2023 Maui Invitational will be played in Honolulu at much bigger arena
After it was reported that the 2023 Maui Invitational was expected to move from Lahaina on Tuesday, event organizers confirmed Friday that the tournament will indeed take place at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu from Nov. 20-22.
"While we have to move this year's tournament off of Maui, we are determined to celebrate and honor the culture and traditions that make this event so special," said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperSports LIVE, the operator of the Maui Invitational, in a news release. "Throughout this process, we've seen the spirit of 'ohana in action. Thank you to Governor Josh Green, Hawai'i Tourism Authority, and Mayor Richard Bissen as well as the staff at Chaminade University of Honolulu and University of Hawai'i at Mānoa for working tirelessly with us to keep this year's tournament in Hawai'i."
The University of Hawaii's 10,300-seat arena is much larger than the Lahaina Civic Center, the tournament's traditional host venue that seats 2,400. The LCC survived the wildfires that ravaged west Maui last month and is currently being used to coordinate relief efforts from various organizations.
Officials also confirmed all eight teams from the original field are participating. Kansas (No. 1), Purdue (No. 3), Gonzaga (No. 7), Tennessee (No. 8) and Marquette (No. 10) were all ranked in ESPN's early preseason poll.
The Zags' first-round matchup is a rematch from last season's PK85 tournament against Purdue, which brought back all five starters including reigning Naismith Player of the Year, Zach Edey. Gonzaga then takes on either Syracuse or Tennessee in the ensuing round, before a potential matchup against Kansas, UCLA or Marquette in the third game.
