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Coaches Roundtable: Which is the best early-season tournament?

Indiana's Yogi Ferrell and Vanderbilt's Wade Baldwin IV could meet in the semifinals of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. AP Photo

Among the three of them, Seth Greenberg, Fran Fraschilla and Dan Dakich have more than 40 years of head-coaching experience at the Division I level. Each week, they get together to discuss the hottest topics in college basketball.

1. The holiday tournaments begin Thursday. Which field are you most intrigued by?

Greenberg: This is a tough one with both The Battle 4 Atlantis and the Maui Jim Maui Invitational being the two premier tournaments this season. In Maui, I like Vanderbilt and Indiana's potential. They're two of the best offensive teams in college basketball. The other side of the bracket could result in a classic blue-blood matchup between Kansas and UCLA.

The Battle 4 Atlantis has natural rivalries in the opening-round with games that fans want to see. Under new coach Shaka Smart, Texas takes on a Texas A&M team that many feel is poised to return to the NCAA tournament. This game will hold some recruiting ramifications down the line. The Washington-Gonzaga matchup will pit a young, talented Washington team coming off a big win over Texas against a Gonzaga team that might have the best frontcourt in college basketball, one that includes player of the year candidate Kyle Wiltjer. Throw in a possible Connecticut (if it survives Michigan) against Syracuse matchup, and you have a feast fit for a hoops junkie.