The 2013 Legends Classic is set for Nov. 25 and 26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. With a handful of squads expected to be bubble teams for the 2014 NCAA Tournament, there should be plenty of competition on the hardwood.
Legends Classic 2013: Pittsburgh, Stanford headline 4-team field
The Panthers and Cardinal are talented, but don’t overlook a young, athletic Houston team that could sneak up on somebody in Brooklyn.
USA TODAY Sports
Schedule:
Nov. 25: Pittsburgh vs. Texas Tech (7:30 p.m. ET); Stanford vs. Houston (9:30 p.m.)
Nov. 26: Consolation game (7 p.m.); Championship game (9:30 p.m.)
The Favorite: Stanford
The experts are split on who captures the title. Four of seven ESPN analysts like the Cardinal to come out on top, while three others picked the Panthers.
There's a lot to like about Stanford in 2013-14. Led by do-it-all forward Josh Huestis, head coach Johnny Dawkins has nearly his entire roster from last season returning after winning 19 games and reaching the second round of the NIT last March.
Key Storyline: Tubby takes over Texas Tech
The Red Raiders hired Tubby Smith in the offseason to help steer the program back in the right direction. Texas Tech returns a lot of its scoring from last season, and the Legends Classic will be Smith’s first time in the spotlight with his new school. A couple of upset wins would go a long way in gaining some early-season momentum before taking on what should be a tough slate of Big 12 foes.
Potential Upset: Houston over Stanford
While it seems Stanford is the favorite to win the title, the Cardinal should not overlook the Houston Cougars in the opening round. TaShawn Thomas is tough to matchup with in the paint and averaged nearly a double-double last season. If he and Danuel House are able to get going early, the Cardinal will be on upset alert.
More from SB Nation:
See More:
