NCAA Basketball: 2019 Las Vegas Invitational preview and predictions
By Jacob Shames
Main bracket teams
Creighton
The 4-1 Bluejays, ranked 51st in KenPom, haven’t beaten anyone ranked above 89th, so it’s understandable that they haven’t gotten much love so far. But in terms of sheer fun, Creighton ranks at the top of this tournament — it brings the country’s eighth-best offense, one that hits shots and doesn’t turn the ball over, while averaging a quick 15.6 seconds per possession.
The Bluejays share the ball, with six players between 19 and 27 percent in usage rate, and Ty-Shon Alexander, Mitch Ballock and Marcus Zegarowski all are scoring in the mid/high teens and shoot over 46 percent from downtown. Their clear weakness, however, is their size — Kevin Jones is their only rotation player above 6’7.
Iowa
Fans of offense can only hope they get a Bluejays-Hawkeyes matchup on Friday. Iowa is 4-1 and ranks five spots below Creighton in KenPom, one spot above Creighton in offense and a couple of ticks ahead in possession length. The Hawkeyes score 84 points a game and rank in the country’s top 40 in offensive rebound percentage, free throw rate and turnover rate, and versatile big man Luka Garza has become a star in his junior season, averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds in under 30 minutes a game. Jordan Bohannon, Joe Wieskamp and CJ Frederick bring plenty of shooting, but Iowa was dealt a blow this week when starting power forward Jack Nunge was ruled out for the year after tearing his ACL.
San Diego State
The Aztecs have stayed the same for years now, with grind-it-out tempo and elite defense their calling cards, and that’s been the case during their 6-0 start as well. San Diego State ranks just 65th in KenPom, as five of their six wins have come against teams ranked 162nd or lower. Against that weak competition, though, the Aztecs have looked elite, allowing 56 points a game and ranking 13th in opponents’ effective field goal percentage. They’re a good shooting team (37.3 percent from three) that takes care of the ball, and Washington State transfer Malachi Flynn (13.3 ppg, 5.7 apg) leads a balanced attack that has four players scoring in double figures.
Texas Tech
After losing the bulk of its national runner-up squad, the 12th-ranked Red Raiders, at 5-0 and 18th in KenPom, appear to have simply reloaded. They haven’t played anyone above 246th, but they’re beating teams by an average of 27 points per game. Thus far, Texas Tech is a slightly more up-tempo team than previous iterations under Chris Beard, thanks to a big-time backcourt led by stud freshman guard Jahmi’us Ramsey (19.4 ppg) and sharpshooter Davide Moretti (60 percent from deep).
TJ Holyfield, a transfer from Stephen F. Austin, has added 13.8 points per game and beef down low. The Red Raiders are still elite on defense, ranking ninth in the country, and assist on a nation-best 72 percent of their baskets.