MGM Grand Main Event 2014: Teams, Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket, TV Info
What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but the results at the 2014 MGM Grand Main Event will permanently stay on the resumes of the teams involved.
This seven-team event may not be the marquee showcase on the college basketball calendar, but it represents an opportunity for teams like Oklahoma State, Auburn and Oregon State to pick up neutral-site victories early in the season.
Here is a look at the essential information for the event. Games will be available via live stream on WatchESPN, while a bracket can be found here, courtesy of ESPN.com. It is important to note that the middleweight bracket portion of the event was revised because there will only be three teams on that side.
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| Oklahoma State | Heavyweight Bracket |
| Oregon State | Heavyweight Bracket |
| Auburn | Heavyweight Bracket |
| Tulsa | Heavyweight Bracket |
| Milwaukee | Middleweight Bracket |
| UL Lafayette | Middleweight Bracket |
| Oral Roberts | Middleweight Bracket |
| Nov. 24 | Milwaukee vs. Louisiana-Lafayette | Middleweight | 6 p.m. | check local listings |
| Nov. 24 | Oklahoma State vs. Oregon State | Heavyweight | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN 3 |
| Nov. 24 | Auburn vs. Tulsa | Heavyweight | 11 p.m. | ESPN U |
| Nov. 25 | Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Oral Roberts | Middleweight | 9 p.m. | check local listings |
| Nov. 26 | Oral Roberts vs. Milwaukee | Middleweight | 4 p.m. | check local listings |
| Nov. 26 | Heavyweight Bracket Consolation Game | Heavyweight | 9 p.m. | ESPN 3 |
| Nov. 26 | Heavyweight Bracket Championship Game | Heavyweight | 11:30 p.m. | ESPN 2 |
Players to Watch
Antoine Mason, Auburn
Antoine Mason may be known as Anthony Mason’s son, but the guard is making a name for himself at the college level.
Mason was second in the nation behind only Doug McDermott in scoring last year at 25.6 points a game, but he did so at Niagara. Now he will have a chance to put up those numbers in the SEC in 2014-15 after transferring to Auburn.
Mason is a high-volume shooter who attacks the rim with an explosive first step and makes plays in transition. He has never been a knockdown three-point shooter (31.5 percent is his career high in a single season), but he gets to the free-throw line (10.8 free-throw attempts per game last season) and is strong enough to finish in the lane.
In his first game with Auburn, Mason finished with 19 points and shot 13 free throws.
The problem is, he has not played since then and could be questionable for Las Vegas with a sprained ankle. Head coach Bruce Pearl commented on his star’s status, via Wesley Sinor of AL.com:
"I hope he comes back next week. I don't know. He's making progress. It looks like he's walking now without a limp and I know he's working diligently to get back. We're a much better team with him.
When it comes to an ankle sprain, you never come back 100 percent. We have to get him to about 80, and as long as it’s strong enough and tight enough, he can play. He's not going to be as explosive of a player when he first comes back, he just won't be. And yes, when he first comes back, it will be a 20-minute assignment.
"
The only way Auburn is going to make some noise in this event is having its high-scoring guard on the floor.
Shawn Long, Louisiana-Lafayette
Shawn Long may not be a household name at Louisiana-Lafayette, but he is a walking double-double and could be an NBA player one day.
He averaged 18.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game last season as a sophomore and is one of the most underrated players in the entire country. Before that breakout season, as a freshman, he posted nightly averages of 15.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and two blocks a game, and he is looking to take another step this season.
Seth Davis of CBS Sports noted that Long should be on an under-the-radar team heading into the season:
Long struggled in a loss to Auburn on Friday, but he did post 15 points and swat four shots against Tulsa earlier in the season.
The middleweight bracket is much lighter in terms of the level of competition than the heavyweight bracket, and Long has NBA potential and was the No. 36 pick in Draft Express’ latest mock draft. He should have his way against the likes of Milwaukee and Oral Roberts and turn some heads in the process.
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