HALL OF FAME SERIES RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS FOR OPENING NIGHT ON NOVEMBER 4 AT T-MOBILE ARENA

 - South Carolina Begins its Title Defense Against Michigan - 

PHOENIX – Position Sports, in association with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, announced the field for the 2024 Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena on Monday, November 4. The Hall of Fame Series returns to the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World following a successful inaugural event this past November.

The exciting Las Vegas doubleheader will tip off the 2024-25 college basketball season for the second straight year and will feature South Carolina, the 2024 NCAA Tournament champion, vs. Michigan (women) and Texas vs. Ohio State (men).

Tickets for the Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas will go on sale on Tuesday, May 21, at 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET) at HOFSeries.com.

Both games will once again be showcased on TNT Sports’ networks and platforms, with additional programming and credential information to be announced at a later date.

The Hall of Fame Series, owned and operated by Position Sports, is a collection of multi-game, singular events that showcase several of the top collegiate basketball teams in exciting non-conference matchups played both domestically and abroad. The inaugural Hall of Fame Series was held in 2023 in Las Vegas, Charlotte, San Antonio, Toronto, and Phoenix.

For more Hall of Fame Series information and updates, please visit HOFSeries.com or follow @HOFSeries on all social platforms.

South Carolina has won all three previous meetings vs. Michigan, including a 78-69 victory in their last matchup on December 1, 1995, in Ann Arbor, Mich. The two schools also met on February 8, 1980, in the Coca-Cola Lady Lion Classic at State College, Penn., and on December 1, 1994, in Columbia, S.C.

Dawn Staley (head coach) and Kim Barnes Arico (assistant coach) were both on the coaching staff for USA Basketball’s gold-medal winning U18 FIBA Americas Team in 2014 and U19 World Cup Team in 2015.

Quotes from Head Coaches:

“We’re excited to have another great destination and event to start our 2024-25 season – for our team and for our FAMS. The Hall of Fame Series has become an incredible showcase for the country’s best teams in both men’s and women’s basketball, and we’re looking forward to adding our names to that slate this season. After hosting the Las Vegas Aces for a preseason game in Columbia this spring, it’s only fitting that we get to go to Las Vegas to launch our season this fall!”

Dawn Staley | South Carolina

“We were proud to be approached for this opportunity to open the 2024-25 season at the Hall of Fame Series and it’s not every year you get the chance to test yourselves this early against the defending national champions. It will be special for our program to be on the national stage, and we are grateful to be heading to Las Vegas for this prestigious event.”

Kim Barnes Arico | Michigan

The Longhorns and Buckeyes are meeting in the regular season for the first time and second overall. Ohio State defeated Texas, 71-65, in the NIT’s Second Round on March 17, 1986, in Columbus, Ohio.

Quotes from Head Coaches:

“Everyone at The University of Texas is excited to compete in the Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas event as part of College Basketball’s Opening Night. What an opportunity it is for our program to tip-off the season by facing a well-coached, big-time opponent in Ohio State and getting the chance to do it in T-Mobile Arena in front of a national television audience. Add to that our partnership in this event with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, which includes former Longhorn legends Slater Martin and Jody Conradt, and you couldn’t ask for a better experience to start our season.”

Rodney Terry | Texas

“We are excited to be a part of the Hall of Fame Series to help open up the first day of the college basketball season in Las Vegas. T-Mobile Arena plus two great teams…can’t wait!”

Jake Diebler | Ohio State

• Women: USC (83), Ohio State (74) - JuJu Watkins scored 32 in collegiate debut in win over the seventh-ranked Buckeyes.

• Men: Oregon (82), Georgia (71) - D’Faly Dante totaled 16 points and 21 rebounds in only 27 minutes.

• Women: Colorado (92), LSU (78) - Frida Formann (27 pts.) and Aaronette Vonley (24 pts.) led the Buffaloes in upset of the defending champion and then-No. 1 Tigers.

• Men: USC (82), Kansas State (69) - Boogie Ellis finished with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, and top-recruit Isiah Collier scored 18 in his first college action for the Trojans.

About Position Sports

Position Sports, established in 2005, is a premium event production and brand marketing firm that specializes in event operations, activation development, media relations, and digital engagement. Over the years, Position Sports has worked with many of the world’s leading brands, including Nike, Jordan Brand, Red Bull, the Basketball Hall of Fame, ESPN Events, USA Basketball, Upper Deck, MLB, and T-Mobile in nearly every major U.S. city and on a global scale. Position Sports provides clients with the expanded strategic direction needed to succeed in the sports marketing arena, also known as Positioning. To learn more, visit positionsports.com or follow @positionsports on Twitter and Instagram.

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 450 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 @hoophallu or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.

About T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena, the 20,000-seat venue located on the Las Vegas Strip between Park MGM and New York-New York, opened on April 6, 2016. The arena hosts more than 100 events annually, including major headline entertainment, awards shows, UFC, boxing, basketball, and other sporting events, family shows, and special events. T-Mobile Arena is also the home of the Vegas Golden Knights, a National Hockey League expansion team and the city’s first professional sports team, as well as UFC’s exclusive Las Vegas arena destination. The venue, named the No. 1 venue on Billboard Magazine’s 2018 Arena Power List as well as the “Best New Major Concert Venue” by Pollstar Magazine in 2016, features 50 luxury suites, more than two dozen private loge boxes, complete broadcast facilities, and other specially designed exclusive hospitality offerings and fan amenities destined to create a guest experience second to none. Toshiba Plaza, an adjacent two-acre outdoor entertainment space, features performance stages, a variety of video screens, and other interactive content and display areas. Designed and built to prioritize environmental sustainability, T-Mobile Arena was awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2016. T-Mobile Arena is a privately funded joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visitT-MobileArena.com or follow onFacebook,Twitter andInstagram.