Wisconsin basketball is headed back to Hawaii in 2021. The Badgers will be part of the 2021 Maui Invitational, one of the most prestigious early-season college basketball tournaments. Per CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, the Badgers are part of a field that includes Oregon (yes, again), Texas A&M, Butler, Notre Dame, Houston, Saint Mary’s, and Chaminade (the host).
There are many things that make the Maui Invitational particularly special. The coaches wear Hawaiian shirts, Bill Walton rides surfboards, and there are always a few elite programs that make the trip. The Badgers last made the trip to Hawaii in 2016, where Wisconsin defeated Tennessee and Georgetown before falling to North Carolina in the championship game.
At first glance, this field sets up for the Badgers to be the favorite in Maui. There is a lack of the traditional “blue blood” program that we usually see in the Maui Invitational, and with the pieces that Wisconsin has returning, expect UW to be favored to go all the way.
This tournament is as much about basketball as it is about ESPN commentator and former UCLA/NBA star Bill Walton and his antics. If you need a reason to get excited for Hawaii, look no further than “Walton’s World.”