Hoophall Miami Invitational 2015: Teams, Schedule, Live Stream, TV Info

The inaugural Hoophall Miami Invitational will feature four teams in Miami with a combined 31 Final Four appearances. That is a way to make an entrance onto the college basketball scene.

The event culminates in a doubleheader in Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena on Nov. 27 that pits Kentucky against South Florida and Ohio State against Memphis. Technically, the games are split up between the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic and the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational and will feature two separate five-team campus round-robin contests before the main event with the elite national brands.

A full schedule of the preliminary games and information for the event can be found at Hoophall.com. Here is a look at all of the teams and the broadcast information for the Hoophall Miami Invitational.

Teams

Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Bracket

University of Kentucky

University of South Florida

University at Albany

Boston University

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational Bracket

Ohio State University

University of Memphis

Grambling State University

Louisiana Tech University

University of Texas at Arlington

Hoophall Miami Invitational Schedule

Date	Matchup	Location	Time	TV	Live Stream
Friday, Nov. 27	University of Kentucky vs. University of South Florida	AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida	5 p.m. ET	ESPN	WatchESPN
Friday, Nov. 27	Ohio State University vs. University of Memphis	AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida	7:30 p.m. ET	ESPN2	WatchESPN

Game to Watch: Ohio State vs. Memphis

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

In theory, the inclusion of Kentucky immediately stands out with this doubleheader, especially since John Calipari's team figures to once again be among the nation's best. A new recruiting class and a few talented leftovers from last year's Final Four group will likely lead the Wildcats to another SEC title, and perhaps a national crown.

That unit should have no problem easily dispatching of a South Florida team that finished 9-23 last season, even if the game is in Miami. In fact, Big Blue Nation will likely infiltrate AmericanAirlines Arena and make it feel like Lexington for two hours. 

The second contest between Ohio State and Memphis is much more intriguing and carries with it NCAA tournament implications. Neither squad was ranked in the preseason poll and will need to rack up impressive nonconference victories to boost their resumes. 

The Buckeyes are something of a question mark this season because four of their top six contributors from a year ago have departed, including superstar guard D'Angelo Russell. That leaves Jae'Sean Tate, Marc Loving and a group of inexperienced pieces to compete in a deep Big Ten in 2015-16.

While Keita Bates-Diop and Kam Williams will also be asked to shoulder more of the load for head coach Thad Matta, the performances of fresh faces such as JaQuan Lyle, Daniel Giddens, Austin Grandstaff and A.J. Harris could determine the Buckeyes' final fate. 

Lyle will be seen by many as the heir apparent to Russell's point guard throne as arguably the most talented player on the team. He is versatile enough to play either guard spot and is a triple-double threat every time he steps on the floor with his ability to shoot from the outside, attack with an explosive first step, set up his teammates when defenders collapse on his penetration and even rebound at 6'5".

However, Bill Landis of Cleveland.com cautioned against expecting Lyle to be Russell right away:

"

First of all, he's not the same player as Russell. He'll have to serve a similar role, but they're different players. Lyle is bigger, not afraid to mix it up in the post, and he seems more selective about when to pull it from deep. He doesn't have the same handle, but he can create and save for his one turnover, he was adept at putting his teammates in good position on Sunday.

"

As for Grandstaff and Harris, they will likely be viewed as offensive spark plugs off the bench. Grandstaff is a sharpshooter from distance, and Harris is quick enough in the open floor to set up easy looks for his teammates in transition.

Giddens will anchor the middle, along with David Bell and Trevor Thompson. Giddens likely brings the highest upside of the group as a physically imposing athlete who can protect the rim and dominate on the boards at his best.

Ohio State won't be the only team with question marks due to unfamiliar faces.

Eamonn Brennan of ESPN.com described a Memphis team in the middle of a transition period:

"

The 2014-15 Tigers were a bit of a mess. A team that finished 18-14 last season lost five players at various stages, starting in November with top prospect Dominic Magee, followed by Kuran Iverson (who was kicked off the team in January), and culminating this spring, when Austin Nichols, Nick King and Pookie Powell all transferred...Fortunately, seven newcomers are on the way, including three players (power forward Dedric Lawson, small forward K.J. Lawson, and center Nick Marshall) ranked among the top 10 at their positions in the Class of 2015.

"

Dedric Lawson checks in as a versatile 6’8” playmaker who can rebound, score from the perimeter, handle the ball and control the boards. K.J. Lawson is 6'7" and attacks the rim as a potentially elite scorer, and Marshall is the big man of the group who will be asked to protect the rim and prevent the Ohio State forwards from winning the rebounding battle.

Marshall's AAU coach, Norton Hurd, did not hold back his praise of the prospect, per Jason Smith of the Commercial Appeal:

"

He’s 6-11 and he runs the floor like a deer. He’s a true center. We’ve had a lot of guys come through Memphis, (but) we haven’t had any true, true centers in a while like Nick Marshall (who can) run the floor, block shots and rebound at a high level. He just needs to work on his offensive moves — work on a few hook shots and add a couple offensive moves—but everything else he does well as far as giving 100 percent and going after it.

"

It all sets up as a battle of frontcourts for the right to a critical nonconference victory between two teams that could be on the NCAA tournament bubble come March.

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

While neither group brings much experience, the Buckeyes actually have some in the form of Tate, Loving and Thompson, who transferred from Virginia Tech. This is one of the few games all season Matta's group will have the edge in that category, and it will prove crucial in a November contest when both teams are finding their footing.

What's more, Ohio State will have Lyle making plays in the backcourt as a potential difference-maker in crunch time. Look for the Buckeyes to add an important victory to their early resume, largely behind Lyle's playmaking skills and the play of Tate, Bates-Diop and Loving, who were all part of March Madness last season.