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Three 2015 and 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational Teams Earn No. 1 Seeds in NCAA Tournament - Kaanapali Resort
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16 Mar Three 2015 and 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational Teams Earn No. 1 Seeds in NCAA Tournament

Posted at 22:02h in Resort News by
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Three teams from the 2015 and 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational fields earned No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, it was announced on Sunday night. Kansas, champion of the 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, along with 2016 participants North Carolina and Oregon are top seeds in their respective regionals.

Maui Invitational

The trio is part of six teams from the 2015 and 2016 fields that will take part in the NCAA Tournament field of 64. Indiana from the 2015 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, along with 2016 squads UConn and Wisconsin, join the Jayhawks, Tar Heels and Ducks.

Kansas, who earned the top overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament, looks to become the fifth team to win titles in Maui and the NCAA Tournament in the same season, joining Michigan in 1988-89, North Carolina in 2004-05 and 2008-09 and UConn in 2010-11.

Continuing the Maui Jim Maui Invitational’s tradition of featuring championship caliber teams, four squads from the 2015 and 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational fields secured their conference’s respective regular-season titles, including North Carolina (ACC), Kansas (Big 12), Indiana (Big Ten) and Oregon (Pac-12). The Tar Heels, Jayhawks and Ducks, along with UConn (American Athletic), claimed their conference tournament titles.

Since the inception of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in 1984, 118 teams that have participated in Maui have advanced to the NCAA Tournament later in the season. In each of the last five years, a team that has participated in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in November has advanced to at least the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in March.

Through ESPN’s Tournament Challenge, fans can fill out their brackets and have a chance to win a trip to the 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational. Information and rules can be found on the game’s homepage.

Details about each 2015 and 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational program in the Round of 64 are listed below.

2015 Field
Indiana Hoosiers (25-7 overall, 15-3 Big Ten)

No. 5 seed in the East Regional and will face Chattanooga in the First Round
Claimed their 22nd Big Ten Championship, tied for the most in conference history
Coach Tom Crean was named Big Ten Coach of the Year
Will be making its 39th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history
Went 1-2 in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational

Kansas Jayhawks (30-4 overall, 15-3 Big 12)

No. 1 seed in the South Regional and will face Austin Peay in the First Round
Secured a record 12th straight conference regular season championship
Won 10th Big 12 Tournament Championship
Coach Bill Self was named USA Today’s National Coach of the Year
Won their second Maui Jim Maui Invitational title last November
Will be appearing in their 45th NCAA Tournament, tied for third-most nationally and national-best 27th straight bid

2016 Field
North Carolina Tar Heels (28-6 Overall, 14-4 ACC)

No. 1 seed in the East Regional and will face Florida Gulf Coast in the First Round
Earns a No. 1 seed for the 15th time in school history, most of any program in tournament history
Won the ACC Regular Season Championship with a 14-4 conference mark
Claimed the ACC Tournament ChampionshipMaking their 47th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, tied for second-most all-time

Oregon Ducks (28-6 Overall, 14-4 Pac-12)

No. 1 seed in the West Regional and will face the Holy Cross/Southern First Four winner in the First Round
Makes their 14th NCAA Tournament appearance, and fourth consecutive under coach Dana Altman
Claimed the Pac-12 Regular Season and Tournament Championships

UConn Huskies (24-10 Overall, 11-7 American Athletic)

No. 9 seed in the South Regional and will face Colorado in the First Round
The Huskies will make their 32nd NCAA Tournament appearance in program history
Claimed the 2016 American Athletic Conference Tournament title

Wisconsin Badgers (20-12 Overall, 12-6 Big Ten)

No. 7 seed in the East Regional and will face Pittsburgh in the First Round
Finished in the top four of the Big Ten standings for the 16th straight season
Advance to their 18th straight NCAA Tournament, 22nd overall and first under newly minted head coach Greg Gard

2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational Field: The 2016 field, which includes host Chaminade, Georgetown, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Tennessee, UConn and Wisconsin, features traditional powers and perennial championship contenders. Since 1999, the teams have combined for 14 trips to the Final Four and have won six national championships. In all, the field has combined to win 14 national titles, make 39 trips to the Final Four and earn 198 NCAA Tournament berths. Four teams, UConn in 2010-11, North Carolina in 2004-05 and 2008-09, and Michigan in 1988-89, started their seasons by winning the Maui Jim Maui Invitational and ended the year as NCAA Champions.

All-Tournament Travel Packages are now on sale at www.mauiinvitational.com/travel, by contacting the Tournament Travel Department at 800-856-0024 or mauiinvitational@wyndhamjade.com.