North Carolina Picked to Win EA Sports Maui Invitational Over Notre Dame

NORTH CAROLINA PICKED TO WIN EA SPORTS
MAUI INVITATIONAL OVER NOTRE DAME

University of North Carolina is projected to win the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational over Notre Dame, 90-83, according to a computerized simulation of the tournament using NCAA Basketball 09 on the Xbox 360. According to the simulation, UNC will capture its third championship at the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, which begins Monday, November 24. The Tar Heels previously won tournament titles in 1999 over Purdue and 2004 against Iowa.

The NCAA Basketball 09 simulation predicts North Carolina will defeat host Chaminade, 89-65, and Oregon, 80-69, to reach the final. Notre Dame will knock off Indiana, 70-64, and Texas, 73-70, to advance to the championship final.

Six of the seven Division I teams in the 2008 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational participated in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, highlighted by North Carolina's Final Four appearance and Texas' run to the Elite Eight. The field also includes three former national champions – North Carolina, Indiana and Oregon – with 10 NCAA titles between them.

In addition to the tournament, EA SPORTS will also host the NCAA Basketball 09 videogame tournament in the XBOX 360 Player’s Party at the Sheraton Maui on Saturday. Each of the eight teams participating in the 2008 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational will select two representatives to compete in the videogame tournament, using a final version of NCAA Basketball 09 for the Xbox 360. Players will be matched up against their actual first-round opponents of the Maui Invitational, playing two, three-minute halves. Players will use their actual teams in the game and games will be played in the virtual Lahaina Civic Center.

NCAA Basketball 09 simulation of 2008 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational

Quarterfinals
Game 1 = Texas def. St. Joseph’s, 66-53
Game 2 = Notre Dame def. Indiana, 70-64
Game 3 = UNC def. Chaminade, 89-65
Game 4 = Oregon def. Alabama, 58-50

Semifinals
Notre Dame def. Texas, 73-70
UNC def. Oregon, 80-69

Consolation Final
Texas def. Oregon, 77-65

Championship Game
UNC def. Notre Dame, 90-83