Bottom Half Previews
Auburn (4-0)
With Johni Broome back for a final collegiate season, expectations were raised again for Auburn. The early weeks of this season have shown us just how high those expectations can become. Bruce Pearl’s squad has been elite on offense, dynamic on defense, and are also getting great run out of Chaney Johnson, Denver Jones, and several other veteran pieces.
After blowing out Vermont to open the season, Auburn scored one of the best wins of the season by winning in Houston over the Cougars with a demonstrative performance. Since then, the Tigers have scored two more mid-major wins and still sit as a Top 5 team in the nation. Broome is putting up impressive stats while this team as a whole looks like a national contender yet again. Auburn looks to prove that they’re no fluke and are unquestionably a team to watch closely in Maui.
Iowa State (3-0)
Another highly-rated team in this stacked field, Iowa State has matched expectations early this season, leaning heavily on a roster full of returning talent. Tamin Lipsey, Curtis Jones, Keshon Gilbert, and Milan Momcilovic all returned from last year’s Sweet Sixteen team and are averaging double-figures through the first few games of this season. Iowa State has the firepower on offense and defense to be a national contender.
The downside is that we really haven’t seen the Cyclones in action, as their first three games have all come in blowout fashion at home. They’re giving up just over 50 points a game against those mid-majors and have gotten more than enough scoring punch in those wins. The level of competition clearly ramps up in this event, and we’ll have to see if they can lean on that elite defense or if they can get enough support from the offense against some tough opposition.
North Carolina (3-1)
The Tar Heels don’t have Armando Bacot around town any more, but RJ Davis is back for his final ride in college basketball and that alone has North Carolina again as a contender. This team is also getting nice contribution in the backcourt from Eliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble, though a lot of focus will be on that new-look frontcourt, leaning heavily on young pieces and transfers to fill in that Bacot-sized hole.
Things haven’t gone perfectly in the early weeks, as the Tar Heels played Elon closer than expected on opening night. After trailing big, they fought back in a tough road loss at Kansas before looking solid in a blowout over American. They arrived earlier than the other teams, winning late at Hawaii on Friday night, though many questions will be on if they have enough talent and firepower in the frontcourt to hang with some of the tough teams in this field.
Dayton (5-0)
Certainly one of the best programs in the A-10, Dayton didn’t earn this invitation to Maui on some fluke, especially coming off another strong season. The Flyers returned Enoch Cheeks, Nate Santos and a few other talented pieces from last season and added former Ohio State forward Zed Key, putting together a lineup that can absolutely win the A-10 this season. The obvious question is if they have the talent to compete with these power conference programs in their first major challenge.
That list of five wins to start the season does include a nice one against Northwestern, but that’s about it when it comes to significance. Double-digit victories over Saint Francis and New Mexico State don’t move the needle a ton, though it has been cool to see the Flyers figure things out in this new season. The interior offense has overpowered some of their early opponent though they’ll certainly need to make a few more outside shots to land some wins over in Hawaii.