NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 8 teams in 2021 ESPN Events Invitational

NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 8 teams in the 2021 ESPN Events Invitational

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 27: Kevin Obanor #0 of the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles and Jaylin Williams #10 of the Arkansas Razorbacks jump for the opening tip off in the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 27, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

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ESPN Events Invitational NCAA Basketball North Texas Mean Green head coach Grant McCasland Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

7. North Texas Mean Green

The Mean Green knocked off one of the favorites to make a run in March in the opening round of the tournament last season. Some guys will be out of the fold but still some serious talent on this team. Head coach Grant McCasland will have his boys right near the top of the Conference USA standings once again.

Thomas Bell and Mardez McBride are will be bringing back a combined 27 points a game. The two will be the focal points offensively with Javon Hamlet now out of the field. Hamlet really opened things up offensively last year for this team. Bell and McBride will now have to initiate their own looks and generate more space for their ancillary players.

Regardless of who is on the court, coach McCasland will have his boys playing tough physical defense and limiting the number of looks for opposing offenses. As long as the offense can score above 65, North Texas will always be in the game.

Now down low could be an issue. Outside of Abou Osumane, the frontcourt is very slim. This is already a team that finished 12th in CUSA rebounding a year ago. Granted it wasn’t much of an issue against Purdue but I am sure coach McCasland would love some major steps from his young frontcourt players.

I really don’t think North Texas will finishing ahead of Miami when it comes to Kenpom when the season concludes. But riding the high of last season’s NCAA tournament win and the bleak roster Miami returns, I do think the McCasland’s bunch fares out better than the south Florida bunch.

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