Maui Jim Maui Invitational Tips Off on Monday

The 2018 Maui Jim Maui Invitational basketball tournament tips off on Monday at the Lahaina Civic Center.  The Tournament box office located at the Lahaina Civic Center opens today, Nov. 16, 2018 at 9 a.m.

This year’s field includes: Auburn, Duke, Gonzaga, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa State, San Diego State and Xavier.

Eleven players who earned All-Conference accolades a season ago will showcase their talents on Maui, including 2018 Preseason All-American Rui Hachimura of Gonzaga. Duke freshman RJ Barrett also made the Preseason All-American list, and will join the rest of the team’s No. 1 ranked freshman class for Basketball in Paradise.

Since its inception, 132 teams that have started the season in the Maui Jim Maui invitational have finished the year in the NCAA Tournament, 46 have gone on to the Sweet 16, and 20 have appeared in the Final Four while seven have won the national championship.

In this year’s tournament, four of the teams own at least one Elite Eight berth since 2011, and all have a combined 45 NCAA Tournament appearances combined in the same amount of time. Four of the teams are part of the top 15 winning programs since the 2010-11 season, including Duke and Arizona, who along with Illinois rank in the top 15 in all-time NCAA victories.

Additionally, the eight head coaches leading the programs into the Tournament boast impressive credentials. Each has appeared in at least one Sweet 16 in their collegiate coaching careers. Three coaches have earned National Coach of the Year awards, including Bruce Pearl, Mark Few, and Mike Krzyzewski, who is also on the list as one of the most all-time winning coaches with more than 1,100 victories.

“This year’s Maui Jim Maui Invitational competition is one of the best we’ve ever seen, no doubt about it,” said Tournament Chairman Dave Odom, a three-time ACC Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year honoree. “This field features legendary, Hall of Fame coaches and talented rosters, with all teams being NCAA and conference championship contenders. We know that competing in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational often leads to postseason success and honors.”

Tickets can be purchased by visiting or calling the box office at the Lahiana Civic Center. Their phone number is (808) 667-DUNK (3865).

The Tournament box office located at the Lahaina Civic Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Sunday, and on game days from 8:30 a.m. until the end of the last game of the day.