NCAA Basketball: Takeaways from UMass Myrtle Beach Invitational title

Loyola-Chicago (8th Place): Phillip Alston literally the “only” offensive option

In all three games, the Ramblers only had one player reach double figures. It was the same guy in Phillip Alston, a D-II transfer forward that has easily emerged as their best player. He averaged 15 ppg in the three-game span but no one else stepped up to join him. Preseason All-Atlantic 10 guard Braden Norris has struggled mightily, while Sheldon Edwards and Marquise Kennedy have been battling injuries.

Loyola going 0-3 was unexpected and not something we’ve gotten used to with their program. Until other scorers start to emerge, along with the team defense start to improve, then this team will go from the top of the Missouri Valley to the bottom half of the Atlantic 10 this year.

Texas A&M Aggies (7th Place): Defense needs to get back to standards

The Aggies got preseason hype on the strength of the projection of how good the defense can be this season. The additions of Julius Marble and AAC Defensive Player of the Year guard Dexter Dennis were supposed to make an already sound unit even better. But they ended up giving up 88 points to Murray State and 103 points to Colorado.

They did give up just 51 points to Loyola-Chicago in the 7th-place matchup but it had more to do with the Ramblers’ offensive issues. For Texas A&M to be an NCAA Tournament contender, they’ll have to shore up that side of the ball because they aren’t good enough consistently on offense. For the supposed “favorites”, it was a rough event for them.