NCAA Basketball: 2018 Hall of Fame Tip-Off preview and predictions

A solid group of teams makes up the 2018 Hall of Fame Tip-Off field. Who is the most likely to come home with the title?

The Basketball Hall of Fame has an annual event at the start of each season, called the ” Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament“. It’s the only non-conference tournament that takes place in the New England region, located in the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The event has been taking place since 2011 when the Kentucky Wildcats took the inaugural title. Although it’s a four-team field in the main bracket, there’s always been solid teams that have participated yearly.

That’s the case again, with the 2018 NCAA Tournament runner-up Michigan Wolverines headlining the group. They’re joined by Providence, who won the Hall of Fame Tip-Off in 2014, as well as South Carolina and George Washington.

Those teams make up the Naismith Bracket and will be deciding who wins the title this season. The teams who make up the Springfield bracket include Holy Cross, Norfolk State, Stony Brook, and Siena. Since the MAAC is the sponsor of the event, a representative (Siena this season) always gets to participate.

The SeaWolves of Stony Brook have already made waves in this event, upsetting both George Washington and South Carolina on the road. They’re the odds-on favorite to win the Springfield bracket.

When it comes to the Naismith bracket, there’s a good chance that all four teams will head into the event with at least one loss. The Colonials, Gamecocks, and Friars have all suffered defeats while the Wolverines have a game against the No. 8 team in the country Villanova Wildcats on the road.

That being said, this still should be a fun tournament to watch with the teams involved needing some wins. Here’s a breakdown of each program.