Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early ranking of 2022 PK85 Invitational games

By Holden Walter-Warner

PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 23: General view of a rack of basketballs before the between the Portland State Vikings and the Duke Blue Devils during the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational presented by State Farm at the Moda Center on November 23, 2016 in Portland, Oregon. North Carolina won the game 102-78. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 23: General view of a rack of basketballs before the between the Portland State Vikings and the Duke Blue Devils during the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational presented by State Farm at the Moda Center on November 23, 2016 in Portland, Oregon. North Carolina won the game 102-78. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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NCAA Basketball Colin Castleton  Florida Gators (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /

4. Florida vs. Xavier, Legacy Bracket

The players are worth watching here, of course – it’s a basketball game. But this may also be the most intriguing coaching battle during the young season.

For Florida, it’s the start of a new era. Mike White left for the redder pastures of Georgia, which seemed to be a welcome opportunity for the Gators to go out and get Todd Golden. The young coach did a phenomenal job during his brief tenure at San Francisco and is trying to revitalize the program.

While Golden is the shiny new get in Gainesville, the Gators quietly have a stacked roster, led by returnee Colin Castleton. It will be interesting how Golden combines all of the pieces for Florida, including Kyle Lofton, Will Richard, and Alex Fudge.

While Florida is ushering in the new, Xavier is ushering in the old. After a year out of the saddle, Sean Miller is beginning his redemption tour from his scandalous Arizona days at his old stomping grounds with the Musketeers.

Miller should have a decent squad during his first season with Xavier, led by Zach Freemantle. But the ceiling of the Musketeers seems limited based on the roster, unless Miller can work his magic and elevate the squad.

This competition will be the first time Xavier leaves the Cintas Center during the 2022-23 season. A home game against Indiana will be a big challenge, but there’s nothing like a road (or neutral) environment to kick the team into gear.

This game – and the event as a whole – should say a lot about the direction of both of these programs under new leadership.

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