Maui Invitational featuring Tennessee basketball moved from Maui to Honolulu after wildfires
Tennessee basketball's fourth trip to the Maui Invitational will be in Oahu instead of Maui following deadly wildfires in August, the Maui Invitational organizers announced Friday.
The annual November tournament in Hawaii is being moved after wildfires decimated the city of Lahaina, which has long hosted the prestigious tournament. Honolulu, the state's capitol, will host the event at the Stan Sheriff Center on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa.
The Lahaina Civic Center, the usual gym for the tournament, continues to serve as a hub for Maui wildfire recovery efforts.
All previously purchased tickets will be honored and located in similar seats in the Stan Sheriff Center, while additional tickets will go on sale in early October.
Tennessee is among the eight teams taking part in the event, which also includes Gonzaga, Kansas, Marquette, Purdue, Syracuse, UCLA and host Chaminade. UT will play three games from Nov. 20-22, 2023. The Vols face Syracuse in their first game. The winner of UT and Syracuse will face the winner of Gonzaga vs. Purdue. The matchups on the opposite side of the bracket are Kansas vs. Chaminade and Marquette vs. UCLA.
Tennessee has played in the Maui Invitational three times, including in the 2016 tournament in coach Rick Barnes' second season. The Vols lost to Wisconsin and Oregon before beating Chaminade to claim seventh place.
The Vols finished seventh in 2011 as well, losing to Duke and Memphis before topping Chaminade. UT's best finish in Maui was in 2004, when it placed fourth. The Vols beat Stanford, lost to North Carolina and Texas, which was coached by Barnes.
Tennessee and Michigan State are playing an Oct. 29 exhibition in East Lansing, Michigan, with all proceeds from the game being donated to the Hawai'i Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund to provide financial resources to the relief efforts from the devastating Maui wildfires.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee basketball: Maui Invitational moved to Honolulu after wildfires
