North Carolina, Purdue, Tennessee and Villanova to Take the Court at
Mohegan Sun Arena this November
Uncasville, Conn. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the field of teams for the 2021 Tip-Off Tournament. The annual NCAA men’s exempt tournament sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will take place Saturday, November 20 and Sunday, November 21 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Teams scheduled to participate in this year’s Tip-Off Tournament are: North Carolina (ACC), Purdue (Big Ten), Tennessee (SEC), and Villanova (Big East).
“We look forward to returning to Mohegan Sun for the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament which has proven to be one of the country’s best early season events,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “This year’s field of teams will bring a high level of competition and fanfare to a world-class venue in Mohegan Sun Arena.”
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will continue to serve as the host conference for the annual event. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is also 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.halloffametipoff.com.
2021 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament Schedule:
Saturday, November 20
- Villanova vs. Tennessee
- Purdue vs. North Carolina
Sunday, November 21
- Consolation Game
- Championship Game
Quotes from Participating Head Coaches
“The Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off will be an exciting early-season tournament that provides both a tremendous challenge and opportunity for our basketball team. It’s a very strong field with four outstanding programs that all played in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. We enjoyed playing at Mohegan Sun eight years ago and look forward to another great experience in November.” - Hubert Davis, North Carolina
“We are excited to return to Mohegan Sun and the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. This is one of the best fields assembled of any tournament in the country this year and we have a lot of respect for North Carolina, Tennessee and Villanova and their coaching staffs. We had a great experience in our last trip in 2015 and are looking forward to our Purdue fans making the trip with us.” Matt Painter, Purdue
“The Hall of Fame always does a great job putting together outstanding events with great fields. We believe in playing a top-tier national schedule, and this Tip-Off event aligns with that philosophy. We know we’re going to get two opportunities to face really well-coached opponents, and those are the types of games that make you better.” - Rick Barnes, Tennessee
"Last November, we had the opportunity to play four games at Mohegan Sun in the midst of the pandemic and we could not have been more impressed with every facet of the operation. We are very excited about the prospect of returning there this November to participate in the Tip-Off Classic with three outstanding teams. This will be a great test early in the season for our team and we're looking forward to our return visit.” - Jay Wright, Villanova
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 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 #HOFTipOff or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.