Memphis has had a good start to the season but they take on its biggest test of the season in the UConn Huskies to open the Maui Invitational.
TV schedule: Sunday, November 25th, 2:30 pm ET. ESPN2
Arena: Lahaina Center in Maui, Hawaii
Entering the season, Memphis was a team where there were lots of talk about off-the-court. They literally lost a player (Tyreek Smith) a week before opening night and there was plenty of storylines where they were in the spotlight. But none of that has mattered on the court, with the team starting 4-0.
Those wins include at home to Missouri and MAC contender Ohio, along with road victories over San Fran and UNLV. They're led by Tulsa transfer PJ Haggerty, who leads them with 22.5 ppg. Starters Tyrese Hunter and Colby Rogers are double-digit contributors, while the duo of Dain Dainja and Moussa Cisse have given the Tigers 40 minutes of good production at the center position.
But the Maui Invitational will give Memphis tougher tests, starting with the toughest of them all. UConn (4-0) may have lost four starters from its national championship team, but the top-3 team will once again be a national contender. They're led by the one returning star from those title teams in Alex Karaban, who's averaging 16.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.0 apg, and 3.3 blocks per game, ranking near the top nationally.
Other key pieces to watch on the Huskies include freshman forward Liam McNeeley (13.5 ppg on 39% 3PT), Solomon Ball (13.5 ppg) and big man Tarris Reed, who is putting up a double-double at the five-spot.
UConn has faced nothing but inferior competition to this point, while Memphis is battle-tested. But the Huskies is used to winning nothing but tournaments in the past couple of years and will be the favorites in the Maui Invitational. If this was against other options, I'd want to pick the Tigers. But right now, the Huskies should be the pick to win.
Prediction: UConn 80, Memphis 71