HoopsHD at the Barstool Sports Invitational

Wednesday night the focus of college basketball was on the Barstool Sports Invitational. The sports media company put together a fantastic doubleheader featuring four schools with big hopes this season. 

In the first game, the Owls of Florida Atlantic University opened their season with expectations this program could only dream of. Fresh off their Final 4 appearance last April, FAU took on the home city Loyola Ramblers at Wintrust Arena in downtown Chicago. 

This years Owl team did not disappoint as they beat Loyola 75-62. This years version of FAU is as good as advertised and deserving of the rankings and praise they have received in all the national outlets this past month. It would not surprise me at all if Coach Dusty May brings this squad back to college basketballs biggest stage in Phoenix come early April. 

This years team has four guards that play beautifully on the court together. Johnell Davis, Nick Boyd, Bryan Greenlee and Brandon Weatherspoon led the way against Loyola on both ends of the court. They can all handle the ball or play on the wing making the Owls extremely potent. Davis had 12 points and 4 rebounds while Boyd led the backcourt with 13 points and Greenlee chipped in 6 points and 5 assists. The Owls have a solid inside presence with 7 footer Vladislav Goldin. Goldin might be the most improved player for FAU and played great Wednesday starting his season off with a double double. He led the team in points and rebounds scoring 19 and pulling down 10 boards.

Loyola Coach Drew Valentine has plenty of reason to be optimistic this season. Senior guard Braden Norris is back to run the offense and knock down tough perimeter shoots while forward Philip Alston had his coming out party with 15 points and 6 boards. The Ramblers have the talent and depth to compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference this year.

The night cap featured two teams from power conferences that both made the NCAA Tournament and played in the first four. The Bulldogs of Mississippi State took on the Arizona State Sun Devils and defense was the key to this matchup. Bulldogs Coach Chris Jans is known for his lockdown stifling defense and his Bulldogs did not disappoint. ASU managed only 18 points in the first half and the Sun Devils could never recover. Junior guard Trey Fort led the Bulldogs with 21 points including five 3-pointers. Fort hit 3 straight 3-pointers in the first half that capped off a huge 16-4 run. The Sun Devils will have better days ahead as the try and mesh together seven division one transfers. Coach Bobby Hurley needs some time to find the right rotations and balance but he has plenty of talent. Sophomore Kamari Lands led ASU with 13 points and 4 rebounds. 

The College Basketball season is underway and all 4 teams in the Barstool Sports Invitation were tested. Give credit to all 4 coaches for accepting this challenge and making their teams stronger by playing tough competition right out of the gate.