Indiana captures Maui Invitational
Associated Press
LAHAINA, Maui — Bracey Wright scored 21 points and fellow freshman guard Marshall Strickland added 15 as No. 19 Indiana beat Virginia, 70-63, last night to win the Maui Invitational for the first time.
Michael Conroy • Associated Press
The Hoosiers (3-0) were making their fourth appearance in the eight-team tournament and they were in the title game for the third time. In 1990 and 1998, they lost to Syracuse with the championship at stake.
Indiana's A.J. Moye beats Virginia's Travis Watson to the ball. Indiana won the Maui Invitational final, 70-63.
This time the young guards made sure the trophy was heading to Bloomington.
Wright, the tournament MVP, had 11 points in the opening win over Massachusetts and 15 in the semifinal victory over No. 20 Gonzaga.
And unlike the game against Gonzaga, when the Hoosiers lost all but one point of a 17-point lead over the final three minutes, Indiana held the lead against the Cavaliers (3-1), who never got closer than seven points over the last four minutes.
Nick VanderLaan of Virginia made two free throws with 11:47 to play to tie the score at 44. Wright and Strickland then combined for all but four points of a 15-1 run that had the Hoosiers up 59-45 with 6:54 left.
