Stanford is the status of senior guard Brett Nelson. Will he be able to perform in NYC, providing leadership and experience? That's what the Gators need as the young kids face the pressure of playing in the Big Apple.

Florida hasn't received an All-American performance from senior forward Matt Bonner yet. Bonner had just four points in wins over Louisiana Tech and Coastal Carolina. Donovan shouldn't be too concerned, because Bonner will perform in the big games. He's an inside-outside threat and one of the premier players in the nation.

The Gators have been getting excellent play on the glass from sophomore forward David Lee, who has been solid on the interior. Florida is exciting, talented and capable of making the 3-pointer -- and its defense has been superb. When you speak about defense, the Secretary of Defense in Gainesville is senior guard Justin Hamilton. Hamilton has been brilliant, and Donovan says he's the most versatile defender in the nation. He better have his A-game going, because he will be tested at the Garden.

Florida must shut down Stanford's 3-point attack. The Cardinal team is dangerous from the perimeter. If you don't believe me, just ask Rice. Stanford hit 14-of-27 trifectas against the Owls, thanks to senior Julius Barnes (8-of-11) and junior Matt Lottich (6-of-10). In the wins over Boston University and Xavier, Barnes struggled big-time. He found his touch against Rice, and Stanford needs his firepower to upset the Gators.

Sophomore guard Josh Childress, a slashing player on offense, must step up as he did against Boston University and Xavier. The Cardinal must protect the basketball -- Barnes and Lottich must handle the rock against the Florida pressure. Stanford coach Mike Montgomery is a brilliant strategist who will work diligently on attacking the Gators' press.

Four outstanding programs with great success over the years seek the gold trophy at the mecca, Madison Square Garden. It should be a festive atmosphere for the holiday season -- and a delight for basketball fans everywhere, baby!