Maui Invitational takeaways: UConn reeling, Tyrese Hunter puts Memphis in finals and Auburn’s case for No. 1

Including interviews and anecdotes from the major storytellers at the Maui Invitational, Matt Norlander’s notebook from Day 2. Watch this space for Day 3’s takeaways on Wednesday, starting with Colorado vs. No. Fifth place at 2:30 p.m. goes to Iowa State. M. ET.

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Two teams competing in their first Maui Invitational title game share the same nickname. Tigers will play. At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Tigers. m. ET for the title of the tournament.

On Tuesday night, Auburn, ranked fourth, won its late tip by defeating No. 5, approximately four and a half hours after Memphis secured its place by defeating Michigan State. 12 North Carolina by a score of 85-72. This is the third consecutive ranked victory for the unbeaten Tigers this season, and all three have come against top-12 opponents. Never in the history of the program has that occurred. Given that those two universities may have the best resumes in the nation, it makes sense that Auburn is playing Memphis (more on those Tigers later in the notebook).

That claim will undoubtedly belong to the winner on Wednesday.

We expected Bruce Pearl to be the best of his group. Tyrese Hunter (more on him below) and Johni Broome, who are competing for Maui MVP, put up an incredible 23 points and 19 rebounds against an overmatched UNC front line. Miles Kelly scored 15 points, Chad Baker-Mazara scored 14, and Chaney Johnson scored 11 to support Broome. Combined, six Tigers achieved double figures. The second half saw no threat from North Carolina.

Pearl subsequently remarked, “He’s not fast enough, he’s not quick enough, he’s not good enough,” describing how Broome was passed over as a high school recruit. “He is not selected for Florida’s top AAU teams. As a low-major and mid-major kid, his entire career has consisted of proving others wrong. “..”.

As of Wednesday morning, Broome has a greater statistical advantage over No. in KenPom . com’s NPOY algorithm. The second Cooper Flagg is from the No. Player number ten, RJ Luis of St. that of John.

“He’s the best player on the floor and it wasn’t even close,” stated Hubert Davis, the coach at UNC. “He thought things were moving slowly. He was patient and didn’t rush. dot. His game is completely under his control. “.

Recall that Davis has RJ Davis, who finished the previous season on the First Team All-American. Denver Jones, who Pearl referred to as “one of the best defensive guards in college basketball,” muffled the fifth-year guard’s 12 points on 11 shots on Tuesday. He is a contributing factor in our team’s victories. No one writes about it or discusses it. “,”.

However, Auburn is a hit with everyone. With their victory on Tuesday, the Tigeres returned to No. 1 at KenPom following their November ascent to that position. 13 by triumphing over Houston.

Let me tell you if you believe Pearl was happy with the game. He wasn’t. . With 1:22 left in a 15-point game, Pearl was as angry with the officials as Dan Hurley. When Pearl finished her press conference, he drew J away. A. Collins, the former NCAA officiating director who manages the officials in Maui every year, to voice his worries in a private discussion outside the media work room.

In the title game on Wednesday, that is something to watch. A third game in as many days could help the more physically inclined team, as Memphis is a bruising bunch. Auburn is capable of bruising with the best of them, though. It will be prepared. ().

Dan Hurley yells for zebras once more as UConn loses 0–2.

Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies are in danger of turning a once-fantastical opportunity into a nightmare. The (short-term) no. After dropping two straight games to unranked opponents in the Maui Invitational by a combined total of three points, the nation’s number two team is officially in shock.

“We all seem shocked, I think. As he made his way to the team bus following UConn’s 73-72 loss to Colorado in the first game of Tuesday’s consolation bracket play, Hurley remarked, “We’re all stunned.”. “The games are going very differently for us based on our recent run and performance, so we need to have tremendous mental toughness at the moment. “..”.

Prior to this week, UConn’s record in its previous 50 games was 47-3. It now faces the risk of dropping out of the rankings.

Colorado calmly overcame an 11-point deficit to defeat the two-time champions the day after blowing a 13-point lead against Memphis. With 8 points and 5 seconds left, Andrej Jakimovski’s hard right-handed runner gave the team the victory margin. Liam McNeeley of UConn was defeated by the Macedonian. For the second day in a row, UConn had its top two big men, Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed Jr., so Jakimovski didn’t have to worry about a center fronting at that point. foul out.

The winning play is right here. We may have the greatest Maui Invitational ever if this trend continues.

Similar to Solo Ball against, the Huskies attempted a game-saving 3-pointer. Memphis, but Hassan Diarra’s attempt took a wrong turn this time. The Buffs were ranked No. 1 going into the game. 82 at KenPom. Not since January 2023 had the Huskies lost back-to-back games. The final tipoff is Wednesday night against Dayton, and they will now attempt to avoid dropping to 0-3 in Maui by being forced to play in the seventh-place game.

Check this out if you want a dose of huh! Tuesday was just the third time in program history that Colorado has defeated a top-two team (No. No. 2 Arizona in 2022. 2. In 1992, Oklahoma State.

“I had to go down there and finish because Coach trusted me to make the last play,” Jakimovski remarked. “We demonstrated character and played excellent defense after a poor game yesterday. One of the top offensive teams I’ve encountered during my time in college is undoubtedly UConn. “.

The winner of Iowa State will face the Buffs on Wednesday.

Colorado deserves praise, but UConn is undoubtedly the story. Despite my willingness to accept responsibility for the patented Writer’s Jinx, the Huskies are dealing with more serious problems. Hurley spent some time complaining about officiating after the game on Tuesday, but it’s not just that. Conversely, McNeeley was called for an over-the-back foul against… In an over-the-back situation on Tuesday, Trevor Baskin of Colorado made obvious contact with McNeeley’s arm, which was Hurley’s breaking point against Memphis. Not a whistle. UConn took the lead at the time.

An over-the-back that was called against us yesterday was the game’s biggest play, and today it was even more egregious because the child Baskin pulled Liam’s arm down, Hurley said. “It just speaks to how these last two days have gone for us.”. “I watched the replay. It’s ironic, of course, but that’s not the reason—our defense has been absolutely awful. “.

After two close losses, Hurley has turned himself into a target by attacking the officials. Because of this, he isn’t holding himself and his players entirely responsible. To his point, despite making 26 3-pointers out of 61 attempts, UConn has dropped two games in a row. With that 42.6% rate, you will win a lot of games.

Additionally, they have given up at least 1 point 20 points per possession to Colorado and Memphis, which will cost you many games.

Hurley remarked, “I don’t think we’ve gotten a great whistle out here, it just hasn’t bounced our way out here that way.” You don’t always get a great whistle. The fact that so many of our players were in foul trouble during the game killed us. “.”.

UConn is having trouble finishing close tilts because they are so accustomed to rolling opponents. Despite Hurley’s standard, this is not surprising given the large number of new faces in prominent roles. However, keep in mind that Colorado lost its top five scorers from the previous campaign. You know, Boyle’s Buffs weren’t hindered by that.

Hurley stated, “For a team that has so many young players replacing so many important parts, dealing with the kind of foul trouble that we’ve had out here has certainly not helped.”. It’s made things even harder and has clearly revealed many of our weaknesses. “,”.

Although Storrs is far from sky-is-falling territory, it appears to have lost its identity after UConn thrived on devouring any kind of noncon opponent. Hurley admitted to laughing when he told CBS Sports that he believed two defeats in Maui were very likely.

Hurley told me, “After what we lost with [Tristen Newton] at that position, I’d say we were most anxious about the guard play coming in.”. “I believe that at this moment, we are searching at point. “.”.

Hurley started Hassan Diarra in place of point guard Aidan Mahaney for the first time this season. Diarra finished with two turnovers, six assists, and eleven points. Mahaney was unable to score.

Hurley stated, “It’s definitely knocked us on our ass. We really needed to gut out these last two games here as we tried to find ourselves.”.

It was also evident that the bigs were fouling out. Reed Jr. and Johnson… have hampered Connecticut for the past two days and been unavailable when it matters most. Without a doubt, Hurley has been humbled. He stated repeatedly that his team was deserving of the preseason No. 1 in light of its actions during the previous two years. That’s completely gone now. Right now, UConn is just another team and isn’t even close to being in the top ten. Late on Wednesday night, the Huskies have a chance to salvage this trip to some extent because they are guaranteed to play another game against a strong team.

In addition to being the first time the program has lost three straight away games since 2020, the alternative would be catastrophic for the Huskies’ resume.

Hunter from Memphis is currently the best transfer.

Teams and players always have a great chance to change expectations for their seasons with this tournament. For example, consider UConn and Kemba Walker in 2010–11, Dayton and Obi Toppin in 2018–19, and Gonzaga and Adam Morrison in 2005–06.

Tyrese Hunter and Memphis met that requirement for two days.

Tuesday’s 71-63 victory over Michigan State propelled the Tigers into their first-ever Maui title game. Since Memphis was unranked at the start of the season, it is clear that they were overlooked. Penny Hardaway’s squad has five top-100 KenPom victories after easily defeating Michigan State today and ending UConn’s 17-game winning streak on Monday. That is unmatched by any other team.

The primary cause: Hunter’s deep-seated explosion. After three weeks of play, the senior lead guard is more than the college basketball team’s breakout star. Thanks to his incredible two-game run in Lahaina, he is a candidate for All-American.

Hunter shouted to his teammates, “I’m him! I’ve always been him!” following the collapse of a stunning parabola that was over 23 feet long during Memphis’ victory over UConn in the second half. He delivered a captivating encore on Tuesday.

Make sure everyone is aware. “Put them on notice,” Hunter informed me on Tuesday. Inform them of my continued presence. It didn’t go at all. “..”.

Here in Maui, Hunter averages 24 points per game, only commits 1 point per five turnovers, and shoots 60% from beyond the arc (12 for 20). His season-long score of 17 points and 3 assists is a comfortable career high. By doing this with PJ Haggerty, the Tigers have one of the best backcourts in the nation and are unquestionably the best team selected in the portal this past offseason (Hunter is from Texas, and Haggerty is from Tulsa).

What’s wrong with Hunter? He used to be a volcano. Tom Izzo characterized his 5-of-10 3-point flurry against UConn on Tuesday as “hellacious.”. “..”.

Izzo remarked, “He made some shots that [when he played], and I mean that, I don’t know if Penny made those shots.”. “He was draining them as he fell left and right toward the end of the shot clock. Assign them credit. The reason they defeated UConn is clear. “,”.

Going into Wednesday, he is the clear favorite to win Maui MVP. What has changed since his early but erratic growth periods at Texas and Iowa State?

Hunter stated, “You start with taking the right shots,” in reference to knowing when to make 3-pointers. “As a freshman, I believe I shot 27%. I was making high school-level shots that aren’t necessary for success at the next level. I was a little immature when it came to the shots I was taking. “.

During his freshman year at ISU, Hunter established himself as one of the sport’s top defensive guards. There were some pleasant places in Texas, he said, but there was also some “shaky stuff.”. “.”.

“I think I sacrificed a lot as a player,” he said to me.

Though he refers to it as a niche, he has found his groove and is more influential than that. Hunter’s maturity and leadership are the best, according to Memphis’ staff. This team is as good as it is for one reason. He is guiding Haggerty in his journey. The Tigers have the potential to be a top-10 team because of the sincere relationship that is developing between the two.

Under Hardaway, Memphis boasts the best 3-point attack and offense by being “a little more selfish,” as he freely admits. The Tigers’ 3-point percentage of 45.4% is not good. 3 across the country, helped by Hunter’s scorching 52.6% deep-range accuracy. Along with strange staff terminations and an ongoing possible NCAA case, this program had a lot of offseason drama.

“I’m proud of everything I’ve ever sacrificed for the sake of winning,” Hunter told me.

He currently has a deep bag. He has excellent snatch-back release, can hit accurately from the corner in contests, is pure on screen-peels, and can move deftly off the dribble. In this early season, I’m not sure if there is a more entertaining player to watch than him.

“I’m free out there, not looking over my shoulders,” Hunter declared. “I know that Coach is there to support me no matter what I do. I have a free mind. “.

It’s so close, Dayton.

The Dayton Flyers stood to gain more than any other team in Maui. the sole member of the group not attending a power conference. In a thrilling game on Monday, Anthony Grant’s team lost 92-90 after blowing a 21-point lead against North Carolina. It lost to Iowa State 89-84 on Tuesday after squandering a nine-point lead. UConn is the next stop. Given the Huskies’ performance, a Dayton victory is possible. The Flyers still face a 0–3 trip despite having at least two excellent chances to win in the first round.

With Dayton and VCU competing to be among the league’s top schools, the Atlantic 10 had a great chance to improve their nonconference standing, which the A-10 has been struggling to do in recent years. But when you sign up for this, you take that chance. Since the fields are nearly always full, you have the chance to either fly home 0-3, like Memphis, or change your season.

Under Anthony Grant, I think the Flyers have a good chance of qualifying for the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year after watching them push the Tar Heels and Cyclones to the brink.

Additionally, we avoid Connecticut-ISU for seventh place thanks to the Iowa State victory. On Wednesday, those teams could have easily been vying for the title. On Wednesday, however, the Cyclones will play Colorado for fifth place. No Big 12 game, but two Big 12 schools. Additionally, because ISU and Colorado have two conference dates (Dec.) in the regular season, this ensures that they will play each other three times. 30, February. 18). Additionally, Keshon Gilbert has advanced in his development as a senior. He had twenty-four against. Even after receiving a hard Flagrant 1 foul from Zed Key in the final seconds, Dayton and wouldn’t give up.

March 2024 Maui Invitational bracket.