After Carolina’s win over Hawaii, their non-conference schedule is set to heat up next week, when the annual Maui Invitational gets underway, featuring four top-10 programs, including the Tar Heels. Not that Carolina hasn’t already been tested early on this season, their second game was at Kansas, the #1 team in the country, but there’s no denying that this upcoming week will tell us the most about this team, and their potential this season.
The Maui Invitational for the longest time was the most prestigious non-conference event, before the arrival of events like the Battle 4 Atlantis, and other premier non-conference MTEs. With that being said, Carolina has a long-standing tradition at the Maui Invitational, as this will mark the eighth time they’ve competed in the event, the most of any school not named Chaminade, which used to host the event until that changed a few years ago. Not only has Carolina competed in the Maui Invitational the most of any power conference program, but they have also won it the second most times (4), with the three times they won it under Roy Williams, all happening in national championship seasons (2005, 2009, 2017).
Watching the Tar Heels play in the Maui Invitational is a tradition for many Carolina Basketball fans, who like me, determine their travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, around the Tar Heels schedule. With that in mind, when Hubert Davis was asked about his preference to not play in events such as the Maui Invitational, which require teams to play three games in three days, he was non-commital about doing so in the future, and that everything would be evaluated in the years to come. Hubert expressed he’s not the biggest fan of playing three straight days, as he prefers other events during the Thanksgiving holiday, which has teams play three games in four days But the idea that the Tar Heels would not compete in events like the Maui Invitational just doesn’t seem real. Here’s the case for Carolina to continue to play in events like Maui, not just this year, but for many years to come:
Great Competition: Sure Carolina plays in the CBS Sports Classic, or the Jumpman Invitational, and has the ACC/SEC Challenge, but those events don’t offer what the Maui Invitational does. Whether the field has four top-10 teams, like it has the past two seasons, or has an “average” field at best, you still will learn the most about your team over the course of the week on the island, more so than any other time during the non-conference portion of the season. Factor in that you play three games consecutively, it’s great preparation for your players and your staff for the ACC Tournament, where you play games on a consecutive basis.
Team Bonding: When you hear coaches and players talk about the chemistry a team has, they usually reference how they come together while on traveling all across the country playing basketball. The Maui Invitational offers a team, that was more than likely built through high school recruiting, and the transfer portal, a chance to bond, on and off the floor. There are events pre-planned for the team upon their arrival, but there are also other events that the team will participate in, which only furthers the bonding that can take place during the event.
College Basketball Branding: Carolina Basketball is the premier brand in the sport, and with that, there are obligations that come with that responsibility, and one of those is to put in the program in spots, that will bring awareness to the sport. The Maui Invitational is one of those events, that benefit from having UNC compete in it, hence why they’ve played it in the most times, of any power conference program. With many people off for the Thanksgiving holiday, there is a greater chance to get eyes on the sport from a casual viewer, if they turn on their TV, and see a nationally ranked program, like UNC competing against the best that college basketball has to offer. Carolina plays at 11:30 PM on Monday, and if they win, they’ll play at 11 PM on Tuesday, and even though they are late tip times, they will still be among the most viewed college basketball games this week. We praise Hubert Davis for playing home and home with Kansas, and other premier programs in college basketball, which brings attention to the sport during the heart of the football season, Feast Week is a big part of the college hoops season. The Carolina program needs to be featured during that week, each and every year moving forward.
Memories: For the majority of the starters that play basketball at UNC, they’ll have a chance to travel the world while playing professionally whether at the NBA level or overseas, so Maui may not be the best place that basketball takes them. But what about the walk-ons? Or the second unit guys that most likely will go pro in something other than basketball. There’s no guarantee that they’ll ever get the chance to experience a trip to a place like Maui, whether it’s to play basketball, or just for vacation. It would be a crime to take that opportunity away from guys, that are a vital part of the program. Also, the fans. Every time Carolina travels to Hawaii, they are well represented by a fan base that travels as well as any in all of college sports. Don’t take away the fans' ability to travel with you all over the country, supporting a program that means a lot to many people.
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