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MAUI, HAWAII (July 18, 2017) – The Maui Jim Maui Invitational today announced its 2017 Tournament bracket. The top half of the bracket features competitive tilts between Marquette and VCU, and Wichita State and California. The bottom half showcases Notre Dame facing Chaminade and Michigan taking on LSU as the eight programs vie for early-season bragging rights and the Wayne Duke championship trophy.
 
The 34th edition of the nation's premier early season Tournament will take place Nov. 20-22 at the Lahaina Civic Center on the island of Maui. This tradition was initiated by one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history, when Chaminade defeated then No.1 Virginia on Dec. 23, 1982. The historic matchup will celebrate its 35^th anniversary later this year.
 
Travel packages are on sale now at mauiinvitational.com/travel and by contacting the Tournament Travel Department at 800-856-0024 or MauiInvitational@WyndhamJade.com. 
 
All 12 Championship Round games of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.
 
 
"Final Four programs, NCAA Tournament regulars and rising powers will make the 2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational event as exciting and unpredictable as we've had in quite some time," said Tournament Chairman, Dave Odom. "Each team is very well coached by some of the best motivators and basketball minds in the country. The Lahaina Civic Center is in for a March-like atmosphere this November."
 
"It's a fantastic field," said veteran ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas. "With the star power and brand name power of Notre Dame and Wichita State at the top of the list, it is going to be a great Tournament. There are also up and coming teams attending that will challenge for national honors by the end of the season."
 
Over the last seven seasons, Michigan, VCU and Wichita State have appeared in the Final Four and, along with Notre Dame, rank among the nation's winningest programs. The Shockers are fourth with 208 victories, behind blue-blood programs Kansas, Kentucky and Gonzaga. The Rams (187) are 12th, ranked ahead of the likes of Villanova, Michigan State and Syracuse, with the Irish 24th (171) and Michigan 28th (169). Each team, along with Marquette, return important pieces that made them NCAA Tournament programs a season ago.
 
Meanwhile, changes in coaching regimes provide renewed excitement at Cal and LSU. Wyking Jones moves to the head chair after serving as an assistant with the Golden Bears during the last two seasons. He welcomes a trio of four-star recruits to Berkeley as Cal looks for its third straight postseason berth. In Baton Rouge, former VCU coach Will Wade brings in a quartet of four-star prospects that are part of the nation's 19th ranked recruiting class on the ESPN Recruiting Nation Top 40.
 
Over the years, the Tournament has proven to be a key ingredient in a team's success. Since the Tournament's inception, 125 teams that have participated in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational have gone on to compete in the NCAA Tournament, an average of nearly four per season. Forty-five teams have advanced to the Sweet 16, seven of which have gone on to win the NCAA championship, with North Carolina the last team to do so just a season ago.
 
Each of the teams in the 2017 field have made at least one Tournament appearance. Michigan is the lone program to take home titles, doing so in 1985 and 1988.
 
Maui Jim Activation
Bright skies, crystal clear water, nonstop Aloha spirit… Your dream getaway awaits. One lucky fan will win the Take Me To Maui Sweepstakes—a trip for two for the 2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational! Prize includes round trip coach airfare to Kahului, tournament tickets, hotel accommodations for six nights, two pairs of Maui Jim sunglasses, a $500 VISA gift card and more! The sweepstakes, which has an approximate retail value of $10,000, is scheduled to launch on August 1.
 
About the Maui Jim Maui Invitational
In December 1982, then No. 1 ranked Virginia, led by National College Player of the Year Ralph Sampson, played little-known NAIA Chaminade University in Honolulu while on the way back from a trip to Tokyo. The Silverswords stunned Virginia 77-72 in one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history. Two years later, in 1984, Chaminade University hosted the first Maui Invitational and it has proven to be the premier early-season college basketball tournament for 33 years running. Each year, the Maui Jim Maui Invitational attracts the top programs, best-known coaches and most outstanding players to compete in an exciting atmosphere at the Lahaina Civic Center near the beautiful beaches of Maui.
 
About Maui Jim Sunglasses
Maui Jim sunglasses were born on the beaches of Maui and designed to protect eyes from the harsh rays of the island sun. Today, Maui Jim is recognized for unparalleled "Aloha Spirit" and customer service as well as patented PolarizedPlus2® lens technology, which blocks 100% of UV rays and eliminates glare while enhancing color, definition and depth perception.  Maui Jim sunglasses have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation as an effective UV filter for the eyes and surrounding skin.  For more information, visit www.mauijim.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at @OfficialMauiJim.
 
About Tournament Sponsors
Other sponsors include the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau, County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation, Hawaii Tourism Authority, adidas and Continental Tire. The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa and Westin Maui Resort & Spa, all located in the beautiful Ka'anapali Beach Resort area, serve as host hotels.
 
About Chaminade University
Chaminade University is a private, Catholic university offering more than 25 undergraduate and graduate programs and is federally designated as a Native Hawaiian serving institution. Guided by its Catholic, Marianist and liberal arts educational traditions, Chaminade prepares students for careers in an evolving global marketplace rooted in the development of moral character, personal competencies and a commitment to build a just and peaceful society. Please visit chaminade.edu for more information.
 
About KemperLesnik
KemperLesnik is a sports marketing, events and public relations agency. Ranked by Crain's Chicago Business among Chicago's top PR agencies, KemperLesnik produces integrated communications programs and manages major national events, including the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, the CBS SPORTS Classic, the State Farm Chicago Legends, the McDonald's All American Games, the POWERADE Jam Fest and activation for KitchenAid and its PGA of America partnership. KemperLesnik has operated the Maui Jim Maui Invitational since 1990. For more information, visit www.kemperlesnik.com.