Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: 2018 Diamond Head Classic preview and predictions

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Head coach Jamie Dixon of the TCU Horned Frogs reacts during the first half against the Syracuse Orange in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Head coach Jamie Dixon of the TCU Horned Frogs reacts during the first half against the Syracuse Orange in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images /

The Diamond Head Classic is the final early season tournament of the non-conference schedule. Who will be standing as champion on Christmas?

The Diamond Head Classic is traditionally held in the week leading up to Christmas, making it the last early-season tournament of the national non-conference schedule and serving as a final tune-up before the eight respective teams enter conference play.

It’s also the only major non-conference tournament that is not played during Feast Week (around Thanksgiving), which helps elevate its profile late in December.

The tournament, run and operated by ESPN Events, has been played annually on the University of Hawaii’s campus annually since 2009 with both a winner’s and loser’s bracket, ensuring every team gets to play three games while they’re there.

This year’s field features both quality power conference teams in Colorado and TCU along with high-profile mid-major programs in Bucknell, Charlotte, Indiana State, Hawaii (the host), Rhode Island, and UNLV.

Which program will give themselves a major boost at the end of their non-conference schedule? Here’s a full preview for the tournament and predictions for every game in the winner’s bracket.