USF will face Rhode Island and Virginia Tech at Mohegan Sun Arena
UNCASVILLE, Conn., OCT. 23, 2020 – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Friday a revised field of teams and schedule for the 2020 Air Force Reserve Tip-Off Tournament that includes the University of South Florida men’s basketball team.
The annual NCAA men’s exempt tournament sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will take place Saturday, Nov. 28, Sunday, Nov. 29, Thursday, Dec. 3 and Friday, Dec. 4 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
The Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament is split into two brackets, Naismith and Springfield. The Naismith bracket will play Nov. 28 and 29 and includes Rhode Island (Atlantic 10), South Florida (American Athletic), Temple (American Athletic), Virginia Tech (Atlantic Coast). The Springfield bracket will play Dec. 3 and 4 and includes Albany (America East), Drexel (Colonial), Long Island (Northeast) and Quinnipiac (Metro Atlantic).
“The Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament has been held at Mohegan Sun Arena for many years with great success,” John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame said. “COVID-19 and the uncharted college basketball restart has undoubtedly brought many challenges, but we’re proud to have a partner and venue that provides us the opportunity to host this annual event under a new set of safety protocols. We look forward to hosting this year’s field of teams in a bubble-like atmosphere at beautiful Mohegan Sun.”
USF is scheduled to face Rhode Island on Nov. 28 and Virginia Tech the following day on Nov. 29, marking the first matchup against the Rams since 2007 and Hokies since 1995. Game times and television broadcast details and will be released at a later date. For more information, please visit www.halloffametipoff.com.
“TheNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Gazelle Group are collaborating to produce multiple college basketball games at Mohegan Sun from Nov. 25 through Dec. 5, 2020 and have named the space “Bubbleville,” Doleva added. “Bubbleville will house several events relocated and reimagined due to COVID-19 and provides a controlled environment with teams and event staff adhering to tribal, government and NCAA health and safety protocols and testing requirements.”
USF will no longer participate in the 2020 Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans Fort Myers Tip-Off.
About Mohegan Sun Arena:
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena Of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Mohegan Sun Arena was also ranked among the top 10 arena venues in the nation for 2014, regardless of size. In 2015, Mohegan Sun took home the IEBA award for “Casino of the Year.” Mohegan Sun also won “Casino of the Year” in 2 categories at the 2013 & 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1-888.226-7711, ext. 27163.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
The MAAC, headquartered in Edison, N.J., consists of 11 member institutions: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University and Siena College. For more on the conference, please visit www.maacsports.com.
About the Gazelle Group:
The Gazelle Group is a sports marketing firm, specializing in event production and management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. Gazelle produces numerous nationally-recognized events, such as the 2K Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project, the Legends Classic Presented by Old Trapper, the Gotham Classic, the Sunshine Slam, the Bluegrass Showcase, the Holiday Face-Off, and the College Basketball Invitational. For more information on the Gazelle Group, please visit gazellegroup.com.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Mass., the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo “Court of Dreams.” Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall #HOFTipOff or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF men’s’ basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
About USF Men’s Basketball
The USF men’s basketball team is led by head coach Brian Gregory. On March 22, 2017, Gregory was introduced as the 10th head coach in program history. He previously led programs at Georgia Tech (2011-16) and Dayton (2003-11). Gregory spent nearly a decade as an assistant coach under Michigan State’s Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo and helped the Spartans win the 2000 NCAA National Championship. Gregory owns nearly 300 career head coaching wins and six postseason appearances, including the 2010 NIT Championship. In his second season at the helm of the Bulls, Gregory led the team to the best win turnaround in the NCAA, the most single-season wins in school history and the 2019 College Basketball Invitational championship.
USF has retired three numbers in its 47-year history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30) and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids, appeared in the NIT eight times and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
For tickets, contact the USF Ticket Office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or by going online to USFBullsTix.com.
– #GoBulls –
