Yes, I am one of those ridiculously lucky people who actually gets to attend the Maui Invitational and “work” while in paradise. Since you already hate me, I’ll dispense with any build-up and just go straight into previewing what is easily the best preseason college basketball tournament in the nation.
2010 Maui Invitational Preview: John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats Among Stacked Tournament Field
Here is a look at the teams playing out here, what they’ll bring to the court and how they should fare.
Wichita State Shockers
This is the Shockers’ first trip to Maui for the tournament, and it could be a chance for them to introduce themselves to the nation. Coach Gregg Marshall is in his fourth season at Wichita State (1-0) and has a deep, veteran team to rely on. The former Winthrop coach has a 53-47 record since taking over in Wichita following the departure of Mark Turgeon to Texas A&M.
The Shockers are currently sitting just outside the top 25 and are the favorites to win the Missouri Valley Conference this year.
This is easily Marshall's best team at Wichita State. The Shockers boast nine seniors and juniors, and Marshall said their experience will help with the pressure of the stacked field the tournament boasts. Fifth-year senior J.T. Durley is a 6'8 forward/center who should lead things from the inside, while starting guard Graham Hatch, forwards Aaron Ellis, and Gabe Blair and walk-on guard Derek Brown round out the senior class.
Durley, Hatch and junior Toure’ Murry started all 35 games in 2009-10. Murry is a preseason 2010-11 All-Missouri Valley pick and returns as the leading scorer at 11.9 points per game. Murry will handle a good chunk of the scoring load this season, as he, Durley (11.2 ppg) and Hatch (9.2 ppg) are the leading returning scorers from a year ago.
Other players to watch are the Shockers pair of seven-footers in junior Garret Stutz and sophomore Ehimen Orukpe. Junior guard David Kyles led Wichita State in scoring in their opener, scoring 20 points, while fellow junior guard Joe Raglund pitched in with 11.
The Shockers open the tournament Monday against UConn at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Connecticut Huskies
Jim Calhoun has another rebuilding effort on his hands at UConn and was, as always, entertaining while meeting with the press on Sunday. Following Marshall who said he had a "bevy of experience," Calhoun offered that his team had "a bevy of nothing." Calhoun then said "I'm just trying to learn the kids' names right now."
The reality is that Calhoun has several nice pieces to build around. Five regulars return for the Huskies (2-0), along with six newcomers. Junior point guard Kemba Walker is a preseason All-Big East selection, and should be an All-American candidate following a sophomore season in which he averaged 14.6 points and 5.1 assists per game. Walker is off to a fast start, averaging 30.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists through UConn's first two games.
Sophomore power forward Alex Oriakhi also returns after being named to the Big East All-Rookie team in 2009-10. After two games so far this season, Oriakhi is averaging 11.0 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.
Freshmen will be the key to the Huskies' success this season, though. Guard Shabazz Napier is a tough combo guard who is quick and is a good outside shooter. Roscoe Smith, a 6'8" power forward out of Oak Hill, is already averaging 10.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and should team well with Oriakhi down low. Slashing guard/small forward Jeremy Lamb is also poised to earn big minutes this season as he can absolutely fill up the stat sheet. He's a pure scorer who can get to the hoop and creates matchup problems on the perimeter because of his 6'5" frame.
The Huskies are picked to finish 10th in the Big East this season, but they certainly have a load of talent. Calhoun said his team was “eventually going to be good.” Then he added, “I hope eventually will be tomorrow.”
UConn opens against Wichita State at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Oklahoma Sooners
Since the departure of all-everything forward Blake Griffin to the NBA, Oklahoma has struggled to find an identity and find wins. Jeff Caple is in his fifth season with the Sooners and is coming off of a 13-18 record last year.
Caple brings just three returning players to Maui, one senior and two sophomores, and he thinks the key to the Sooners’ success will be how they shoot from the perimeter. Oklahoma has started 3-0 this year, and have been led by their those two sophomores.
Guard Steven Pledger is averaging 16.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game thus far in 35 minutes per contest. Fellow sophomore Andrew Fitzgerald, a 6'8" forward, has put up 15.3 points and grabbed 6.7 rebounds per game to open the year.
Senior shooting guard Cade Davis also will be counted on to provide some scoring and leadership. He has played 35.7 minutes per game to open the season and has decent averages to show for it (12.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg).
Freshmen like point guard Calvin Newell Jr. and guard/forward Cameron Clark will be counted on to play big minutes for the Sooners. Junior College transfer Nick Thompson, a 6'9" forward, will also be called on to contribute immediately. Thompson, a product from the College of Eastern Utah, has already shown potential, averaging 6.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists, while playing 33.7 minutes per game thus far.
It’s going to be a tough slog for Caple and the Sooners again this year.
They open the tournament on Monday against No. 12 Kentucky at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Kentucky Wildcats
John Calipari went 35-3 in his first year at Kentucky, made the Elite Eight, then watched five of his players get taken in the first round of the NBA Draft. Not a bad season. Now he has to start the building all over again with a consensus No. 1 recruiting class buffeted by just one returning starter, and four returners overall. Kentucky's No. 12 ranking reflects everyone's faith in Calipari's ability to develop players quickly.
The Wildcats have started 2-0 and already have five players averaging double figures in scoring.
Kentucky is led by sensational freshman point guard Brandon Knight. The 6'3" native of Ft. Lauderdale is electric. While he isn't Derrick Rose or John Wall, who is? Knight is going to light it up all year, and his current line of 19.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists may only get better.
Fellow freshman Terrence Jones will also be a handful for opponents in the frontcourt as his physical ability is off the charts. Thus far Jones has posted 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
The third of the Cats' phenomenal freshmen is Doron Lamb, a 6'4" shooting guard out of Oak Hill. Lamb is already making his presence felt as well, as his line of 16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists will also continue to improve. He's a deadly three-point shooter and has hit 11-of-15 shots from the field this year.
Kentucky will face the Sooners Monday at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Michigan State Spartans
This may finally be another one of Tom Izzo’s years. The four-time National Coach of the Year has taken the Spartans to the Final Four six times but only has one national title (in 2000) to show for it. However, fresh off a trip to the 2010 Final Four, Izzo sees virtually his entire roster return, and he could have his best all-around team in place.
Following a horrific Achilles tendon injury during the NCAA Tournament, point guard Kalin Lucas is back and looks to be healthy for the No. 2 Spartans. The senior was an All-Big Ten selection last year, and his quick recovery is incredibly important to Michigan State's success. Michigan State is 2-0 so far, and Lucas has looked good, averaging 11.5 points and 6.5 assists per game to this pint.
Lucas has help on this roster. Fellow senior Durrell Summers and juniors Delvon Roe and Draymond Green are all fantastic players capable of being All-Big Ten picks.
Summers might be the most athletic player in the Big Ten, and reminds many of former Spartan Jason Richardson. Thus far he has led the way for Michigan State, racking up 19.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game early on. Draymond Green is a load in the post. The rugged 6’7 forward has already looked great early on, averaging 15.0 points, 10.0 boards and 4.5 assists per game. If that wasn’t enough, Roe is as healthy as he’s ever been for the Spartans. His balanced line thus far (10 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists) shows that he can help the team in a variety of ways.
Freshman point guard Keith Appling is going to be a heck of a player and will be able to spell Lucas for stretches while he recovers.
The bottom line is that the Spartans are clearly one of the top teams in the nation and should be able to make a deep run in the tournament this March. As for Maui, Izzo’s bunch is the easy favorite to take home the title.
Michigan State’s opening game will be on Monday night at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Chaminade Silverswords
I'll give Chaminade coach Matt Mahar credit, he's certainly made the Silverswords better in his time at the school. This year, he has experience and some depth, as all five starters return, including Second-Team All-Pac West pick, point guard Steven Bennett.
The 5'6" Bennett is incredibly fun to watch, and he averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 assists per game last season. He will be helped by a big transfer in seven-footer Mamadou Diarra, who came to Chaminade from USC. Diarra may have more potential than any player to ever suit up for the Silverswords. He is eligible after sitting out last season due to NCAA residency requirements.
Seniors Shane Hanson and Chandler Pearson and sophomores Dominique Cooks and Waly Coulibaly all saw a ton of time in the starting lineup last season and will contribute this year. Hanson was very solid last year, as the 6’6 forward averaged 10.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Pearson is back after scoring 9.0 points per game and pulling down a team-leading 7.7 rebounds per contest.
Chaminade has a tough task in their opener as they face Michigan State at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU on Monday.
Virginia Cavaliers
Tony Bennett had a tough go of it in his first year at Virginia. The 2007 Naismith College Coach of the Year led the Cavaliers to a 15-16 record. This year the Cavs return six players, but Bennett can build on the fact that he finally has is own players on campus to learn his incredibly complex mover-blocker offensive system.
Virginia is currently 2-1, and dropped a 81-60 decision to Stanford on Thursday.
Bennett will rely heavily on senior forward Mike Scott, who is the team’s leading returning scorer. Scott is currently averaging 15.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game this year. He also managed to win the players’ party video game competition Saturday night, where a representative from each team participates in a tournament on EA Sports’ college basketball game. Scott beat UConn’s Kemba Walker to take home the title.
Scott will be helped by fellow senior Mustapha Farrakhan, a 6'4" guard who is averaging 11.7 points so far this season. Freshman guard Billy Baron has also seen heavy minutes early on this year and he has proved to be a consistent performer. Baron is averaging 11.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, and is one of an astounding seven freshmen on Virginia's roster.
Virginia will have a tough time building this year once again, but you can expect Bennett’s team to play solid, clean basketball on both ends of the floor.
The Cavaliers open their Maui experience against the Washington Huskies on Monday night at midnight ET on ESPN2.
Washington Huskies
Lorenzo Romar has done a fantastic job at Washington during his eight years there. He has turned the Huskies into one of the top two programs in the Pac-10, and the school’s first trip to Maui could be a good one.
The No. 17 Huskies are a perimeter-oriented team, led by junior point guard Isiah Thomas. Thomas was a 2010 First Team All-Pac-10 selection and has scored more points in his first two seasons at Washington than any to come before him. He’s a fearless, 5’9” guard who is a ton of fun to watch because of how hard he plays.
Thomas will be joined on the perimeter by the immensely uber-talented 6'3" sophomore Abdul Gaddy and seniors Venoy Overton and Justin Holiday. Gaddy started 29 games last season as a 17-year old freshman after arriving as one of the nation's top recuits (No. 13 overall player on Rivals.com).
In the post, the 6'9" Matthew Bryan-Amaning has become a very good player. The senior from London, England has gotten off to a fast start, averaging 21.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game early on.
One player to keep an eye on is redshirt-freshman C.J. Wilcox. Wilcox is a 6’5” guard from Pleasant Grove, Utah is an excellent long-range shooter and led the state of Utah in scoring (23.7 points per game) as a junior in high school.
Terrence Ross should be Romar's best true freshman, as Rivals.com rated him as the No. 48 player in the 2010 class. If he can find playing time, the 6'5" Ross will display a great combination of athleticism and shooting ability.
Washington is on the opposite side of the bracket from Michigan State, which means they’ll have a great chance to survive and meet the Spartans in the final.
First, they’ll have to get by the Virginia Cavaliers on Monday night.
The game will be carried on ESPN2 at midnight Eastern.
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