The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2008 marks 25th anniversary of nation's premier early-season hoops tourney
01.24.2007 | Men's Basketball
NORTHBROOK, Ill. -- Tournament operator KemperSports Marketing & Communications, a Chicago-based sports marketing, events and public relations agency, today announced the 2008 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational field. NCAA Division I teams Alabama, Indiana, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oregon, Saint Joseph's and Texas will join Division II host Chaminade, Nov. 24-26, 2008, to launch the college basketball season in the 25th edition of the nation's premier early-season tournament.
The 2008 lineup features a mix of tournament veterans and newcomers; two former national champions and Maui titleholders, Indiana and North Carolina; and three squads that will debut on Maui's hardwood (Alabama, Oregon and Saint Joseph's).
Four-time national champion North Carolina, a team that clinched the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational crown in 1999 and 2004, has a tournament-high 10 wins with a record of 10-2 in four Maui appearances. Indiana, owner of five national championships, topped the Maui field in 2002 to bring its overall tournament record to 8-4 in four appearances. Notre Dame returns to the island with plans to improve on a sixth-place finish in the 1993 tournament, while Texas, a 1993 and 2004 Maui participant, hopes to build on its 4-2 tournament record.
"We look forward to commemorating the tournament's 25th anniversary with another marquee assembly of teams in 2008," said Tournament Chairman Dave Gavitt. "The EA SPORTS Maui Invitational has the ingredients, on and off the court, that make for a one-of-a-kind college sports event - spirited competition among strong fields, an intimate fan experience in Hawaii and live television coverage courtesy of ESPN."
To date, 79 schools representing 20 conferences and 36 states have competed in the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, with Maui participants winning 52 of 68 NCAA championships, 52 of 68 national runner-up spots and comprising 202 of 272 Final Four teams.
The 2007 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational showcases Arizona State, Duke, Illinois, LSU, Marquette, Oklahoma State and Princeton tipping off in college basketball's premier season-opening tournament, Nov. 19-21, at Maui's Lahaina Civic Center. The ESPN networks will again offer live television coverage of a minimum nine tournament games.
EA SPORTS, the world's leading interactive entertainment software company, enters its seventh year as title sponsor of the Maui Invitational. Just last week, EA SPORTS released NCAA® March Madness® 07, the No.1-selling college basketball videogame, featuring cover athlete Adam Morrison, 2005 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational MVP and current member of the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats.
Other tournament sponsors include the Maui Visitors Bureau, County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation and Hawaii Tourism Authority. The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Sheraton Maui Resort and Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa, all from the beautiful Ka'anapali Beach resort area, serve as host hotels for the thousands of fans and boosters who annually accompany their teams to Maui. KemperSports has operated the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational since 1990.
For a variety of tournament information as well as details regarding 2007 tickets and travel packages, visit the official tournament Web site at MauiInvitational.com or contact Oahu Travel, the official tournament travel agent, at 800.826.3822.
About KemperSports KemperSports Marketing & Communications, an affiliate of Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports, is a sports marketing, events and public relations agency, which has produced and managed major national and international events and communications programs, including the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational college basketball tournament and numerous PGA TOUR events. KemperSports operates golf facilities as well as athletic clubs, lodging venues and major sporting events, including nationally ranked courses and tournament venues such as Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Dorado Beach Resort & Club, The Glen Club, Gillette Ridge, Harding Park, Bolingbrook Golf Club and Desert Willow.
