#MUBB To Face UCLA In Maui Jim Maui Invitational

The official bracket has just been released for the 2023 Maui Jim Maui Invitational. The preeminent college basketball Tournament will celebrate its 40th anniversary as the highly anticipated 'Maui Magic' unfolds on-island at the historic Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii Nov. 20-22, 2023.

Monday's matchups will feature Tennessee squaring off against Syracuse, and Purdue taking on Gonzaga in the morning session. In the afternoon section of the bracket, Kansas will face host Chaminade, followed by UCLA and Marquette going head-to-head in the nightcap. All 12 games of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU, and also available on the ESPN app.
"This year's Maui Jim Maui Invitational field is one of the most celebrated and special groups of teams we have put together in the 40 year history of this Tournament," said Dave Odom, Tournament Chairman and legendary collegiate coach. "This field has the potential of producing multiple NCAA teams come March, and we could not be more excited about the programs and talent that will pack the Lahaina Civic Center this year. It's definitely going to be a can't-miss showdown for fans on-island and tuning in from home."
Combined, the eight teams boast 259 NCAA Tournament appearances, 17 NCAA Tournament Championship Titles, and two AP Coach of the Year award winners - Mark Few (2017) and Bill Self (2009, 2016).

Seven of the 2023 participants are ranked in the top 45 of all-time winningest schools, with six of the teams advancing to the 2022-23 NCAA Tournament, earning at least a four seed. Gonzaga made it all the way to the Elite Eight, while Tennessee and UCLA earned a spot in the Sweet 16.

Five of the 2023 Maui teams won their conference's regular season titles last season after spending multiple weeks in the top 25 national rankings throughout the year. Additionally, four of the eight programs are returning Maui Jim Maui Invitational Champions, most recently Gonzaga in 2018 and Kansas in 2019 and 2015.

This year's event will also feature the reigning 2023 National Player of the Year, Zach Edey (Purdue), along with one of the nation's top transfers - Kansas center Hunter Dickinson. Ryan Nembhard (Gonzaga) will be making his second-straight Maui appearance after transferring from Creighton, last year's runner-up to Arizona, for his final year of eligibility.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of this storied event, the Maui Jim Maui Invitational and its partners are making a trip to witness the 'Maui Magic' possible through the Maui Jim Maui Invitational Fan Sweepstakes. One lucky fan and a guest will receive two All-Tournament tickets, two Stadium Club hospitality passes, a five-night stay at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 160,000 HawaiianMiles from Hawaiian Airlines, a gift card good for two pairs of Maui Jim sunglasses and an exclusive tour and lunch at Maui Brewing Company. The sweepstakes is running from July 20 - August 20, 2023. To enter, or to view the complete list of rules and regulations, fans must visit mauiinvitational.com/sweepstakes.

Limited Booster ticket-only packages will go on sale August 8, and local fans will continue to receive their special Kama'āina ticket rate, which will go on sale at on July 28. Each ticket option will be available online only starting at 10 a.m. Hawaiian time/3 p.m. Eastern.

For details on tickets and general information on this year's Tournament, visit mauiinivitational.com or follow along on the Maui Jim Maui Invitational social channels (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).

Matchup History
Tennessee vs. Syracuse
Series Record: Tied, 3-3
Last Matchup: Jan. 19, 2002 (Tennessee 66, Syracuse 62)
Notes: Tennessee, led by head coach Rick Barnes, is coming off a Sweet 16 run, finishing with an overall record of 25-11 while making its fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. This will be the Vols' fourth time making their trip to the island (2004, 2011, 2016) and will bring three fifth-year players, one senior, four juniors, three sophomores, two redshirt freshmen and three true freshmen to Maui this season. Syracuse features a new face at the helm after 47 years, as they are led by Orange alum Adrian Autry. The head man joined the staff as an assistant in 2011-12 and was promoted in 2017 to associate head coach. Syracuse has won the Maui Invitational in all three of its program appearances (1990, 1998, 2013).

Purdue vs. Gonzaga
Series Record: Purdue leads 2-0
Last Matchup: March 23, 2000 (Purdue 76, Gonzaga 66)
Notes: Purdue is coming off one of its best season's under head coach Matt Painter, which featured the national player of the year Zach Edey returns for the 2023-24 season. With a 29-6 record, the Boilermakers spent seven weeks ranked No. 1 nationally, won the Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament Championship Titles and garnered a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. This will be Purdue's fourth Tournament appearance (1999, 2006, 2014). Gonzaga has made the NCAA Tournament in every season under Few (outside of the COVID year) ending last season in the Elite Eight, after advancing to its eighth-straight Sweet 16. The Zags also won the WCC Regular Season and Postseason Titles. This will be the sixth appearance for the Zags in Maui (2002, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2018) having won the championship in 2009 and 2018.

Kansas vs. Chaminade
Series Record: Kansas leads 4-0
Last Matchup: Nov. 25, 2019 (Kansas 93, Chaminade 63)
Notes: Under the direction of Bill Self, Kansas is returning to Maui for the eighth time in program history, tying for the second-most appearances overall in the Tournament. The Jayhawks are the reigning Big 12 Regular Season Champions and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament a year ago. They return the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (Dajuan Harris, Jr.) and the Most Improved Player of the Year (KJ Adams, Jr.) while adding one of the top transfers in the country in center Hunter Dickinson (Michigan). Host Chaminade will be returning to the field for the 37th time and are led by Eric Bovaird, who is in his 13th season, making him the second-longest tenured coach in program history. Last season, the Silverswords earned a spot in the PacWest Tournament and boasted the league's Freshman of the Year in Ross Reeves, who averaged 15.6 ppg.

UCLA vs. Marquette
Series Record: UCLA leads 4-0
Last Matchup: Dec. 11, 2021 (UCLA 67, Marquette 56)
Notes: UCLA, led by fifth-year head coach Mick Cronin, is coming off three-straight seasons where it has advanced to at least the Sweet 16 (2022, 2023) along with making the Final Four in 2021. The Bruins will be making their seventh appearance in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational (1995, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2019), own a 9-9 record on island and took home the title in the 2006. Marquette returns to the Tournament for the fourth time (2007, 2012, 2017) and the first under third-year head coach Shaka Smart. The Golden Eagles have an 8-3 record in the Tournament. Last season, Smart's team won both the BIG EAST Regular Season and Conference Championship titles along with winning a program-record 29 games. Marquette advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season for the second-straight year and both UCLA and the Golden Eagles earned a No. 2 seed in the national tournament.

###

About the Maui Jim Maui Invitational
In December 1982, then No. 1 ranked Virginia, led by National College Player of the Year Ralph Sampson, played little-known NAIA Chaminade University in Honolulu while on the way back from a trip to Tokyo. The Silverswords stunned top-ranked Virginia 77-72 in one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history. Two years later, in 1984, Chaminade University hosted the first Maui Jim Maui Invitational and it has proven to be the premier early-season college basketball tournament for 36 years running. Each year, the Maui Jim Maui Invitational attracts the top programs, best-known coaches and most outstanding players to compete in an exciting atmosphere at the Lahaina Civic Center near the beautiful beaches of Maui.

About Maui Jim Sunglasses
Maui Jim sunglasses were born on the beaches of Maui; designed to protect eyes from the harsh rays of the island sun. Today, Maui Jim is the world's fastest-growing premium polarized sunglasses brand and is sold in more than 100 countries. Maui Jim is recognized for its unparalleled "Aloha Spirit", customer service, and advanced, patented PolarizedPlus2® lens technology. All Maui Jim sunglasses block 100 percent of harmful UV rays and eliminate reflected glare while enhancing color, clarity, and detail. Maui Jim sunglasses have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation as an effective UV filter for the eyes and surrounding skin. In 2022, Maui Jim became part of Kering Eyewear, which belongs to the global Luxury group Kering. For more information, visit MauiJim.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at @OfficialMauiJim.

About KemperLesnik
KemperLesnik is a sports marketing, events and public relations agency. Ranked by Crain's Chicago Business among Chicago's top PR agencies, KemperLesnik produces integrated communications programs and manages major national events, including the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, the McDonald's All American Games, the POWERADE Jam Fest and activation for KitchenAid and its PGA of America partnership. KemperLesnik has operated the Maui Jim Maui Invitational since 1990. For more information, visit www.kemperlesnik.com.

About Chaminade University
Chaminade University of Honolulu believes in the power of education to drive positive change, broaden perspectives, and deepen our understanding of one another. With an emphasis on transformative service-learning experiences, we prepare students to serve as tomorrow's leaders, inspiring and challenging them to use their minds and their hearts to help build stronger and more just communities. We are proud to serve as Hawai'i's only Marianist university and rely on these values to guide us in delivering a high-quality education with an individualized approach and a focus on excellence, innovation, and change. Established in 1955, we offer more than 30 undergraduate and graduate programs, including doctoral degrees in education, psychology, and nursing practice. Learn more at chaminade.edu.

Related Videos