Why Is Chaminade In The Maui Invitational?

Chaminade wins in Maui Invitational recorded all time at 8-96. The University has participated in the Maui Invitational since 1984.

In the tournament's first game in 1984 Chaminade Silverswords a Division II school famously upset No. 1 ranked Virginia. This victory helped to establish the Maui Invitational as a premier college basketball event positioning the Chaminade on the map. 

Chaminade has participated in the Maui Invitational ever since even after moving to Division I in 2012. Since their upset of Virginia, the Silverswords have won two games in the tournament and have always provided tough competition for the Division I schools that participate.

Eric Bovaird took over as head coach of the Silverswords in the 2011-12 season. In only his second year as head coach he led Chaminade to an 86-73 first-round upset of Texas. It ended its annual hosting duties by defeating California 96-72.

According to the NCAA, their performance is listed with the score:

• 1984: Davidson defeated Chaminade with a score of 77-62.
• 1991: Providence defeated Chaminade with a score of 111-108.
• 1992: Chaminade lost to Stanford with a score of 71-63.
• 2003: Villanova defeated Chaminade with a score of 52-49.
• 2007: Chaminade lost to Princeton with a score of 74-70.
• 2010: Chaminade lost to Oklahoma with a score of 68-64.
• 2012: Texas defeated Chaminade with a score of 86-73.
• 2021: Chaminade returned to the Maui Invitational after a three-year absence. The event was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and protocols. The Silver Bullets were defeated by Oregon, Notre Dame and Butler by scores of 73-49, 90-64 and 84-51 respectively.
• 2022: Chaminade returned to the Maui Invitational and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by eventual champions North Carolina Central.

The Maui Invitational Tournament brings more than 4,000 out-of-state visitors to Maui each year. Such as basketball fans, players, officials, team, boosters. Media representatives, game personnel, sponsors, production crews and players are also invited.

The Silverswords won their first game ever at the Maui Invitational in 1984 by defeating Davidson before falling to Providence in the championship.

They have only won games in consecutive seasons once and it took 11 years for them to do so again. Chaminade has gone the longest time between upsets.

Chaminade opened the 2023 Maui Invitational against No. 1 Kansas, adding to its illustrious history in the event.

Chaminade University of Honolulu is a Marianist private university which is located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was founded in 1955 by the Society of Mary, Chaminade.

The university is located in a residential area which provides students with a safe and comfortable environment. The campus is also known for its diverse student population which contributes to a rich learning environment.

Chaminade University has ten varsity athletic teams called the Silverswords that compete in the Pacific West Conference. Students can participate in various such as Baseball, Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.

Chaminade Basketball Coaches

The coaches of Chaminade Basketball are:

• Head Coach: Eric Bovaird
• Associate Head Coach: Dantley Walker
• Assistant Coach: Kaipo Villeza
• Assistant Coach: Arthur King
• Assistant Coach: Roman Young

Eric Bovaird is the current head coach of the Chaminade University of Honolulu men's basketball team for the 2023-24 season. He has been the Silverswords' head coach for 13 years becoming the school's longest-tenured coach.

Bovaird has played a key role in the Silverswords improvement. He has led them to three NCAA West Regional appearances, eight trips to the Pacific West Conference Tournament and one PacWest Tournament title.

Under his direction the team has also demonstrated academic excellence, receiving the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award every year since 2015-16.

Dantley Walker is in his sixth season as an assistant coach for the Chaminade University men's basketball team and his second as associate head coach.

During his tenure he has guided the Silverswords to four consecutive Pacific West Conference Tournament appearances, as well as four upsets of opponents ranked in the NABC or D2SIDA Division II Top 25 polls.

Kaipo Villeza joined the Chaminade University men's basketball coaching staff in August 2023. Before that, he spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons as an assistant coach at Fullerton College in Fullerton,

He was the team's video coordinator, player development coordinator and life coach.

Arthur King returned to the Chaminade University men's basketball team in 2022-23 and will be in his seventh season with the program in 2023-24.

King last played for the men's team in the 2016-17 season and has been an assistant coach for the past five years.

In the fall of 2022, Roman Young joined the Chaminade University men's basketball team as an assistant coach.

Young played three seasons for the Silverswords resulting in a total of 245 points and 119 assists with a 3.05 assist-to-turnover ratio. He started the final two seasons and was second on the team in assists in both years.

The tournament bracket for 2023 is as follows:

First Round - Monday, November 20:

• Game 1: Syracuse vs Tennessee at 2:30 p.m. ET broadcasted by ESPN2
• Game 2: Gonzaga vs Purdue at 5 p.m. broadcasted by ESPN2
• Game 3: Kansas vs Chaminade at 9 p.m. broadcasting partner is ESPNU
• Game 4: Marquette vs UCLA at 11:30 p.m. The broadcasting partner is ESPN2

The tournament will continue on November 21 and 22 with the semifinals and championship game.

The Maui Invitational Tournament will be held for the 40th time in 2023. The tournament was originally scheduled to take place from November 20 to 22, 2023 at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii.

However, due to the Hawaii wildfires in and around Maui the event was moved to the Stan Sheriff Center on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu.

The tournament will feature eight teams which are Chaminade, Gonzaga, Kansas, Marquette, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee and UCLA.

The Maui Invitational has announced that Allstate will be the main sponsor of the 2023 tournament which will be held in Maui, Hawaii.

Maui's full game schedule is listed below:

Monday, November 20

• Game 1: Tennessee 73 - Syracuse 56
• Game 2: Purdue 73 - Gonzaga 63
• Game 3: Kansas vs Chaminade will be broadcast at 9 p.m. by ESPNU
• Game 4: Marquette vs UCLA will be broadcasted at 11:30 p.m. by ESPN2

Tuesday, November 21

• Game 5: Syracuse vs Gonzaga at 2:30 p.m. will be aired by ESPN2
• Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs Loser Game 4 will be aired at 5 p.m. by ESPN2
• Game 7: Tennessee vs Purdue will be aired at 8 p.m. on ESPN
• Game 8: Winner 3 vs Winner Game 4 at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN

Wednesday, November 22

• Game 9: The third-place game will be broadcast by ESPN2 at 2:30 p.m.
• Game 10: The Championship game will be broadcast at 5 p.m. on ESPN
• Game 11: Seventh place game will be aired at 9:30 p.m. by ESPNU
• Game 12: The fifth-place game will be broadcast at midnight Thursday by ESPN2

Duke has the most Maui titles in the Maui Invitational history which is five. The Blue Devils were victorious in 1992, 1997, 2001, 2007 and 2011.

Duke was one of only two programs to be undefeated in the invitational heading into 2018. However, in 2018 the Blue Devils were defeated in the championship game by Gonzaga. The Blue Devils were undefeated entering 2018 with a record score of 16-0 and Syracuse with a record of 10-0.

Until 2018, DII Chaminade competed in every Maui Invitational edition. In 2023, the Silverswords will compete in the championship bracket and odd-numbered years they will compete in the Maui bracket.

Chaminade defeated California 96 - 72 in 2017. Chaminade was defeated by Oregon, Notre Dame and Butler in 2021. Chaminade faces Kansas in its first game of the 2023 tournament.