Colorado University Athletics
Buffs To Open Maui Invitational With Michigan State
August 20, 2024 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER – Colorado will take on national power Michigan State for the first time in over two decades for its opening game at the 2024 Maui Invitational.
Colorado will battle with the Spartans in the second game of the tournament, which returns to the historic Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, on Monday, Nov. 25, at 3 p.m. MT on ESPN2.
The Buffaloes will then face either two-time defending national champion UConn or Memphis in their second game on Tuesday, Nov. 26. A win in the opener would put Colorado in the semifinals at 4 p.m. MT on ESPN. A first-round loss would move the Buffaloes to a consolation semifinal at 1:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2
The opposite side of the bracket features first-round matchups of Iowa State vs. Auburn and North Carolina vs. Dayton. Colorado will face one of those four teams in final game Wednesday.
This will be the fifth meeting between Colorado and Michigan State and the first since a 2003 NCAA Tournament First Round game in Tampa, Fla., which saw the seventh-seeded Spartans defeat the No. 10 seed Buffaloes 79-64. Michigan State holds a 3-1 lead in the series. Colorado's lone win in the series was a 90-87 decision on Dec. 28, 1956, in Kansas City as part of the old Big Seven Conference Christmas Tournament.
Colorado has never faced Memphis on the hardwood and just once against UConn, that coming in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, where the ninth-seeded Huskies defeated the No. 8 Buffaloes, 74-67.
Colorado is coming off a memorable 2023-24 season, recording a school-record 26 wins and advancing into the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Buffaloes, who return to the Big 12 Conference this season, finished third in their last go-around in the Pac-12 Conference at 13-7 in the regular season standings and a runner-up finish in the postseason tournament.
Michigan State was 20-15 last season, tying for sixth in the Big Ten Conference at 10-10. The Spartans were the No. 9 seed in the West Region of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, defeating No. 8 Mississippi State, 69-51, in the first round before falling to top-seeded North Carolina, 85-69, in the round of 32.
Limited all-tournament and a variety of booster ticket-only packages will go on sale Friday, Aug. 23, starting at 1 p.m. MT. For details on tickets and general information on this year's tournament, visit mauiinivitational.com or follow along on the Maui Invitational social channels (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
2024 Maui Invitational (All times MT)
Monday, Nov. 25
Memphis vs. UConn, 12:30 p.m., ESPN2
Colorado vs. Michigan State, 3 p.m., ESPN2
Auburn vs. Iowa State, 7 p.m., ESPNU
Dayton vs. North Carolina, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2
Tuesday, Nov. 26
CU/MSU loser vs. UM/UC loser, 1:30 p.m., ESPN2
CU/MSU winner vs. UM/UC winner, 4 p.m., ESPN
AU/ISU loser vs. UD/UNC loser, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
AU/ISU winner vs. UD/UNC winner, 9 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday, Nov. 27
5th Place Game, 12:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Championship Game, 3 p.m., ESPN
3rd Place Game, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
7th Place Game, 10 p.m., ESPN2
Colorado will battle with the Spartans in the second game of the tournament, which returns to the historic Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, on Monday, Nov. 25, at 3 p.m. MT on ESPN2.
The Buffaloes will then face either two-time defending national champion UConn or Memphis in their second game on Tuesday, Nov. 26. A win in the opener would put Colorado in the semifinals at 4 p.m. MT on ESPN. A first-round loss would move the Buffaloes to a consolation semifinal at 1:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2
The opposite side of the bracket features first-round matchups of Iowa State vs. Auburn and North Carolina vs. Dayton. Colorado will face one of those four teams in final game Wednesday.
This will be the fifth meeting between Colorado and Michigan State and the first since a 2003 NCAA Tournament First Round game in Tampa, Fla., which saw the seventh-seeded Spartans defeat the No. 10 seed Buffaloes 79-64. Michigan State holds a 3-1 lead in the series. Colorado's lone win in the series was a 90-87 decision on Dec. 28, 1956, in Kansas City as part of the old Big Seven Conference Christmas Tournament.
Colorado has never faced Memphis on the hardwood and just once against UConn, that coming in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, where the ninth-seeded Huskies defeated the No. 8 Buffaloes, 74-67.
Colorado is coming off a memorable 2023-24 season, recording a school-record 26 wins and advancing into the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Buffaloes, who return to the Big 12 Conference this season, finished third in their last go-around in the Pac-12 Conference at 13-7 in the regular season standings and a runner-up finish in the postseason tournament.
Michigan State was 20-15 last season, tying for sixth in the Big Ten Conference at 10-10. The Spartans were the No. 9 seed in the West Region of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, defeating No. 8 Mississippi State, 69-51, in the first round before falling to top-seeded North Carolina, 85-69, in the round of 32.
Limited all-tournament and a variety of booster ticket-only packages will go on sale Friday, Aug. 23, starting at 1 p.m. MT. For details on tickets and general information on this year's tournament, visit mauiinivitational.com or follow along on the Maui Invitational social channels (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
2024 Maui Invitational (All times MT)
Monday, Nov. 25
Memphis vs. UConn, 12:30 p.m., ESPN2
Colorado vs. Michigan State, 3 p.m., ESPN2
Auburn vs. Iowa State, 7 p.m., ESPNU
Dayton vs. North Carolina, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2
Tuesday, Nov. 26
CU/MSU loser vs. UM/UC loser, 1:30 p.m., ESPN2
CU/MSU winner vs. UM/UC winner, 4 p.m., ESPN
AU/ISU loser vs. UD/UNC loser, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
AU/ISU winner vs. UD/UNC winner, 9 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday, Nov. 27
5th Place Game, 12:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Championship Game, 3 p.m., ESPN
3rd Place Game, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
7th Place Game, 10 p.m., ESPN2
Tuesday, June 23
Tuesday, June 02
Thursday, May 21
Monday, April 27