bd Global partners with FloSports to distribute 2017 tournament games

AUSTIN, Texas — FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, today announced an exclusive deal with bd Global to air four NCAA Division I tournaments, as well as an extension with Basketball Travelers Inc. (BTI) to broadcast the 2017 GCI Great Alaska Shootout tournament, and a partnership with Rice Athletics to air five men’s and women’s basketball games during the 2017-18 season. All events will be available live and on-demand only on FloHoops.com.

FloSports’ expanded agreement with BTI also includes the addition of Andy Katz, a leading college basketball analyst and former president of the United States Basketball Writers Association. Katz will serve as an on-air analyst and sideline reporter for the men’s 2017 Paradise Jam on Nov. 17-19, as well as contribute interviews and analysis to FloHoops.com.

The University of Houston, Wake Forest, and Colorado are some of the leading teams competing at the Paradise Jam, which has been moved to Liberty University due to hurricane damage in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“College basketball needs to find as many avenues of distribution as possible, and FloHoops is providing a sneak peek into what the future may hold,’’ Katz said. “I’m looking forward to contributing to FloHoops’ coverage of the 2017 Paradise Jam, especially at this time when the tournament had to be moved due to the devastating effects of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. This tournament should be very competitive and could be a springboard for teams needing non-conference, neutral-site wins in their quest for the postseason.’’

“The quality and quantity of content available on FloHoops.com has rapidly grown since the site’s launch in Dec. 2015,” FloSports co-founder and CEO Martin Floreani said. “FloHoops is home to elite high school basketball, and is quickly becoming a hub for college basketball fans. This season, we’ll air hundreds of college basketball games and continue to provide fans the opportunity to watch their favorite teams compete.”

The full bd Global 2017 college basketball schedule on FloHoops.com includes:

  • Gulf Coast Showcase (Men’s) — Nov. 20-22, 2017
  • Gulf Coast Showcase (Women’s) — Nov. 24-26, 2017
  • Play4Kay Shootout (Women’s) — Nov. 23-25, 2017
  • MGM Grand Main Event: Middleweight Bracket (Men’s) — Nov 20 and 22, 2017

Among the teams competing at the men’s Gulf Coast Showcase are the University of Pennsylvania, Towson, Georgia Southern and Manhattan. On the women’s side, nationally ranked South Carolina and Notre Dame highlight the Gulf Coast Showcase, while Stanford and Ohio State are among the ranked teams at the Play4Kay Shootout. Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Washington, Prairie View A&M, and Georgia State play in the MGM Grand Main Event – Middleweight Bracket.

“We are excited to partner with FloSports for our upcoming tournaments,” said Brooks Downing, President & CEO of bd Global, LLC. “The FloSports platform contains premium content and should significantly boost our exposure for our games, which in turn will be a great benefit for our participating teams and student-athletes.”

This year marks the 40th and final edition of the Great Alaska Shootout, the United States’ longest-running, regular-season college basketball tournament hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage. FloHoops has the exclusive worldwide rights to air the men’s and women’s tournaments, with the exception of Alaska.

The tournament starts on Nov.  21 with the four-team women’s tournament, including Binghamton University, the University of Tulsa, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and the University of Alaska Anchorage. The men’s tournament begins Nov. 22 with Cal Poly, Central Michigan University, the College of Charleston, California State University Bakersfield, the University of Idaho, Sam Houston State University, Santa Clara University, and the University of Alaska Anchorage.

FloHoops also will broadcast a total of five Rice University men’s and women’s basketball games during the 2017-18 college basketball season. These include:

  • Rice vs. Eastern Kentucky (Men’s) — Nov. 10
  • Rice vs. Georgia State (Men’s) — Nov. 14
  • Rice vs. Western Kentucky (Women’s) — Feb. 10
  • Rice vs. Marshall (Women’s) — Feb. 22
  • Rice vs. UTEP (Men’s) – March 1

FloHoops’ college basketball programming complements its existing schedule of elite high school basketball, which includes the National Hoopfest series, City of Palms Classic, Chick-fil-A Classic, the Les Schwab Invitational, and the Hoophall Classic.

To access live coverage of these events, visit FloHoops.com and become a monthly or annual FloPRO subscriber. Annual subscribers unlock access to premium content across the entire FloSports network.

2018 Barbasol Championship moving to Lexington area

NICHOLASVILLE, Kentucky – With new host facility Keene Trace Golf Club serving as the backdrop and Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin heading a delegation of state and local dignitaries who joined PGA TOUR executive Andy Pazder, it was announced today that the 2018 Barbasol Championship will become Kentucky’s first PGA TOUR tournament in decades, come next July 16-22.

The fourth-year event will be contested on the Arthur Hills-designed Champions course in Nicholasville, approximately 10 miles from downtown Lexington. The move for the Barbasol Championship follows a successful three-year run at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Grand National course in Opelika, Alabama.

It will be the first PGA TOUR tournament to be held in the state since the Kentucky Derby Open was contested in Louisville from 1957-59. Gary Player claimed his first TOUR victory in the 1958 event. PGA TOUR Champions also held the Bank One Classic in Lexington from 1983-97.

“We are excited to bring the PGA TOUR and our players to Lexington in 2018,” said Pazder, the TOUR’s Chief Tournaments and Competitions Officer. “We have been looking for the right opportunity to return to the area as it has been 20 years since we last held a PGA TOUR Champions tournament in Lexington. With the Bluegrass Sports Commission as the tournament’s host organization and bd Global as the tournament operator, having a great facility in Champions and, of course, Barbasol as the title sponsor, we have a strong partnership in place that will make the 2018 Barbasol Championship a tremendous success.”

“Being selected as the latest PGA TOUR stop is a significant development, and we are excited to showcase the greatness of Kentucky to golf fans from around the world,” said Gov. Bevin. “It will be an incredible honor for Kentucky to host these individual and corporate guests each summer. From this day forward, the PGA TOUR can join us in saying: ‘We are Kentucky!’”

The tournament will carry a purse of $3.5 million and award 300 FedExCup points to the champion. Officials are looking to make the 2018 Barbasol Championship a regional celebration that showcases the Bluegrass State and area attractions, including its famous horse farms and distilleries. The tournament is expected to have an economic impact in excess of $20 million.

“America’s trusted brand for shaving cream, and now razors, has a long-standing connection to golf that dates back nearly 100 years,” said Tom Murray, CEO of Perio Inc., the parent company of Barbasol.  “Today, that tradition continues with our support of the Barbasol Championship in Lexington, Kentucky.”

Since opening in 1988, the Champion course has played host to a number of championships, including the 1994 USGA Senior Amateur, the 1993 NCAA Division One Men’s Championship, the Southeastern Conference Men’s and Women’s Championships, the Women’s Western Open, the Kentucky State Amateur and multiple Kentucky Opens. Consistently ranked as one of the best courses in Kentucky, Champions’ final three holes are expected to provide drama with the drivable par-4 16th, difficult par-4 17th and the par-3 18th, which will be surrounded by premium hospitality and fan amenities.

 Last July, Grayson Murray emerged from a Barbasol Championship field that included seven major championship winners to claim his first PGA TOUR victory.

Three NCAA Tournament teams highlight the inaugural Islands of the Bahamas Showcase

NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS – Three teams that participated in last season’s NCAA Tournament will be among the eight-team field for the inaugural Islands of the Bahamas Showcase on Nov. 17-19, 2017 in Nassau. Defending conference champions of the America East Conference (Vermont), Horizon League (Northern Kentucky) and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (Iona) are among the five 20-win teams in the field which will feature 12 total games over the three-day event. The field and pairings for the tournament were released Thursday by the event’s organizer, bd Global (www.bdglobalsports.com).

“We are excited to partner with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, National Sports Authority and Bahamas Basketball Federation to bring this tournament to Nassau,” said bd Global president Brooks Downing. “The participating teams and traveling fans will be blown away by the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, our official tournament headquarters, and the vibrant blue waters on Cable Beach. The action on the court will be tremendous given this field includes five teams that won 20 games last season and numerous conference champs.”

The field for the tournament features:

  • Bradley (Missouri Valley) – 13-20 record last season
  • Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt) – 20-19 record
  • Iona (MAAC) – 22-13 record | NCAA Tournament berth
  • James Madison (CAA) – 10-23 record
  • Northern Kentucky (Horizon) – 24-11 record | NCAA Tournament berth
  • UTSA (Conference USA) – 14-19 record
  • Vermont (America East) – 29-6 record | NCAA Tournament berth
  • Weber State (Big Sky) – 20-14 record

All 12 games will be played at Kendal Isaacs National Gymnasium with the teams staying at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. The schedule for the opening round of the tournament on Friday, Nov. 17 is as follows:

  • 11:00 a.m. ET – Vermont vs. Bradley
  • 2:00 p.m. ET – Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA
  • 5:00 p.m. ET – Northern Kentucky vs. James Madison
  • 8:00 p.m. ET – Iona vs. Weber State

Consolation games will be played Saturday, Nov. 18 at 11:00 a.m./2:00 p.m. followed by the semifinals at 5:00 p.m./8:00 p.m. Sunday’s championship game will be at 8:00 p.m. ET.

bd Global is no stranger to the Bahamas as the firm launched two Web.com Tour professional golf events in the country this past January. bdG partnered with Tourism to create the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic and Bahamas Great Abaco Classic and both events return at the start of next year’s Web.com Tour in January.

For complete information, visit www.thebahamasshowcase.com or follow on Twitter at @BahamasShowcase.

Ticket & Hotel Information

All-session passes are now on-sale at www.thebahamasshowcase.com and are good for entry to any of the 12 games of the event. Fans can book rooms Grand Hyatt Baha Mar at the tournament rate, starting at $189 nightly, by visiting www.thebahamasshowcase.com.

Campus Games

Nov. 10 – Bridgewater @ James Madison

Nov. 12 – East Central @ UTSA

Nov. 14 – West Coast Baptist @ Weber State

Nov. 22 – Missouri S&T @ Bradley

Nov. 22 – Maine-Fort Kent @ Vemont

Nov. 22 – St. Andrews @ Coastal Carolina

PGA TOUR announces 2018 Web.com Tour schedule

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR announced Wednesday the 2018 Web.com Tour schedule, which features 27 tournaments played in 18 states and four countries outside the United States, and culminates with the four-event Web.com Tour Finals in August and September. The 27 events mark the most on the Web.com Tour calendar since 2012, with the $18.3 million in total prize money representing the most since the Tour’s 2010 season.

“We are thrilled with the positive momentum the Web.com Tour has established, and today’s schedule announcement is another indication of the further growth and strength of the Web.com Tour,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The players benefit greatly from these increased playing opportunities and arrive on the PGA TOUR ready to compete and win immediately.”

The season-long chase for 50 available PGA TOUR cards encompasses a 23-event Regular Season that runs from The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay in January through the WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft-Heinz in August, before giving way to the sixth annual Web.com Tour Finals, which will culminate with the season-ending Web.com Tour Championship in Atlantic Beach, Florida

Six NCAA Tournament teams to play in Play4Kay Showcase in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – Six teams that participated in last season’s NCAA Women’s Tournament will be among the eight-team field for the second-annual Play4Kay Showcase on Nov. 23-25, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The event supports the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, an organization that funds women’s cancer research, and will immediately follow the MGM Resorts Main Event men’s tournament earlier that week at T-Mobile Arena. The field and pairings for the tournament were released Thursday by the event’s organizer, bd Global (www.bdglobalsports.com).

“This year’s Play4Kay Showcase is the absolute best tournament in the country during the early part of the season,” said bd Global president Brooks Downing. “With top-10 caliber teams such as Stanford and Ohio State headlining this field, it will be a March preview of the teams that many expect will contend for the national championship.”

The field for the tournament features:

  • Belmont – 2017 Ohio Valley Conference Champions (27-6 record)
  • DePaul – 2017 Big East Champions (27-8)
  • FGCU – 2017 A-Sun Champions (26-9)
  • Gonzaga – 2017 West Coast Conference Champions (26-7)
  • Kent State – 2017 MAC East Champions (19-13)
  • Memphis – 14-16 record last season
  • Ohio State – 2017 Big Ten Champions (28-7)
  • Stanford – 2017 NCAA Final Four (32-6)

Debbie Antonelli, an ESPN television analyst who will serve as the Tournament Director, said, “I am proud to say that I played for Coach Yow at NC State and it is an honor to host a tournament such as this in her name. The field that we will see in Vegas is un-matched until you get to March and the play on the floor will be tremendous. Most importantly, however, the event supports a great cause that is fighting this terrible disease.”

The schedule for the opening round of the women’s tournament on Thursday, Nov. 23 is as follows:

  • 12:30 p.m. PT – DePaul vs. FGCU
  • 3:00 p.m. PT – Ohio State vs. Memphis
  • 5:30 p.m. PT – Stanford vs. Kent State
  • 8:00 p.m. PT – Gonzaga vs. Belmont

Consolation games will be played Friday, Nov. 24 at 12:30 p.m./3:00 p.m. followed by the semifinals at 5:30 p.m./8:00 p.m. Saturday’s championship game will be at 8:00 p.m. PT.

The tournament promotes the Play4Kay initiative, a grassroots fundraising campaign for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.  Play4Kay’s primary fundraising support comes from women’s basketball teams across the country that dedicate games throughout the season to raise funds and awareness for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. The charity was founded in 2007 from the vision of the organization’s namesake Kay Yow, a former N.C. State head women’s basketball coach who endured three bouts with breast cancer. Despite the disease, she coached for 38 years, recording more than 700 wins, making 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, 11 trips to the Sweet 16 and a Final Four berth in 1998. In 1988, she coached the United States to an Olympic gold medal. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 before succumbing to the disease on January 24, 2009. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund has since raised more than $5.28 million for women’s cancer research and to assist the underserved. For her achievements on and off the court, Coach Yow is enshrined in both the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

For complete information, visit www.play4kayshootout.com or follow on Twitter at @NeonHoops.

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Ticket & Hotel Information

Tickets priced at $20 daily or $50 for all three days of tournament play (not including applicable service charges) are now on sale and are available at any MGM Resorts International ticketing outlet, online at mandalaybay.com and axs.com, or by phone at (702) 632-7580. Mandalay Bay will serve as the official host resort for the event and fans can book rooms at the tournament rate at Play4KayShootout.com.

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Campus Games

Nov. 28 – Trevecca Nazarene @ Belmont

Dec. 5 – Southeastern @ FGCU

National Champ South Carolina headlines the 2017 Gulf Coast Showcase women’s field

ESTERO, Fla. – South Carolina, which beat Stanford and Mississippi State in the Final Four to capture its first national championship, headlines the 2017 Gulf Coast Showcase, the annual men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments played each Thanksgiving at Germain Arena.

Notre Dame and local favorite South Florida join the Gamecocks in the women’s bracket. The men’s tournament field is headlined by Towson, a favorite to win the Colonial Conference title this season, Georgia Southern, who many believe will contend for an NCAA Tournament berth in the Sun Belt, and a rebuilding Florida Atlantic squad whose campus is in nearby Boca Raton.

“South Carolina and Notre Dame may garner most of the attention but this field may be deeper than any other in the five-year history of the Gulf Coast Showcase,” said Debbie Antonelli, ESPN analyst and Women’s Tournament Director. “The quality of coaching is off the charts with two Hall of Fame coaches in Muffet McGraw and Vivian Stringer, as well as Dawn Staley who was enshrined as a player. South Florida returns nearly its entire team and is battle-tested while Western Michigan and ETSU will contend for league titles this year.

“Germain Arena will feel like an NCAA Regional on Thanksgiving weekend.”

The men’s tournament will be played Nov. 20-22, the Monday thru Wednesday of Thanksgiving week. Two former assistants under Louisville head coach Rick Pitino will battle in the first game when Kareem Richardson guides UMKC against Steve Masiello and his Manhattan Jaspers at 11 a.m. on Monday. Georgia Southern, which returns 99% of its scoring from last year, and Towson are both expected to compete for the men’s title. The complete first-round schedule for Nov. 20 is as follows:

  • 11 a.m. ET – UMKC vs. Manhattan
  • 1:30 p.m. ET – Georgia Southern vs. Missouri State
  • 5 p.m. ET – Penn vs. NIU
  • 7:30 p.m. ET – Towson vs. FAU

Game times for Tuesday and Wednesday will be the same with semifinal games on Nov. 21 at 5:00/7:30. Wednesday’s championship game will tip at 7:30.

“On the men’s side, the Gulf Coast Showcase is strictly for mid-major programs and this year’s event has some of the best rising coaches in all of college basketball,” said Brooks Downing, president of bd Global, the tournament owner. “Coach Masiello has led Manhattan to two NCAA Tournaments, Pat Skerry has won 20-plus games in three of the past four seasons and Coach Richardson set the school-record for wins last year at UMKC. Add in three coaches in the women’s field that are in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and you will not find a finer collection of coaches at any other event in the country.”

On Friday of Thanksgiving weekend, the women’s tournament tips with defending National Champion South Carolina facing Hall of Fame coach Vivian Stringer and her Rutgers squad in the second game of the afternoon session at 1:30 p.m. Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks will be led by A’ja Wilson, the Most Outstanding Player of last season’s NCAA Tournament and the favorite for the national player of the year award this season. St. John’s (22-12 last season) will face Western Michigan (19-13) in the 11 a.m. opening game.

The evening session will feature South Florida (24-9 last season with an NCAA Tournament berth) making the two-hour trek south to face Washington State, as well as Notre Dame against ETSU. The Irish, coming off its seventh-straight 30-plus win season, hopes All-American Brianna Turner can return to action after tearing an ACL in March.

The schedule for the opening round of the women’s tournament is as follows:

  • 11 a.m. ET – St. John’s vs. Western Michigan
  • 1:30 p.m. ET – South Carolina vs. Rutgers
  • 5 p.m. ET – South Florida vs. Washington State
  • 7:30 p.m. ET – Notre Dame vs. ETSU

For the third consecutive year, the tournament will support the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. The hospital is the only children’s hospital between Tampa and Miami and provides vital health care for the region’s sick and injured children and their families. The hospital recently completed a $242 million facility that provides 300,000 square feet of space, 128 pediatric and NICU beds with space to expand to 160 beds, a 17-bay emergency department, a freestanding pediatric pharmacy and in-hospital school classroom.

Ticket and Fan Travel Information

Tickets for the 2017 Gulf Coast Showcase go on public sale on Monday, Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. ET at GermainArena.com or through Ticketmaster. All-Tournament passes for either the men’s tournament or women’s tournament are available for $74, $99 or $149 per tournament. Single session tickets, ranging from $10 General Admission to $45 Courtside for each two-game session, will go on-sale later this summer. Each day of the tournament will feature an afternoon session (starting at 11 a.m.) and evening session (5 p.m.) and tickets will be good for both games of a given session.

Fan travel information, including preferred hotel rates at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, is available on GulfCoastShowcase.com.

Campus Games Schedule

Nov. 10 – St. Francis @ NIU

Nov. 13 – Frostburg State @ Towson

Nov. 16 – Bluefield State @ Georgia Southern

Nov. 16 – Edward Waters @ FAU

Nov. 18 – Penn State Brandywine @ Penn

Nov. 24 – Evangel @ Missouri State

Nov. 30 – Olivet @ Western Michigan

Minnesota & Texas A&M headline Vancouver Showcase in November 2018

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Basketball Showcase will launch in November 2018 and be headlined by the men’s programs at Minnesota and Texas A&M. The event, which features an eight-team men’s tournament and an eight-team women’s tournament, was originally scheduled for the 2017-18 season. U.S.-based bd Global, the event promoter, announced the change and headline teams today.

“In consultation with our local partners at Tourism Vancouver and Sport Hosting Vancouver, we made the decision to launch this event in 2018 in order to maximize the impact locally in Vancouver and to kick-off the festivities with the best possible field,” said Brooks Downing, President and CEO of bd Global. “Initially, as we were securing teams for 2017, ’18 and beyond, the strength of the field in 2018 was so impressive, we felt it was best to wait 12 months and really set the bar on how strong of a destination location that Vancouver can be for NCAA basketball. The tourism value will be greater and the competition in the field will be as strong as any regular-season tournament that season. It will be worth the wait.”

The men’s and women’s tournaments will be played back-to-back under the iconic sails of the Vancouver Convention Centre. The Convention Centre’s exhibition space in its East building will be transformed into a 3,000-plus seat venue, complete with portable bleachers, portable floor, goals (baskets), and video boards to provide a first-class fan experience at every game. The action tips with the men’s tournament on November 18-20 to be followed by the women’s tournament on November 22-24.

Minnesota is led by coach Richard Pitino, son of Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino at Louisville, and achieved a 24-win campaign in the Big Ten Conference last season. The Golden Gophers earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament to cap arguably the biggest turnaround of any program in the country last year. Texas A&M is only one year removed from its own run in the NCAA Tournament and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship. Coach Billy Kennedy adds a Top-25 recruiting class to a strong group of veteran players as the Aggies looking to compete for a league title this season.

Additional teams in both the men’s and women’s fields will be announced in the next few weeks. Fans are encouraged to visit www.vanshowcase.com for the latest news and to register for ticket information.

bd Global currently manages numerous college basketball events in markets such as Las Vegas, Phoenix, Southwest Florida and Nassau, Bahamas. The firm also has a golf division that manages professional golf tournaments and will launch an NCAA hockey tournament in Las Vegas in January. The idea for the Vancouver event came from two locals – David Munro, a former Vancouver Grizzlies official, and Howard Kelsey, who has been involved with Canadian basketball at nearly every level for the past four decades since he played for Team Canada. Both will serve as co-tournament directors.

“We fully support bd Global’s decision to launch this exciting event in 2018,” said Kelsey, who is the co-founder of the CDN National Teams Alumni Association. “We have a duty to the local partners that are supporting this endeavor and all the basketball fans in British Columbia to bring a big-time, first-class event to Vancouver. I am excited about the teams that will headline the event and have no doubt that this will be huge for our community.”

“Teams such as Minnesota and Texas A&M are not only great programs but some of the most identifiable brands in sports,” added Munro, who currently works at the Sports Institute. “Howard and I set out to bring a level of basketball back to Vancouver not seen since the Grizzlies left town. Most will agree that this event will fill a tremendous void in our community in this sport.”

The Vancouver Showcase will annually attract 16 teams to Vancouver which will greatly impact local tourism. In addition to airlifting in 16 teams annually from across the United States, the event is expected to drive “heads in beds” with fan travel, media, international broadcast production groups and game officials, requiring multiple hotels to be involved as hosts. Additionally, the transformation of the Vancouver Convention Centre into a basketball venue is another example of the flexibility of the renowned venue that attracts international meetings and conventions from around the world.

NCAA Division I basketball players represent highest level of intercollegiate athletics in the United States. Schools in this division include the major collegiate athletic powers, with larger budgets, more elaborate facilities, and more athletic scholarships than other divisions. bd Global has worked with such programs like Kentucky, Duke, Gonzaga and Michigan State on the men’s side, and Connecticut, Stanford, Baylor and UCLA in women’s basketball.

MGM Resorts Main Event & Runnin’ Rebels on the Strip games announced

LAS VEGAS – The hometown UNLV Runnin’ Rebels and Pac-12 power Utah will headline the field for the MGM Resorts Main Event which will be played on Nov. 20-22 at T-Mobile Arena. Utah will face Ole Miss in the opening round of the Main Event while UNLV battles Rice in the first of four games on the Las Vegas Strip for the Runnin’ Rebels which also will play two games at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The Main Event tips off on Monday, Nov. 20 with UNLV-Rice at 7 p.m. PT followed by Utah-Ole Miss at 9:30 p.m. in the Heavyweight Bracket. The Heavyweight consolation game is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. with the championship game to follow at 9:30 p.m. Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Washington, Georgia State and Prairie View A&M will compete in the Middleweight Bracket in the afternoon session on both days (11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. game times).

“In our first year of operations, T-Mobile Arena has become a highly sought-after venue on the Las Vegas sports scene and has solidified its place as a first-class destination for college basketball,” said Rick Arpin, senior vice president of entertainment for MGM Resorts International. “The MGM Grand Garden Arena also has decades of basketball history and has always hosted a great crowd with terrific energy. We’re excited to welcome fans from all over the country as well as our local fans as the Runnin’ Rebels take the court at T-Mobile Arena and MGM Grand.”

UNLV will return to The Strip with two games while its home facility is unavailable due to the rodeo. The Runnin’ Rebels will play Oral Roberts at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5 and then face Illinois on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 9 p.m. with both games being played at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The UNLV-Illinois game will benefit Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative spearheaded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.nabc.com) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). Last season, the Runnin’ Rebels opened T-Mobile Arena against Duke in the annual Coaches vs. Cancer event in Las Vegas.

“We are excited to be playing in the Main Event at T-Mobile Arena and also against Oral Roberts and Illinois at the MGM Grand Garden Arena,” said UNLV coach Marvin Menzies. “Playing on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip is always a great experience for our team. We appreciate the great fan support we receive and are thrilled that our season ticket holders will have access to all of these games.”

UNLV season ticket holders will receive tickets for all four games as part of its season ticket package. Tickets for all sessions of the MGM Resorts Main Event, UNLV-Oral Roberts and UNLV-Illinois go on public sale on Monday, July 31 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at the T-Mobile Arena and MGM Grand box offices, AXS.com or by calling 888-9AXSTIX. Ticket information and hotel room information for Main Event can also be found at www.mgmresortsmainevent.com.

UNLV fans will also have the option to purchase a four-game ticket pack at a discounted price. Four-game packs will also go on public sale on Monday at 10 a.m. at the T-Mobile Arena and MGM Grand box offices, AXS.com or by calling 888-9AXSTIX. Full info and ticket information on the UNLV games can be found at www.runninrebelsonthestrip.com.

For group sales or sponsorship opportunities, interested parties should contact bd Global at 859-951-6141.

MGM Resorts Main Event Schedule

Monday, Nov. 20

  • Prairie View A&M vs. Eastern Kentucky – 11 a.m.
  • Georgia State vs. Eastern Washington – 1:30 p.m.
  • UNLV vs. Rice – 7 p.m.
  • Ole Miss vs. Utah – 9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 22

  • Middleweight Bracket Consolation Game – 11 a.m.
  • Middleweight Bracket Championship Game – 1:30 p.m.
  • Heavyweight Bracket Consolation Game – 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
  • Heavyweight Bracket Championship Game – 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

All games are at T-Mobile Arena; all times are Pacific.

Undercard Games Schedule

Nov. 10 – Prairie View A&M @ Utah
Nov. 10 – Eastern Kentucky @ Rice
Nov. 13 – Eastern Kentucky @ Mississippi
Nov. 14 – Georgia State @ Rice
Nov. 15 – Prairie View A&M @ UNLV
Nov. 17 – Eastern Washington @ UNLV
Nov. 17 – Georgia State @ Mississippi
Nov. 24 – Eastern Washington @ Utah

Valley of the Sun Shootout doubleheader in Phoenix announced

PHOENIX – Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix will be rocking when projected No. 1-ranked Arizona battles Texas A&M and Grand Canyon plays St. John’s in a nationally televised doubleheader on Tuesday, Dec. 5. The event is managed by Kentucky-based sports marketing firm bd Global.

“The collective excitement around the Arizona and Grand Canyon programs is tremendous heading into next season. With each playing a premier opponent in Phoenix, the arena will certainly have a March Madness-feel on that night,” said Brooks Downing, president of bd Global (www.bdglobalsports.com), the event promoter.

Arizona will come to Phoenix as the presumptive top-ranked team in the nation heading into the season. The Wildcats add Deandre Ayton, the No. 1-ranked incoming freshman, as well as elite prospect Emmanuel Akot to a team returning both Allonzo Trier (17.2 ppg) and Rawle Alkins (10.9 ppg). Last season in Houston, Arizona survived a furious rally in the last five minutes by Texas A&M to beat the Aggies 67-63. A&M will once again be a force in the SEC as the Aggies return four starters and 10 total players representing 82.3 percent of the team’s scoring.

“We are very excited to be a part of this event again this season,” said Arizona coach Sean Miller. “It’s a very competitive field of teams playing in a great environment at Talking Stick Resort Arena. As it was last season, the game with Texas A&M will be a marquee non-conference game against an excellent opponent. The game will also be a tremendous experience for us to be able to play in front of our fans and alumni in the Phoenix area.”

Coach Dan Majerle has overseen Grand Canyon’s transition to the Division I level over the past four years and has transformed the Lopes into one of the nation’s top emerging programs as the team is eligible for NCAA postseason play for the first time this upcoming year. GCU is coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons and a second place finish in the WAC and adds a strong recruiting class to the mix. GCU plays its home games only eight miles from Talking Stick Resort Arena and is will bring its 1,500-person “Havocs” student section to the event. St. John’s is also led by a former NBA star as Hall of Famer Chris Mullin is entering his third season at the helm of his alma mater. The Red Storm return four starters including leading scorer Shamorie Ponds (17.4 ppg).

“We are very excited for the opportunity to play St. John’s at Talking Stick Resort Arena,” said Majerle. “Chris Mullin and I go way back and I look forward to seeing our two teams compete as a part of this event. It will be a great experience for our kids to play where the Suns play, and it will be special for me as I have so many great memories in that building.”

Tickets ranging from $30 – $300 (courtside seating), not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Friday, July 28 at 10 a.m. MT online at www.talkingstickresortarena.com. Tickets may also be purchased by phone at 800-745-3000 or by visiting the arena box office during regular business hours (Monday-Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.).

Complete event information can be found at www.valleyofthesunshootout.com or on Twitter at @ShootoutInPHX. For group sales or sponsorship opportunities, interested parties should contact bd Global at 859-951-6141.

Pairings announced for inaugural Ice Vegas Invitational

LAS VEGAS – Boston College will face Michigan Tech, followed by Arizona State versus Northern Michigan, when the first college hockey games are played at T-Mobile Arena in the inaugural Ice Vegas Invitational on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The championship and consolation games will be played Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, with game times both days scheduled for 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

“First the NHL, now premier college hockey,” said Brooks Downing, president of bd Global (www.bdglobalsports.com), the event promoter. “Vegas is obviously a hockey destination, as all four teams were quick to commit to this inaugural event. Even our subsequent years are filling up 3-4 years out for this event. Top teams and future pros will all be on display in Ice Vegas!”

The four NCAA Division I teams in the field represent some of the best in college hockey with a combined nine national championships and 38 Frozen Four appearances. Boston College leads the pack with five national titles and a record 25 berths in the Frozen Four. Michigan Tech is a three-time national champion while Northern Michigan won the title in 1991. Arizona State recently completed the transition of becoming an NCAA Division I program and is one of the nation’s fastest-rising programs after winning an ACHA National Championship in 2014.

Tournament Schedule

Friday, Jan. 5

  • Boston College vs. Michigan Tech – 5 p.m.
  • Arizona State vs. Northern Michigan – 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 6

  • Consolation Game – 5 p.m.
  • Championship Game – 8:30 p.m.

All times are Pacific and are subject to change based on potential television broadcasts.

Ticket & Hotel Information

Tickets for the tournament are now on sale and can be purchased at the T-Mobile Arena box office, T-MobileArena.com, AXS.com or by calling 888-9AXSTIX. Ticket information and hotel room information for fans can also be found at www.IceVegasInvitational.com.

For complete tournament information, please visit www.icevegasinvitational.com or follow on Twitter at @IceVegasInv.