Orange To Play In 2013 EA Sports Maui Invitational
3/6/2012 2:48:59 PM | Men's Basketball
MAUI, Hawaii, – The EA SPORTS Maui Invitational® Hosted by Chaminade University today announced the eight Island Teams that will battle at Maui's famed Lahaina Civic Center in the Championship Round of the 2013 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational. Syracuse, winners of the event in 1990 and 1998, headlines the field.
Arkansas, Baylor, California,Dayton, Gonzaga, Minnesota, and host Chaminade are the other scheduled teams for the 30th edition of the nation's premier early-season college basketball tournament.
As of March 5, ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi has four teams in the 2013 field making the 2012 NCAA Tournament – Syracuse (#1 seed), Baylor (#3 seed), Gonzaga (#6 seed) and California (#10 seed).
“The 2013 field represents the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational's longstanding commitment to bringing the top teams in the nation to the island of Maui,” said Tournament Chairman David Odom. "With some of the country's top basketball programs and great coaching minds paired with devoted fan bases traveling to Maui in 2013, we are excited for another fun-filled and competitive week of Basketball in Paradise."
Three previous Maui champions, Syracuse (1990, 1998), Gonzaga (2009) and Dayton (2003) will return to the island in search of another Maui title and early-season bragging rights. The four Division I teams that will participate in the 2013 Opening Games and Regional Games, will be announced at a later date.
2013 ISLAND TEAMS – HISTORY IN MAUI
Arkansas
• 2005: Sixth place (1-2 record)
• 1991: Second place (2-1 record, faced Minnesota in first round and won 92-83)
Baylor
• 1987: Sixth place (1-2)
California
• 1996: Third place (2-1)
Dayton
• 2003: Champions (3-0, MVP Keith Waleskowski)
• 2000: Third place (2-1)
Gonzaga
• 2009: Champions (3-0, Co-MVPs Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray)
• 2005: Second Place (2-1, MVP Adam Morrison)
• 2002: Fourth Place (1-2)
Minnesota
• 1991: Fifth Place (2-1, faced Arkansas in first round and lost 92-83)
Syracuse
• 1998: Champions (3-0, MVP Jason Hart)
• 1990: Champions (3-0, MVP Billy Owens)
Chaminade:
• Participated in each EA SPORTS Maui Invitational since 1984
• 6-73 overall record (most recently beat Oklahoma in 2010 seventh place game)
The 29th annual EA SPORTS Maui Invitational will launch the college basketball season with another stellar field. The Championship Round includes Island Teams Butler, Illinois, Marquette, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Texas, USC and host Chaminade. The Championship Round will be played fewer than 1,000 yards from the Pacific Ocean at Maui's Lahaina Civic Center from Nov. 19-21.
In all, 93 schools representing 23 conferences and 39 states have competed in the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, with Maui participants having won an astounding 62 of 73 NCAA championships and 58 of 73 national runner-up spots while comprising 239 of 292 Final Four teams.
