NCAA Basketball: Previewing the 2017 Diamond Head Classic
Matchups and teams to watch out for
Best first round matchup: NMSU v Davidson
The most evenly matched opening round game is between Davidson and New Mexico State. Davidson has a star player (Aldridge) and one of the most underrated freshmen in the country (Kellan Grady), but have had a slow start to the season. The Wildcats dropped a game at Appalachian State which will come back to bite them since the A-10 will not offer many quality win opportunities.
Defeating NMSU would qualify as their best win by far but it will be no easy task. The Aggies are the projected favorites in the WAC and have a talented group of veterans. Well-traveled grad-transfer Zach Lofton is their leading scorer and springy forward Jemerrio Jones is one of the best rebounders in the country, especially for someone his size.
The bracket for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic on the @ESPN networks is out! https://t.co/KQ1NgQrkpa pic.twitter.com/mcrreE32L9
— Princeton Men’s Basketball (@PrincetonMBB) July 26, 2017
Best chance to pull off upset: Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee was expected to take a step back after losing a pair of extremely talented players in JaCorey Williams and Reggie Upshaw, but the addition of Nick King has made them dangerous once again. The Blue Raiders also return sharpshooting guard Giddy Potts who is known for his explosive scoring outbursts. Center Brandon Walters has also made a huge jump from role player to double-figure scorer.
MTSU has played well to start the season and has already knocked off multiple SEC squads. Unfortunately, those wins over Ole Miss and Vanderbilt will not be enough for at-large consideration, but there are quality win opportunities in this tournament. The Blue Raiders have the best chance to knock off USC or Miami due to their collection of talented veterans who have previously played in high leverage situations. A win over Miami or USC would provide a major boost to their resume.
It is also worth noting that Hawaii will have home court advantage and a time zone advantage throughout the tournament. Do not be surprised if the Rainbow Warriors pick off an unsuspecting team.