NCAA Basketball: Preview and predictions for 2024 Rady Children's Invitational

One of the most fun, unique, and exciting weeks of college basketball, Feast Week is set up for a lot of fun matchups. Featuring several midseason tournaments, it is the first week that college basketball is truly rolling.

There's not many things that feel more college basketball-y than watching two top 10 teams play in a 1,000 seat ballroom. Maybe March Madness, but the wacky, unique and fun scenes given to us by MTE"s encapsulate how cool this sport is.

The Rady Children's Invitational is in its second edition, this year welcoming multiple 2024 Final Four participants: Purdue, NC State, BYU, and Ole Miss. With just two games, a win is imperative in the early season for teams starting to stack resumes.

Purdue enters the fold the likely favorite, but there are multiple strong teams in the field that could also make a run for the Invitational title.

Purdue (5-1)

Purdue returns this season coming off of a National Championship appearance. While there's a giant Zach Edey-sized hole in the middle, Braden Smith looks like one of the best point guards in the country and Trey Kaufman-Renn has settled in beautifully as the main interior scorer. Next to them is fellow junior and returning starter Fletcher Loyer, who has been off to a blazing start from behind the arc.

Despite losing a more than three-year-long non-conference winning streak, Purdue still figures to be a formidable opponent. At 5-1, the Boilers have handled business against several buy-game opponents, and beat preseason AP poll number two Alabama in Mackey Arena, before falling on the road to a tough Marquette team. This Purdue team has been elite shooting the ball so far, and with the new small-ball starting lineup, Purdue is an explosive offensive team.

NC State (5-0)

The second team in the Invitational that participated in last year's Final Four, NC State, comes back after a magical March run last year. The Wolfpack won the Big East Tournament to get into the NCAA tournament before winning four straight games as an 11 seed to make a final four. However, stars DJ Burns and DJ Horne are both gone for the Wolfpack. Returner Michael O'Connell and transfers like Marcus Hill and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield look to replace that production.

NC State started this year off hot, winning five straight. However, the road gets a lot tougher for the Wolfpack, as they've played zero KenPom top 200 opponents. NC State has struggled shooting the ball to start the year, shooting just 28.1 percent from three. Overall, this NC State team has passed its early tests, but a big jump in competition will be a real challenge.

BYU (5-0)

For BYU, this year is a new experience. Gone is the Mark Pope era, and in came Kevin Young. Young immediately proceeded to nab star international prospect and projected lottery pick Egor Demin before picking up a quick commitment from Purdue decommit Kanon Catchings. The result is a fun and talented roster despite Catchings early efficiency problems.

Like every other team in the Invitational, BYU has easily handled their buy-game opponents. The Cougars only have one game that would really be considered close, and Demin has been as advertised, averaging 15 points and seven assists. The Cougars' offense has been rolling early, averaging 91 points per game and ranking 18th on KenPom.

Ole Miss (5-0)

The second AP-ranked team in the Invitational (Purdue is currently ranked 13, Ole Miss 23), the Rebels look to continue their momentum. They've handled their buy-game opponents and also had a quality win, beating Colorado State by 15. Led by returners Matthew Murrell and Jaylen Murray and transfer Sean Pedulla, Chris Beard's squad is a tough veteran squad.

So far, Ole Miss is somewhat unproven. But the 15-point win shows promise for the Rebels, and it is rare for Chris Beard to field a bad team. However, according to KenPom, Ole Miss at 48 grades out closer to NC State at 55 than BYU at 26 and Purdue at 16. This is a good chance for Ole Miss to prove the polls right and computers wrong.

Predictions and expectations

While NC State and Ole Miss are both solid teams, Purdue and BYU seem to be on a slightly higher level this year. Braden Smith and Egor Demin are the best players at the event, and it is likely the two will meet in the final.

In the first round, Purdue and NC State meet in a rematch of last year's Final Four game. In that game, Purdue controlled the entire way, eventually winning 63-50. Sean Pedulla is good, but Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer will likely be better in a game I expect Purdue to win

In the other first-round game, the computers favor BYU despite Ole Miss' top 25 ranking. BYU brings in two projected first-round picks in Demin and Catchings, and I expect those two to shine. Ole Miss doesn't feature anyone with the talent of that tandem, and they likely will meet Purdue in the championship round.

Overall, my favorite for the event would be Purdue. With a talented big three that rivals any other big three in the country, Purdue has a chance against anyone. But BYU's size, versatility, and NBA talent could cause problems for a young Boilermaker squad.