A Final Four preview? Gonzaga headlines a loaded 2018 Maui Invitational field
The week of Thanksgiving is where the college basketball season really kicks off. You see teams across the country travel to exotic locales to face tougher opponents.
No tournament fits this more than the Maui Invitational. This eight-team, three-game gauntlet helps build tourney resumes and shakes up the rankings in the first third of the season. This year’s field is one of the best the tournament has had in recent memory.
It is a who’s who of college basketball powers, dynamic coaches and top stars. Each some of these matchups will feel like second round, sweet 16 and even Final Four showdowns.
You’ve got potentially six teams who could reach the NCAA tournament. Duke and Gonzaga are the class of the field, both teams ranked in the Top 25 of both polls. Should they play each other in Maui, it could be the first matchup of the season, with the other being in late March or early April, of course.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Teams like Arizona, San Diego State and Auburn could be a factor in this tournament as well as that one coming up next spring.
A closer look at the teams in the tournament:
Arizona Wildcats
2018 Record: 4-0
Head Coach: Sean Miller
2017-18 Record: 27-8 (14-4 Pac-12)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament-First Round loss to Buffalo (89-68)
Best Maui Invitational Finish: Champions-2014
Auburn Tigers
2018 Record: 4-0
Head Coach: Bruce Pearl
2017-18 Record: 26-7 (13-5 SEC)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament-Second Round loss to Clemson (84-53)
Best Maui Invitational Finish: First time in Maui Invitational
Duke Blue Devils
2018 Record: 4-0
Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski
2017-18 Record: 29-8 (13-5 ACC)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament-Regional Final loss to Kansas (85-81)
Best Maui Invitational Finish: Champions-2011
Gonzaga Bulldogs
2018 Record: 4-0
Head Coach: Mark Few
2017-18 Record: 32-5 (15-1 WCC)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament-Sweet 16 loss to Florida State (75-60)
Best Maui Invitational Finish: Champions-2009
Illinois Fighting Illini
2018 Record: 1-2
Head Coach: Brad Underwood
2017-18 Record: 14-18 (4-14 Big Ten)
Postseason: None
Best Maui Invitational Finish: Champions-2012
Iowa State Cyclones
2018 Record: 3-1
Head Coach: Steve Prohm
2017-18 Record: 13-18 (4-14 Big 12)
Postseason: None
Best Maui Invitational Finish: Participant-1990
San Diego State Aztecs
2018 Record: 2-1
Head Coach: Brian Dutcher
2017-18 Record: 22-11 (11-7 Mountain West)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament-First Round loss to Houston (67-65)
Best Maui Invitational Finish: Second Place-2014
Xavier Musketeers
2018 Record: 2-2
Head Coach: Travis Steele
2017-18 Record: 29-6 (15-3 Big East)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament-Second Round loss to Florida State (75-70)
Best Maui Invitational Finish: First time in Maui Invitational
Tournament Schedule
Day 1
G1: Auburn-88 vs. Xavier-79 (Final-OT)
G2: Duke-90 vs. San Diego State-64 (Final)
G3: Arizona-71 vs. Iowa State-66 (6 PM on ESPNU)
G4: Gonzaga-84 vs. Illinois-78 (8:30 PM On ESPN2)
Day 2
G5: Xavier vs. SDSU (11:30 AM on ESPN2)
G6: Iowa State vs. Illinois (2:00 PM on ESPN2)
G7: Auburn vs. Duke (5:00 PM on ESPN)
G8: Arizona vs. Gonzaga (8:30 PM on ESPN)
Day 3
5th Place Game (11:30 AM on ESPN2)
Championship Game (2 PM on ESPN)
7th Place Game (6 PM on ESPNU)
3rd Place Game (8:30 PM on ESPN2)
Tournament Predictions
Semifinals
Duke vs. Auburn
Arizona vs. Gonzaga
Finals
Duke vs. Gonzaga
Winner
Duke
This story was originally published November 19, 2018 at 1:57 PM.