🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Is a surprise. I think we have a much easier path to the championship game than Sparty. We're playing Chaminade first round, while Sparty plays Va Tech. Then we face BYU/UCLA winner, while Sparty tangles with Georgia/ Dayton winner. Georgia is going to be pretty good, imo. They have the number #1 rated recruit ( Edwards) in the country.

Here's the bracket:

https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2019-07-11/2019-maui-invitational-bracket-schedule-teams ↗ ↗

Here's the obligatory "prediction" from CBS Sports Opinions:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2019-maui-invitational-bracket-features-possible-kansas-vs-michigan-state-matchup-in-final/ ↗ ↗

Outside of KU and MSU, the field is relatively weak. None of the other teams are really top 25 caliber IMO. Anthony Edwards is a really good player, but UGA doesn't have much of a supporting cast around him. BYU and Dayton are solid mid majors, but both are probably going to be bubble teams. UCLA and VT are each transitioning to new coaches so there will be adjustment issues with each team. It's a good name recognition tournament, but the actual quality is down from most years.

This should definitely be a KU/MSU championship game.

Playing Chaminade will be a good exercise for us. Always tough to simulate a team that plays a unique style like they do, and they'll let it fly.

I dont think it's a tough road to the finals for either. Georgia might have one uber good player but how will they match spartys overall depth. Winston will eat them alive and without Nick Claxton in the middle their bigs will feast.

@FarmerJayhawk KU beat Chaminade by 51 last time they played. KU will probably get better games against Ft. Hays and Pitt St. than they will from Chaminade.

Texas Hawk 10 said:

@FarmerJayhawk KU beat Chaminade by 51 last time they played. KU will probably get better games against Ft. Hays and Pitt St. than they will from Chaminade.

Which is why I said it was a good exercise, not a test. Good practice to face a team that plays in the style they do.

@FarmerJayhawk What style do they play?

KUSTEVE said:

@FarmerJayhawk What style do they play?

A lot like Auburn last year.

@FarmerJayhawk oh goodie...lol. We need all the practice we can get defending the 4 out.

I hate playing Chaminade, D2 school.

A potential non-conference schedule that includes Duke, Michigan St, Villanova, Colorado, and Kentucky/Florida should teach us a lot about our team.

@FarmerJayhawk Chaminade is bad enough that it isn't really helpful though in the long run.

@Texas-Hawk-10 better than a practice against our scout team. Which was my point.

@FarmerJayhawk Honestly it's not because KU's scout team may very well include 3 legit D1 players (Lightfoot, Braun, Elliott) and possibly a 4th if Harris reclassifies. There will 2 legit D1 players for sure if Mitch doesn't redshirt. That's in addition to Teahan and Jankovich. Teahan and Jankovich are the only 2 that could reasonably be argued are comparable to Chaminade talent.

I'll flat out say KU's scout team would beat Chaminade by 15-20 points.

It’s about playing the scheme more than anything. If KU’s scout team had to play at Chaminade’s pace and shoot like they do with just a couple days prep, Chaminade would probably beat them.

@FarmerJayhawk Sorry, but Chaminade is not a good warm up/practice or whatever term you want to use for a 4 out offense. KU would get way more out of their own scout team running those sets at an up tempo pace because KU's scout team is that much better than Chaminade.

This game doesn't benefit KU in any way other than getting the end of bench guys some extended minutes. This game is a giant waste for KU and they would be much better served if it was a low major team running those sets than a slightly above average D2 program.

@Texas-Hawk-10 cool. We can agree to disagree. The last KU team to play Chaminade was a really veteran squad that didn’t really need the reps. I think there’s some use in seeing a style like they play since that’s what they do, unlike KU’s scout team.

@FarmerJayhawk A scout team can run whatever style is necessary and KU's scout team this year happens to have 4 guards (Braun, Elliott, Teahan and Jankovich) and 1 post player who can shoot from deep as well (Lightfoot). I stand by my statement that KU's scout team would be better prep for a 4 guard offense than Chaminade.

I hope we get the KU and Sparty matchup. Be a pretty good measuring stick early in the season as I think they are the consensus #1 team next year.

@Woodrow We have clear chance of playing all 3 of the other opponents in the Champions Classic ( Dook, MSU, Tucky) next year. I would love to go 3-0.

@KUSTEVE I would bet 2-1. Sparty is better on paper than KU and Self has always struggled against Izzo.

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So Bill is 3-4 vs Izzo since coming to KU after starting 0-3. Interesting.

I dont like playing a non D1 school, as @Texas-Hawk-10 said our scout team probably spanks them. Yes they have pulled a few upsets and close calls but that's just the law of averages. I bet we beat them by just as much as the exhibition opponents.

Texas Hawk 10 said:

@FarmerJayhawk Chaminade is bad enough that it isn't really helpful though in the long run.

Yeah, but they're the host school, and our players are like, "Hawaii, hell yeah, sign me up!" I've been there, beautiful place... And the beaches aren't too bad either heh heh 😉

@kjayhawks It's THEIR tournament. Do you want us to say... "you're beneath us, Chaminade. We're going to scrimmage ourselves instead" ???

@KUSTEVE I would rather not play them, that's all.

KUSTEVE said:

@kjayhawks It's THEIR tournament. Do you want us to say... "you're beneath us, Chaminade. We're going to scrimmage ourselves instead" ???

Exactly! Our players are screaming at Self this very second saying, "hell no, we don't want to go to Hawaii and have a chance to play MSU in the championship!"

I have come to learn to never look past any team, even if they aren't a respected D1 school. It is especially important to stay focused in Hawaii because the players are going to have their attention on the beach probably more than the court. I like this tournament because it really tests our guys ability to stay focused on the prize. It has definitely exposed us in the past...