Highly Anticipated Matchups Revealed in Maui Jim Maui Invitational Bracket

2019 Maui Jim Maui Invitational Bracket

MAUI, HAWAII – The Maui Jim Maui Invitational today revealed the 2019 Tournament bracket, setting the stage for an action-packed three days at the Lahaina Civic Center. The 36th edition of the nation’s premier early season Tournament will take place Nov. 25-27 at the Lahaina Civic Center on the island of Maui.

BYU, playing in the Maui Invitational for the first time since 2014, will face UCLA in the first round on Monday, Nov. 25. The Cougars will face either Kansas or Chaminade in the second round.

The other first round matchups will feature Georgia squaring off against Dayton and Virginia Tech taking on Michigan State (The complete bracket is linked above).

All 12 Championship Round games of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational will be televised on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU, and streamed on ESPN3.

“It’s another great year for the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, with several teams expected to have big seasons ahead of them,” said Tournament Chairman David Odom. “This field features a spread of young and experienced talent – both from the players and the coaches. We’re looking forward to seeing who will take home the Wayne Duke Championship Trophy in the unbeatable atmosphere that is the Lahaina Civic Center this November.”

Combined, the teams in the 2019 Maui Jim Maui Invitational field own 196 NCAA Tournament berths, including 44 Final Four appearances and 16 National Championships. Accompanied by Tournament newcomer Georgia, the seven returning programs will come to Maui with a combined five Tournament championships. BYU, Michigan State and Kansas are among the top 20 winningest programs in the nation since the start of the 2009-10 season. Michigan State enters the 2019 Tournament coming off a trip to the Final Four last season.

The field will feature three coaches with Final Four appearances to their names — Kansas’ Bill Self, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and Georgia’s Tom Crean — as well as three coaches who will take over new programs after successful 2018-2019 campaigns. These include Mick Cronin at UCLA (from Cincinnati), Mike Young at Virginia Tech (from Wofford) and Mark Pope at BYU (from Utah Valley). Izzo and Self have each been honored as AP Coach of the Year.

Over the years, the Tournament has proven to be a key ingredient in a team’s success late into the season. Since the Tournament’s inception, 128 teams that have started the season in Maui have gone on to compete in the NCAA Tournament, with 49 teams having advanced to the Sweet 16. In each of the last nine seasons, one or more teams who have competed in Maui have gone on to reach at least the Elite Eight.

Matchup History

BYU vs. UCLA
Series record: UCLA leads 11-10
Last matchup: Dec. 18, 2010 (UCLA 86, BYU 79)
Notes: BYU, which finished as the Maui Jim Maui Invitational runner-up in 1992, is making its fourth all-time tournament appearance; UCLA won the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in 2006 and is making its sixth all-time appearance.

Kansas vs. Chaminade
Series record: Kansas leads 3-0
Last matchup: Nov. 23, 2015 (Kansas 123, Chaminade 72)
Notes: Kansas, which boasts two Maui Jim Maui Invitational titles and a runner-up finish, won the Tournament in its most recent appearance (2015), and this year will be tied with Arizona and North Carolina for the most all-time Tournament appearances of any non-host program with seven. Kansas and Chaminade have played three times in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, with the Jayhawks winning each time (1987: Kansas 89, Chaminade 62; 2005: Kansas 102, Chaminade 54).

Georgia vs. Dayton
Series record: Dayton leads 1-0
Last matchup: Dec. 21, 1973 (Dayton 63, Georgia 55)
Notes: Dayton, making its fourth all-time Tournament appearance, won the Maui Jim Maui Invitational title in 2003 and has a 7-2 all-time record in the championship round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational; Georgia is making their first ever appearance in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.

Virginia Tech vs. Michigan State
Series record: Michigan State leads 1-0
Last matchup: Nov. 22, 2013 (Michigan State 96, Virginia Tech 77)
Notes: Michigan State is making its fifth all-time appearance in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, boasting an 8-4 record and a Maui Jim Maui Invitational title in 1991; Virginia Tech has made one previous appearance in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, finishing third in 1985.

For information on how to buy tickets for the 2019 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, please visit www.mauiinvitational.com/travelpackages.

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 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 32 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 and designed to protect eyes from the harsh rays of the island sun. Today, Maui Jim is recognized for unparalleled “Aloha Spirit” and customer service as well as patented PolarizedPlus2® lens technology, which blocks 100% of UV rays and eliminates glare while enhancing color, definition and depth perception. Maui Jim sunglasses have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation as an effective UV filter for the eyes and surrounding skin. For more information, visit MauiJim.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at @OfficialMauiJim.

About Tournament Sponsors
Other sponsors include the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau, County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation, Hawaii Tourism Authority, HMSA, Continental Tire, Hawaii.com and Tommy Bahama. The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa and Westin Maui Resort & Spa, all located in the beautiful Ka'anapali Beach Resort area, serve as host hotels.

About Chaminade University
Chaminade University, the only Catholic university in Hawaii, provides a rich educational experience. Chaminade is a place where people grow: professionally, intellectually and spiritually. The Society of Mary, the Marianists, founded Chaminade University in 1955 (as St. Louis Junior College.) Chaminade University offers its students an education in a collaborative learning environment that prepares them for life, service and successful careers.

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 CBS SPORTS Classic, the McDonald’s All American Games, Chicago Legends, the POWERADE Jam Fest and brand activation for the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. KemperLesnik has operated the Maui Jim Maui Invitational since 1990. For more information, visit www.kemperlesnik.com.  # # #  Media Contact Katherine Kanner, KemperLesnik, katherine.kanner@kemperlesnik.com, 312-888-2106