NCAA Basketball: 2021 Maui Invitational preview and predictions

Day 3 predictions

7th place game: Texas A&M vs. Chaminade

6:00 p.m. PT, ESPNU

Chaminade can keep this game close. As previously mentioned, Texas A&M has struggled to score with very little offensive firepower. The Aggies are also relatively inexperienced and are not a particularly large or athletically dominant team. That said, I still like the Aggies to pull this one out, although Chaminade could keep it close well into the second half.

Pick: Texas A&M

5th place game: Butler vs. Saint Mary’s

8:30 p.m. PT, ESPN2

Saint Mary’s experience and defensive ability could overwhelm a Butler team that has dealt with injuries and struggles to score. Randy Bennett’s Gaels might not win the Maui Invitational, but they will walk out of it with a winning record in the event.

Pick: Saint Mary’s

3rd place game: Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin

11:30 a.m. PT, ESPN2

Mike Brey’s Fighting Irish are too experienced and have too much offensive potential for a Wisconsin team that is pretty much the exact opposite. The Badgers’ best shot to win this game will be if they can successfully slow it down and make it ugly, but even then their own half-court execution offensively leaves serious questions.

Pick: Notre Dame

Championship: #12 Oregon vs. #15 Houston

2:00 p.m. PT, ESPN

Oregon’s offense and Dana Altman standing on the sideline make them a difficult team to pick against. That said, Houston’s offense actually ranks higher than Oregon’s nationally by adjusted efficiency, not to mention their top-five defense.

Once again, Marcus Sasser will be the best player on the court, and Kelvin Sampson has effectively hypnotized me into being virtually unable to pick against Houston.

Maui Invitational Champion: Houston Cougars