The Maui Invitational begins Monday night at the Lahaina Civic Center in Lahaina, Hawaii, and No. 4 Auburn will compete in one of four high-profile first-round matchups.
Auburn’s first draw is the No. 5 Iowa State Cyclones at 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU. The Tigers and Cyclones are solid defensive teams that rank in the top five of the KenPom rankings and allow less than 60 points per game.
Which team has the edge?
ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Auburn a slight advantage by forecasting a 62.3% chance for the Tigers to take care of the Cyclones in round one of the Maui Invitational.
Auburn and Iowa State produce similar stats. Both teams score over 83 points and pull down at least 38 rebounds per game. Auburn has a clear advantage by blocking 2.5 more shots per game, while Iowa State holds the edge in steals, 9.7-6.3.
The biggest separator of these teams is the level of competition each team has faced to this point. Auburn holds a win over the KenPom’s No. 1 team, Houston, while Iowa State’s best win is Kansas City, which ranks No. 236 in the KenPom entering Monday’s action.
Which team will prove to be the best in round one? This game will prove to be a great measuring stick to see just how great each team is. Auburn battles Iowa State on Monday at 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Click here for a full game preview, as well as a broadcast and betting guide.
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