NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early ranking of 2022 Maui Invitational field

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 27: A Maui Invitational basketball on the floor during a third round Maui Invitation basketball game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 27, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

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Tommy Lloyd Arizona Wildcats (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

3. Arizona Wildcats

Tommy Lloyd wasted little time turning around the Arizona Wildcats last season. The sequel is rarely as good as the original, though.

Benedict Mathurin is the biggest loss for the Wildcats and he went with one of the first selections of the draft. He’s far from the only significant departure, though, as Dalen Terry and Christian Koloko also were taken in the draft.

Two of last year’s players are expected to take on bigger roles this season after dealing with late season and offseason injuries. Point guard Kerr Kriisa will lead the team down the court, while Azuolas Tubelis will hold down the paint with Oumar Ballo – the latter averaged 13.9 points per game last season, second on the team.

Courtney Ramey is a big addition on the transfer portal. He played for four seasons at Texas and is well-seasoned in the realm of big games, so he should have little issue making his presence felt in Maui.

But the player who has been receiving the most buzz on the roster throughout the summer is Pelle Larsson, who looked good during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers. If he can develop as a better shooter, he could be the X-factor for the Wildcats.

It’s hard to envision this version of the Wildcats earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Then again, it was difficult to envision it last year, too. Arizona should be a hard out at the Maui Invitational, which they’ve won twice before.

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