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NCAA Basketball: 2018 Las Vegas Initational preview and predictions

By Austin Walther

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 18: Luke Maye #32 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs down court against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 18, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 18: Luke Maye #32 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs down court against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 18, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Texas Longhorns directs his team during the first half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils during the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational presented by State Farm at the Moda Center on November 24, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Texas Longhorns directs his team during the first half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils during the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational presented by State Farm at the Moda Center on November 24, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

This is probably the best field of four the Las Vegas Invitational has ever seen as Michigan State, North Carolina, UCLA and Texas will all be heading out to Sin City over Thanksgiving for some good basketball.

For the first time since 2012, all four teams are from a power-conference are in the Las Vegas Invitational. I’m excluding the Atlantic 10, West Coast, Mountain West, Missouri Valley and Conference USA. Three out of the four teams are ranked in the top-25. We have two hall of fame coaches while the other two have pretty good pedigrees.

Last season featured Xavier, Arizona State, Kansas State and George Washington. The Sun Devils owned the first half of the season and won the whole thing. They beat the Musketeers who were a number on seed and the Wildcats were in the elite eight. The last three seasons, the only ranked team in the Las Vegas Invitational failed to win the Championship. It’s going to be different this year when only one isn’t ranked.

Illinois and Kansas have both won two titles in the past. The Illini has made three appearances and the Jayhawks came out victorious in each time they have been out in Vegas. UCLA did win it back in 2013 as it seems there’s a different conference coming out on top each year.

North Carolina is the highest ranked team at No. 7 in the AP poll. They’re 4-0 and will be seeing its toughest competition yet. Michigan State only dropped to No. 11 after falling to Kansas on opening night a couple weeks ago. UCLA is a quiet 3-0 and is ranked No. 17. Texas is also undefeated at 4-0 and is receiving 23 votes in this week’s AP Poll.

The field is not going to disappoint this year. We have the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC and Pac-12. There’s plenty to talent that will be on display in Vegas over Thanksgiving so if you’re looking to watch something other than football, pop on theLas Vegas Invitational and have some fun.

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