The 2024 Maui Invitational may not be as top-heavy as the 2023 tournament, but it still features a handful of squads that should be ranked in November.
In November, college basketball officially starts to take over the sports scene with non-conference tournaments all over the map. The most well-known and historic is a pretty long flight for most teams on the map, as the Maui Invitational brings some of the best to Hawaii for a few days.
The 2023 tournament may have been the most stacked since it began in 1984. But don’t sleep on the 2024 Maui Invitational. The latest edition has some teams that will be competing for the national title in April of 2025 and others who will be dancing in March.
And as all tournaments go, the first round is the most important.
4. Colorado vs. Michigan State
Colorado and Michigan State might wind up being a close contest, put the intrigue leading up to the game isn’t as much. While the Buffaloes are talented and on paper have a potential NCAA Tournament team, they aren’t on the same level as most of the other teams in the 2024 Maui Invitational.
Similarly, Michigan State has been trending downward in the later years of Tom Izzo and I’m not expected a big change this year.
The game itself is even, but I wouldn’t bet on either team reaching this tournament’s championship game.
3. Dayton vs. North Carolina
We know that North Carolina will be a favorite to win it all in 2025. RJ Davis is back. Elliott Cadeau returns. Cade Tyson joins the crew. It’s another stacked team for Hubert Davis.
But Dayton is looking to play spoiler early in the season. The Flyers added former St. John’s and Butler guard Posh Alexander who defensively, will push Davis to his limits. And Alexander will have a lot of help on the rest of this Flyers team, making Dayton one of the clear favorites in the Atlantic 10.
I would bet Dayton will be the type of team better suited to give UNC a tough game on a neutral site court in March, but don’t be surprised if Anthony Grant has his boys ready to go in November.
2. UConn vs. Memphis
The former American Athletic Conference foes (which feels very weird to type out) will meet in the first round of the 2024 Maui Invitational. While back-to-back defending natty champs UConn will be the favorites, Penny Hardaway once again has an insanely talented roster that will flourish if his coaching allows.
In fact, I’d be willing to bet that in November, a team with outstanding Tulsa transfer PJ Haggerty, Texas transfer Tyrese Hunter, former Illinois big man Dain Dainja, and SMU transfer Tyreek Smith may be better at that point in time.
But even for a UConn team that lost Tristen Newton, Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, and more, Dan Hurley simply does not lose games in the non-conference schedule. And that simple fact makes this game a must watch. UConn and Memphis will be great entertainment value, but Hurley’s track record before the Big East slate begins really makes this a game to watch.
1. Auburn vs. Iowa State
It’s a shame this is a first round matchup, because the Tigers and Cyclones would arguably be the best possible championship game in the 2024 Maui Invitational. Auburn boats one of the best rosters in the SEC, with big man Johni Broome coming back for a fifth and final year of college basketball. He gets to play alongside former Furman star JP Pegues, and the two will form one of the best 1-2 punches in the country. Georgia Tech transfer Miles Kelly and Denver Jones add to what might be the best backcourt in the SEC.
And that superstar-studded lineup will take on an Iowa State team led by a star in Tamin Lipsey. He put the Cyclones on the map in 2023-24 and has them in position to try and take their first Big 12 championship since 2001. It’s not just the Lipsey show either. Iowa State returns a lot of last season’s lineup and it should make for some great team chemistry to try and run things back even better than before.
One of these teams will pick up a ridiculous win in the first round of the 2024 Maui Invitational and the other will have a Quad 1 loss that will only help in the long run. It’s a win-win for the teams and for the viewers.
[…] times sloppy, and we will get into that, this game provided some great moments for both teams. Even back in August, this matchup promised to be entertaining and it sure […]