🏀 Emerald Coast Classic Preview: Thanksgiving Hoops in Florida

We’re heading down to Niceville, Florida — yes, that’s a real place — for the Emerald Coast Classic this Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 28–29). Four teams, two days, tiny arena, and usually at least one upset that ruins somebody’s preseason confidence.

This year’s lineup: LSU, Georgia Tech, DePaul, and Drake. A couple power-conference teams, a Big East squad that thinks it’s better than it is, and Drake — the mid-major that always seems to be lurking in these early tournaments.

🐅 LSU Tigers

LSU rolls in at 5-0 and looks pretty damn good so far. They’re scoring a ton, playing fast, and the new transfers already look like they’ve been there for years.

Drake is a tricky first draw — they always are — but if LSU keeps pushing the pace, they should be fine. This team has real “win the whole thing” energy.

🐝 Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is 5-1 and hangs their whole identity on defense. They block everything, poke everything loose, and generally play like they’re trying to annoy you.

They get DePaul first, which is hilarious because DePaul is all offense and vibes. Total clash of styles.

😈 DePaul Blue Demons

DePaul has suddenly discovered how to score points. They’ve been dropping 90 like it’s nothing, and Chris Holtmann has them actually looking organized.

But now they get Georgia Tech’s defense, which is basically a giant wet blanket. Something’s gonna break.

🐶 Drake Bulldogs

Drake is that mid-major that nobody respects until they lose to them. They won 31 games last season and still play like they have something to prove.

They could absolutely give LSU a scare if the Tigers come out sleepwalking.