CHICAGO – Arkansas will open the 2022 Maui Jim Maui Invitational versus Louisville, it was announced today along with the complete tournament bracket. The Razorbacks and Cardinals will play on Nov. 21 at Noon / 4 pm (CT) on ESPN2.
The 2022 Maui Jim Maui Invitational is back in Hawaii after two years on the mainland due to COVID and returns to the iconic Lahaina Civic Center this Nov. 21 – 23. The other matchup will feature Texas Tech squaring off against Creighton prior to the Arkansas-Louisville contest. In the bottom half of the bracket, Ohio State will face San Diego State, and Cincinnati will go head-to-head against Arizona. All 12 games of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU, and also available on the ESPN App.
“Finalizing the Maui Jim Maui Invitational bracket signals to fans and teams everywhere that college basketball season is upon us, but this year feels even more exciting,” said Tournament Chairman, David Odom. “While we’ve been able to keep the magic of Maui alive the last two years on the mainland, returning to our rightful home on the island has never felt so good – and we’re bringing an incredible field of teams to help us celebrate that homecoming!”
The Maui Jim Maui Invitational has become synonymous with buzzer beater finishes and epic upsets, setting the tone for the trajectory of these top programs and the season as a whole. The teams that have participated throughout the event’s history own 70 of the 82 NCAA Championships. Seven schools have gone on to win the National Championship after competing in Maui earlier that season.
Six of this year’s eight programs made the 2021-22 NCAA tournament, with Texas Tech and Arizona advancing to the Sweet 16 and Arkansas making it to the Elite Eight. Arizona and Cincinnati are also two of the top 12 all-time winningest schools in NCAA history, while Louisville (39), Arkansas (34), Ohio State (31), and Creighton (23) are in the top 50 nationally for most NCAA Tournament appearances. Additionally, San Diego State is coming off back-to-back NCAA March Madness selections with plans to keep that momentum going.
This year’s field also features six teams that will be making a return appearance in Maui while Creighton and Texas Tech will be making their first-ever appearance. Arizona is the only returning program to have earned a Maui Jim Maui Invitational Championship Title, having done so in 2000 and 2014.
