Puerto Rico Tip-Off 2014: Teams, Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket, TV Info
The "Madness" starts up again at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off with two of the teams that made last year's NCAA tournament so exciting.
Connecticut followed Shabazz Napier's lead from a No. 7 seed to a national championship. Meanwhile, Dayton also shocked the world by reaching the Elite Eight as a No. 11 seed before eventually losing to Florida.
Each of these teams now returns, hoping to build off last season's success for another strong year.
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Add in a plethora of middling teams trying to prove they are legitimate contenders for the NCAA tournament, and this event could be one of the more exciting tournaments on the schedule. Here is a guide to help you follow all of the action from Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
| Nov. 20 | 1 | Texas A&M vs. Dayton | 10:30 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Nov. 20 | 2 | Charleston vs. Connecticut | 12:30 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Nov. 20 | 3 | New Mexico vs. Boston College | 5 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Nov. 20 | 4 | George Mason vs. West Virginia | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Nov. 21 | 5 | Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser | 12 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Nov. 21 | 6 | Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| Nov. 21 | 7 | Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner | 5 p.m. | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| Nov. 21 | 8 | Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser | 7 p.m. | ESPN3 |
| Nov. 23 | 9 | Game 5 Loser vs. Game 8 Loser | 11:30 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Nov. 23 | 10 | Game 5 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner | 2 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Nov. 23 | 11 | Game 6 Loser vs. Game 7 Loser | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Nov. 23 | 12 | Game 6 Winner vs. Game 7 Winner | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Top Player to Watch: Juwan Staten, West Virginia
Boston College's Olivier Hanlan should put up some big numbers in this tournament while Ryan Boatright of Connecticut will be fun to watch, but no player in Puerto Rico will be better than Juwan Staten.
The 6'1" point guard led the Big 12 in scoring last season with 18.1 points per game, also adding 5.8 assists and five rebounds just for good measure. He enters the year as the conference's Preseason Player of the Year, ahead of some hefty competition.
Doug Haller of AZ Central even thinks the guard could end up being an All-American:
Amazingly, Staten has a chance to be even better this season if he can add an outside shot to his game, as head coach Bob Huggins explained he has done:
The guard only took 15 shots from behind the arc a year ago, but he could be extremely dangerous if he can consistently make long jumpers. The rest of the Big 12 and this early-season tournament could be in trouble if this is the case.
Team That Could Surprise: New Mexico
New Mexico is expected to take a major step back this season after losing Cameron Bairstow, Kendall Williams and Alex Kirk, three players who combined to average 49.7 points and 19.7 rebounds per game.
Despite this, head coach Craig Neal has a good group of players remaining who can fill in for the departed players and once again contend in the Mountain West.
Cullen Neal has been the most impressive so far, scoring 49 points in two games to start the season. The coach's son was little more than a complementary player last season who stood on the outside and hit three-pointers, but he is ready to take on more of a leading role in his sophomore season.
If he can keep up his recent hot streak and the defense continues to guard as well as it has in the past, the Lobos can start the year off with a deep run in this tournament.
Predicted Winner: Connecticut
After losing Kemba Walker a few years ago, Napier stepped up and became one of the best players in college basketball. Although Boatright might not necessarily reach this level, he will be the new go-to guard at UConn.
The Huskies did struggle a bit early against Bryant, but Boatright was there to be a leader when needed, as noted by Nicole Auerbach of USA Today:
He finished the first game of his senior season with 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four steals and a block, pretty much going "full Shabazz" for Connecticut.
The good news is he will have plenty of help this year, especially on the offensive end with aggressive guards Sam Cassell Jr. and Rodney Purvis. With Amida Brimah following the legacy of great shot-blockers on the defensive end, this team should once again be one of the better teams in the country.
A lot of inexperience will limit the Huskies at points this season, but they are the best team in Puerto Rico and should be able to kick the year off with a tournament win.
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