Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament: Who Won?
The Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament is an annual college basketball tournament that takes place in Hawaii. It is hosted by Chaminade University and features some of the top teams in college basketball. The tournament began in 1984 and has been held every year since then. This year, the tournament was held from November 25-27 and featured a total of 8 teams, including the University of Michigan, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, UCLA, BYU, Kansas, UNLV, and host Chaminade.
Tournament Overview
The tournament was played in three rounds, with each team playing three games. The top four teams at the end of the tournament would advance to the championship round. The championship round would feature the top two teams from each round, with the winner being crowned the Maui Invitational champion. The tournament also featured a “third place” game, which was played between the two teams that finished in third place in their respective rounds.
Tournament Format
The tournament was played in a single-elimination format. Each game was played in a best-of-three format. The top four teams after the first two rounds of play advanced to the championship round. The championship round was also played in a best-of-three format, with the winner being crowned the Maui Invitational champion.
The Teams
The teams competing in the tournament were:
- University of Michigan: The Wolverines entered the tournament as the highest ranked team. They finished the regular season with a 22-5 record and earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Wolverines were led by freshman sensation Isaiah Livers, who averaged 15.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
- Virginia Tech: The Hokies entered the tournament with a 19-7 record and earned a No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament. They were led by senior guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who averaged 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
- North Carolina: The Tar Heels had a 20-8 record and earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament. They were led by junior guard Coby White, who averaged 16.3 points and 4.1 assists per game.
- UCLA: The Bruins entered the tournament with a 19-10 record and earned a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. They were led by senior guard Jaylen Hands, who averaged 14.5 points and 4.8 assists per game.
- BYU: The Cougars had a 20-7 record and earned a No. 9 seed in the NCAA tournament. They were led by senior forward Yoeli Childs, who averaged 21.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
- Kansas: The Jayhawks entered the tournament with a 22-9 record and earned a No. 10 seed in the NCAA tournament. They were led by senior guard Devon Dotson, who averaged 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
- UNLV: The Rebels had a 14-15 record and earned an automatic bid to the tournament as the host school. They were led by freshman forward Bryce Hamilton, who averaged 16.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
- Chaminade: The Silverswords had a 16-9 record and earned an automatic bid to the tournament as the host school. They were led by senior forward Tyler Cartaino, who averaged 15.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
Tournament Results
The tournament began with an opening round of play on November 25. After the first two rounds of play, the top four teams that advanced to the championship round were Michigan, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, and UCLA.
In the championship round, Michigan and Virginia Tech advanced to the final game. In a hard-fought battle, Michigan emerged victorious, winning the Maui Invitational championship with a score of 69-63.
MVP of the Tournament
The MVP of the tournament was Michigan freshman Isaiah Livers. Livers averaged 18.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game in the tournament. He was instrumental in Michigan’s championship run, scoring 20 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in the championship game.
Final Standings
The final standings for the 2019 Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament were as follows:
- Champion: University of Michigan
- Runner-up: Virginia Tech
- Third Place: North Carolina
- Fourth Place: UCLA
- Fifth Place: BYU
- Sixth Place: Kansas
- Seventh Place: UNLV
- Eighth Place: Chaminade
MVP of the Tournament
The MVP of the tournament was Michigan freshman Isaiah Livers. Livers was instrumental in Michigan’s championship run, averaging 18.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. In the championship game, he scored 20 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Conclusion
The 2019 Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament was a great success. The tournament featured some of the top teams in college basketball and the competition was intense. In the end, it was the University of Michigan that emerged as the champion, with freshman sensation Isaiah Livers earning MVP honors.