Syracuse basketball to play in 2023 Maui Invitational (report)

The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball program will head back to Hawaii in 2023 to compete in the Maui Invitational, as first reported by Kevin Sweeney. Syracuse has accepted an invitation to the event, which boasts a loaded field, including Kansas, Gonzaga, UCLA, Purdue, Tennessee, Marquette and Chaminade.

Syracuse last played in the Maui Invitational in 2013. The Orange went on to win the event, beating Minnesota, Cal and Baylor. Syracuse is undefeated in the Thanksgiving tournament, winning nine games across three tournament appearances in 1990, 1998 and 2013. Newly minted National Champion Kansas has also won the event three times while UCLA has won it once.

The Maui Invitational has been played on the mainland in the last two seasons due to COVID-19. The 2020 tournament was held in Asheville, North Carolina, while the 2021 tournament was held in Las Vegas. The event heads back to Maui in 2022.

While tickets aren’t on sale just yet, fans will eventually be able to purchase Booster or All-Tournament ticket packages. Booster travel packages include access to a specific team’s three games throughout the tournament whereas All-Tournament packages includes access to all 12 games in Maui.

All ticket packages require an initial $500 deposit and include a five-night stay in any of the three hotels, shuttle passes from the hotels to the Lahaina Civic Center and, wait for it... Maui Jim Sunglasses (ofc).

To give fans an estimate on eventual ticket prices, Louisville’s ticket packages for the 2022 Maui Invitational range from $2,475-$3,995 per person based on the number of guests per room (reduced price of $1,595 for children).