NCAA Basketball: 2023 Charleston Classic preview and predictions

Predictions

We won’t be giving specific score predictions for the twelve games in Charleston, but we’ll walk through exactly what we expect from these eight teams this weekend.

Needing a bounce back performance, we’re giving a slight edge to St. John’s, handing North Texas their first loss of the season. With LSU scuffling, expect a nice performance from Holmes to bring Dayton to the semifinals. Houston is a heavy favorite and should make quick work of Towson in the third game, though it might not be a fourth-straight 30-point win. In the final game, perhaps the best of the night, expect Utah to edge Wake Forest.

On Friday night we’ll see an intriguing semifinal between Dayton and St. John’s, with the defense likely playing a huge role in this game. We’re expecting a bounce back performance this weekend from Rick Pitino’s squad, putting them in the title game against Houston, who should coast against Utah. On the consulate side, LSU and North Texas is quite the matchup, with the Mean Green likely favored and probably getting the win. Wake Forest should prevail over Towson as well.

Expect LSU to finally breakout in the 7th place game, taking care of business against their fellow Tigers at Towson. The consolation title will go to Wake Forest, who could be in for a major fight against a strong North Texas team. Third place will go to Utah, though the matchup between Carlson and Holmes could be one of the most intriguing parts of this entire tournament. Expect the Houston Cougars to raise the trophy as champions of the Charleston Classic with a win over St. John’s on Sunday.

Obviously, different results in early rounds could lead to different matchups, but these are our predictions based on these teams and their circumstances. The sheer opposite could certainly take place, though it’s hard to argue against a strong team like Houston in a field like this. Regardless, it should be an exciting four days of basketball in Charleston and a great chance for several of these teams to shine on a neutral court. What do you expect will happen?