Maui Invitational bracket set

LAHAINA – The most successful team in the history of the EA Sports Maui Invitational will face a tournament newcomer in the first round of this year’s event.

Duke, unbeaten in three appearances at the Lahaina Civic Center, will face Princeton in the third of four first-round games on Nov. 19.

The bracket was released Tuesday, and tournament host Chaminade is scheduled to face Marquette in the opener at 9:30 a.m. Louisiana State and Oklahoma State will meet at noon, Princeton and Duke are to play at 4 p.m., and Illinois and Arizona State are the teams for the final game, scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Marquette and Oklahoma State are also making their first appearance in the tournament.

Duke won Maui Invitational titles in 1992, 1997 and 2001.

Last season, the Blue Devils went 22-11 and were eliminated in the first round of NCAA tournament. Duke’s DeMarcus Nelson, who averaged a team-best 14.1 points per game last season, will play in 2007-08, but underwent surgery on July 17 to repair a broken bone in his left wrist. Jon Scheyer, who averaged 12.2 points per game last season, is back as well.

Kyle Koncz, a senior this year, was Princeton’s top scorer last season, averaging 8.0 points per game as the Tigers went 11-17.

Marquette, has its top seven scorers from last season’s 24-10 team back – Dominic James (14.9 points per game), Jerel McNeal (14.7), Wesley Matthews (12.6), Ousmane Barro (8.6), Dan Fitzgerald (7.4), Lazar Hayward (6.6) and David Cubillan (5.5). James had declared for the NBA draft before withdrawing in June. Fitzgerald shot 42.3 percent (52-123) from 3-point range last season. The Golden Eagles were eliminated from last season’s NCAA tournament in the first round.

Chaminade, which has lost 11 straight tournament games since a first-round win over Villanova in 2003, went 16-11 last season, and brings back Stewart Kussler, whose 12.1 points per game were second on the team last season.

LSU’s top scorer from last season – Glen Davis – was taken by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round of this year’s NBA draft. The Tigers’ leading returning scorer is Tasmin Mitchell, who averaged 14.5 points per game. The Tigers were 17-15 last season.

Oklahoma State’s top returning scorer is Obi Muonelo, who averaged 10.1 points per game last season as the Cowboys went

22-13 and lost in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. Oklahoma State has lost Mario Boggan (19.0 ppg) and JamesOn Curry (17.3). Curry was taken in the draft’s second round by the Chicago Bulls.

Jeff Pendergraph, Arizona State’s top scorer from last season (12.1 points per game) is back for his junior season. The Sun Devils went 8-22 last season.

Illinois’ Shaun Pruitt, who declared for, then withdrew from, this year’s NBA draft, is back after averaging 11.6 points last season, second-best on the Illini and tops among returning players. Illinois finished 23-12 after a first-round loss in the NCAA tournament in March.

This year’s Maui Invitational championship game is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Nov. 21

UCLA won last year’s title, beating Georgia Tech in the final.

2007 EA SPORTS MAUI INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE

At Lahaina Civic Center

Monday, Nov. 19

First Round

9:30 a.m.–Chaminade vs. Marquette (ESPN2)

Noon–LSU vs. Oklahoma St. (ESPN2)

4 p.m.–Princeton vs. Duke (ESPN2)

6:30 p.m.–Arizona St. vs. Illinois (ESPN2)

Tuesday, Nov. 20

Consolation

8:30 a.m.–Chaminade-Marquette loser vs. LSU-Oklahoma St. loser (ESPNU)

11 a.m.–Princeton-Duke loser vs. Arizona St.-Illinois loser (ESPNU)

Semifinals

2 p.m.–Chaminade-Marquette winner vs. LSU-Oklahoma St. winner (ESPN)

4:30 p.m.–Princeton-Duke winner vs. Arizona St.-Illinois winner (ESPN)

Wednesday, Nov. 21

9 a.m.–Fifth place game (ESPN2)

11:30 a.m.–Third-place game (ESPN2)

2 p.m.–Seventh-place game (ESPNU)

5 p.m.–Championship (ESPN)