Matchups set for loaded Maui Invitational

[IE]

A matchup between Arizona and Kansas highlights the first-round pairings for the EA Sports Maui Invitational, which has five schools in its eight-team field that were ranked in the top 15 of the final poll last season.

The other game in the lower half of the bracket, which was released Wednesday, has Connecticut against Arkansas.

The other bracket has Gonzaga against Maryland and Michigan State facing Chaminade, the Division II host of the tournament that starts Nov. 21 at the 2,400-seat Lahaina Civic Center. The semifinals are Nov. 22 and the championship game is Nov. 23. Arizona, at No. 9, was the highest of the five ranked teams with Gonzaga (10), Kansas (12), Connecticut (13) and Michigan State (15) the others.

All five were in the NCAA tournament last season, with Michigan State reaching the Final Four and Arizona falling one game short.

Michigan State (1991), Kansas (1996) and Arizona (2000) are all former Maui Invitational champions.

All 12 games in the tournament will be televised live on one of the ESPN networks.

Chaminade has a 4-57 record in the previous 21 tournaments.

 

[gjn23]

totally loaded field...not sure how a depleted msu squad drew chaminade (unless they get to choose who they play in round one)......uconn should be the highest rated team entering the tourney.

should be fun and may actually be in attendance in Maui

 

[gman2]

i think its a bit of s stretch to say that msu is depleted. theyre bringing back 3 of their top 4 scorers from last year, and brown had a strong finish to the season and is becoming a star. illinois lost a helluva lot more than msu this offseason (although they were saved by their own brown now returning).

 

[rrc]

gman...Hope the new business is going well with football just around the corner.

 

[gjn23]

depleted was probably the wrong word....but i assumed that the best team (1 seed) would draw chaminade (8 seed) unless chaminade gets their choice of opponent

 

[gman2]

rrc:

its goin well, thanks. definitely been putting some long hours in to offer the best 'product' possible. im really looking forward to the season. no matter what scott says, this year is really wide open. usc will have the same bullseye miami had on their back after their 2 dominant years in the early 2000s. big ten is really interesting. and i really think we'll see some surprises in the mac.

gjn:

i hear ya. im trying to jog my memory as to who chaminade opened with this past year. was it texas? but yeah, im not sure how the matchups are determined. if youre goin to maui to see it in person, youre a lucky man. enjoy yourself.

 

[bear]

CT should be strongest of these..

bear

 

[kbhirsch]

I actually like MSU in this one. The 3 seniors that they lost did very little in the tournament run. They were carried by Brown, Ager and Davis. Brown has 1st team all american potential. Davis and Ager both will be drafted next year.

GOnzaga will be good again with Morrison and Batista.

 

[Garrett]

Chaminade actually gets to pick who they play in the first round.