UNLV Men’s Basketball to player in Henderson for the first time versus Hawaii at The Dollar Loan Center

HENDERSON, NEV. – For the first time in its illustrious history, UNLV will play a game in Henderson when the Runnin’ Rebels face Hawaii on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at The Dollar Loan Center. The game will be played during the week when the rodeo takes over Thomas & Mack Center for its annual run.

“We are excited to welcome another premier basketball event to the court at The Dollar Loan Center,” said Kerry Bubolz, CEO of the Foley Entertainment Group, which operates The Dollar Loan Center. “UNLV fans who haven’t had a chance to see our new arena will really enjoy it, and the Henderson community will appreciate the chance to cheer on the Rebels. Hawaii fans were a noticeable presence in the arena at the Big West Basketball Championships and we look forward to welcoming them back for this compelling regular-season matchup.”

The Dollar Loan Center opened in March as home to the Vegas Golden Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. A product of a public-private partnership between the City of Henderson and a group of investors led by Bill Foley, the 5,567-seat arena is operated by the Foley Entertainment Group. The Dollar Loan Center, also home to the Indoor Football League’s Vegas Knight Hawks, NBA G League’s Ignite, Big West Basketball Championships and the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, sits in the heart of Henderson, a suburb of Las Vegas which has grown to become Nevada’s second largest city with more than 330,000 residents.

The UNLV-Hawaii game, which will be included in the UNLV season ticket package, will offer a unique experience for fans with the Runnin’ Rebels playing in the intimate venue.

“We appreciate our partnership with bdG Sports and to have the opportunity to play so close to home at the beautiful new The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson,” said UNLV head coach Kevin Kruger. “With the Thomas & Mack Center hosting the rodeo during that time, we are excited to play in front of our Runnin’ Rebel fans at a new home away from home.”

Hawaii fans are no strangers to Las Vegas or the new arena. Hawaiians affectionally call the Valley the “Ninth Island” and the Rainbow Warrior fans were out in force in March when Hawaii advanced to the semifinals of the Big West Championships, which also relocated to The Dollar Loan Center.

“We’re thrilled to make another visit to The Dollar Loan Center to face a quality program in UNLV,” said Hawaii coach Eran Ganot. “We enjoyed our experience there in last season’s Big West Tournament  and this game allows our team to get acclimated to it for a return visit next March. We can’t wait to compete and we look forward to seeing all our Rainbow Warrior fans supporting us in the ‘Ninth Island’ come this December.”

Tickets for the game will go on-sale at a later date.

Drake’s, VisitLEX announced as presenting sponsors of Big Blue Bahamas at Baha Mar

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky men’s basketball team may be playing in the beautiful blue waters of the Bahamas next week, but the games of its summer foreign tour will have a “Big Blue” familiarity when the Wildcats take the floor. Drake’s, a Lexington-based restaurant known for its popular beer, burgers and sushi selection, will serve as the title sponsor of the 2022 tour while VisitLEX, the Lexington Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, will serve as the presenting sponsor. The four-game, seven-day tour will be officially known as Drake’s Big Blue Bahamas at Baha Mar presented by VisitLEX with the Wildcats training at the beautiful Baha Mar Resort in Nassau from Aug. 8-14.

“Drake’s is proud to be a part of bringing the Big Blue Nation to the Bahamas,” said operating owners Bruce Drake and Brian McCarty. “If Cat fans can’t make it to Nassau, Drake’s is your game-day headquarters.”

Kentucky will play the Dominican Republic National Select Team on Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. ET, Tec de Monterrey (Mexico) on Aug. 11 at 7 p.m., Carleton University (Canada) on Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. and The Bahamas National Team on Aug. 14 at noon. All four games will be broadcast live on SEC Network.

“We are thrilled to have our friends at Drake’s and VisitLEX partner with the Wildcats for these four games this summer,” said Brooks Downing, president and founder of bdG Sports, the local organizer for the event. “Both entities understand the value of their association with the Wildcats and viewership for this new edition of the Wildcats promises to be extremely popular on the SEC Network.”NCAA rules allow for a foreign tour by an intercollegiate team once every four academic years. Drake’s Big Blue Bahamas at Baha Mar presented by VisitLEX is managed by bdG Sports, a Lexington-based event marketing firm which annually manages more than two dozen games at Baha Mar each November.

This marks the third time the Wildcats have ascended on The Bahamas to serve as a tune-up for the regular season, and both previous times the Cats came away with positive results. UK first traveled to the island prior to the 2014-15 season which ignited a magical 38-0 run that ended with an undefeated regular season, SEC regular-season and tournament titles, and a trip to the Final Four. Kentucky earned a 4-0 mark in The Bahamas in 2018, prior to going 30-7 and reaching the Elite Eight in 2019.
This will be the Cats first trip to Baha Mar, a 2,300-room luxury resort of choice anchored by the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Hotel, complemented by the ultra-luxe SLS Baha Mar and exclusive Rosewood Baha Mar. The resort features a 100,000 square-foot casino, a new $200 million luxury water park Baha Bay, and Royal Blue, a Jack Nicklaus signature-designed golf course.

For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on the web at UKathletics.com. Fan also can follow @BahaMarHoops on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to follow the action from the tour.

FGCU, Toledo, Baylor and USF headline 2022 Gulf Coast Showcase men’s & women’s fields

ESTERO, Fla. – Celebrating its 10th year in Southwest Florida, the Gulf Coast Showcase men’s and women’s tournaments each feature loaded fields when college basketball returns to Hertz Arena in November. The two tournaments will take place on Thanksgiving week and feature FGCU and former tournament champ Toledo on the men’s side and six teams that competed in last season’s NCAA Tournament in the women’s field.

The action tips with the Gulf Coast Showcase men’s tournament on Nov. 21-23 at Hertz Arena. The eight-team tournament will be headlined by Toledo, the 2018 Gulf Coast Champion which has been the class of the MAC over the past two years, as well as FGCU looking to capitalize on last year’s 22-win campaign in new coach Pat Chambers first season at the helm. The men’s tournament starts on Monday, Nov. 21 with the following schedule:

  • 11 a.m. ET – Toledo vs. Kansas City
  • 1:30 p.m. ET – East Carolina vs. Indiana State
  • 5 p.m. ET – Drexel vs. UT Arlington
  • 7:30 p.m. ET – NKU vs. FGCU

“We’re excited to be playing in the Gulf Coast Showcase as it always brings great teams and matchups to Southwest Florida for fans to enjoy,” said new FGCU coach Pat Chambers. “It’s always a marquee event around the Thanksgiving holiday and we’re looking forward to being a part of it.”

Game times for Tuesday and Wednesday will be the same with semifinal games on Nov. 22 at 5:00/7:30. Wednesday’s championship game will tip at 7:30 p.m.

After a day-off on Thanksgiving, the women’s tournament tips on Friday, Nov. 25 headlined by six NCAA Tournament participants including 2016 Gulf Coast Showcase champion Baylor and South Florida making the short drive from Tampa. The women’s tournament is still considered by many as the premier women’s in-season event in all of college basketball. Past champions include UConn (2014 Gulf Coast Showcase champion), Stanford (2015), Baylor (2016), Notre Dame (2017), Texas (2018), Gonzaga (2019) and Iowa State (2021).

“This year’s Gulf Coast Showcase field is deep with six teams from last year’s March Madness field and some of the top coaches in the game,” said Women’s Tournament Director and CBS/ESPN analyst Debbie Antonelli. “Nicki Collen is a rising star in coaching at Baylor and one that local fans may recognize from her days on staff at FGCU. The Bears may enter as the favorite but there are some great teams, led by some outstanding coaches in this year’s field, so several of the teams in the field could go home with the hardware on Sunday night.”

The first-round pairings for this year’s women’s tournament are as follows:

  • 11 a.m. ET – Baylor vs. Saint Louis
  • 1:30 p.m. ET – Belmont vs. Villanova
  • 5 p.m. ET – Michigan vs. Air Force
  • 7:30 p.m. ET – Georgia Tech vs. USF

Game times for Saturday and Sunday will be the same as the men’s tournament.

Ticket and Fan Travel Information

Fan travel information, including preferred hotel rates at the official tournament resorts, and ticket information can be found at the official event websites – www.gulfcoastshowcase.com and on social media at @GCShowcase.

Match-ups, new naming rights partner announced for Continental Tire Main Event

LAS VEGAS – 2021 National Champion Baylor will battle 2019 champ Virginia while UCLA faces Illinois in the opening round of the Continental Tire Main Event on Friday, Nov. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The four-team tournament, now in its eighth year on the Strip, will feature Continental Tire as title sponsor and continues 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).

Continental Tire, headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina, entered into a multi-year agreement with tournament promoter bdG Sports following last season’s “Continental Tire Challenge,” which saw Duke beat No. 1 Gonzaga before a record-breaking crowd at T-Mobile Arena. As a corporate supporter of college basketball athletics across the country, Continental Tire is a natural fit to title one of the premier tournaments in college basketball.

“We’re proud to expand our partnership with bdG Sports once again,” said Travis Roffler, Director of Marketing, Continental Tire. “There was so much excitement for the Continental Tire Challenge last year and we expect that the Continental Tire Main Event will bring that same level of enthusiasm this year. We can’t wait to see the four teams battle it out!”

This year’s Continental Tire Main Event is one of the most anticipated tournaments in college basketball. In the last three NCAA Tournaments dating back to 2019, the four teams have combined for three Final Four appearances and two national titles, as well as three No. 1 seeds (Baylor in 2021 and 2022 and Illinois in 2021). March Madness was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 but Baylor, Virginia and Illinois were all ranked in the final AP Top-25 poll. The four programs have reloaded with 11 of the Top-100 incoming freshman led by No. 5 Amari Bailey (UCLA) and No. 6 Keyonte George (Baylor) and several of the top transfers.

The Baylor-Virginia game will tip at 4 p.m. PT and be broadcast in prime time on the East Coast on ESPN2. UCLA-Illinois will follow at 6:30 p.m. PT on ESPNU. Sunday’s championship game is set for noon PT on ESPN with the consolation game tipping at 2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.

“We saw last year how Arizona’s Main Event title run gave a young team a ton of confidence and helped propel the Wildcats to a Top-5 ranking the rest of the season,” said Brooks Downing, bdG Sports founder and CEO, on the Wildcats’ wins over Wichita State and Michigan. “Any of the four teams in this year’s tournament could leave Vegas ranked No. 1 in the country and on a collision course with a national title. And we love our relationship with Continental Tire and look forward to delivering a great weekend of basketball in Las Vegas at the Continental Tire Main Event.”

Tickets for the two-day tournament start at $49 per day (prices are inclusive of tax and facility fee). Tickets can be purchased at www.tmobilearena.com or www.axs.com. Tickets will allow access to both games on the given day.

Complete tournament information can be found at www.continentaltiremainevent.com and on social media at @VegasMainEvent. Fan travel packages for the tournament are available now on the event website.

CONTINENTAL TIRE MAIN EVENT SCHEDULE

Friday, Nov. 18

  • 4 p.m. PT – Baylor vs. Virginia (ESPN2)
  • 6:30 p.m. PT – UCLA vs. Illinois (ESPNU)

Sunday, Nov. 20

  • Noon PT – Championship (ESPN)
  • 2:30 p.m. PT – Consolation (ESPN)

Baha Mar Hoops expands to 20 men’s & women’s teams playing in the Bahamas this November

NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS – In only its second year, “Baha Mar Hoops” will play host to the largest event in the sport of college basketball when 20 men’s and women’s teams play this Thanksgiving at Baha Mar, the leading resort destination in The Bahamas. The 10-day slate of games includes Oklahoma State, DePaul, UCF and Santa Clara playing in the men’s Baha Mar Hoops “Bahamas Championship” and five NCAA Tournament women’s teams participating in the Baha Mar Hoops “Pink Flamingo Championship.” In total, 24 games will be played across three events Nov. 18-27 at the Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center.

“We are thrilled to once again host Baha Mar Hoops and the tournament’s dedicated fans at Baha Mar for the second annual college basketball event,” said Graeme Davis, President of Baha Mar. “Last year’s event brought undeniable energy and excitement to the resort, and we look forward to introducing new experiences and amenities to the players and guests returning in 2022.”

The collection of teams hail from 16 states throughout the U.S., from Vermont to California. And for tourism, several teams hail from key markets such as Chicago, Dallas and Orlando.

“The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has identified sports as yet another segment in our suite of marketing products, and recognizes bdG Sports for its continuing support of our tourism industry,” said Latia Duncombe, Director General (Actg.) of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investment and Aviation. “Mr. Graeme Davis and his team at Baha Mar ought to be congratulated for their sporting accomplishments to date, in addition to their unwavering commitment as joint promoters of destination Bahamas. With excited anticipation, we look forward to welcoming teams with family and friends, enthusiasts, promoters, media and all spectators to The Islands of The Bahamas.”

A mere 55-minute flight from Florida, Baha Mar opened in 2017 and is home to three iconic brands: Grand Hyatt, SLS and Rosewood. Situated on 1,000 acres overlooking Nassau’s famous turquoise ocean waters, the resort destination features more than 2,300 rooms and an abundance of dynamic programming, activities, and amenities including the largest casino in the Caribbean, a state-of-the-art convention center, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, the Caribbean’s first and only flagship ESPA spa, a collection of more than 45 restaurants and lounges, and more. The $200 million luxury water park, Baha Bay, debuted in July 2021 as the latest addition to Baha Mar’s portfolio of spectacular guest offerings. Set on 15 beachfront acres, Baha Bay has introduced an exciting array of aquatic activities and experiences, alfresco dining, a gaming pavilion, beach club, and more.

BAHAMAS CHAMPIONSHIP

The basketball action tips on Friday, Nov. 18 with the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship which crowned Louisville as its inaugural champions a year ago. The first-round match-ups on Friday feature Oklahoma State vs. UCF and DePaul vs. Santa Clara with the championship and consolation being played on Sunday, Nov. 20. The four games of the Bahamas Championship will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with game times to be announced at a later date.

Oklahoma State returns the bulk of its team from last season including its top two scorers in Avery Anderson III (12.3 ppg) and Bryce Thompson (10.6). The Cowboys also add Quion Williams, a Top-100 prospect in the 247 Sports rankings. UCF coach Johnny Dawkins has also reloaded with transfers Ithiel Horton (Pittsburgh), Brandon Suggs (East Carolina), Lahat Thioune (Utah) and Michael Durr (Indiana) and signed the program’s highest rated recruit in its history in Top-60 freshman Taylor Hendricks.

DePaul looks primed to keep moving up in coach Tony Stubblefield’s second season at the helm. The Blue Demons add two Top-100 freshmen in Ahamad Bynum (Class of 2021 player that redshirted last season) and Zion Cruz (No. 69 ranked player in the 247 Sports Composite rankings) as well as transfers Umoja Gibson (Oklahoma) and Caleb Murphy (South Florida). Santa Clara won 21 games last year led by NBA Draft first round selection Jalen Williams. The Broncos will be bolstered by the addition of Carlos Marshall Jr., a two-time All-OVC player at Tennessee State, and Illinois transfer Brandin Podziemski, a four-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class.

PINK FLAMINGO CHAMPIONSHIP

The women take the floor next with the tip-off of the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship on Monday, Nov. 21. Five of the eight teams in the field were participants in last year’s NCAA Tournament led by defending SEC Tournament champion Kentucky and a Virginia Tech team which had the second-most wins in school history an earned a No. 5 seed in the “Big Dance.” Ole Miss is led by head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, the first Bahamian woman to sign a Division I letter of intent as a player and the first Bahamian woman to coach at a Division I school. Coach “Yo” has served as the head coach of the Bahamian National Team since 2013 and is a member of the Bahamian Athletic Hall of Fame (2016 inductee). She led Ole Miss to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 15 years last year behind one of the most tenacious defenses in the country. Alabama, Dayton, Missouri, Utah and Wake Forest round out the field.

All eight games of the Pink Flamingo Championship will be broadcast on FloHoops and the schedule is as follows:

Monday, Nov. 21

  • Virginia Tech vs. Kentucky
  • Utah vs. Alabama
  • Wake Forest vs. Missouri
  • Dayton vs. Ole Miss

Wednesday, Nov. 23

  • Alabama vs. Wake Forest
  • Missouri vs. Virginia Tech
  • Kentucky vs. Dayton
  • Ole Miss vs. Utah

NASSAU CHAMPIONSHIP

The action concludes on Thanksgiving weekend with the eight-team Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship. The men’s tournament, which is designed strictly for mid-major NCAA Division I programs, is in its fifth iteration after launching in 2017. The field is headlined by 2021 Big West regular-season champion Long Beach State and a Vermont program which is looking for a second championship in the Bahamas after taking home this tournament’s inaugural title in 2017 (then known as The Islands of the Bahamas Showcase). The Catamounts were 28-6 last year winning a conference title (regular-season or tournament crown) for the fifth straight season before earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

The first-round pairings for the Nassau Championship are as follows:

  • Vermont vs. Ball State – 12 p.m.
  • Missouri State vs. UNCW – 2:30 p.m.
  • North Texas vs. San Jose State – 5:30 p.m.
  • Oakland vs. Long Beach State – 8:00 p.m.

First-round games will be played on Friday, Nov. 25 with four games each day on Nov. 25-27. All 12 games of the Nassau Championship will be broadcast on FloHoops.

BIG BLUE BAHAMAS TOUR

In addition to the November slate of games, Baha Mar Hoops is welcoming Kentucky men’s basketball to Baha Mar in August for the team’s foreign tour. The Wildcats, expected to be a top-5 team in the country next season led by consensus National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe, will play four games in the Baha Mar Convention Center on Aug. 10-14. Each of the four games will be broadcast by ESPN Networks.

Baha Mar Hoops is managed by veteran North American promoter bdG Sports. The firm also currently manages two Korn Ferry Tour professional golf events in the country each January. bdG partnered with Tourism to create the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic and Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in 2017 and both events return at the start of next year’s Korn Ferry Tour schedule in January.

“Baha Mar Hoops was launched as a partnership between Baha Mar, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and bdG Sports with the goal of creating sizable economic impact through college basketball.” said bdG Sports president Brooks Downing. “We have already seen a tremendous response from ‘Big Blue Nation’ for Kentucky’s tour in August and look forward to once again packing Baha Mar with college basketball fans for 10 days in November.”

Ticket & Hotel Information

Fans can book rooms now at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar at the tournament rate by visiting www.bahamarhoops.com. Tickets will go on public sale later this summer. Fans can follow, like and interact on social media at @BahaMarHoops and using hashtag #BahaMarHoops.

bdG Sports to manage Big Blue Bahamas tour as Kentucky Basketball heads to The Bahamas for foreign tour

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Pack your bags, Big Blue Nation, because the Kentucky men’s basketball team is headed back to a memorable destination for a foreign basketball tour this August: the Bahamas.

The Wildcats will head to the beautiful Baha Mar Resort in Nassau for a four-game, seven-day trip from Aug. 8-14. UK will train at the world-class resort and play four games during its stay as it prepares for the 2022-23 season.

Kentucky will play the Dominican Republic National Select Team on Aug. 10, Tec de Monterrey (Mexico) on Aug. 11, Carleton University (Canada) on Aug. 13 and The Bahamas National Team on Aug. 14.

NCAA rules allow for a foreign tour by an intercollegiate team once every four academic years. Kentucky’s Big Blue Bahamas tour is managed by bdG Sports, a Lexington-based event marketing firm which annually manages more than two dozen games at Baha Mar each November.

“I know our fans are excited as we once again make a trip to The Bahamas,” UK head coach John Calipari said. “This has always been a memorable trip for our teams and our fans, and it has always given us a springboard heading into the season. These games will be a challenge for us and will allow us to grow and see where we are at this point. We have a great mix of returning players and newcomers who want to use this opportunity to begin the preparation it takes to win a national title. That’s our goal and it all starts at Baha Mar.”

UK’s returning core is headlined by National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe who led the country with 15.1 rebounds per game and also paced the Cats in scoring at 17.4 points per game. Kentucky will also welcome back Sahvir Wheeler who led the Southeastern Conference and ranked third in the country with 6.9 assists per game. Forwards Daimion Collins, Jacob Toppin and Lance Ware were all instrumental in helping the Wildcats to a 26-8 season a year ago and a No. 2 national seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Kentucky will welcome in four dynamic newcomers including top-10 signees Chris Livingston and Cason Wallace. Both players were Gatorade State Players of the Year and McDonald’s All Americans. Fast-rising prospect Adou Thiero inked with the Cats during the late signing period. UK also added one of the top transfers in Antonio Reeves Jr. who ranked among the top 20 individual scorers a season ago at Illinois State averaging 20.1 points per game.

This marks the third time the Wildcats have ascended on the Bahamas to serve as a tune-up for the regular season, and both previous times the Cats came away with positive results. UK first traveled to the island prior to the 2014-15 season which ignited a magical run that ended with an undefeated regular season, SEC regular-season and tournament titles, and a trip to the Final Four. Kentucky earned a 4-0 mark in the Bahamas in 2018, prior to going 30-7 and reaching the Elite Eight in 2019.

This will be the Cats first trip to Baha Mar, a 2,300-room resort anchored by a Grand Hyatt Hotel, and also features two deluxe hotel offerings, an SLS and Rosewood. The resort features a 100,000 square-foot casino, a new $250 million water park and Royal Blue, a Jack Nicklaus signature-designed golf course.

“We are excited to welcome the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team and their fans to Baha Mar for their upcoming basketball tour,” said Graeme Davis, President of Baha Mar. “In-between games, we hope the Wildcats will be able to explore the resort’s sweeping array of amenities, dining options and experiences as they enjoy one of the most beautiful places in the world, The Bahamas.”

Full information for fans wishing to attend can be found at KentuckyBahamasTour.com. All ticketing options will be sold online directly through the above link.

“Baha Mar is currently the hottest resort in the world and will provide a very appropriate, world-class destination location for Big Blue Nation,” said Brooks Downing, President and CEO of bdG Sports. “Our firm has been working with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for the past decade to attract premium sporting events to the country. We are excited to showcase the Baha Mar Resort and the natural beauty of The Bahamas to the University of Kentucky, the players and staff of this year’s team.”

Kentucky’s competition will include:

  • Bahamas National Team – Team comprised of Bahamian players competing for a berth in the AmeriCup and World Cup;
  • Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada) – Winners of 16 of the last 19 collegiate national championships in Canada; owns wins over Syracuse, Wisconsin and others in its summer tour exhibition history;
  • Dominican Republic National Select Team – Members of the Dominican Republic’s national program all under the age of 22
  • Tec de Monterrey – Mexican collegiate team boosted by U23 national team players as well.

Tickets on-sale now for 2022 Las Vegas Main Event featuring Baylor, Illinois, UCLA & Virginia

LAS VEGAS – With March Madness just a few weeks away, basketball fans have an early opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2022 Las Vegas Main Event, a Final Four-caliber tournament to be played in Las Vegas next November. Tickets go on sale to the public starting on Monday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. PT for the four-team event which features Baylor, Illinois, UCLA and Virginia, Nov. 18 & 20 at T-Mobile Arena. The four schools own a total of 13 NCAA Championships, including the last two titles won by Baylor and Virginia, as well as 28 Final Four appearances.

Since launching in 2014, the Main Event has blossomed into one of the premier early season tournaments in all of college basketball. Arizona won this season’s Main Event title, beating Michigan en route to a current top-5 national ranking.

Next season’s tournament will be loaded with rising talent with 10 of the nation’s Top-100 players in ESPN’s player rankings for the Class of 2022 having already signed with the four participating schools. UCLA leads the pack with the addition of two Top 15 players in Amari Bailey (ranked No. 2) and Adem Bona (No. 13), in addition to Dylan Andrews (ranked No. 42 in the class). The Bruins will be looking to duplicate last year’s run to the Final Four and currently are ranked at No. 17 in the country.

Scott Drew’s Baylor squad has shown no signs of slowing down since cutting down the nets last March, a title run which began with two wins at T-Mobile Arena in the #VegasBubble as the pandemic altered the season schedule. The Bears, who have been ranked in the Top 10 throughout this season including five weeks at No. 1, will remain among the elite with the addition of Keyonte George, the nation’s No. 3-ranked prospect in the Class of 2022.

“The Main Event in Vegas will again be one of the nation’s best college basketball tournaments, and we are honored to be invited to participate in such a prestigious tournament,” said Drew. “It’s a great opportunity for college basketball fans to see some of college basketball’s premier programs, and we’re excited to see how our team matches up early in the season.”

Expectations remain just as high in Champaign where Coach Brad Underwood has quickly built Illinois back into a national power. The Illini earned a No. 1-seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and have shot back up the rankings this season and currently sit at No. 20. Underwood’s squads have been big-game hunters over the past three seasons with nine wins over Top-10 opponents, second only to Baylor’s 11 such wins.

“We are excited to play in Las Vegas next season,” said Underwood. “It will be a great opportunity for our team to play at T-Mobile Arena against elite competition early in the season. Las Vegas is the perfect setting for this event, and I know Illini Nation will be out there in full force to have a great time and support our program.”

Virginia coach Tony Bennett is loading up for a run at another national title himself with an incoming freshman class which includes three Top 100 players – No. 46 Isaac Traudt, No. 68 Isaac McKneely and No. 69 Leon Bond. The Cavaliers own two of this season’s most impressive victories with top-10 wins over Providence and on the road at Duke.

“We are excited to bring our team to the Main Event in Las Vegas,” said Bennett. “The highly competitive field will challenge us and provide quality experience during the non-conference season.”

Tickets for the two-day tournament range from $49 to $499 for courtside seats per day (prices are inclusive of tax and facility fee). Tickets can be purchased at www.tmobilearena.com or www.axs.com. First-round games will be played Friday, Nov. 18 with the consolation and championship games tipping Sunday, Nov. 20. Tickets will allow access to both games on the given day. Pairings and game times will be announced soon and the event will be nationally televised on ESPN networks.

Travel packages which include a three-night or five-night hotel stay at partner hotels, single or two-day game tickets, and nightlife access can be found at www.vegasmainevent.com.

“We couldn’t be more excited to provide an all-inclusive ticket, hotel and event experience bundling with the Las Vegas Main Event on our booking solution,” said Fuse Technologies co-founder Daren Libonati.

The tournament 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). The event is managed by veteran Las Vegas promoter bdG Sports.

Brandon Harkins captures first Korn Ferry Tour victory at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club

GREAT ABACO, The Bahamas – Brandon Harkins wondered whether he would ever win a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event.

The 35-year-old California State University-Chico graduate came close (twice) in 2017, his rookie year on the Korn Ferry Tour which saw him earn PGA TOUR membership at season’s end. In the final round of The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, Harkins’ 179th start in a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event, the Walnut Creek, California native erased a two-stroke deficit across the final three holes of regulation and prevailed over two-time Korn Ferry Tour winner Zecheng Dou in a playoff.

Five players with ties to the Bluegrass continue quest for PGA TOUR membership at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club

GREAT ABACO, The Bahamas – Five players with Kentucky ties look to take one step closer to PGA TOUR membership beginning today when they compete at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club on Winding Bay.

The four-day tournament concludes Wednesday, Jan. 26, with the winner claiming $135,000 of the $750,000 tournament purse. This year’s tournament marks the return of the Korn Ferry Tour to Abaco after Hurricane Dorian devastated the island in September 2019. The tournament is the largest event in Abaco since the storm and Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis personally welcomed the event back to The Abaco Club at the tournament’s welcome party on Thursday night.

The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club is the second tournament on the 26-event 2022 Korn Ferry Tour schedule. The Top 25 players at the end of the 26-event regular season will earn their TOUR cards for the 2022-23 season, and after the three-week KFT playoff, another 25 will earn their cards. Lexington-based sports marketing firm bdG Sports is managing the event as it did with last week’s Bahamas at Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay.

PLAYERS WITH TIES TO KENTUCKY

John Augenstein – an Owensboro, Ky., native who earned his Korn Ferry Tour status through Q School; won the 2014 KHSAA individual state title, was a four-time All-American at Vanderbilt and the 2020 SEC Player of the Year; was runner-up for the 2019 US Amateur which earned him a spot in the 2020 US Open and the 2020 Masters, where he finished T55th; turned pro in 2021 after the Masters. Just earned his card on the KFT.

Patrick Newcomb – a Benton, Ky., native who played at Murray State; Turned pro in 2013 and was a 2017 Q School grad who made 22 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2018; Spent last season on the Latino-America Tour before once again finishing in the top 40 at Q School this past fall to earn KFT status.

Chase Parker – University of Kentucky graduate and Augusta, Ga., native; At the 2017 Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, led the tournament with four holes to play before a bogey on 15 helped him slip to a fourth-place finish. Parker enters the tournament on a sponsor’s exemption from bdG Sports.

Josh Teater – Lexington native and former Morehead State star who turned pro in 2001 and has played more than 200 events on the PGA Tour; has earned $6 million playing professional golf; had a career-best 2nd-place finish at the Bermuda Open in 2020; currently has status on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Ashton Van Horne – Scott County standout and Georgetown native was a three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference honoree and the first golfer in Belmont history to compete at an NCAA Championship; tied for 15th place at the 2021 Forme Open at TPC River’s Bend and tied for 11th place at the 2019 Osprey Open. bdG Sports provided a sponsor’s exemption for Van Horne, who does have partial status this season on the Korn Ferry Tour.

ABOUT THE FIELD

The 132-player field includes 47 past Korn Ferry Tour winners with 62 total victories, including Rafael Campos, who won the 2019 Bahamas Great Abaco Classic. All four past champions of the event earned their PGA TOUR card at season’s end via the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points Standings – Jared Wolfe (2020), Campos (2019), Adam Svensson (2018), and Andrew Landry (2017). Last week’s winner of the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay, Akshay Bhatia, will also compete in this event. At 19-years-old, Bhatia became the third-youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour history, carding a final-round bogey-free 7-under 65 for a two-stroke victory at 14-under 274.

ABOUT THE ABACO CLUB ON WINDING BAY

An acclaimed Scottish-style links course designed by renowned architects Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie, The Abaco Club on Winding Bay (7,141 yards; Par 72) makes the most of its sparkling seaside setting. Classic links design features abound, from the pot bunkers that dot its rugged location in the dunes to the challenging, sloping greens.

BDG SPORTS

bdG Sports has managed the two tournaments in the Bahamas since 2017. Both events were suspended last year due to the global pandemic. This is the first year of a new three-year agreement with title sponsor Bahamas Tourism, and the following week will mark the first time back in Abaco since 2019, prior to Hurricane Dorian, which ravaged the small island.

19-year-old sensation Akshay Bhatia wins the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic

GREAT EXUMA, The Bahamas – Four years ago, a 19-year-old sensation became one of the youngest winners in Korn Ferry Tour history at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay, with the victory propelling the incredible talent to a multi-win PGA TOUR career and a top-25 Official World Golf Ranking.

Akshay Bhatia, 156 yards out with a pitching wedge in hand in the middle of Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club’s par-5 18th fairway, knocked his approach inside of a foot and sealed the first PGA TOUR-sanctioned victory of his career, nearly repeating the feat accomplished by Sungjae Im in 2018.