BasX Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 NEW YORK -- Men's college basketball has struggled to tip off its season with any fanfare in the midst of November football. To combat that, four of the sport's top programs -- Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky and Kansas -- have committed to create the Champions Classic, an early season marquee event debuting in 2011 and televised by ESPN. The first Champions Classic is set for Madison Square Garden in New York, with Duke facing Michigan State and Kentucky meeting Kansas on Nov. 15, 2011. Year 2 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta will see Michigan State vs. Kansas and Duke vs. Kentucky on Nov. 13, 2012. The third event, Nov. 12, 2013 at the United Center in Chicago, will have Michigan State playing Kentucky and Kansas playing Duke. "I'm ecstatic about it because for our program it's probably bigger than all the others," said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, who won the national championship in 2000 and has been to six Final Fours with the Spartans. "We're maybe the team that has come on in the last 10 years while the others have been there for 50. It's an honor and a privilege. It really will bring a lot of attention for basketball." Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan St. combine to meet in Champions Classic - ESPN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Built Ford Tough Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 That sounds really awesome. I love watching these early season matchups between some of the power house schools. It is so much fun watching games like these compared to seeing the best schools just beat up on unranked and unknown schools for the first 10 games. It would be absolutely sick if they could manage to squeeze in 4 more schools and have an early season Elite Eight type thing go on. Having a tournament at the beginning of the season featuring schools like these 4 along with, say, UNC, OSU, K-State, etc... Would really start the college basketball season off with a bang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nashty Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I love this idea! Get the best of the best and make them prove it. To be the best, you have to beat the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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