Annual preseason collegiate basketball tournament
This article is about the tournament known as the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic from 1995 to 2011 and 2K Sports Classic from 2012 to 2018. For the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic held from 2012 to 2014, see
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic . For the thoroughbred race horse, see
Classic Empire . For the video game Empire, see
Empire (1977 video game) .
A 2K Sports Classic game in 2008
The Empire Classic , formerly known as the 2K Sports Classic , is an annual college basketball event played in November at the beginning of the season and televised by ESPN . Originally known as the Atlantic City Shootout and produced by the Gazelle Group, Inc., the event was first played in 1995. The following year, it became the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic as a collaboration between the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society in an effort to raise funds for cancer research. In 2012, the tournament beneficiary became Wounded Warrior Project , resulting in the tournament being renamed the 2K Sports Classic . A new annual college basketball tournament benefiting cancer research, also called the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic and hosted by the Barclays Center in Brooklyn , New York, was held from 2012 to 2014.[ 1] In 2019, the event was renamed the 2K Empire Classic Benefiting Wounded Warrior Project , commonly referred to as the "Empire Classic".
The first two events were doubleheader showcases held at the Atlantic City Convention Center (now Boardwalk Hall ). From 1997 through 2001, the event was played as a tournament. Princeton won the first tournament in 1997, which took place at Continental Airlines Arena in the New Jersey Meadowlands .
In 1998, the event moved to Madison Square Garden in New York City , where it remained through 2019. In both 2002 and 2003, it was played as a showcase doubleheader. In 2004, it became a tournament again, with a new format as a 16-team event with teams from 16 separate conferences. Four predetermined regional round hosts played two games at home and the winners play in the semifinals and finals at Madison Square Garden. Syracuse won the first tournament played in this format, beating Memphis , 77–62, in 2004.
In 2007, Gardner–Webb unexpectedly won at Kentucky , 84–68, and advanced to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden, preventing one of the tournament's marquee teams from playing there. To ensure that the marquee teams would play in the semifinals in the 2008 tournament, the semifinalists were predetermined, regardless of the results of the regional rounds. Beginning in 2009, the format was revised to a 12-team field and each team was guaranteed four games in the tournament, with the semifinalists advancing to Madison Square Garden and the remaining eight teams being split into two subregional tournaments played at predetermined campus sites.
In 2014, the tournament format changed again, with eight teams from eight separate conferences invited to the tournament. Two games were held at four different regional sites selected before the tournament. The semifinals and finals were held at Madison Square Garden and the remaining four teams played in a tournament format at a predetermined on-campus site. This format persisted through 2019.
With the COVID-19 pandemic raging in the United States during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season , the Empire Classic was one of the very few multiteam events held during the fall of 2020.[ 2] With no fans permitted to attend, it took place behind closed doors at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville , Connecticut . Only four teams participated. Baylor withdrew from it after head coach Scott Drew tested positive for COVID-19 ;[ 2] Rhode Island replaced Baylor.[ 2]
In 2021, the tournament format was dropped, and the Empire Classic took place as a showcase event at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas , Nevada . Four teams participated, and the event consisted of two doubleheaders played over the course of two days,[ 3] [ 4]
The 2024 Empire Classic will return to a showcase format with Maryland facing Villanova at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey .[ 5]
Yearly champions, runners-up, and MVPs[ edit ]
Year
Winner
Score
Opponent
Tournament MVP
Other participants
Venue
2024
Showcase Format – No Tournament
Prudential Center , Newark, NJ
2023
UConn
81–71
Texas
Tristen Newton , UConn
Indiana , Louisville
Madison Square Garden , New York, NY
2022
St. John's
76–69
Syracuse
André Curbelo , St. John's
Richmond , Temple
Barclays Center , Brooklyn, NY
2021
Showcase Format – No Tournament
T-Mobile Arena , Las Vegas, NV
20201
Villanova
83–74
Arizona State
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl , Villanova
Boston College , Rhode Island
Mohegan Sun Arena , Uncasville, CT
2019
Duke
81–73
Georgetown
Vernon Carey Jr. , Duke
Texas , California
Madison Square Garden , New York, NY
2018
Iowa
91–72
Connecticut
Luka Garza , Iowa
Syracuse , Oregon
2017
Providence
90–63
Saint Louis
Kyron Cartwright , Providence
Virginia Tech , Washington
2016
Michigan
76–54
SMU
Zak Irvin , Michigan
Pittsburgh , Marquette
2015
Duke
86–84
Georgetown
Grayson Allen , Duke
Wisconsin , VCU
2014
Texas
71–55
California
Jonathan Holmes , Texas
Syracuse , Iowa
2013
Connecticut
59–58
Indiana
Shabazz Napier , Connecticut
Boston College , Washington
2012
Alabama
77–55
Villanova
Trevor Releford , Alabama
Oregon State , Purdue
2011
Mississippi State
67–57
Arizona
Arnett Moultrie , Mississippi State
St. John's , Texas A&M
2010
Pittsburgh
68–66
Texas
Ashton Gibbs , Pittsburgh
Illinois , Maryland
2009
Syracuse
87–71
North Carolina
Wesley Johnson , Syracuse
California , Ohio State
2008
Duke
71–56
Michigan
Kyle Singler , Duke
UCLA , Southern Illinois
2007
Memphis
81–70
Connecticut
Chris Douglas-Roberts , Memphis
Gardner–Webb , Oklahoma
2006
Maryland
62–60
Michigan State
D. J. Strawberry , Maryland
St. John's , Texas
2005
Florida
75–70
Syracuse
Taurean Green , Florida
Texas Tech , Wake Forest
2004
Syracuse
77–62
Memphis
Hakim Warrick , Syracuse
Mississippi State , St. Mary's
2003
Showcase Format – No Tournament
2002
Showcase Format – No Tournament
2001
Arizona
75–71
Florida
Jason Gardner , Arizona
Maryland , Temple
2000
Kansas
82–74
St. John's
Kenny Gregory , Kansas
Kentucky , UCLA
1999
Stanford
72–58
Iowa
Jarron Collins , Stanford
Connecticut , Duke
1998
Temple
59–48
Wake Forest
Lamont Barnes , Temple
Georgetown , Illinois
1997
Princeton
38–36
North Carolina State
Brian Earl , Princeton
Georgia , Texas
Continental Airlines Arena , East Rutherford, NJ
1996
Showcase Format – No Tournament
Boardwalk Hall , Atlantic City, NJ
1995
Showcase Format – No Tournament
1 Tournament held behind closed doors at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Championships
Teams
3
Duke (2008, 2015, 2019)
2
Syracuse (2004, 2009), UConn (2013, 2023)
Updated through 2023 event.
Appearances
Teams
7
Texas (1997, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2019, 2023), Syracuse (2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2014, 2018, 2022)
5
UConn (1999, 2007, 2013, 2018, 2023), St. John's (2000, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2022)
4
Marquette (1995, 2002, 2003, 2016), Temple (1996, 1998, 2001, 2022), Duke (1999, 2008, 2015, 2019), Memphis (2002, 2003, 2004, 2007), California (2004, 2009, 2014, 2019)
3
Georgetown (1998, 2015, 2019), Wake Forest (1998, 2003, 2005), Iowa (1999, 2014, 2018), UCLA (2000, 2008, 2021), Maryland (2001, 2006, 2010), Alabama (2002, 2003, 2012), Villanova (2002, 2012, 2020), Pittsburgh (2003, 2010, 2016), UC-Irvine (2005, 2010, 2013), Alcorn State (2006, 2009, 2014), Prairie View (2008, 2015, 2019)
Updated through 2023 event.
Participants and brackets [ edit ]
* – Denotes overtime period
Showcase Format – No Tournament
Showcase Format – No Tournament
Semifinals
Championship
13
Stanford
80*
10
Duke
79
13
Stanford
72
Iowa
58
Iowa
70
1
Connecticut
68
Consolation
1
Connecticut
71
10
Duke
66
Showcase Format – No Tournament
Showcase Format – No Tournament
Semifinals
Championship
6
Syracuse
71
14
Mississippi State
58
6
Syracuse
77
23
Memphis
62
23
Memphis
81
Saint Mary's
66
Consolation
14
Mississippi State
67
Saint Mary's
54
Semifinals
Championship
16
Syracuse
81
Texas Tech
46
Florida
75
16
Syracuse
70
Florida
77
18
Wake Forest
72
Consolation
18
Wake Forest
78**
Texas Tech
73
Semifinals
Championship
Michigan State
63
18
Texas
61
Maryland
62
Michigan State
60
Maryland
92
St. John's
60
Consolation
18
Texas
77
St. John's
66
Semifinals
Championship
3
Memphis
63
Oklahoma
53
3
Memphis
81
Connecticut
70
Connecticut
78
Gardner–Webb
66
Consolation
Oklahoma
69
Gardner–Webb
55
Semifinals
Championship
Michigan
55
4
UCLA
52
5
Duke
71
Michigan
56
5
Duke
83
Southern Illinois
58
Consolation
4
UCLA
77
Southern Illinois
60
Semifinals
Championship
24
Syracuse
95
12
California
73
24
Syracuse
87
4
North Carolina
71
4
North Carolina
77
15
Ohio State
73
Consolation
12
California
60
15
Ohio State
76
Semifinals
Championship
4
Pittsburgh
79
Maryland
70
4
Pittsburgh
68
22
Texas
66
16
Illinois
84
Texas
90*
Consolation
16
Illinois
80
Maryland
76
Semifinals
Championship
18
Texas A&M
60
Mississippi State
69
Mississippi State
67
16
Arizona
57
St. John's
72
16
Arizona
81
Consolation
18
Texas A&M
58
St. John's
57
Semifinals November 15ESPN2
Championship November 16 ESPN2
Alabama
65
Oregon State
62
Alabama
77
Villanova
55
Villanova
89*
Purdue
81
Consolation
Oregon State
66
Purdue
58
Semifinals November 21ESPN2
Championship November 22 ESPN2
Indiana
102
Washington
84
Indiana
58
18
Connecticut
59
18
Connecticut
72
Boston College
70
Consolation
Washington
78
Boston College
89
Semifinals November 20ESPN2
Championship November 21 ESPN2
10
Texas
71
Iowa
57
10
Texas
71
California
55
23
Syracuse
59
California
73
Consolation
23
Syracuse
66
Iowa
63
Semifinals November 20ESPN2
Championship November 22ESPN
5
Duke
79
VCU
71
5
Duke
86
Georgetown
84
Wisconsin
61
Georgetown
71
Consolation
VCU
73
Wisconsin
74
Semifinals November 17
Championship November 18
Pittsburgh
67
SMU
76
SMU
54
Michigan
76
Michigan
79
Marquette
61
Consolation
Pittsburgh
78
Marquette
75
[ 14] [ 15]
Semifinals November 15 ESPN2
Championship November 16 ESPN2
Connecticut
83
15
Syracuse
76
Connecticut
72
Iowa
91
Iowa
77
13
Oregon
69
Consolation
15
Syracuse
65
13
Oregon
80
[ 16]
Semifinals November 21 ESPN2
Championship November 22 ESPN2
Georgetown
82
22
Texas
66
Georgetown
73
1
Duke
81
1
Duke
87
California
52
Consolation
22
Texas
62
California
45
The 2020 tournament was held November 25–26 behind closed doors at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut as a result of COVID-19 pandemic -related restrictions.
The top two teams in the country, Gonzaga and UCLA,[ 17] headlined the 27th annual Empire Classic, held at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas , Nevada , on November 22 and 23. Joining them were Central Michigan and Bellarmine.[ 18] The format reverted to a showcase event.
Showcase Format – No Tournament
November 23, 2021
2
UCLA
63
1
Gonzaga
83
November 23, 2021
Bellarmine
76
Central Michigan
69
The tournament took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn , New York on November 21 and 22, 2022.[ 19]
Game recaps: [ 20] [ 21] [ 22] [ 23]
Semifinals November 21 ESPN2/ESPNU
Championship November 22 ESPN2
Syracuse
74*
Richmond
71
Syracuse
69
St. John's
76*
St. John's
78
Temple
72
Consolation
Richmond
61
Temple
49
The tournament took place on November 19 and 20, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan , New York .[ 24]
Semifinals November 19 ESPN2/ESPNU
Championship November 20 ESPN2
No. 5 UConn
77
Indiana
57
No. 5 UConn
81
No. 15 Texas
71
No. 19 Texas
81
Louisville
80
Consolation
Indiana
74
Louisville
66
Villanova and Maryland will square off in the Showcase Game of the 2024 Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project on November 24, 2024 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.[ 5]
Showcase Format – No Tournament
^ "Plenty of changes next year for Coaches vs Cancer" . si.com . Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2011 .
^ a b c Freeman, Tristan, "NCAA Basketball: Biggest takeaways from 2020 2K Empire Classic," bustingbrackets.com, November 27, 2020 Accessed March 11, 2021
^ "UCLA to Face Bellarmine, Gonzaga in Empire Classic" . UCLABruins.com . UCLA Athletics.
^ "Gonzaga and UCLA to meet in the 2021 Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project presented by Continental Tire" . Empire Classic . Gazelle Group. 15 May 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021 .
^ a b "2024 Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project Announced" . Empire Classic . Gazelle Group. Retrieved 2 September 2024 .
^ "2008 Bracket" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2021 .
^ "2009 Bracket" (PDF) . GazelleGroup.com . Retrieved December 3, 2022 .
^ "2010 Bracket" (PDF) . GazelleGroup.com . Retrieved December 3, 2022 .
^ "2011 Bracket" (PDF) . GazelleGroup.com . Retrieved December 3, 2022 .
^ "2012 Bracket" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2012-11-16 .
^ "2013 Bracket" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-13. Retrieved 2013-11-13 .
^ "2014 Bracket" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-08. Retrieved 2014-12-05 .
^ "Michigan, Pitt, Marquette, and SMU Headline 2016 2K Classic" . 2K Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project . Gazelle Groups. 7 March 2016. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016 .
^ "2018–19 College Basketball Early Season Tournaments, Events, And Neutral-Site Games" . Blogging the Bracket . Archived from the original on 2017-12-02. Retrieved 2017-12-01 .
^ "2018 Bracket" (PDF) . Gazelle Groups . Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-11-22. Retrieved 2018-11-06 .
^ "2019 Schedule" . Gazelle Groups . Archived from the original on 2019-09-14. Retrieved 2019-10-17 .
^ "UCLA to Face Bellarmine, Gonzaga in Empire Classic" . UCLABruins.com . UCLA Athletics.
^ "Gonzaga and UCLA to meet in the 2021 Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project presented by Continental Tire" . Empire Classic . Gazelle Group. 15 May 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021 .
^ "2022–23 Men's College Basketball Early Season Tournaments and Exempt Multi-Team Events (MTEs)" . SB Nation . April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022 .
^ "Syracuse Needs OT to Top Richmond, Reach Empire Final" . ESPN . November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022 .
^ "Saint John's (NY) Defeats Temple 78–72" . The Associated Press . November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022 .
^ "Curbelo, St. John's Wins Legends, Top Syracuse 76–69 in OT" . ESPN . November 23, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022 .
^ "Burton Leads Richmond over Temple 61–49 in Empire Classic" . ESPN . November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022 .
^ "2023 Empire Classic Field Announced" . empireclassic.net . April 4, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023 .
NCAA men's college basketball showcases
Division I
Neutral Campus
Bluegrass Showcase
California Bears Classic
Charleston Showcase
Global Sports Invitational
Global Sports Shootout
Golden Gopher Showcase
Gotham Classic
Hardwood Showcase
Orange Express Showcase
Rainbow Classic
Scarlet Knight Showcase
Campus & neutral
Exempt
Acrisure Classic
Bill Frack Tournament
Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational
Challenge In Music City
Fordham Showcase
High Point University Classic
Holy City Hoops Classic
Indiana Classic
Lone Star Showcase
Men vs. Cancer Classic
MSG Holiday Festival
NIU Showcase
Red Diamond Roundball Classic
San Diego Classic
Sanford Pentagon Showcase
Steve Wright Classic
Tarkett Sports Classic
Non-exempt
Big 5 Classic
Cable Car Classic
EWU Men's Basketball Classic
Fox Sports Pearl Harbor Invitational
South Point Holiday Hoops Classic
Sun Bowl Classic
Conference Challenges
NCAA men's college basketball tournaments
Division I
Early season Defunct Early season Conference postseason Defunct Conference postseason Postseason Defunct Postseason
Division II
Conference postseason Defunct Conference postseason Postseason
Division III
Conference postseason Defunct Conference postseason Postseason