NCAA Basketball: 2019 Maui Invitational preview and predictions
Georgia Bulldogs 4-0
Tom Crean brought in a nationally-ranked recruiting class to Georgia, headlined by 6-5 guard Anthony Edwards who could be a potential No. 1 pick in the NBA draft and diminutive guard Sahvir Wheeler. The Bulldogs currently sit at 4-0, but Maui will be the first true test of the young Bulldogs, as their best win this season has come against Georgia Tech. Edwards and Wheeler have been everything Crean could’ve hoped and then some, averaging 29.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.8 assists, Edwards is even averaging 2.8 steals per game as well.
But, it’s not just the freshmen getting it done for Georgia, senior guard Tyree Crump has averaged 12.3 points and 2.5 rebounds and grad transfer Donnell Gresham, Jr. from Northeastern has added 8.8 points and six rebounds. Junior forward Rayshaun Hammonds has been a force on the glass pulling down a team-high 11 per game to go along with 17.3 points and 1.8 assists.
Dayton Flyers 3-0
The Dayton Flyers should be one of the contenders in a hotly-contested Atlantic 10 and the Flyers are currently 3-0 after a win over Omaha their last timeout. With Dayton in the Maui field, the country will get a look at one of the best-kept secrets in college basketball, Obi Toppin. The 6-9 sophomore forward from New York has been dominant for Anthony Grant’s team with 23.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game and scorching the nets at a 70% clip from the field.
Dayton has three other players averaging double figures this season with junior point guard Jalen Crutcher averaging 11 and dishing out 6.7 assists per contest. Fellow junior Rodney Chatman has stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.7 steals.
BYU Cougars 3-2
It’s Mark Pope’s first season as the head man at BYU, but his tenure got off to an auspicious start when star forward Yoeli Childs was suspended for the first nine games of the season for clerical errors when signing with an agent this offseason as he tested the NBA waters. The 6-8 senior was an All-WCC First Team member last season averaging over 21 points and nine rebounds.
The Cougars have had a couple of hiccups so far this season, falling to San Diego State and Boise State, but were able to pick up a solid win over a good Houston team in between. The 3-2 Cougars are led offensively by senior transfer, guard Jake Toolson who played for Pope at Utah Valley, the 6-5 Toolson is averaging 16 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. T.J. Haws has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Cougars during his career, and in his final season that continues as the 6-4, Haws has contributed 12 points, three rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
Two other key members of the Cougar offense so far have been senior Dalton Nixon and sophomore Connor Harding who have combined to deposit 15.6 points, grabbing 9.6 rebounds and hand out 3.4 assists per game. Sophomore Alex Barcello averaged three points per game last season and so far in 2019-20, the 6-2 guard has averaged 11.2, 3rd best on the team.
Chaminade Silverswords 2-0
The host Silverswords are 2-0 entering the marquee part of their schedule. Head Coach Eric Bovaird’s team has had two dominant wins over Alaska and Alaska-Anchorage by a combined 55 points. Redshirt-junior Tyler Cartaino has averaged 20.5 points and 5.5 rebounds and fellow redshirt-junior Telly Davenport has added 12.5 points, six assists, and 5.5 rebounds. The Silverswords have shot over 50% from the field while holding their opponents to just 32% while outrebounding them 48.5 to 29. Their tournament will obviously be a step up in competition, but the 2-0 hosts enter it on a high note.