Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: 2019 Legends Classic preview and predictions

By Austin Walther

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Anfernee McLemore #24 and Samir Doughty #10 of the Auburn Tigers react in the first half during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal against the Virginia Cavaliers at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Anfernee McLemore #24 and Samir Doughty #10 of the Auburn Tigers react in the first half during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal against the Virginia Cavaliers at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 08: Jacob Gilyard #0 of the Richmond Spiders dribbles against the Duquesne Dukes during the second half in the Second Round of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 8, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 08: Jacob Gilyard #0 of the Richmond Spiders dribbles against the Duquesne Dukes during the second half in the Second Round of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 8, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Favorite, sleeper, dark horse and the pressure is on

Favorite: Auburn

I might as well use four different categories since there are only four teams. The team that made the final four last season and is ranked 19th in the country should be the favorite. The competition hasn’t been the greatest for Auburn, but a 5-0 record going into the Legends Classic looks nice. Wisconsin would be Auburn’s most quality opponent.

In these types of Tournaments early in the season, you need to root for the competition as possible. Losing to Wisconsin looks better than beating New Mexico and Richmond. In five games, two guys have double-digit three-pointers. Samir Doughty and Daniel Purifoy set up point guard J’Von McCormick nice. Austin Wiley and Anfernee McLemore are great in the frontcourt.

Sleeper: New Mexico

If all that talent can start meshing then New Mexico will turn some heads at the Legends Classic. JaQuon Lyle has been a very nice addition to the Lobos. He’s scoring from anywhere on the court, dishing out passes and hauling in rebounds. But the offense isn’t the problem. There are four other Lobos averaging double-figures to Lyle’s 19 per game. New Mexico themselves are averaging 87. It’s the defensive side of the ball that needs improving. They are giving up an average of 73 per game.

JJ Caldwell, the transfer from Texas A&M is a superior defender and a great point guard. But besides him, the Lobos are struggling. Caldwell works as the primary point guard, but with how athletic Lyle is, the assists are being split. If New Mexico plays defense like they did against UTEP, the Lobos could go on a run in the Legends Classic.

Dark Horse: Richmond

Just like New Mexico, Richmond has a wonderful offense and an even worse defense. The Spiders are ranked top-five in offensive scoring and in the bottom 15 in defensive scoring. Richmond did go to overtime against St. Francis (PA) and Vanderbilt. The Red Flash are the favorites to win the Northeast Conference and the Commodores are an SEC team. But then they completely put away Cal State Northridge. The two mid-major teams in the Legends Classic have scored 90 or more in at least three games this season.

I touched on how dominant Jacob Gilyard and Nick Sherod have been. Blake Francis, a transfer from Wagner is averaging 18 points per game and is capable of hitting 100 three-pointers in a season. If this defense shows up in Brooklyn we could see a Richmond vs. New Mexico Championship at the Legends Classic.

Team with most Pressure: Wisconsin

No one really knows how this season for Wisconsin is going to go. It’s life after Ethan Happ. People still have the idea that the Badgers are an automatic to get to the NCAA Tournament. It was proven wrong the year after Nigel Hayes, Bronson Koenig, Zak Showalter, and Vitto Brown graduated. Last season was all Ethan Happ. This year has to be a balanced attack. Nate Reuvers is slowly turning into the next great big man at Wisconsin.

Something about Reuvers that Happ never had was his three-point shooting ability. But somehow Wisconsin needs a game plan where Brad Davison, D’Mitrik Trice, and Reuvers all work together. If that happens, Wisconsin can be really dangerous. Expectations will always be high in Madison because of all the NCAA Tournament appearances in recent history.

Home/NCAA Basketball News