2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational matchups announced

Wichita State is set to face California for their first game of the tournament.

Aliyah Funschelle, Reporter|July 18, 2017

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Manny De Los Santos

Wichita State fans attempt to distract a free throw shooter.

The 2017 Maui Jim Maui Invitational eight-team bracket was announced Tuesday. The tournament will run Nov. 20-22 at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui.

The Shockers’ first game of the tournament will be against California. The two have only met one other time in the 1975 Lobo Invitational in Albuquerque where California won 75-68.

The Bears went 21-13 last year and reached the postseason in eight of their last nine seasons. Cal did not make the NCAA Tournament in 2017 but earned the NIT 1 seed.

WSU and Cal will play on Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The winner will face the winner of VCU and Marquette in the semifinals on Nov. 21 at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Whoever loses the WSU Cal matchup will face the consolation bracket semifinals later that day on ESPN2 3 p.m. LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame and host Chaminade make up the rest of the bracket. WSU will face one of those four teams in the Nov. 22 placement round.

Jay Bilas, veteran ESPN college basketball analyst stated in the official release:

“It’s a fantastic field. 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.”

All 12 Championship Round games of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.