This is obviously the first Maui Invitational since Bill Walton died over the summer. It’s the first time I really remembered him dying. There was no one, and I mean no one, better suited for this event than Bill Walton. You might find yourself winding down at work to pass the time, or listening late at night to some of these gems:

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The man lived to talk about Pac-12 basketball and the Maui Invitational. He was as synonymous with Maui as Bill Raftery is with the Big East. They were the match made in Heaven. So today, during the first UConn/Memphis game, we got a tribute video and the chair he was sitting in was decorated for him. It’s perfect. It summed up who Big Wave Billy was. You never wanted him to call a Final Four game for your team, but Maui? Get everyone off the schedule and let Dave Pasch and Bill Walton call the Maui. That’s how all the college basketball fans felt about him.

It’s still the best regular season event in college basketball, but it feels different without him there. I love seeing the announcers wearing the tie-dye for him and the tribute he gets. It’s deserved.