Maui Invitational Tickets Available Wednesday, August 22

Maui, Hawaii, August 20, 2012 – The EA SPORTS® Maui Invitational® today announced that Butler Booster Tickets, as well as All-Tournament Reserved Tickets and all other Island Team Booster Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, August 22, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. EDT (8:00 a.m. HST) for the Championship Round of the nation’s premier early-season college basketball tournament. Booster tickets are good for entry to all three tournament games in which a particular school will participate. Tickets can be purchased via the Tournament website at mauiinvitational.com (no phone orders) with a maximum of four tickets available for purchase per person per ticket type.

"We're extremely excited to be participating in this prestigious tournament,” said Butler head coach Brad Stevens. “And we're looking forward to strong support from our great Butler fans."

For fans that want to stay close to the action, don’t miss out on purchasing an Official Travel Package.  The travel package includes Butler Booster Tickets and accommodations at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. Packages are still available through Anthony Travel or by calling Oahu Travel, the tournament’s official travel agency (800.826.3822).

“Last year, more than 5,000 visitors traveled to Maui to attend and participate in the premier earlyseason college basketball tournament,” said David Odom, EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Tournament Chairman. “College basketball fans should be sure to get their tickets to this year’s Tournament and root on their favorite teams during another great edition of Sun, Surf and Hoops.”

Tickets will also be made available to the Tip-Off Banquet on Sunday, November 18th from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa. All participating teams attend the banquet, which is emceed by ESPN’s Bill Raftery and features speeches from the participating coaches and exciting performances by traditional Hawaiian entertainment groups.

The 29th annual EA SPORTS Maui Invitational will launch the college basketball season with another exciting field. The Championship Round includes Island Teams Butler, Illinois, Marquette, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Texas, USC and host Chaminade. Championship Round matchups start Monday, November 19 at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui and feature some of the nation’s premier programs.
• Game 1 (3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN2): Butler vs. Marquette
• Game 2 (6:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2): Mississippi State vs. North Carolina
• Game 3 (9:30 p.m. EST, ESPNU): Texas vs. Chaminade
• Game 4 (Midnight EST, ESPN2): USC vs. Illinois

The ESPN networks will combine once again to offer live television coverage of all 12 Championship Round games. For the fourth straight year, every game will be produced in high definition on ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and ESPNU HD. All games will also be available live on WatchESPN.

The four newly announced Mainland Teams - Colgate, Coppin State, Elon and Florida Atlantic – will participate in the Regional Games at Elon University from November 17-18. Prior to the Championship Round and Regional Games, the Island Teams and Mainland Teams will face-off in seven Opening Games at the Island Teams home arenas from November 9-13.

In all, 93 schools representing 21 conferences and 39 states have competed in the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, with participants having won an astounding 63 of 74 NCAA Championships and 59 of 74 national runners-up spots while comprising 243 of 296 Final Four teams.