NCAA Basketball: 2021 Maui Invitational preview and predictions

No. 15 Houston and No. 12 Oregon are the favorites, but there are several teams that could pull off upsets.

Houston is the clear favorite to win the 2021 Maui Invitational, but I’m not ready to write off Oregon from that elite category just yet. While the blowout loss to BYU is concerning, their pride will hopefully give them an eagerness to prove themselves this week. Also, let’s just be real, a team with their level of talent coached by Dana Altman just has to be in the mix at the top.

Notre Dame’s offensive potential and shooting make them a dangerous sleeper pick. The Fighting Irish rank tenth nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and twenty-third in 3-point rate. Even in the down years, Mike Brey’s half-court offense has been a thing of beauty. If the Irish continue to emphasize defense and are able to guard consistently, there is no reason why they can’t upset Houston or Oregon and win this tournament.

Butler and Wisconsin in particular need to perform well this week given their early losses as well as the expectations placed on their head coaches. Whether the comparisons are fair or not, both LaVall Jordan (Butler) and Greg Gard (Wisconsin) have underachieved in comparison with their predecessors. A loss to Houston or Oregon or even a competitive loss to Notre Dame would not be the end of the world, but neither team can really afford consistent struggles across multiple rounds in this event.

Saint Mary’s is a team that would benefit greatly from a quality performance this week. After being ranked in the AP Top 25 pretty consistently from 2016-18, the Gaels have slipped slightly the last few seasons. This year’s squad is capable of returning to that elite mid-major status, and they have the perfect chance to make it happen with the quality opportunities in front of them in Las Vegas.