Players on teams invited to the annual Maui Invitational usually consider themselves lucky. They get to play basketball at a popular destination that not everyone has a chance to go to. That didn’t happen last year as COVID-19 relocated the event to Asheville, North Carolina. It won’t happen this year, either, as continued strict pandemic restrictions and protocols in Hawaii mean the tournament will be played in Las Vegas.
Over the summer, it was announced that Notre Dame will play in the tournament for the first time since winning it in 2017. Its opponent in the first round will be St. Mary’s. Depending on the result of the game, the Irish next will play the winner or loser of the game between Oregon and Chaminade. They will know which team awaits afterwards because they play the last game of the round.
While it’s disappointing that the Irish won’t get to go to Hawaii and Asheville is fine in its own right, Las Vegas is a nice alternative. Plus, Las Vegas is considered the “Ninth Island” because of its strong embracing of all things Hawaii. It will be a nice opportunity for Hawaiians on the mainland to attend the tournament for once.