NCAA Basketball: 2018 NIT Season Tip-Off preview and predictions

 Participants in NIT Season Tip-Off

Louisville Cardinals (3-0)

So far so good for Chris Mack at Louisville. Mack already has an incredible incoming recruiting class for 2019-20, but there is a lot to like about this current mixture of new and young faces. And even though the Cards haven’t been tested with crazy good competition yet, it has allowed the team to sort out some early rust and come into New York a more confident bunch.

Sophomore Jordan Nwora has been impressive so far averaging 18 ppg and 6.3 rpg while coming off the bench. Darius Perry and Ryan McMahon have combined for a nice 10 of 18 from beyond the arc while Steven Enoch and Malik Williams have been extremely efficient inside the paint. Last season’s only returning starter, VJ King, has also been solid. Mack has this group playing hard. The question is can they play consistent enough to score victories over teams with more experience?

Tennessee Volunteers (3-0)

Tennessee was a really good basketball team last season, and this year they might be better. Coach Barnes has the luxury of roles primarily already being established from last season. Grant Williams has improved his perimeter skills, making him nearly an impossible player to guard 1 v 1 and cementing his place as one of the best players in the country.

Kyle Alexander uses his long 6’11 frame to wipe away shots and give the Volunteers some easy buckets inside. The trio of Jordan Bone, Admiral Schofield, and Jordan Bowden are all adept defenders with the ability to knock down shots and slash into the paint. If that’s not enough, there’s a solid chance UT will get even deeper with the hopeful return of Lamonte Turner. As a whole, Tennessee prefers to play a little slower but also has the ability to collect some points in transition. This team has cruised to three easy wins so far but should be tested greatly here.

Marquette Golden Eagles (3-1)

The biggest question coming into this season for the Golden Eagles was about the defense. So far it’s been a mixed bag for Coach Wojo’s team. Besides allowing Indiana to pop off 96 points at Assembly Hall last week, Marquette has shown improvement on the defensive side ranking 56th in Adj-D per kenpom so far this season as opposed to 182nd last year.

There’s no question Marquette can put up phenomenal offensive outings. Marcus Howard is one of the best scorers in the country and has the potential to take over games. Sam and Joey Hauser can also really hurt defenses with an ability to knock down shots. The emergence of 6’9 sophomore Theo John as a rim protector could be big for the Golden Eagles moving forward. Bottom line is this group is capable of getting buckets in spurts and should be highly entertaining to watch.

Kansas Jayhawks (3-0)

Probably not many people expected Lagerald Vick to be leading the team in scoring through the first few games this season. The senior decided to return to Kansas after seriously considering a move to the NBA or transferring elsewhere. Vick’s hot start is surely unsustainable, but his 22.5 ppg on 15-24 (62.5%) three-point shooting is a ridiculous feat thus far.

Whatever may come of Vick’s sharp shooting spree, KU has plenty of other weapons. Freshman Quentin Grimes looked fantastic in KU’s opening win vs. Michigan State dropping a game high 21 points. Devon Dotson, the other highly touted youngster, has shown some really nice flashes and will likely be counted on more as the season unfolds. Ultimately though, the performance of Udoka Azubuike and Dedric Lawson and their potential to dominate the paint could decide just how good Kansas is.