NCAA Basketball: 2021 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament preview

Favorite: Villanova

Despite the single loss, Villanova remains the highest-ranked team in the field and therefore, the favorite to win the competition. When playing at its best, the Wildcats have the highest ceiling of any of the four teams, as well as the best coach in Jay Wright. It won’t be easy, but Villanova’s boundless potential should be a big factor in this weekend’s tournament.

Sleeper: Tennessee

The teams in this tournament appear to be split into two tiers: the elite (Villanova/Purdue) and the really good (Tennessee/North Carolina). But the Vols haven’t played their best basketball yet. Chandler has been unbelievable and the program has been getting other contributions from unexpected sources, but John Fulkerson has been dealing with an injury and Victor Bailey Jr. is averaging just 7.5 points per game. Tennessee has room to grow, in other words.

Player to Watch: G Sasha Stefanovic, Purdue

Sasha Stefanovic is not that secret of a secret weapon for the Boilermakers. The senior is averaging 13.7 points per game through the team’s first three contests. He does the bulk of his damage from downtown, where he’s hitting 57.9 percent of his three-pointers this season. When he heats up, the Boilermakers are tough to slow down.