By Kenneth Cross
Getting into the Bahamas over Thanksgiving gives eight of the nation’s tougher teams three matchups where these teams’ coaches can evaluate their potential.
The Battle4Atlantis once again provides quality depth and extenuating matchups which can allow the production of a potential three-game winning streak which will be a precursor for the team who wins the title.
This tournament starts on Wed., Nov. 23 and it follows on Thurs., Nov. 24, and Fri., Nov. 25 and is broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2.
The following is a compilation of the opening day matchups on Nov. 23:
Kansas vs. NC State, ESPN, 12 EST – The defending national champion Kansas Jayhawks will be rebuilding their roster of sorts as they lost their top three leading scorers as Jalen Wilson (11.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg) will be the only returnee that averaged double digits. Coach Bill Self always has a solid roster that plays well in transition. Bill Self has a five-star forward in Gradey Dick who is only the second Jayhawk to win that award.
Meanwhile, NC State loses a prime time player in Dereon Seabron (17.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3.3 apg), but coach Kevin Keatts returns Terquavion Smith, who was the second leading scorer at 16.3 points per outing. The Wolfpack pick up four solid transfers, led by former Winthrop forward in 6-9, 275-pound DJ Burns. Improvement on defense will be major for NCSU as the Pack gave up 75.6 points (322/CBB) per game while opponents shot 47.6 percent (342/CBB) from the floor.
Dayton vs. Wisconsin, ESPN/ESPN2, 2:30 pm – Coach Anthony Grant’s Flyers won the ESPN Events Classic in Orlando last season as they topped Kansas in the semifinals. He returns most of his players from last season as eight players averaged between 5.8 and 12.2 points in what was a balanced scoring attack. DaRon Holmes, II, (12.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg) was Dayton’s leading score and Toumani Camara (10.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg) led UD on the boards.
With Johnny Davis off to the NBA, Tyler Wahl (11.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg) will be a key producer for the Badgers at forward where he shot 51.6 percent from the field. Wisconsin is generally a solid defensive team which struggles against teams with scorers or impeccable athletes.
USC vs. BYU, ESPN, 5 pm – Boogie Ellis (12.5 ppg) and Drew Petersen (12.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg) were coach Andy Enfield’s second and third leading scorers. Their experience will make USC a tough out in the Pac-12 as the Trojans will feature four freshmen and five sophomores. Defensively, the USC held the opposition to 39.9 percent (14th/CBB) as their defense in the interior was a prime factor.
BYU needs Traore Fousseyni (9.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) to become one of it’s primary scorers as they lost three of the top six points-makers from last season. Behind Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. the WCC has gotten tougher which has defined the depth in the league and the Cougars will need to be solid on the defensive end as well as the offensive end of the floor.
Tennessee vs. Butler, ESPN2, 7:30 pm – The Volunteers won their first SEC Tournament, literally, since 1979 last season behind one of the toughest defenses (62.2 ppg/25th CBB) inside the game. Santiago Vescovi (13.3 ppg) and Josiah Jordan-James (10.3 ppg) were the second and third leading scorers behind Kennedy Chandler who is now a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. Coach Rick Barnes has another dynamic point guard in Zakai Ziegler (8.8 ppg, 2.7 apg).
Thad Matta is back in the business as the head coach of the Butler Bulldogs. However, Butler lost five key players off of a team that was ninth in the Big East last season. Chuck Harris averaged 11.1 points per game and was the only Bulldog averaging in double figures. Jayden Taylor and Simas Lukosius will move forward as Taylor started 20 of 33 games as a freshman.