Maui Wowie: Points Have Been Present in the Holiday Showdown

The Maui Invitational has already delivered plenty—and it’s just one day in. UConn was upset by Memphis in an OT thriller, Auburn and UNC both erased double-digit deficits to secure victories, and the late, great Bill Walton was honored both on the court and throughout the broadcast.


Good basketball, touching tributes, and dramatic upsets aren’t the only things this tournament is serving up in spades. Points. Three of the four games on Day 1 hit the over. In fact, the average margin by which these games exceeded the point totals was a staggering 30.16. The largest margin was 47 points, while the smallest was still a comfortable 19.


This little stat nugget suggests that this might be a shooter’s gym.


Can the hot shooting continue in the Aloha State? I’m not so sure. These teams will now be playing more games in fewer days, and if I noticed this trend, you can bet the sportsbooks did too. Over the last 12 hours, the totals for all games have risen by an average of 3.5 points.


Today’s Slate


UConn (-15) vs. Colorado: 142.5 (O/U)

Michigan State (-1.5) vs. Memphis: 153.5 (O/U)

Iowa State (-9) vs. Dayton: 142.5 (O/U)

Auburn (-5) vs. North Carolina: 166 (O/U)

Do the overs stay hot? How will Dayton and Iowa State respond to blowing late leads? Danny Hurley was fired up after his Huskies’ loss—will they take it out on the Buffaloes?


I don’t know.


But the over trend is stunning and absolutely worth pointing out.