NCAA Basketball: 2021 ESPN Events Invitational preview and predictions

DETROIT - APRIL 03: A detail of a player from the Connecticut Huskies holding a basketball with the 2009 Final Four logo on it during practice prior to the Final Four of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at Ford Field on April 3, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

6 of 12

Iona Vs Hofstra /

Iona Gaels

Record: 5-0

The hiring of Rick Pitino by Iona last year not only created a lot of buzzes, it also paid immediate dividends. The Gaels won the MAAC and made the NCAA Tournament in his first season. They lost their two best scorers from last season, but Pitino has brought in a couple of impact transfers to fill the void. Tyson Jolly from SMU and Elijah Joiner from Tulsa have made quite a pair for Iona, averaging 25 points per game.

Nelly Junior Joseph and Dylan Van Eyck have also gotten off to fantastic starts. Van Eyck has been doing a little bit of everything for the Gaels, the 6-8 senior is averaging 12 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and even one steal and is torching the nets at a 62.5% clip.

Schedule wise Iona hasn’t shied away from tests, beating Appalachian State, Harvard, Hofstra, Atlantic Sun favorite Liberty, and North Alabama last time out 81-55. Defense is what has made Iona so successful over the last year-plus.

The Gaels rank 76th in the country in field-goal percentage defense and they are one of the best teams in the country at defending the three-point line, with opponents making just five per game, 36th best in the country and the 23% percentage they allow is 17th best. Considering some of the other teams in this tournament, defending the three will be important to their success.

Home/NCAA Basketball News