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Maui Invitational Schedule & Brackets Released

Buffnik

Real name isn't Nik
Club Member
Junta Member
We get Gonzaga for our first game (Monday, 3pm Eastern on ESPN2). Also on our side of the bracket are Arizona and Wisconsin, so we are going to get some good games.

Link to the brackets: Maui Brackets

Here's the release (pulled it off Wisconsin's site):

MAUI, Hawaii

The EA SPORTS Maui Invitational today announced the official bracket for the 2009 edition of the nation’s premier early-season college basketball tournament. Maui’s oceanside Lahaina Civic Center will again be the venue for the eight-team competition during Thanksgiving week 2009 from Nov. 23-25. Wisconsin will face Arizona in the first round of the tournament on Monday, Nov. 23, at 11 p.m. (central) on ESPN2.

"It's always exciting to play in a tournament with so many great teams," Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said Tuesday. "The Maui Invitational has some of the best teams in college basketball every year and it's fun to be a part of that. We're looking forward to getting our season started, but we'll have to prepare for two quality opponents in IPFW and Oakland before even heading to Hawaii."

A strong field of former national champions including Arizona, Cincinnati, Maryland, and Wisconsin will join Gonzaga, Vanderbilt, Colorado and Tournament host Chaminade University of Honolulu to compete for the coveted Wayne Duke Championship Trophy. Two former Maui champions, Arizona (2000) and Vanderbilt (1986) will return to the islands in search of another Maui title and early-season bragging rights. Four of the seven Division I teams in the 2009 lineup participated in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, highlighted by runs to the Sweet Sixteen by Arizona and Gonzaga. In all, 85 schools representing 21 conferences and 38 states have competed in the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, with Maui participants having won an astounding 55 of 71 NCAA championships, 55 of 71 national runner-up spots and comprise 214 of 284 Final Four teams.

“This year's Tournament showcases another field of outstanding competition,” said Tournament Chairman Dave Gavitt. “We will celebrate the 26th annual Tournament with a powerhouse field. College basketball fans from around the globe can look forward to another remarkable week of basketball at its finest.”

The ESPN networks will combine once again to offer live television coverage of all 12 Tournament games. For the first time, every game will be produced in high definition on ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and ESPNU HD, with the ESPN and ESPN2 games also streaming live on ESPN360.com.

Matchups underscore strength of field
The start of the 2009 basketball season tips off on Monday, Nov. 23, with Game One featuring Colorado, a Big 12 Maui-newcomer guided by coach Jeff Bzdelik, against 2009 West Coast Conference Tournament Champion and two-time Maui veteran, Gonzaga, with coach Mark Few who has led the Bulldogs to an NCAA Tournament berth every year since he took the position in 1999. Game Two pits Mick Cronin’s Cincinnati Bearcats, which have finished in the Top 10 of the final polls in seven of the past 13 years, against former SEC Coach of the Year Kevin Stallings and Vanderbilt, winner of three SEC regular season titles. Host school Chaminade will battle in Game Three, as Matt Mahar, the winningest coach in the school’s history by percentage, leads the home state Silverswords against former national champion Maryland steered by legendary coach and Maryland alumni, Gary Williams. Williams has led the Terrapins to 13 NCAA Tournaments berths in 16 years, including seven Sweet Sixteen appearances, a pair of consecutive Final Four showings and the 2002 national championship. Game Four pairs newly-named head coach Sean Miller guiding former national champion Arizona, a team that has reached the NCAA Tournament for 25 consecutive years, against the Big Ten’s Wisconsin Badgers, the Bo Ryan-led team looking to bring home a piece of Maui glory.

Wisconsin owns a 2-2 record overall vs. Arizona, but lost in the most recent meeting between the two schools. The Wildcats downed the Badgers, 94-75, in the first round of the 2006 NCAA tournament.

The semifinals will take place Tuesday, Nov. 24 with the winner of the Chaminade ? Maryland game tipping off against the Cincinnati ? Vanderbilt winner in the first semifinal game scheduled at 6 p.m. Central time, followed by the second semifinal game between the Colorado ? Gonzaga winner and the Arizona ? Wisconsin winner scheduled at 8:30 p.m. Central time on ESPN. Winners of the semifinals will advance to the championship game Wednesday, Nov. 25 scheduled at 9 p.m. Central time (also on ESPN).

Special limited ticket presale to coincide with bracket release
Starting today, Aug. 4, at 2 p.m. Central time (9 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time) there will be a limited selection of presale tickets available for one day only or until sold out via the official Tournament Web site, www.mauiinvitational.com. Remaining game tickets including school specific Booster Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 2 p.m. Central time (9 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time) via www.mauiinvitational.com. Travel packages with game tickets and hotel accommodations are currently available through Oahu Travel, the Tournament’s official travel agency, by calling 800.826.3822. In addition, tickets are still available for Sunday’s (Nov. 22) “An Evening with the Coaches: Tip-Off Banquet,” a special dinner and entertainment event with the 2009 head coaches and teams, as well as for the 6th Annual EA SPORTS Maui Golf Invitational on Thanksgiving Day. Visit the Web site’s “Tickets & Travel” section for details.
 
I keep thinking what a great week that's going to be.

Monday-Wednesday: Maui Invitational
Thursday: Thanksgiving (and Broncos-Giants at Mile High)
Friday: CU-NU Rivalry at Folsom
 
our side of the bracket appears to much more difficult. i was hoping to get Vandy or Cincy...not that those aren't good teams, but maybe gives us a better shot for an early season W.
 
I guarantee Gonzaga is ****ting in their pants right now.

And that, senor stampy, is our only flippin' hope in this game. If the lily white zags get sun poisoning from spending too much time on the beach the day before the game, compound the problem by going out partying Sunday night, and pre-scout Arizona and Wisconsin without looking at any CU film... we may just win.:thumbsup:
 
I guarantee Gonzaga is ****ting in their pants right now.

:lol: Good Ole Stampy.

Buffnik said:
And that, senor stampy, is our only flippin' hope in this game. If the lily white zags get sun poisoning from spending too much time on the beach the day before the game, compound the problem by going out partying Sunday night, and pre-scout Arizona and Wisconsin without looking at any CU film... we may just win.:thumbsup:

:nod:

In all seriousness I think they could keep up with the 'Zags. It's not like they're gonna run us out of the gym with superior talent. Arizona and Wiscy maybe, but not Gonzaga.
 
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In all seriousness, we're huge underdogs to the Zags but it's also a game that we're more fired up for than they are. Given that plus the first game cobwebs and the early start time way out there in Hawaii... we have a chance at pulling an upset that I wouldn't give us much hope for if it was at the CEC in December.
 
In all seriousness, we're huge underdogs to the Zags but it's also a game that we're more fired up for than they are. Given that plus the first game cobwebs and the early start time way out there in Hawaii... we have a chance at pulling an upset that I wouldn't give us much hope for if it was at the CEC in December.

Agree. Not saying we'll beat them, and it's probably just me hoping we can make some waves in Maui, but they're still a WCC team with 2 or 3 good players and the rest well coached role players. Wouldn't be suprised to see a close game. The 'Zags winning by 20 wouldn't be either though. :huh:
 
Guess we better show Matt Bouldin that he should've stayed in-state...

No ill wishes toward Matt, but if he and his Zag brethren are humiliated in a loss to the Buffs, maybe the current ThunderRidge squad will second-guess looking out of state for schollies.
 
No ill wishes toward Matt, but if he and his Zag brethren are humiliated in a loss to the Buffs, maybe the current ThunderRidge squad will second-guess looking out of state for schollies.

sorry but the Buffs have to show a proven product or promise before we deserve the serious attention of in-state, national recruits. Reggie Jackson and Bouldin had BC calling for both of them, and Matt had NC State too I think. Not that CO HS bball is on par with Chicago, NYC, or other cities, but when we do produce a national product, I do not blame them at all for taking out of state schollies. CU has to prove itself on the court. We were lucky to get Chauncey - Marbury committing to Ga Tech and a family illness helped us out. We need more than one strong tournament showing - we need a few strong seasons.
 
sorry but the Buffs have to show a proven product or promise before we deserve the serious attention of in-state, national recruits. Reggie Jackson and Bouldin had BC calling for both of them, and Matt had NC State too I think. Not that CO HS bball is on par with Chicago, NYC, or other cities, but when we do produce a national product, I do not blame them at all for taking out of state schollies. CU has to prove itself on the court. We were lucky to get Chauncey - Marbury committing to Ga Tech and a family illness helped us out. We need more than one strong tournament showing - we need a few strong seasons.

No doubt. But, tournament success or not, Gonzaga is still looked at as the premier non-power conference basketball program. Just looking for a head-turner to kick start us on our way. Baby steps.
 
a lot of weird stuff happens in November and December in college hoops. Santa Clara beat the UNC team with Sean May and R. McCants and all those other dudes that won the NCAA.
 
One positive is that I would guess we would be the most cheered for team in the tourney second only to Chaminade.
 
This tournament is much-needed exposure for a program that is virtually invisible as far as BCS-conference teams go, now let's just hope that we can put on a good showing and pull an upset or 2. :thumbsup:

a lot of weird stuff happens in November and December in college hoops. Santa Clara beat the UNC team with Sean May and R. McCants and all those other dudes that won the NCAA.

There was also Kentucky losing to Gardner Webb a couple of years ago. :wtf:
 
I agree baby steps - that's why I'm still high on Bz, as I expected last year to be horrible (albeit not as bad...). Still, baby steps, and Mick is right - lots of odd stuff can happen early in the season. Players are still adjusting to new schemes and teammates, and if CU can make some noise, it'd be great for recruiting. If we can somehow knock off AZ, that may send a little message to Jordin Mayes.
 
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