On Monday, November 20, the Maui Invitational Tournament tips off at the University of Hawaii. Eight teams are entered to participate in the 2023 Maui Invitational Tournament. Some of the tournament participants include 2024 Men’s National Championship contenders Kansas Jayhawks and Purdue Boilermakers.
Let’s take a look at the latest Maui Invitational odds, courtesy of the best college basketball sites, break down the Maui Invitational schedule and make our 2023 Maui Invitational predictions.
2023 Maui Invitational Odds
The following Maui Invitational odds are courtesy of BetUS:
TEAM | ODDS |
---|---|
Kansas Jayhawks | +200 |
Tennessee Volunteers | +380 |
Purdue Boilermakers | +400 |
Marquette Golden Eagles | +500 |
Gonzaga Bulldogs | +700 |
UCLA Bruins | +1200 |
Syracuse Orange | +4000 |
Chaminade Silverswords | OFF |
At +200, Kansas is favored to win the 2023 Maui Invitational at most sports betting sites. The Jayhawks own an implied probability of 33.3 percent to win the tournament. Following Kansas, Tennessee has the second-best odds at +380.
From our review of the Maui Invitational betting odds, online betting sites are expecting a fairly competitive event. There isn’t much of a discrepancy between Tennessee’s (+380), Purdue’s (+400), and Marquette’s (+500) odds of winning the Maui Invitational.
Currently, BetUS does not have Chaminade odds listed on the board.
Maui Invitational Betting Favorites
The following teams are considered odds-on favorites to win the Maui Invitational Tournament:
Kansas Jayhawks (+200)
As the top-ranked team in the country, the Kansas Jayhawks are predictably the betting favorite to win the Maui Invitational. Kansas is a perfect 3-0 through their first four games of the season. In their most recent, and toughest test, Kansas edged away from the No.17 ranked Kentucky Wildcats for an 89-84 win on Tuesday.
Former Michigan Wolverine Hunter Dickinson had a standout performance in his first big game as a Jayhawk. Dickinson recorded 27 points on 8-for-12 shooting. He also collected a staggering 21 rebounds to dominate in the paint against Kentucky.
Dajuan Harris Jr. shined in the win, as well. The redshirt junior guard scored 23 points on 7-for-12 shooting and dished out 7 assists in the 5-point victory. Along with Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas is well-equipped in the backcourt to have success in the Maui Invitational.
Last season, the missing piece for the Jayhawks in the NCAA Tournament was a dominant big man in the paint. Kansas was already a quality team as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and now they’ve added a star center.
In 2022-23, Dickinson scored an average of 18.5 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. Through three games this season, he has netted 22 points, 12.3 rebounds, and one block per game.
In addition to beating Kentucky, the Jayhawks have wins over NC Central, 99-56, and Manhattan, 99-61. Currently, at +1000, Kansas has the best odds to win the 2024 NCAA Men’s National Championship.
Tennessee Volunteers (+380)
Tennessee reached the Sweet 16 in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The upset-minded Florida Atlantic Owls made sure that was the furthest they were going to get, though. The No. 4 seeded Volunteers disappointingly dropped out of the tournament against the No. 9 Owls.
Do not disregard Rick Barnes’ squad in the SEC this season. The SEC is set to be highly competitive, but Tennessee should be near the top by the end of the season. Currently, at +275, they are the favorites to win the SEC title.
Also, the Volunteers are expected to be near the top of the 2023 Maui Invitational Tournament. Led by Dalton Knecht, the Volunteers are off to a 3-0 start. Knecht has scored 19.7 points per game on 54.1 percent shooting. The Northern Colorado transfer has been a welcome addition to the Volunteers this season.
The Vols’ three wins were against Tennessee Tech, Wisconsin, and Wofford. Wisconsin would typically be a good win, but they are coming off an appearance in the NIT and do not appear like contenders. Wofford might be better than advertised, though.
Tennessee has four scrappy guards at their disposal in the starting lineup. Along with Knecht, Jahmai Mashack, Josiah-Jordan James, and Santiago Vesvoci are all tough guards. Additionally, Jordan Gainey provides the Volunteers with some juice off the bench.
At the Maui Invitational, 6-foot-11 forward Jonas Aidoo has to be the X-factor for the Volunteers. In a potential matchup against Kansas, he will have to be able to handle Dickinson in the paint. The same applies to a potential matchup versus Purdue and the 7-foot-4 Zach Edey.
If that happens, the physicality of the Volunteers’ guards should be tough to counter. Tennessee’s defense is always active. Opponents will have to draw up a game plan to handle their relentless defensive pressure.
Best Maui Invitational Value Bet: Marquette Golden Eagles (+500)
Marquette is another school bringing confidence with them to Honolulu. They are off to a 3-0 start and feeling good about their chances in the Maui Invitational.
On Tuesday, Marquette ousted the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini, with an impressive performance in Champaign. Marquette led by five points following the first half and maintained their lead in the final minutes.
Guard Tyler Kolek may very well be the most underrated player in the Maui Invitational and perhaps the country. The 6-foot-3 reigning Big East Player of the Year is one of the best facilitators in college basketball.
Kolek does a little bit of everything that makes up a great point guard. He has an exceptional feel for the game and a knack for making players around him better. Kolek can shoot the ball from mid-range and three, as well.
In 2022-23, Kolek finished third in the nation with 7.5 assists per game. Through three games this season, he’s shooting 56.7 percent and notched 14.7 points per game. Also, he’s dished out 4.7 assists per game.
When Kolek and forward Oso Ighodaro are in sync, the Golden Eagles are one of the toughest teams to stop in the country. Add guard Kameron Jones, and this is one of the most complete squads in the Maui Invitational.
Consider including Marquette for your 2023 Maui Invitational college basketball betting strategy. They have a stronger chance to win the title than their 2023 Maui Invitational odds suggest.
Top Maui Invitational Longshot: UCLA Bruins (+1200)
UCLA is one of the underdogs of the 2023 Maui Invitational. They are one of two teams with odds greater than +1000. At +4000, only Syracuse has higher odds than UCLA to win the tournament.
The Bruins are a talented team, but they’re raw and inexperienced. Unfortunately, they are in a tournament featuring teams that have plenty of experience. UCLA isn’t quite there yet.
That being said, this is a short tournament that only lasts three days. So, there is a chance that this squad could get hot next week, ride their top-notch athletic talent and win the Maui Invitational.
The Bruins enter Hawaii with a record of 3-0, but they were essentially warm-up games versus Saint Francis, Lafayette, and Long Island. Nevertheless, taking a shot on Adem Bona and Lazar Stefanovic at +1200 is enticing.
20-year-old Bona is an imposing figure in the paint for the Bruins. The 6-foot-10 sophomore from Nigeria has averaged 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, and two blocks per game.
Winning the Maui Invitational title may require chopping down the big men Dickinson and Edey. With Bona, the Bruins have a player that matches up well against them.
If Stefanovic and Dylan Andrews can get hot from the perimeter, they might be able to surprise a couple of teams at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Bruins aren’t ranked in the Top 25, but are a borderline team that has received votes.
At +1200 odds, UCLA is worth a flier to win the Maui Invitational.
2023 Maui Invitational Predictions
We can promise that the Maui Invitational Tournament is set to be an entertaining event. With five Top 15 schools, this is one of the most loaded Maui Invitationals that we have seen in years.
Everyone from Gonzaga to UCLA will have a chance of capturing the Maui Invitational title. So, what separates our top Maui Invitational pick from the other teams?
When it comes to Tennessee, their defensive strategy will be tough to overcome. The number of guards they can throw at opponents on defense is unmatched in the Maui Invitational.
Led by Knecht, the Vols won’t be afraid to collapse on ball handlers and force turnovers. None of their opponents in Hawaii have played a defense as physical as Tennessee this season.
If Tennessee hits their outside shots, this is their tournament to lose. Tennessee is our top bet to win the 2023 Maui Invitational at these attractive odds.
2023 Maui Invitational Schedule
The Maui Invitational runs from Monday, November 20, to Wednesday, November 22. Every team is guaranteed three games regardless of their results in the first round.
You can find the complete 2023 Maui Invitational schedule dates, TV channels, and times below, courtesy of the NCAA:
Monday, Nov. 20, 2023
- 2:30 p.m. EST: Syracuse vs. Tennessee (ESPN2)
- 5:00 p.m. EST: Gonzaga vs. Purdue (ESPN2)
- 9:00 p.m. EST: Kansas vs. Chaminade (ESPNU)
- 11:30 p.m. EST: Marquette vs. UCLA (ESPN2)
Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023
- 2:30 p.m. EST: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (ESPN2)
- 5:00 p.m. EST: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (ESPN2)
- 8:00 p.m. EST: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 (ESPN)
- 10:30 p.m. EST: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 (ESPN)
Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023
- 2:30 p.m. EST: Third Place Game (ESPN2)
- 5:00 p.m. EST: Championship Game (ESPN)
- 9:30 p.m. EST: Seventh Place Game (ESPNU)
- Midnight EST: Fifth Place Game (ESPN2)
Where Is The Maui Invitational Being Played?
Due to the Maui wildfire in August, the 2023 Maui Invitational has been moved to O’ahu for this year. Consequently, the 2023 Maui Invitational is being played at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on the campus of the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.
As hosts of the event, Chaminade University of Honolulu receives an automatic invite to the Maui Invitational Tournament.
2023 Maui Invitational Bracket
The 2023 Maui Invitational bracket consists of eight teams vying for the Maui Invitational crown. It’s a stacked tournament, with several Top 25 teams.
Syracuse and Chaminade are the only teams in the Maui Invitational bracket unranked in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.
Kansas (No. 1), Purdue (No. 2), Marquette (No. 5), Tennessee (No. 8), Gonzaga (No. 12), and UCLA (No. 25) are participating in the 2023 Maui Invitation.
Sources
2023 Maui Invitational: Bracket, schedule, teams | NCAA.com. Retrieved From “https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2023-07-25/2023-maui-invitational-bracket-schedule-teams“
2023-24 Men’s College Basketball Rankings | ESPN. Retrieved From “https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings”
Kansas 89-84 Kentucky (Nov 14, 2023) Box Score | ESPN. Retrieved From “https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401575453”
Hunter Dickinson Career Stats – NCAAM | ESPN. Retrieved From “https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/4432180/hunter-dickinson”
Dalton Knecht Career Stats – NCAAM | ESPN. Retrieved From “https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/4897943/dalton-knecht”
Tyler Kolek Career Stats – NCAAM | ESPN. Retrieved From “https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/4433225/tyler-kolek”
Adem Bona Career Stats – NCAAM | ESPN. Retrieved From “https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/5105637/adem-bona”