Indiana head coach Archie Miller said it loud and clear after his team’s opening win against Tennessee Tech, they are in the premiere event of college basketball.

The 2020 Maui Invitational, moved to Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, N.C. due to the coronavirus pandemic, features eight teams who are all trying to make the most out of a strange 2020-21 college basketball season. The competition includes blue bloods, upstart mid-majors, and some potential NBA Draft prospects. However, none of the eight squads ranked in the top-15 of the preseason AP poll. Anyone can raise the trophy on Wednesday, so let’s take a look at the field.

INDIANA (1-0)

AP Poll: Received votes. KenPom: 24th. Fun fact: IU’s last appearance in the AP Poll came 1/14/2019

Miller brought in a recruiting class loaded with talent, headlined by 5-star guard Khristian Lander and wing slasher Trey Galloway. In addition to the newcomers, Miller returns many key players from last season’s 20-win team, including Rob Phinisee, Al Durham, Race Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Make no mistake about it, the Indiana Hoosiers revolve around the preseason All-American Jackson-Davis. He returns for his sophomore season after averaging 13.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game.

In Indiana’s first game of the season against Tennessee Tech, the “Cream and Crimson” walked away with an 89-59 victory behind Jackson-Davis’s 26 points and 11 rebounds. Rob Phinisee poured in 12 points and freshman Trey Galloway pitched in 13 off of the bench.

The Bracket

PROVIDENCE (1-0)

AP Poll: Received votes. KenPom: 46th. Fun fact: the school’s first mascot was a Dalmatian named “Friar of What-Ho“, purchased in 1935

Providence looks to capture its first Maui Invitational title since being crowned the first-ever champions back in 1984. Ed Cooley’s Friars spent much of their 2019 season finding their identity and ended up winning eight of their final 10 games. The emergence of David Duke helped as he averaged 12.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his sophomore season. On Friday, Cooley called Duke “one of the best two-way players in the country”.

Providence looked dominant in its. home opener as they defeated Fairfield, 97-56. They held their opposition to just 13.3% from long distance and just 32% from the field. Center Nate Watson led the way for Providence with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The Friars also saw four other players scoring in double figures. Shooting nearly 45% from three will make Providence dangerous in the invitational and a team that nobody can overlook.

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The Hoosiers take on Providence at 2:30 PM EST on Monday. For the Friars, forward Jimmy Nichols, Jr. is likely available for this contest after missing the opener. IU has not updated center Joey Brunk‘s status for the contest.

Indiana all-time record vs. Providence: 1-0

TEXAS (1-0)

AP Poll: #19. KenPom: 8th. Fun fact: Indiana football is No. 10 in the country. Texas football is unranked.

One potential IU opponent on Tuesday is No. 19 Texas, who comes into the season with Big 12 title aspirations. Last year, the Longhorns won five of their last six games to finish 19-12 and reach the .500 mark in conference play. Had there been an NCAA Tournament, the Longhorns would have likely made the field of 68. Overall, Texas has won between 19 and 21 games in five of the last six years.

Shaka Smart still runs the show in Austin, and his recruiting skills have really picked up the last couple seasons. Per 247Sports, Texas finished with a top-20 class nationally in 2019, and in the class of 2020, Smart landed center Greg Brown, who was the ninth-ranked player in the country. Brown had 11 points and 10 rebounds in Texas’ season opening 36-point win over UT Rio Grande Valley.

Junior guard Andrew Jones, who defeated leukemia and then averaged 11.5 PPG for the Longhorns last season, did not play in the opener, but expect him to suit up for Texas’ opener vs. Davidson Monday.

Indiana all-time record vs. Texas: 1-1

DAVIDSON (1-0)

AP Poll: unranked, not receiving votes. KenPom: 82nd. Fun fact: Davidson is located in North Carolina.

Bob McKillop, who has coached at Davison since the *first* Bush administration, looks to secure his first Maui Invitational championship. The Wildcats, who play some of the slowest tempo basketball in the country, will have to depend on their shooting ability, as they always have, if they want to upset Texas on Monday and make a run. The winner of the IU and Providence game plays the winner of the Texas and Davidson matchup on Tuesday. The losers of the two games square off as well.

Davidson opened up their season with an 82-73 victory over High Point. Known nationally for their ability to shoot, the Wildcats shot 52.5% from the field and nearly 40% from three. Four of the starting five players scored in double figures, with Hyunjung Lee and Kellan Grady scoring 20 or more. Grady is one of just 13 players in the country who averaged at least 17 points per game in each of the last three years.