The NC State basketball program will be making its debut at the top-shelf non-conference tournament.
The Baylor Bears and Oregon Ducks were among the eight 2025 Maui Invitational invitees, along with Kevin Keatts’ NC State basketball program, when the annual Thanksgiving week in-season event first revealed the field in May.
But as of Thursday’s announcement, the Washington State Cougars and Arizona State Sun Devils have replaced the Bears and Ducks on the list of participants.
Interestingly, Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley became the co-MVP of the 1992 Maui Invitational after leading the Duke Blue Devils to the title that year.
Now, the confirmed field for the three-day action at the historic Lahaina Civic Center, Nov. 24-26, 2025, consists of NC State, Washington State, Arizona State, Southern Cal, UNLV, Seton Hall, Texas, and Chaminade, the host of the Maui Invitational every year since its inception in 1984. The bracket, including first-round matchups, hasn’t been set.
Somewhat surprisingly, the 2025 edition will mark NC State basketball’s first inclusion.
According to the release, “Travel packages for the 2025 tournament will be available in early 2025 with single game tickets available at a later date.”
This season, Kevin Keatts’ eighth Wolfpack squad will spend Thanksgiving at the four-team Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego, Calif., beginning with its revenge opportunity against the program that knocked off the Wolfpack in the 2024 Final Four, Purdue, at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 28 (FS1). NC State will face either BYU or Ole Miss the following day.
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