A combined eight teams from the 2014 and 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational Tournaments earned berths to the 2015 NCAA Championship field. Arizona, BYU, Purdue and San Diego State were selected to the field from the 2014 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, while 2015 teams Indiana, Kansas, St. John's and UCLA each earned a spot among the field of 68.
Follow along as we chronicle the four teams that participated in Maui in 2014 and the four others that will take part in the 2015 island event as they march through the NCAA Tournament.
Up to the minute NCAA Tournament Bracket
Saturday, March 28 Arizona's NCAA Tournament Run Ends With Regional Final Loss The No. 2 seeded Arizona Wildcats saw their 2014-15 campaign come to a close on Saturday following an 85-78 loss to top-seeded Wisconsin in the West Regional final. Five Wildcats scored in double figures, led by Brandon Ashley and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's 17 points, and the team shot better than 55 percent from the floor on the game, but Wisconsin finished 12 of 18 from 3-point range, outscoring Arizona by 30 points from long range. The Wildcats end the year with a 34-4 mark, which featured three victories and a championship effort in Maui this past November. The Badgers, a 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant, head to their second Final Four in as many seasons.
Arizona Recap
Saturday, March 28 Wildcats One Step Away from Final Four It will be a matchup of the top two seeds in the West Regional final, when No. 2 Arizona takes on No. 1 Wisconsin with a berth in the Final Four at stake.
#2 Arizona vs. #1 Wisconsin
5:09 p.m. ET, TBS
Los Angeles, Calif.
For the second year in a row, Arizona and Wisconsin will square off in the Elite Eight for a chance to go the Final Four. The Wildcats have reached three regional finals under coach Sean Miller, and boast an 11-3 mark in NCAA Tournament play under his watch. The Wildcats held off sixth-seeded Xavier in the Sweet 16 on Thursday, holding on for a 68-60 victory. Champions of the 2014 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, Arizona seeks its fifth Final Four berth in program history, and first since 2001. Last season, the Badgers defeated the Wildcats in overtime to advance to the national semifinals.
Friday, March 27 UCLA Falls to Gonzaga in Regional Semifinal The No. 11 seed UCLA Bruins saw their 2014-15 campaign come to an end Friday night following a 74-62 loss to No. seed Gonzaga in the regional semifinal round of the South Regional. UCLA ended the year with a 22-14 record after appearing in the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in the last 10 seasons. Norman Powell and Tony Parker each scored 16 points to lead the Bruins, who look toward the 2015-16 and a Thanksgiving Week trip to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
UCLA Recap
Friday, March 27 UCLA Takes on Gonzaga With Regional Final Berth at Stake The No. 11 UCLA Bruins look to continue their NCAA Tournament run when they take on No. 2 Gonzaga in the Midwest Regional semifinal on Friday night.
#11 UCLA vs. #2 Gonzaga
7:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Houston, Texas
UCLA is appearing in the regional semifinal round for the second consecutive year and the fifth time in the last 10 seasons. Overall, the Bruins are making their 13th trip to the Sweet 16 since the NCAA Tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. A 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant, UCLA knocked off No. 6 seed SMU in the second round, 60-59, before taking down No. 14 UAB, 92-75, in the third round last Saturday. Tonight's matchup against Gonzaga will be a rematch of the team's earlier meeting this year, which resulted in an 87-74 Gonzaga victory on Dec. 13, 2014, marking UCLA's only home loss of the season. UCLA is 1-2 all-time against the 'Zags, with its victory coming in the Sweet 16 of the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
Thursday, March 26 Wildcats Advance to Elite Eight With its 68-60 victory over sixth-seeded Xavier on Thursday night, No. 2 Arizona advanced to an Elite Eight rematch against top seed Wisconsin for the West Regional title and a berth to the Final Four. T.J. McConnell led the Wildcats with 17 points in the victory, while teammate Kaleb Tarczewski finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The 2014 Maui Jim Maui Invitational Champions, Arizona is the 10th team to win the title in Maui and advance to the NCAA Tournament's regional final round in the same season. Saturday's Elite Eight matchup against the Badgers will mark the third appearance for the Wildcats under head coach Sean Miller. It will also feature a rematch of last year's West Regional final that saw Wisconsin earn an overtime victory.
Arizona Recap
Thursday, March 26 Wildcats Prepare for Sweet 16 Tilt Thursday NightThe No. 2 seed in the West Regional, Arizona continues its NCAA Tournament journey on Thursday against No. 6 Xavier.
#2 Arizona vs. #6 Xavier
Approximately 10:17 p.m. ET, TBS
Los Angeles, Calif.
The Wildcats are the 14th team to win the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, then advance to at least the regional semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament. Arizona is making is fourth appearance in the regional semifinal round under current head coach Sean Miller, while the program is competing in its 17th Sweet 16 contest all-time. Arizona knocked off No. 15 Texas Southern, 93-72, in the second round before ousting No. 10 Ohio State, 73-58, in its third-round matchup. This will be the first meeting between the two programs, and the Wildcats look to become the 10th Maui Jim Maui Invitational champion to advance to the Elite Eight, where they would face either No. 1 Wisconsin or No. 4 North Carolina. The matchup between the Badgers and the Tar Heels features two teams that will participate in the 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
Sunday, March 22 Jayhawks, Aztecs Fall in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 No. 2 seed Kansas and No. 8 seed San Diego State each saw their 2014-15 seasons come to a close in the NCAA Tournament round of 32 on Sunday afternoon.
The Jayhawks ended their season with a 27-9 record after falling to No. 7 seed Wichita State, 78-65. Perry Ellis and Devonta Graham each finished with a team-high 17 points, while Frank Mason III chipped in 16. Kansas enjoyed a successful campaign, having won their 11th straight Big 12 Championship after finishing with a 13-5 conference mark. Kansas turns its focus to the offseason and the 2015-16 season, where it will take part in the 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational from Nov. 23-25.
Runner-up in Maui this past November, the Aztecs concluded the 2014-15 campaign with a 27-9 overall record after suffering a 68-49 setback to top-seeded Duke on Sunday. Winston Shepard led the way with 13 points, the only Aztec to score in double figures with Duke holding SDSU to just 32 percent shooting on the night. San Diego State finished the year having earned a share of the Mountain West Conference title for the fifth time in the last six seasons
Kansas Recap San Diego State Recap
Sunday, March 22 Kansas, San Diego State Eye Sweet 16 Berths No. 2 seed and 2015 Maui participant Kansas and No. 8 seed and 2014 Maui runner-up San Diego State take the court for their third-round matchups in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday afternoon.
#8 San Diego State vs. #1 Duke
2:40 p.m. ET, CBS
Charlotte, N.C.
#2 Kansas vs. #7 Wichita State
5:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Omaha, Neb.
The Jayhawks will play their 141st NCAA Tournament game when it tips off against the Shockers on Sunday, which would rank as the third-most all-time in tournament history, behind only Kentucky and North Carolina. Following an opening-round 75-56 victory over New Mexico State on Friday, Kansas eyes its 31st regional semifinal berth with a victory over Wichita State this afternoon. Under head coach Bill Self, Kansas has advanced to seven regional semifinals, and a victory would send the Jayhawks into the Midwest Regional semifinal against No. 3 Notre Dame in Cleveland on March 26.
The Aztecs, coming off a 76-64 victory over No. 9 seed and 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant St. John's in the second round, face top-seeded Duke in the third round of the South Regional on Sunday afternoon. San Diego State is one of only nine schools in the country to advance to the round of 32 in each of the last three NCAA Tournaments, and seeks its third regional semifinal berth in the last five season (2011 and 2014), where it would face No. 5 seed Utah in Houston on March 27.
Saturday, March 21 Wildcats, Bruins Dance Their Way to the Sweet 16 No. 2 Arizona and No. 11 UCLA advanced to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament after convincing wins over No. 10 Ohio State and No. 14 UAB, respectively, in the round of 32 on Saturday afternoon.
For the third straight year, Arizona will appear in the Sweet 16 after recording a 73-58 victory over the Buckeyes. The Wildcats advance to the West Regional semifinal in Los Angeles, where they will take on No. 6 Xavier on March 27. T.J. McConnell and Gabe York each finished with 19 points to pace the Arizona offense, while the team finished with 18 offensive rebounds and had a 43-26 advantage on the glass against the Buckeyes. The champions of the 2014 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, Arizona is the 14th team to have won the Wayne Duke Championship Trophy in Maui, then advance to at least the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.
Behind a career day from junior Tony Parker, The Bruins notched their 22nd win of the season and earned a spot in the regional semifinals for the second straight season with a 92-75 triumph over UAB. Parker finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds, one of five Bruins to score in double figures, to help his team to its fifth trip to the Sweet 16 in the last 10 seasons. Participants in the 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, the Bruins shot 60 percent from the floor in the victory and will face either No. 2 Gonzaga or No. 7 Iowa in the South Regional semifinal in Houston on March 27.
Arizona Recap UCLA Recap
Saturday, March 21Arizona, UCLA Continue NCAA Tournament Action on Saturday The NCAA Round of 32 gets underway on Saturday afternoon, with 2014 Maui Jim Maui Invitational Champion Arizona facing Ohio State and 2015 participant UCLA squares off against UAB with a trip to the Sweet 16 at stake.
#11 UCLA vs. # 14 UAB
12:10 p.m. ET, CBS
Louisville, Ky.
#2 Arizona vs. #10 Ohio State
4:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Portland, Ore.
After earning a 60-59 win over #6 SMU on Thursday, the Bruins take on the 14th-seeded UAB Blazers in the opening game on Saturday at 12:10 p.m. ET. UCLA eyes its second consecutive trip to the regional semifinal, and with a win would face either No. 2 Gonzaga or No. 7 Iowa in the Sweet 16 on March 27. In his two seasons with UCLA, head coach Steve Alford has guided the Bruins to a combined 7-1 postseason record, including a 4-1 mark in the Pac-12 Tournament and a 3-1 mark in the NCAA Tournament.
Arizona improved to 9-3 in NCAA Tournament play under head coach Sean Miller following the Wildcats' 93-72 victory over Texas Southern on Thursday. The Wildcats will take on No. 10 Ohio State at 4:15 p.m. ET on CBS. This will be the second time in three years Arizona faces the Buckeyes in NCAA Tournament play. The Wildcats seek their fifth regional semifinal berth in their last five NCAA Tournament appearances. A victory would send Arizona into a Sweet 16 matchup with No. 6 Xavier or No. 14 Georgia State on March 26.
Friday, March 20 Kansas, San Diego State Advance to the Round of 32 No. 2 seed Kansas and No. 8 seed San Diego State claimed victories on Friday to advance to the NCAA Tournament round of 32 on Sunday, while No. 10 Indiana and No. 9 St. John's each lost their opening-round contests.
The Jayhawks shot 54 percent from the field, including a 69 percent clip from 3-piont range, and held No. 15 New Mexico State to just 35 percent shooting to earn a 75-56 victory in the opening round of the Midwest Regional. Kansas, 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participants, advances to face No. 7 Wichita State on Sunday afternoon, where the winner will advance to the regional semifinals. Frank Mason III led the way for the Jayhawk offense, finishing with 17 points, while five other players each chipped in at least eight points in the win.
In a battle of 2014 and 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participants, the eighth-seeded Aztecs scored a 76-64 victory over ninth-seeded St. John's in the South Regional. Runners-up in Maui last November, the Aztecs move on to face top-seeded Duke in the round of 32 on Sunday afternoon. Four San Diego State players scored in double figures, led by J.J. O'Brien's 18 points, while Dwayne Polee II (15 points), Matt Shrigley (12 points) and Skylar Spencer (10 points) also scored in double figures. The Red Storm were paced by seniors Sir'Dominic Pointer (21 points) and D'Angelo Harrison (18 points), while sophomore Rysheed Jordan had 10 points in the loss. St. John's ends its season with a 21-12 mark and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the last five seasons.
Indiana, the No. 10 seed in the Midwest Regional, saw its season come to an end with an 81-76 setback to No. 7 Wichita State. Hoosier junior Kevin Yogi Ferrell poured in a team-high 24 points, one of four Indiana players to score in double figures. Freshman James Blackmon Jr. had 14 points, while sophomores Collin Hartman and Troy Williams each chipped in 11. Indiana ends its season with a 20-14 mark, and eyes the 2015-16 season that will feature a trip to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational Thanksgiving Week.
Kansas Recap San Diego State Recap Indiana Recap St. John's Recap
Friday, March 20 Matchup of 2014 and 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational Squads Highlights Friday's NCAA Tournament Slate Friday's NCAA Tournament action features a matchup between 2014 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant San Diego State and 2015 squad St. John's, as well as 2015 programs Indiana and Kansas.
#2 Kansas vs. #15 New Mexico State
12:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Omaha, Neb.
#10 Indiana vs. #7 Wichita State
Approximately 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS
Omaha, Neb.
#8 San Diego State vs.
#9 St. John'sApproximately 9:40 p.m. ET, CBS
Charlotte, N.C.
Seeded second in the Midwest Regional, Kansas squares off against No. 15 New Mexico State in the opening game of the day at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS. Participants in next season's Maui Jim Maui Invitational, the Jayhawks are making their 44th NCAA Tournament appearance after winning their 11th straight Big 12 Championship this past year. Kansas owns three national championships in program history, winning titles in 1952, 1988 and 2008.
The No. 10 seed in the Midwest Regional, Indiana faces No. 7 Wichita State immediately following the Kansas-New Mexico State matchup in Omaha. The Hoosiers have won five national championships in program history, and this year will mark their 38th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
In a matchup featuring 2014 and 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participants, No. 8 San Diego State faces No. 9 St. John's at approximately 9:40 p.m. ET on CBS as part of the opening round of the South Regional. The Aztecs, who advanced to the championship game in Maui last November, will make their 11th NCAA Tournament appearance and sixth consecutive under head coach Steve Fisher. Meanwhile, 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant St. John's is making its 28th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Storm appears in the NCAA Tournament for the second time under head coach Steve Lavin.
Thursday, March 19 Arizona and UCLA Win NCAA Tournament Openers No. 2 seed Arizona and No. 11 seed UCLA claimed wins in their opening-round NCAA Tournament contests on Thursday, while No. 9 Purdue saw its season come to an end in a one-point overtime defeat.
The Wildcats (32-3), winners of the 2014 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, scored a 93-72 victory over No. 15 Texas Southern in the opening round of the West Regional. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson notched a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way, while Stanley Johnson, who garnered the Sue Wesselkamper Most Valuable Player award in Maui, added 22 points. Arizona advances to face No. 10 Ohio State on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the West Regional semifinals in Los Angeles next weekend.
UCLA (21-13), which will take part in the 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, earned a narrow 60-59 victory over sixth-seeded SMU in the South Regional opener for both teams. The Bruins trailed by two in the final seconds when Bruin guard Bryce Alford's three-point attempt was touched by an SMU player before the ball touched the rim, resulting in a goaltending call that gave UCLA the decisive points. Alford led the way with 27 points, while Norman Powell added 19 as the Bruins advanced to Saturday's third round, where they will square off against No. 14 UAB.
Purdue saw its 2014-15 season come to a close after dropping a hard-fought overtime contest to eighth-seeded Cincinnati in Louisville, 66-65. The Boilermakers had the game's final possession, but Vince Edwards' potential game-winning three-pointer was just off the mark. A.J. Hammons led the way with 17 points and Edwards chipped in 14. Purdue (21-13) returned to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time under head coach Matt Painter, who guided the Boilermakers to a 2-1 record in Maui this past November.
Arizona Recap UCLA Recap Purdue Recap
Thursday, March 19 NCAA Tournament Play Opens for Arizona, Purdue and UCLA NCAA Tournament play begins for three college basketball programs with ties to the 2014 and 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational fields.
#2 Arizona vs. #15 Texas Southern
2:10 p.m. ET, TNT
Portland, Ore.
#11 UCLA vs. #6 SMUApproximately 3:10 p.m. ET, truTVLouisville, Ky.#9 Purdue vs. #8 Cincinnati
7:10 p.m. ET, CBS
Louisville, Ky.
Champions of the 2014 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, the No. 2 seed Arizona Wildcats will take on No. 15 Texas Southern in the opening round of the West Regional at 2:10 p.m. ET. Arizona is making its 32nd NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Pac-12 regular season and tournament titles. The Wildcats look to become the fifth team to the national championship after emerging victorious in Maui the same season (Michigan, 1988-89; North Carolina, 2004-05 and 2008-09; and Connecticut, 2010-11).
Ninth-seeded Purdue, which went 2-1 with wins over BYU and Missouri in Maui last November, will make its 27th NCAA Tournament appearance when it opens play against No. 8 Cincinnati at 7:10 p.m. ET in the Midwest Regional. In each of their last 14 NCAA Tournaments, the Boilermakers have won their opening game of the event, the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history.
With a trip to the 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational on its horizon, No. 11 UCLA squares off against No. 6 SMU in the opening round of the South Regional. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET. The Bruins earned a spot in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinal, falling to eventual champion Arizona. The Bruins are making their 47th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, boasting a national-best 11 NCAA Championships.
Tuesday, March 17 BYU Falls to Ole Miss, 94-90, in NCAA First Four It was a tale of two halves in BYU's 94-90 loss to Ole Miss on Tuesday night in the NCAA's First Four in Dayton, Ohio. The Cougars raced out to a 17-point halftime lead, but The Rebels responded with a 61-point second half to advance to the NCAA's second round.
BYU senior Tyler Haws, one of the nation's leading scorer's this season, finished with a game-high 33 points, while junior guard Chase Fischer added 23 points. A balanced Ole Miss offense saw six players score in double-figures, led by All-SEC guard Stefon Moody's 26.
The Cougars ended the season with a 25-10 overall record.
Full Recap
Tuesday, March 17BYU faces Ole Miss in First Four Tonight #11 BYU vs. #11 Ole Miss
Approximately 9:10 p.m. ET, truTV
Dayton, Ohio
BYU, a 2014 Maui Jim Maui Invitational participant, helps get the NCAA Tournament underway on Tuesday when it takes on Ole Miss in the First Four. The Cougars will make their 29th NCAA Tournament appearance after finishing 25-9 overall on the season, including a 1-2 mark in Maui this past season.
