Three-time champion North Carolina and first-time participant Butler headline the field for the 2012 EA Sports Maui Invitational.

The rest of the teams that will play in the championship round at the Lahaina Civic Center announced Wednesday are Illinois, Marquette, Mississippi State, Southern California, Texas and Division II Chaminade, the host school.

UNC won tournaments in 1999, 2004 and 2008.

Butler, the NCAA tournament runner-up the last two years, and Mississippi State will be appearing for the first time.

The four Division I teams that will participate in the opening and regional games of the 2012 Maui Invitational will be announced later.

Women's basketball

Virginia twins transfer to ECU: Britny and Whitny Edwards, daughters of former Pirates basketball standout Blue Edwards, have completed grant-in-aid agreements to attend East Carolina and play basketball beginning in the fall, coach Heather Macy announced Wednesday.

The twins join ECU after playing for Virginia . Both will be immediately eligible to compete for the Pirates after graduating from UVa in three years.

From ECU news release