Bulldogs, Tar Heels To Square Off In Maui
Tip at the Lahaina Civic Center is slated for 5 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on ESPN2. The following day, MSU will battle Butler or Marquette at 1:30 or 7 p.m. The highly-touted event, now in its 29th year, concludes on Nov. 21.
Also participating are Southern Cal, Illinois, Texas and Chaminade.
"This is a great opportunity for our guys to play against a storied college basketball program," first-year MSU coach Rick Ray said. "Obviously, having spent three years as an assistant at Clemson, I became quite familiar with North Carolina. Coach (Roy) Williams always has a talented group that is always well prepared. I know our players are excited about this challenge."
The Bulldogs and Tar Heels have met just five times, with UNC winning on each occasion. The last meeting between the two came in the second round of the 2010 NIT in Starkville, with North Carolina rallying from 12 down to claim a 76-74 win on a layup with three seconds to play.
All-time, the Bulldogs are 30-42 against ACC foes. The last ACC team MSU faced was Virginia Tech in 2010, with the Hokies winning 88-57 at the Battle of Atlantis in the Bahamas.
Mississippi State will announce the remainder of its non-conference schedule next week.Tickets for this event will be on sale to the general public beginning on Wednesday, August 22 at 1 p.m. via mauiinvitational.com. No phone orders will be taken.
