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Flyers land a spot in 2013 Maui Invitational

UD also has committed to play in Charleston Classic in 2012 and Old Spice Classic next year.

By Doug Harris, Staff Writer 12:38 AM Wednesday, August 25, 2010

DAYTON — Hanging in the University of Dayton basketball coaches office is a laminated tournament bracket from the 2003 Maui Invitational, autographed by the players and staff.

The Flyers, who won the event that year in Brian Gregory’s maiden season as coach, are Hawaii-bound again and will have a chance to adorn another wall with souvenir just like it.

They’ll play in the 2013 Maui Invitational, which is hosted by Division II Chaminade University and has an eight-team field that includes schools from each of the six power conferences.

The Flyers also have committed to play in the 2012 Charleston (S.C.) Classic and the 2011 Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla. All three events are held in late November and are either run by ESPN or receive expansive coverage on the network.

“This really aggressively attacks two things we want to continue to do, and that’s to have an opportunity to play these high-caliber teams and also get on national TV,” Gregory said.

The fields in those events have yet to be announced, but Maui reserves room for just one team outside the Bowl Championship Series conferences. This year’s field includes Kentucky, Michigan State and UConn.

“That’s a very coveted spot,” Gregory said. “And these other tournaments, while they may not have the history of Maui, are getting to be very close to the same level of play.”

The Charleston Classic generally has four BCS schools in its eight-team field, drawing Georgetown this year, while the Old Spice Classic historically has six, including Wisconsin this year.

“I think it’s great for our players to play in a tournament format like that, and it’s great for our fans — we travel extremely well,” said Gregory, whose team received strong backing while finishing fourth in the Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic last season and winning the Chicago Invitational Challenge two years ago. “It’s been a good formula for us.”

UD Athletic Director Tim Wabler said three straight postseason trips, including an NIT title run, has helped the Flyers raise their profile as a program.

“We’re a very attractive team right now,” he said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com

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