Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: 2021 Diamond Head Classic preview and predictions

By Cooper Watson

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 8: Trevin Knell #21 of the BYU Cougars shoots a three-pointer over RJ Eytle-Rock #5 of the Utah State Aggies during the first half December 8, 2021 at the J. Willard Marriott Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 8: Trevin Knell #21 of the BYU Cougars shoots a three-pointer over RJ Eytle-Rock #5 of the Utah State Aggies during the first half December 8, 2021 at the J. Willard Marriott Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 7
Next
Head coach Jerod Haase of the Stanford Cardinal NCAA Basketball (Photo by Bob Drebin/ISI Photos/Getty Images).
Head coach Jerod Haase of the Stanford Cardinal NCAA Basketball (Photo by Bob Drebin/ISI Photos/Getty Images). /

South Florida

South Florida had 10 players transfer away this offseason and boy has it showed. The Bulls are 4-5 to start the season but have yet to beat a team ranked in the top 260 of KenPom. They also have a home loss to a South Carolina State team that was previously 0-7.

USF ranks in the top 100 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency but is in the bottom 30 in offensive efficiency, per KenPom. This is a team that shoots 23.8% from three, good for No. 355 in the country.

In an event filled with offensively inclined teams, South Florida quite simply does not fit.

Stanford

Stanford is 6-0 at home but 0-3 on the road and 0-1 on a neutral court to start the season. That certainly does not bode well for a trip to Hawaii where they will play multiple neutral games.

Stanford is led by junior F Jaiden Delair (12.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG) and 5-star freshman Harrison Ingram (12.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.4 APG).

They rank in the top 5 in average height and are an excellent rebounding team, but have struggled defensively in their losses. On the season they rank in the bottom 100 nationally in opponent eFG%, 2P%, 3P%, and forced turnover rate.

Vanderbilt

There was some hope surrounding Vanderbilt this offseason after the return of PG Scotty Pippen Jr. (17.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG). That hope has been quickly shut down with losses to SMU and Temple as well as a home loss to VCU in which they scored 39 points.

Still, Vandy has potential largely because of their defense which ranks in the top 50 nationally in opponent eFG%, 2P%, and forced turnover rate.  The concerns offensively center around their 3-point shooting which sits at just 30.0% or No. 282 nationally.

Vanderbilt is capable of stringing together some nice wins, but I certainly would not bet on it given their streaky shooting to start the season.

Wyoming

Wyoming has been one of the most pleasantly surprising mid-major teams in the country to start the season, sitting at 9-1 with their only loss coming on the road against No. 8 Arizona.

The Cowboys are elite offensively, ranking No. 14 nationally in 2P% and No. 38 in eFG%. They also have the twelfth lowest turnover rate in the country. This is a team that plays at a slow pace and takes care of the ball—not an easy system to play against.

Jeff Linder’s squad is led by a lethal duo featuring freshman F Graham Ike (19.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG) and junior G Hunter Maldonado (16.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 5.2 APG). The one thing Wyoming does not have is depth, with all five starters averaging 28+ minutes per game and only two bench players that get consistent playing time. That said, depth is overrated in college basketball barring injuries. Wyoming has a talented seven-man rotation that has already pulled off quality road wins over Washington and Grand Canyon. They also have a win over a Utah Valley team that had beaten BYU in the game prior.

Wyoming is capable of winning not just their opener against Stanford, but of winning this entire tournament if they can defend with consistency.

Home/NCAA Basketball News