Star-studded field for ’11 Maui Invitational

By Fred Guzman

So you thought that this year’s edition of the EA Sports Maui Invitational features a talent-laden field? Well, it does. The entries for the Nov. 22-24 event at the Lahaina Civic Center includes former national champions U-Conn, Kentucky and Michigan State, in addition to Oklahoma, Virginia, Washington, Wichita State and host Chaminade.

Impressive as that appears, consider the recently announced field for the 2011 event.

The seven teams joining Chaminade next year have won a combined 20 national titles and will feature three of the most successful and tradition-rich programs in NCAA history. In addition to Duke, Kansas and UCLA, other teams coming to Maui next year are Georgetown, Memphis, Michigan and Tennessee.

Maui Invitational officials also announced that, starting next year, the tournament will expand – sort of.  The plan is to have four second-tier D-I teams play against Maui-bound teams on the mainland and later stage of mini-tournament of their own on, also under the banner of the tournament. Sounds complicated, but it really isn’t once you understand the concept. This much is clear, however. The Maui Invitational is a major event that seems to be getting better.