The Maui Invitational Is The Best Thing In College Basketball (Outside Of The NCAA Tournament) And It Needs To Always Be This Way

There are plenty of things I can rant on, but few things I care more about than the Maui Invitational. It's my favorite event in the sport, outside of the postseason actually. It's impossible to replicate that. But the Maui Invitational is sort of the kickoff for college basketball. I know we have the Champions Classic and plenty of notable games before hand, but this is the week where people really pay attention to the sport. Hard to beat the late night tips, plus day games when you're getting through a rather pointless week in the cubes. 

That's why I say this. We can't lose the Maui Invitational. There's been talk about MTE's falling to the wayside with the Player's Invitational starting up (the NIL, winner gets money event in Vegas). There's always room for the Maui Invitational. It's a staple of the season and has delivered more than a handful of moments. You can look at Mike Brey blasting some bare chest: 

Obi Toppin/Kansas OT game, Kerry Kittles run in 1995, Arizona/Illinois in 2000 was awesome, Ball State made a run a year later, Bill Raftery calling games and then Bill Walton's memorable run as an announcer there. Just plenty of awesome moments in one of the best gyms in America - Lahaina Civic Center. Put a Final Four there for all I care, it's a great venue. And look at this year, another loaded field: 

Auburn/Iowa State in round 1? Absolutely. Iowa State has a chance to announce itself on the national scale to those not familiar with them. We could see a semifinals of Michigan State/UConn and Auburn or Iowa State/UNC. Dayton is one of those not mid-major teams, but not power conference teams that we all know. Plus, we could see Doogs cry again. The Maui Invitational is worth crying over. 

All I'm saying is we can't let any of these new events take over. The Maui Invitational is everything perfect about college basketball. A trip to Hawaii, late night tips, day time games. Just move the title game back where it belongs - late on Wednesday and give us UConn/Auburn in the title game.