' Con nell ▁called ▁the ▁Mau i ▁Inv it ational ▁" the ▁best ▁in - season ▁tournament ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁– ▁the ▁standard ▁by ▁which ▁all ▁others ▁are ▁compared ." ▁ ▁Some ▁ 1 0 8 ▁schools ▁representing ▁ 2 6 ▁con ferences ▁and ▁ 4 0 ▁states ▁have ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁Inv it ational . ▁ ▁Five ▁times ▁the ▁winner ▁has ▁gone ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁NCAA ▁Men ' s ▁Division ▁I ▁Basketball ▁Championship ▁later ▁that ▁season : ▁Michigan ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁three ▁times — in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁and ▁U Con n ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Of ▁the ▁eight ▁teams ▁which ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁tournament , ▁generally ▁there ▁is ▁one ▁from ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁six ▁major ▁con ferences ▁( the ▁Pac - 1 2 , ▁Big ▁Ten , ▁Big ▁ 1 2 , ▁Big ▁East ▁( before ▁its ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁split ), ▁A CC , ▁and ▁the ▁SE C ), ▁one ▁from ▁another ▁conference ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁American ▁Athlet ic ▁Conference , ▁Conference ▁USA , ▁the ▁Mountain ▁West ▁Conference ▁or ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁ 1 0 , ▁and ▁Cham ina de . ▁Begin ning ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁tournament , ▁the ▁field ▁includes ▁four ▁additional ▁main land ▁teams ▁that ▁play ▁the ▁Mau i - bound ▁teams ▁at ▁home . ▁The ▁four ▁main land ▁teams ▁will ▁then ▁play ▁each ▁other ▁in