NCAA Basketball: 2019 Las Vegas Invitational preview and predictions

Predictions

Both opening-round contests are a clash of playing style: The Hawkeyes take on the Red Raiders in the first game at 8 p.m. Eastern, with the Aztecs and Bluejays to follow.

Texas Tech hasn’t had to break a sweat yet this season, but it will have to do so against Iowa. KenPom gives the Red Raiders a 67 percent chance of winning with a final score of 76-71, and it’s hard to argue against it — although if Bohannon or Wieskamp (29 percent from 3-point range so far) gets going, it could be a totally different story.

Creighton vs. San Diego State will come down to whoever can assert themselves most and control the pace of the game. If the Bluejays turn it into a track meet, the Aztecs probably don’t have what it takes to keep up. However, SDSU’s size inside, with 6’10 Yanni Wetzell, 6’10 Nathan Mensah and burly 6’6, 240-pound swingman Matt Mitchell, might be too much for Creighton to handle. KenPom gives Creighton a 57 percent chance, with a projected score of 68-66.

I’ll take Texas Tech and Creighton in the championship game, as the Red Raiders are simply a better team than Iowa, while Alexander, Ballock and Zegarowski don’t need much to get hot and sink the Aztecs. In the third-place game, Garza exploits the Aztecs’ bigs with his outside game and leads the Hawkeyes to a win, while the Red Raiders win the whole thing as Ramsey, Moretti, Edwards and Shannon outduel the Bluejays’ bombers.

Tennessee State beats Cal Poly, North Florida beats LIU, and the Ospreys beat the Tigers to win the bottom bracket. The Sharks take third by beating the Mustangs.