Evansville, Liberty headline third annual The Islands of the Bahamas Showcase

NASSAU, The Bahamas – Evansville, which toppled No. 1-ranked Kentucky last week, and Liberty, a Cinderella-team from the this past year’s NCAA Tournament, headline a highly competitive field when the third-annual Islands of the Bahamas Showcase tips off at Baha Mar on Friday. The eight-team men’s NCAA Division I tournament features some of the top mid-sized programs in the nation.

“This is not just a trip to an incredible destination location, but an opportunity for these teams to play quality competition on a neutral court as the new season gets underway,” said Brooks Downing, founder of bdG Sports whose company manages this event, along with the two Korn Ferry Tour professional golf tournaments in Exuma and Abaco each January. “Several of these teams are likely to win their conference and compete in the NCAA Tournament come March, and because they’re talented, many bigger schools refuse to schedule them, making an event of this caliber all that more important.”

That wasn’t the case with upstart Evansville, which is located in southern Indiana and who was coached by former Kentucky Wildcat Walter McCarty, who in just his second year as a head coach, led the Aces to the surprising upset of his alma mater in their famed facility of Rupp Arena 10 days ago. Evansville, now 3-1 on the season, will open the tournament Friday night at 8:00 p.m. against East Carolina, which is based in Greenville, North Carolina.

“I’m pretty happy with what we’re doing right now, I really am,” McCarty told his local newspaper, the Courier & Press. “As long as we keep building, keep learning, and hopefully keep putting Ws in that column, it’s going to be a good thing.”

Liberty, which is located in Lynchburg, Virginia, finished the 2018-19 season winning the Atlantic Sun Conference and advancing to the NCAA Tournament where it upset No. 5-seed Mississippi State.  The Flames will play Morgan State, based in Baltimore, Maryland in the first round. Morgan State just defeated George Washington this past week, and Milwaukee already owns a win over Kansas City, which just this season changed its name from UMKC. Those teams are on the opposite side of the bracket this weekend.

There will be four games per day, 11 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. as each team is guaranteed three games, win or lose. The seventh place, fifth place, third place and championship games will be played on Sunday. Admission is $15 per day or $40 for a tournament pass. Parking is located in the Baha Mar Convention Center Parking Lot.

For the past two years, the tournament has housed its teams at the new $4.3 billion resort, the largest in the Carribbean, and played its games at Kendal Isaacs National Gymnasium. Given the damage that Hurricane Dorian created on Sept. 1 to the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco in the northern Bahamas, the gym is still being utilized as a storm shelter for displaced residents. Baha Mar agreed to play the tournament in its New Providence ballroom.

The event typically generates more than 1,000 room nights and significant economic impact through tourism. All 12 games will be streamed live on FloHoops.com.

The full schedule is below:

Friday, Nov. 22

  • 11 a.m. – Liberty (5-0) vs. Morgan State (2-2)
  • 2 p.m. – Rice (4-1) vs. Milwaukee (4-1)
  • 5 p.m. – Kansas City (2-3) vs. George Washington (1-3)
  • 8 p.m. – Evansville (3-1) vs. East Carolina (1-3)

Saturday, Nov. 23

  • 11 a.m. – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser
  • 2 p.m. – Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser
  • 5 p.m. – Semifinal: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner
  • 8 p.m. – Semifinal: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner

Sunday, Nov. 24

  • 11 a.m. – Seventh Place Game
  • 2 p.m. – Fifth Place Game
  • 5 p.m. – Third Place Game
  • 8 p.m. – Championship Game

2020 Bahamas Great Abaco Classic to be played at The Royal Blue Golf Club at Baha Mar

NASSAU, The Bahamas – bdG Sports, an international sports management company, announced today that the 2020 The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic will be moved to Royal Blue Golf Club at Baha Mar due to Hurricane Dorian’s impact on Great Abaco.

The Korn Ferry Tour tournament, which features 132 professionals vying in the year-long series to earn their PGA TOUR card, will be played Jan. 16-22 in its traditional role as the second event of the new season, following The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic, which is played the week before at Sandals Emerald Bay.

“We look forward to welcoming The Great Abaco Classic to The Royal Blue Golf Club in January,” said Graeme Davis, President, Baha Mar. “Everyone at Baha Mar is committed to the recovery and rebuild of the Abacos and we knew how important it was to keep this tournament in the beautiful nation of The Bahamas until its return to Great Abaco.”

Hurricane Dorian created catastrophic damage as a Category 5 hurricane – the strongest storm to ever hit The Bahamas – when it slammed into the Abacos on Sept. 1. The Abaco Club, where the event has been played the past three years, officially re-opened this month, but the hurricane took aim on Marsh Harbour, the island’s largest town, and left nearly every home and business damaged. Progress on rebuilding Abaco is underway, as evidenced by the reopening of Maxwells last week, one of the island’s only grocery stores. But the island needs time to recover before housing nearly 500 visitors for a week, which includes golfers, caddies, tournament officials, broadcast production staff, and fans.

Of the relocated tournament, Bahamas Minister of Tourism & Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar remarked, “In ensuring that the Great Abaco Classic takes place, in spite of the devastation to its original venue, Abaco, our partners, the PGA TOUR and bdG Sports, have shown genuine commitment to The Bahamas and our people, a gesture which we deeply appreciate. The relocated Great Abaco Classic will find a welcome home at Baha Mar’s Royal Blue Golf Club and will certainly live up to the reputation it has established as Abaco’s premier golf tournament.”

The resort destination of Baha Mar is situated across 1,000 acres along the north shore of New Providence Island, in Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas. Baha Mar is home to three iconic hotel brands, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, SLS Baha Mar and Rosewood Baha Mar, as well as a collection of unparalleled offerings and experiences including the largest casino in the Caribbean; over 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges; luxury shopping, and more.  The Royal Blue Golf Club at Baha Mar is the first and only Jack Nicklaus design in The Bahamas. Spanning nearly 7,200 yards, Royal Blue Golf Course’s front nine features water-lined fairways and glimpses of the Atlantic Ocean, while the back nine navigates dense jungle until the island green at the par-3 16th hole on Lake Cunningham.

“Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin and her team at the PGA TOUR were adamant about making the necessary investments to ensure this tournament happened,” said Brooks Downing, Chief Executive Officer at bdG Sports. “And thanks to the tremendous support of both Mr. Davis and Minister D’Aguilar, we are going to utilize this platform to make sure that the Abaco rebuilding effort remains front and center.”

As in years past, and mirroring the Great Exuma Classic, the event is played using a unique Sunday-Wednesday format, allowing for maximum exposure while also appealing to the guests who can participate on the weekend in the official pro-am, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18.

With the change, the event will officially be called “The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at Baha Mar.” And in addition to the global exposure, proceeds from the event will be donated to relief efforts in Abaco.

Bahamas Showcase Basketball Moved to Baha Mar

The Islands of the Bahamas Showcase, an NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, has been moved from Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium to the Baha Mar Convention Center, organizers announced today.

The eight-team tournament, now in its third year in Nassau, is scheduled to be played Nov. 22-24, 2019, but has been relocated given that Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium has been serving as a shelter for a number of people from Abaco and Grand Bahama who were displaced by Hurricane Dorian. The Category 5 hurricane hit the northern Bahamas on Sept. 1, damaging a large number of homes and businesses with gusts up to 220 mph, sea surge that rose to 24 feet and more than 48 inches of rain in some areas.

“With the national gymnasium serving a greater purpose, we are fortunate that Baha Mar was in a position to welcome this event at the resort on the same dates,” said Brooks Downing, CEO of bdG Sports, the event owner and operator. “For the prior two years, we have housed our eight participating teams at Baha Mar, so our teams will love the convenience of a stay-and-play model. We’re also fortunate that Baha Mar has recently made an investment and plans to do more basketball programming at the resort, so the move has been seamless.”

The resort played host to the Memphis men’s basketball program in August, as it played games there on a foreign exhibition tour.

“Basketball, both collegiate and professional, is close to the hearts of many Bahamians, and teams from the U.S. have been some of the strongest supporters of Baha Mar since the resort first opened,” said Graeme Davis, President, Baha Mar. “We could not pass up the chance to partner with Ministry of Tourism to Showcase and continue to host this incredible event at home in the Bahamas.”

The tournament’s first-round action on Friday, Nov. 22, will feature Liberty vs. Morgan State, Rice vs. Milwaukee, UMKC vs. George Washington and Evansville vs. East Carolina. The semifinals and consolation will follow on Saturday with the championship, third-place, fifth-place and seventh-place games on Sunday.

FloSports announces partnership with bdG Sports

AUSTIN, Texas — Today, FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, and bdG Sports, a premier sports event organizer, announced a partnership to provide live and on-demand coverage and content of their men’s and women’s basketball tournaments on FloHoops.com.

Beginning on November 22, FloHoops will showcase a total of 52 NCAA basketball games taking place across the Bahamas, Canada, Southwest Florida, and Las Vegas. Teams competing in this year’s events include conference champions Murray State (OVC), Drake (Missouri Valley), and Wright State (Horizon League) on the men’s side, and recent women’s NCAA Final Four competitors Mississippi State, Stanford, and Syracuse.

Subscribers can tune in to watch the following tournaments live on FloHoops:

  • Nov. 22- 24 – The Island of the Bahamas Showcase (Men’s)
  • Nov. 24- 26 – MGM Resorts Main Event (Men’s)
  • Nov. 25- 27 – Gulf Coast Showcase (Men’s)
  • Nov. 28- 30 – Greater Victoria Invitational (Women’s)
  • Nov. 29- Dec. 1 – Gulf Coast Showcase (Women’s)

Donations being accepted next week for “Bluegrass for the Bahamas” hurricane relief

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Central Kentuckians will have the opportunity to provide help to the people of the Bahamas’ Great Abaco Island, which was ravaged by Hurricane Dorian last month. bdG Sports, a Lexington-based sports marketing agency, will be accepting donations of supplies and new apparel at a tractor trailer, donated by Longship, from Oct. 21-27 in the parking lot of the Landsdowne Shoppes in Lexington. The donations are being accepted as part of the “Bluegrass for the Bahamas” fundraiser,  also which will include a charity event on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Malone’s Prime Events.

bdG Sports, which manages numerous college basketball tournaments and professional golf events across North America, has been organizing the fundraising efforts and has already received more than 2,500 pieces of donated apparel, with more on the way. For the past three years, bdG Sports has managed the Great Abaco Classic, a professional golf tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour played each January in Abaco. The PGA TOUR announced this week that this year’s edition of the Great Abaco Classic will be moved to Nassau, while Abaco begins recovery efforts.

“The support for ‘Bluegrass for the Bahamas’ from our networks in college basketball, the professional golf community and right here in Central Kentucky has been humbling,” said Brooks Downing, President and CEO of bdG Sports. “Longship has graciously donated a semitruck for us to collect supplies which we will then transport to South Florida for shipment to the Bahamas. We have thousands of pieces of apparel for those Abaconians that have lost everything due to this storm. We also are starting to collect building supplies, which also can be delivered to the truck. There are thousands of Bahamians who lost everything due to Hurricane Dorian and we want to help them rebuild so that Abaco can be rebuilt.”

As a Category 5 hurricane, Dorian is on record as the worst storm in the history of the Bahamas, with sustained winds of 185 mph and gusts to 225 mph when it made landfall on Sept. 1 in Abaco. More than 56 people died in Abaco and Grand Bahama, the two northern-most islands which suffered a direct hit, and more than 600 are still missing. Marsh Harbour, the main city on Great Abaco, lost 70% of its homes, and the power grid on the island was rendered inoperable. Damage is estimated to exceed $7.5 billion.

Donations will be accepted each day from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. at the truck which will be located in front of The MouseTrap. A full list of needed supplies can be found at www.BluegrassForTheBahamas.com with building supplies (sheetrock, plywood, roofing materials, tools, etc.) being among the biggest need at this time. All clothing donations should be new.

Malone’s Prime Events will play host to the “Bluegrass for the Bahamas” charity event on Wednesday from 7-10 p.m. Tickets for the event are $100 and includes a sampling of favorite menu items from Bluegrass Hospitality Group, open bar and charity auction. Live auction items include:

  • A 5-day/4-night golf vacation for two at The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, including accommodations in one of the club’s luxurious cabana suites and unlimited golf on its Scottish-style tropical links golf course, rated No. 1 in The Bahamas.
  • A five-bottle collection of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon (10-, 12-, 15-, 20- and 23-year bottles).
  • A trip for two to Las Vegas for the University of Kentucky men’s basketball games vs. Utah on Dec. 18 and Ohio State on Dec. 21 with accommodations at Aria.
  • A 4-day/3-night stay for two at any Sandals Resorts property.

Silent auction items will include a weekend stay at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs, Fla., golf opportunities at Southern Highlands in Las Vegas and TPC Scottsdale in Arizona, a year-long membership at Lexington Tennis Club, a Kentucky Castle gift package and a speciality bottle from Makers Mark. There’s even a chrome football helmet donated by the Kentucky football team.

Tickets for the evening can be purchased at www.bluegrassforthebahamas.com. The website also features #AbacoStrong tumblers and shirts with proceeds from all sales being donated to the cause. For those from outside the Central Kentucky area that wish to donate supplies, an Amazon Wish List can be found on the website with automatic shipping to bdG Sports.

All funds raised by bdG Sports will be donated to the Abaco-Winding Bay Relief Fund, a charitable organization created expressly for this effort with active 501(c)3 status in the United States. All funds received will be used to provide assistance specifically to the people of Abaco in the form of food, shelter, medical aid and supplies, and assistance in the island’s clean-up and rebuilding efforts.

Bahamas Great Abaco Classic to be played at Baha Mar in Nassau for 2020

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR announced Tuesday the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour schedule, which features 28 tournaments played in 20 states and four countries outside the United States, with the season culminating with the Korn Ferry Tour Finals in August.

The 28 total events are the most since 2010 and will include $18,850,000 in official prize money, the largest figure on the Korn Ferry Tour in over a decade.

“Bluegrass for the Bahamas” launched in Lexington to aid Hurricane relief

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentuckians will have the opportunity to lend support to the people of the Bahamas’ Great Abaco Island, which was ravaged by Hurricane Dorian earlier this month through the “Bluegrass for the Bahamas” fundraiser announced today. The initiative is being led by Lexington-based sports marketing firm bdG Sports, which manages multiple events in the Bahamas, including the Great Abaco Classic, a professional golf tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour played each January in Abaco.

“Our company and staff have had the good fortune to work multiple events in The Bahamas over the past decade, and Abaco is near and dear to our hearts,” said Brooks Downing, President and CEO of bdG Sports. “And as been reported, Abaco took the brunt of the Category 5 storm. The damage reports are incomprehensible. In addition to a significant death toll, most of the homes were destroyed in Marsh Harbour and the entire power grid on the island was rendered useless.

“Through our business ventures, we have created tremendous partnerships there with Tourism, the Abaco Club, which plays host to our tournament, the Abaco Beach Resort, where most of our participants and Golf Channel staff resides, transportation companies, groceries and through hundreds of local staff who work our event each year. Because of these many relationships, this event isn’t just another natural disaster, it’s a storm that’s affected friends and family. So God calls us to help those in need, and I’m hopeful that many of our friends in the Bluegrass will help us provide much needed support as thousands rebuild their lives in The Bahamas.”

The multi-level fundraiser will be highlighted by a charity event on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Malone’s Prime Events in Lexington. The evening activities, which run from 7-10 p.m., will include a sampling of favorite menu items from Bluegrass Hospitality Group, open bar and charity auction. Live auction items will include:

  • A 5-day/4-night golf vacation for two at The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, including accommodations in one of the club’s luxurious cabana suites and unlimited golf on its Scottish-style tropical links golf course, rated No. 1 in The Bahamas.
  • A five-bottle collection of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon (10-, 12-, 15-, 20- and 23-year bottles).
  • A trip for two to Las Vegas for the University of Kentucky men’s basketball games vs. Utah on Dec. 18 and Ohio State on Dec. 21 with accommodations at Aria.

Tickets for the evening are $100 and can be purchased at www.bluegrassforthebahamas.com. The website also features #AbacoStrong tumblers and shirts with proceeds from all sales being donated to the cause.

All funds raised by bdG Sports will be donated to the Abaco-Winding Bay Relief Fund, a charitable organization created expressly for this effort with 501(c)3 status applied for and pending. All funds received will be used to provide assistance specifically to the people of Abaco in the form of food, shelter, medical aid and supplies, and assistance in the island’s clean-up and rebuilding efforts.

bdG Sports also has issued a challenge to its other event operators at each level of the PGA Tour, to include Champions and Korn Ferry Tour events. In addition, it has requested shoes and apparel from all 700+ NCAA Division I men’s and women’s college basketball teams.

“Kentuckians have proven time and again to be a very generous people,” added Downing. “And I’ve been blessed to build a pretty extensive network, both here locally and around the country. It is our hope that we can deliver something of substance to help those who are in tremendous need.”

Full information on supporting the campaign can be found at www.bluegrassforthebahamas.com.

Pairings announced for Greater Victoria Invitational presented by the City of Langford

VICTORIA, B.C. – Recent NCAA Final Four stalwarts Mississippi State, Stanford and Syracuse highlight the field of the eight-team Greater Victoria Invitational presented by the City of Langford women’s tournament to be played November 28-30 at the University of Victoria’s CARSA Performance Gym. The tournament is a collaboration between bdG Sports, University of Victoria and the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission. Pairings for the three-day tournament were announced today by bdG Sports, the Kentucky-based owner and operator of the event.

“Stanford, Mississippi State and Syracuse have combined for four NCAA Final Fours and three appearances in the National Championship game over the past four years and to have all three in one tournament is very special,” said Debbie Antonelli, ESPN analyst and Greater Victoria Invitational presented by the City of Langford Tournament Director. “Between those three teams and some very talented programs in the rest of the field, basketball fans in B.C. will see some of the very best talent in college basketball at UVic.”

The tournament will feature four games daily over the three days, with a winners’ and losers’ bracket. First-round pairings for Thursday, Nov. 28 are as follows:

  • Green Bay vs. Bowling Green – 11 a.m. PT
  • Mississippi State vs. San Francisco – 1:30 p.m. PT
  • Syracuse vs. Houston – 5 p.m. PT
  • Stanford vs. California Baptist – 7:30 p.m.

Game times for Friday and Saturday will be the same with semifinal games on Nov. 29 at 5:00/7:30. Saturday’s championship game will tip at 7:30.

Two-time NCAA Champion Stanford is expected to lead the pack as a top-five team nationally for the 2019-20 season. The Cardinal adds the nation’s No. 1-rated incoming freshman Haley Jones and dunking-sensation Fran Belibi to a strong core that includes four returning starters. Mississippi State looks to once again be among the nation’s elite after making deep NCAA Tournament runs and winning 30+ games in each of the past three seasons. The Bulldogs will see their line-up bolstered by the return of starting guard Jordan Danberry (averaged 13.1 points while starting all 36 games for MSU), who recently received a waiver to play this season.

Syracuse also is expected to be among the nation’s top-25 teams with seven of its top nine leading scorers returning from last season. Green Bay, 22-10 last season with a 2nd-place finish in the Horizon League; California Baptist, 18-12 record with a 2nd-place finish in the WAC; and Houston, top-four in the American Athletic Conference, all played in the WNIT postseason tournament. Bowling Green (Mid-American Conference) and San Francisco (West Coast Conference) round out the tournament field.

Full tournament info can be found at www.VictoriaInvitational.com and on social media at @VictoriaInvBC.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for the Greater Victoria Invitational presented by the City of Langford go on sale to the public on Friday, September 20. Tickets are priced on a per session basis at $20 CAD for endzone, $35 CAD for sideline and $125 CAD courtside (approximately $15, $27 and $95 USD respectively). Tickets can be purchased at www.victoriainvitational.com or vikestickets.universitytickets.com.

Final results from NGI: Bandon Dunes

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BANDON – Larry Correa, head pro at La Purisima Golf Course, won the final leg of the 2019 Nike Golf Invitational at Bandon Dunes. The three-day event was played on the Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Old MacDonald courses. Larry’s group also won the team competition which was the second team win for himself and Matt Delph after posting the low team score in Las Vegas in April.

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SWOOSH STAFFER

Larry Correa
Michael Putnam
Matt Borchert
JT Thomas
Todd Killingsworth
Scott Erdman
Kevin Crawford
Steve Ousley
Michael DeJordy
Jason Guss
Neil Maurer
Sadie Palmer
Zach Abels
Robert Pang
Cam Rutherford
Rick Murphy

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BANDON DUNES

65
68
66
74
73
74
71
72
74
70
74
73
70
72
80
83

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PACIFIC DUNES

64
65
69
69
70
68
68
70
72
74
74
69
78
76
72
80

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OLD MACDONALD

65
67
69
70
70
72
75
73
69
72
71
71
74
74
74
81

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TOTAL

194
200
204
213
213
214
214
215
215
216
219
219
222
222
226
244

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TEAM COMPETITION CHAMPIONS

Larry Correa, Matt Delph, Michael Dendas, Michael DeJordy

Bandon Dunes – 128
Pacific Dunes – 123
Old MacDonald – 123
TOTAL – 374

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#BBNVegas campaign launched to support two Kentucky games in Las Vegas

LEXINGTON – The neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip will glow blue when Big Blue Nation takes over Sin City in December with two games at T-Mobile Arena. The Kentucky men’s basketball team will play Utah on Wednesday, Dec. 18 and Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic three days later on Saturday, Dec. 21 at T-Mobile Arena. Lexington-based bdG Sports announced a #BBNVegas campaign today and the launch of ticket sales for the Utah game which it is managing.

The Wildcats head to Vegas for only the third time in school history after playing at UNLV in 1980 and a memorable game vs. North Carolina at T-Mobile Arena in 2016. The Utah game will tip at 8 p.m. PT on Wednesday, Dec. 18 and the event, dubbed the Neon Hoops Showcase, serves to 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).

“I know our team and our fans have been looking forward to this Las Vegas trip since we announced it and really since the last time we were there in 2016,” said Kentucky head coach John Calipari. “I’ve had folks come up to me and tell me what an unbelievable time they had when we played North Carolina in T-Mobile Arena. The great thing about this trip is we’re going to make it a little longer and play two games so our fans can get a good look at our team while enjoying a few days in Vegas before the holidays. Ohio State and Utah are going to be difficult games and really prepare our young team for what’s to come later in the season. I know we can’t wait to get out there.”

bdG Sports is partnering with Kentucky Sports Radio to promote #BBNVegas which will include fan contests, such as winning a trip to Las Vegas for the weekend, and fan engagement on social media through @BBNLasVegas and the hashtag. The week’s festivities also will include a golf outing at Shadow Creek, the legendary course in Las Vegas that played host to “The Match” between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson last November, with full details to be announced at a later date.

“Our company has been in partnership with MGM Resorts since 2013 to bring the very best of college basketball to Las Vegas,” said bdG Sports President and CEO Brooks Downing. “Two things that have no equal are the Las Vegas Strip and Big Blue Nation. It’s a destination trip that includes two premium UK games, terrific lodging options, and for the golfer, an opportunity to play one of the world’s finest golf courses.”

Tickets for Kentucky-Utah go on public sale on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET and can be purchased at AXS.com, t-mobilearena.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX.

For complete information, visit www.bbnvegas.com or on social media at @BBNLasVegas.

Tickets on-sale Tuesday, Sept. 3 for Kentucky vs. Utah at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – Kentucky’s Big Blue Nation heads west to face Pac-12 powerhouse Utah on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at T-Mobile Arena. Tickets for the game go on sale to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m. PT, event organizer bdG Sports announced today. The annual event, dubbed the Neon Hoops Showcase, benefits Coaches vs. Cancer with tip-off set for 8 p.m. PT that evening.

“When we put together this trip for Las Vegas, we wanted to make it special for the Big Blue Nation,” said Kentucky head coach John Calipari. “We were already scheduled to play in Vegas for the CBS Sports Classic but we wanted to give our fans more than just one game. Not only do we have that, but now we face a program like Utah that has tradition and talent. This is going to be a tough game for us. If it’s anything like our last trip to Las Vegas, this will be an unbelievable experience for our fans.”

Kentucky, expected to be ranked among the top-five nationally, adds another elite freshman class to a strong core of returning players. Returnees Ashton Hagans, E.J. Montgomery, Nick Richards and Immanuel Quickley will be joined by five-star incoming freshmen Kahlil Whitney, Tyrese Maxey and Keion Brooks Jr., as well as four-star prospects Johnny Juzang and Dontaie Allen.

Calipari led the Wildcats to a 30-7 record and an Elite Eight finish last season. A 2015 inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Calipari has coached in six Final Fours, three NCAA Championships games and won the 2012 NCAA Championship with UK.

Coach Larry Krystkowiak’s Utah roster will showcase a bevy of new faces as well. The Runnin’ Utes added 10 new players to the roster but will be bolstered by returning starters Timmy Allen and Riley Battin. Utah has finished among the top three in the Pac-12 in four of the past five years with 20+ wins in four of those years, including two NCAA Tournament appearances.

“We are looking forward to the challenge against Kentucky in a great atmosphere in T-Mobile Arena,” said Krystkowiak. “Historically, there have been some great matchups, and we are hoping to add another historic chapter. It will be a heckuva challenge against one of the top programs in the country, and it will benefit a great cause in Coaches vs. Cancer.”

Kentucky and Utah have a long history in the sport, dating back to the 1944 NIT. Between 1993 and 2005, the teams met in the NCAA Tournament six times, with Kentucky winning all six games. In 1998, the “Comeback Cats” rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Utes in the NCAA Championship game. Last year, UK beat Utah 88-61 at Rupp Arena.

The event benefits Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative spearheaded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.nabc.com) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, t-mobilearena.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX.

For complete information, visit www.neonhoopsvegas.com or on social media at @NeonHoopsLV.