LAS VEGAS – The Chaminade University men's basketball team has experienced Maui Magic eight times over the years at the Lahaina Civic Center on Maui. They were hoping for No. 9 in the Ninth Island of Las Vegas, Nevada.
But the magic never came as the Silverswords dropped their 2021 Maui Jim Maui Invitational opener to Oregon, 73-49, Monday at the Michelob ULTRA Arena. It was the first time since the tournament's first year in 1985 that they did not play on Maui (the first year of the tournament – then known as the Silversword Invitational – was played at Konawaena High School on the Big Island).
In the loss,
Raazhel Watkins (Concord, Calif./Sacramento State/College Park HS) had team- and season-highs of 13 points and eight rebounds for Chaminade, who suffered their first loss of the season (2-1).
The Ducks (2-1), ranked No. 23 in the ESPN Division I Coaches Poll, were paced by Eric Williams, Jr. who had 14.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) and
Zach McIntire (Delaware, Ohio/Mercyhurst University/Delaware Hayes HS) had nine each for the 'Swords while
Tredyn Christensen (Eagle Mountain, Utah/Snow College/Westlake HS) chipped in with eight.
A Watkins triple followed by a
Paris Taylor (Bolivar, Tenn./University of Wisconsin Green Bay/Central HS) jumper put Chaminade up, 5-3. It would be the 'Swords' final lead of the game with the Ducks going on a 21-4 run.
Watkins then scored eight points during a 13-2 run to pull Chaminade to within 26-22 with 49 seconds left in the first half although the Ducks managed to extend to a 29-22 halftime lead.
Taylor's layup to open the second half got the Silverswords to within 29-24 but Oregon scored nine straight to reestablish a double-digit lead. The 'Swords never got closer than 10 the rest of the way.
After shooting just under 30 percent shooting from the floor in the first half, Oregon hit 19-of-31 from the field (61.3 percent) and outscored the Silverswords, 44-27, in the final 20 minutes to help pull away.
Chaminade shot just 29.1 percent from the floor (16-of-55) but held their own on the boards, being out-rebounded by just five. Watkins sank three of the 'Swords' four triples on the night.
The Silverswords will face Notre Dame in a consolation bracket game at 5:30 p.m. Hawai'i (7:30 p.m. Pacific). The Fighting Irish lost to Saint Mary's in Monday's final game. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
