Kansas, Georgia, George Washington and UAB to participate in the 2016 CBE Hall of Fame Classic
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three-time NCAA champion Kansas will join Georgia, 2016 NIT Champion George Washington and UAB for the championship rounds of the 2016 CBE Hall of Fame Classic Nov. 21 and 22 at Sprint Center, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced the field Tuesday.
The CBE Hall of Fame Classic will be the culminating event of college basketball’s Hall of Fame Weekend, which also includes the 11th annual induction ceremony for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 18.
The semifinal rounds will be held on Monday, Nov. 21. The finals will take place the following day, Tuesday, Nov. 22, beginning with the consolation game, followed by the championship game. All four games will be broadcast on the ESPN networks.
Kansas is competing in the CBE Classic for the third time since the inception of the event in 2001. KU has a combined 7-1 record in the Classic, which includes regional contests. The Jayhawks won the 2012 CBE Classic title and finished second in 2008.
Tickets for the championship round games at Sprint Center will be available beginning Saturday, August 6, at 10 a.m. (Central) through axs.com, cbehalloffameclassic.com, by phone at 1-888-929-7849 or in person at Sprint Center Box Office.
The complete bracket, including matchups and television broadcast times for the 2016 CBE Hall of Fame Classic, will be announced at a later date.
CBE Hall of Fame Classic Championship Round Teams
Kansas: The Jayhawks ended the 2015-16 season in typical fashion; they won their 12th consecutive Big 12 Conference Championship and made a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, advancing all the way to the Elite Eight…Finished with an overall record of 33-5 and 15-3 in the Big 12…Led by their explosive and experienced backcourt of junior Frank Mason, III (12.9ppg) and sophomore Devonte’ Graham (11.3ppg)..Jayhawks head coach Bill Self, who owns a 385-83 record at Kansas and is 592-188 all-time, said: “The CBE Hall of Fame Classic always has a solid field and this event is a great way to showcase the College Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies in Kansas City. UAB, Georgia and George Washington are all great programs. Sprint Center is a second home for us and we hope to have that continued support in November.”
George Washington: The Colonials finished up a very successful 2015-16 season with a 28-10 record, including 11-7 in the competitive Atlantic 10 Conference…. They are the 2016 National Invitation Tournament Champions, as they defeated San Diego State and Valparaiso at Madison Square Garden to claim the title…….Led by redshirt junior forward Tyler Cavanaugh, who averaged a team-high 16.8ppg …. Mike Lonergan, Head Coach of the Colonials, stated: “We are very excited to participate in such a prestigious event. We look forward to the challenge of competing against such quality opponents and it will be a thrill to get to meet the new inductees into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.”
Georgia: Reached the 20-win mark during the 2015-16 campaign, finishing with a 20-14 overall mark and 10-8 in the Southeastern Conference, good for 6th place….. Advanced to the second round of the 2016 NIT…….Led by junior guard J.J. Frazier (16.9ppg) and sophomore forward Yante Maten (16.5ppg)…. Bulldogs Head Coach Mark Fox had this to say about playing in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic: “We’re very excited to be a part of such a great tournament. This trip is extremely special for Georgia Basketball because it also coincides with the inductions of Coach Durham and Dominique into the College Hall of Fame. We appreciate the opportunity to participate and compete with the other successful programs in the field.”
UAB: Regular Season Champions of Conference USA, the Blazers finished their 2015-16 season with an impressive 26-7 mark, and 16-2 in C-USA……..Advanced to the 2016 National Invitation Tournament, where they lost to BYU………led by sophomore forwards Chris Cokley (13.1ppg) and William Lee (10.6ppg)…….First-year Head Coach Robert Ehsan had this to say about participating in this year’s tournament: “We are extremely excited about the opportunity to play in the 2016 CBE Hall of Fame Classic and face some of the best competition in the country. This is one of the best and most prestigious tournaments in the nation each year, and we look forward to our players and fans being part of that environment.”
About the CBE Hall of Fame Classic
The event is named after the College Basketball Experience, the award-winning and highly interactive college basketball fan facility adjacent to Sprint Center, which also features the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Opened in October 2007, the College Basketball Experience is the nation’s only facility that celebrates, in its entirety, the sport of men’s collegiate basketball. The tournament, in partnership with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), was initially established in 2001 as the Guardians Classic.
The CBE Hall of Fame Classic is produced by Blue Ridge Sports & Entertainment, Inc. Blue Ridge Sports & Entertainment, Inc. is a sports management firm based in the Shenandoah Valley city of Winchester, Virginia.
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