SPRINGFIELD, MASS. –The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the field of teams for the fifth annual Jerry Colangelo Classic, a premier college basketball showcase hosted at Footprint Center on Saturday, December 16. The event will feature the following games:
Grand Canyon vs. Portland (M)
Washington State vs. Santa Clara (M)
UNLV vs. Saint Mary’s College (M)
UCSB vs. Loyola Marymount (M)
“Each year, we look forward to returning to Phoenix for an exciting holiday season showcase that honors Jerry Colangelo’s work in basketball and his impact on the valley’s sports community,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “We are excited to welcome these teams and their fans to the Footprint Center for what is sure to be a thrilling day of basketball.”
In addition to the aforementioned Jerry Colangelo Classic, Footprint Center will also play host to Jerry Colangelo’s Hall of Fame Series Phoenix on December 20. The Hall of Fame Series event will feature the following matchups: Arizona State vs. Fresno State (W), Arizona vs. Gonzaga (W), Arizona St. vs. Northwestern (M), and Arizona vs. Alabama (M).
Tickets for both Jerry Colangelo events in Phoenix are scheduled to go on sale in July. On-sale date, game times, fan experience information, credentials, and television broadcast details will be released at a later date.
For more information, please visit hoophall.com or follow @hoophallu on all social platforms.
Quotes from Participating Head Coaches
"Any time we get the chance to go downtown and play a game at Footprint Center, it is an exciting opportunity for our program. Additionally, to continue our history of competing in this event with Mr. Colangelo’s name on it is an honor. He’s made such an impact on our program and university in lending his wisdom and experience. We’re excited to match up against the University of Portland and have great respect for Coach Legans and his program. We can’t wait for December and to bring Lope Nation downtown with us for the day."– Bryce Drew | Grand Canyon
"We are very excited to showcase University of Portland basketball at the 2023 Jerry Colangelo Classic. This event has featured some of the best programs in the nation over the last few years and will provide a good gauge of where our team stands before entering a tough West Coast Conference schedule. Playing in NBA arenas is always a fun experience for the players, and I’m sure there will be a great crowd on hand to see some high-quality basketball. Our team has performed well on the big stage over the last couple of years, and this is another opportunity to make our mark to a wider audience."– Shantay Legans | Portland
"We are excited to take part in the Jerry Colangelo Classic. It should be a great non-conference matchup, and we look forward to the challenge."– Herb Sendek | Santa Clara
"We’re looking forward to facing Santa Clara this December, as part of the Jerry Colangelo Classic. Santa Clara is an emerging program on the west coast. They are a consistent post-season program coached by Herb Sendek. They have produced NBA talent the last couple of years in Jaylin Williams and Brandin Podziemski. This will be an excellent non-conference opportunity for both programs. This is the second Naismith Hall of Fame event we are participating in, which goes to show this committee and organization put together competitive, well-run events that we are proud to be a part of. We’re looking forward to seeing our Desert Cougs out supporting WSU for this west coast showdown. Go Cougs!"– Kyle Smith | Washington State
"It's great to be back in Phoenix for the Jerry Colangelo Classic. Last year, we faced the team that wound up playing in the National Championship game, so the competition is always great. It tests us for March, and that's the goal of getting into these types of events."– Randy Bennett | Saint Mary’s
"We are looking forward to competing in the Jerry Colangelo Classic against a very good team in a great venue. We appreciate the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inviting us to play in its event. It will be a big challenge as we continue to prepare for another tough Mountain West schedule." – Kevin Kruger | UNLV
"We are very grateful to be a part of the Jerry Colangelo Classic once again. It is a first-class event, and our players are really looking forward to it." – Joe Pasternack | UC Santa Barbara
"Being a part of anything that has Jerry Colangelo’s name attached to it is an honor. We are truly excited to be included in this event. This will be a tremendous opportunity for our program to compete in a high-level game at an event that has become one of the best in the country of its kind."– Stan Johnson | Loyola Marymount
About Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith 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 hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.
About Footprint Center
Located in the heart of Downtown Phoenix, for more than 30 years Footprint Center has been the home of the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, Arizona Rattlers and a multitude of live concerts and events each year. Following a $245 million transformation, Footprint Center is the preeminent destination for sports and entertainment in the southwest. The reimagined arena features state-of-the-art improvements that offer a world-class experience to all who step inside the doors. For more information, visit FootprintCenter.com.