Three weeks isn’t enough time to tell us how these college basketball programs will fare this season, though holiday tournaments are certainly an early barometer. We’ve already seen a few of those tournaments in action and there will be plenty more to come around Thanksgiving and beyond. This time of year is a great way for these coaches to see just exactly how their teams stack up in November.
By far the most prominent of the holiday tournaments is the Maui Invitational. The first even of its kind, this event dates back to 1984 and has recently seen numerous national powers showcase their strengths out in Hawaii. Last year, a stacked field saw Purdue win the event four months before advancing all the way to the national championship game. Blue bloods and other major powers regularly claim the tournament titles.
The field at the Maui Invitational is always filled with talent and intrigue and this year certainly isn’t any different. Half of this year’s field is in the top half of the AP Top 25, including the program that’s won the last two national titles. We have a couple of strong mid-majors programs and a few other power conference teams that could certainly surprise over in Maui. There are no weak links in this field.
Three days of exciting action lay in wait next week, so let’s get right into our expectations for the event. We’ll be running through a brief preview on the eight teams heading out to Maui and also making a few predictions on what could happen in these twelve games. A few heavy favorites head overseas, though anything can happen at the Maui Invitational.