Doubleheader to feature Baylor, Louisville, Michigan and UConn
Uncasville, Conn. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the field of teams for the eighth annual Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase on December 19 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Local favorite and 11-time National Champions UConn (Big East) will take on Louisville (ACC), and Baylor (Big 12) will faceoff with Michigan (Big Ten).
“This is an event basketball fans do not want to miss. These are four of the most elite teams in women’s college basketball today, with all four having played in the Sweet 16 or beyond last season,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “We can’t wait to showcase these talented teams and host their fans at beautiful Mohegan Sun.”
“The Connecticut Sun are excited to welcome UConn and a great group of women’s teams to the extraordinary arena we call home,” added Jen Rizzotti, President of the Connecticut Sun. “Mohegan Sun Arena will definitely be the place for women’s basketball fans to be on December 19.”
The Women’s Showcase is one event in the Hall of Fame’s series of collegiate events, which continues to grow in an effort to celebrate the game outside the museum walls. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to continue its relationship with Learfield IMG College for sponsorship representation of its portfolio of collegiate events.
Ticket information, game times and television broadcast details and will be released at a later date. As the health and safety of the athletes, fans and staff is of the utmost importance, the Basketball Hall of Fame will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely in the coming months and provide updates as needed. For more information, please visit www.hoophall.com.
Quotes from Participating Head Coaches
“We’re proud to be involved with the 2021 Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase and to play a quality opponent like Michigan. It will be a great opportunity for fans to see some of the nation’s top talent, and we are excited to be a part of it.” – Nicki Collen, Baylor
“We are extremely excited to play UConn in the 2021 Women’s Showcase at Mohegan Sun Arena. Our experience at Mohegan Sun last year was first class and it’s an honor to participate in this Hall of Fame event. After being unable to play UConn last season as we had hoped, we are thrilled we are able to continue our rivalry.” – Jeff Walz, Louisville
"We are excited to return to Mohegan Sun to play in the Hall of Fame Women's Showcase again. We had a great experience as a team at the event in 2019 and look forward to the same this year. It will be a tremendous opportunity for us to challenge ourselves at the end of our non-conference season, as we prepare for our Big Ten schedule.” – Kim Barnes Arico, Michigan
“We’re always excited to have the opportunity to play down at Mohegan Sun. The Basketball Hall of Fame has put together another great Women’s Showcase this season. Our fans didn’t have an opportunity to see this team in person last season, so I think it’ll be a great experience for them and for our players.” – Geno Auriemma, UConn
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 Now and is also consistently ranked top 15 in the “World for All Size Venues.” The award–winning venue was named “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” in 2016 and is a seven–time Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM) national award–winner for “Arena of the Year,” with the most recent recognition coming in 2019. For more information and updates on Mohegan Sun Arena, call 1.888.226.7711 or visit Mohegan Sun.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, 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 #HOFWomensShowcase or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.