NCAA Basketball: Takeaways from 2020 Maui Invitational Tournament

North Carolina Tar Heels – Lack of shooting is a concern

What we saw in the Champions Classic doubleheader were four highly talented programs unable to shoot the basketball from distance. You can add the Tar Heels to that group, shooting 1/9 from three-point range in the loss to Texas. Add the 18/32 shooting from the charity stripe and it doesn’t matter how much you can out-rebound the opponent.

Caleb Love and RJ Davis are quality guards but so far, only Davis has proven to be a good outside shooter. It affects the frontcourt, as teams can sag off the guards on the perimeter and double them down low. If North Carolina wants to maximize its elite depth of forwards and centers, they’ll have to have the spacing to do so. And a big part of that will both Lover and fellow starter Leaky Black proving to be threats to shoot it.

Texas Longhorns – Longhorns are for real… finally

Few head coaches were viewed to be on the hot seat as much as Shaka Smart. But with a new hairdo and a veteran roster, things seem to be aligning well for the program. With forward Will Baker having transferred out and guard Jase Febres still out after last season’s injury, the Longhorns have a clear rotation that works for everyone.

Guards Matt Coleman, Courtney Ramey, and Andrew Jones are each having career years, with Coleman having a game-high 22 points in the title game against North Carolina. Greg Brown and Kai Jones have been quality frontcourt players inside, while sophomore forward Brock Cunningham has been a swiss army knife or the Longhorns.

There’s real depth on this roster and the offensive issues currently look to be a thing of the past. With all the experience Texas Basketball has, this may be the year they finally reach expectations. And if things keep going this well, West Virginia, Baylor, and Kansas will have another legit contender to deal with.