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Bulldogs-Cowboys In Thanksgiving Day Finale
July 29, 2008
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Gonzaga University and Oklahoma State University will be the Thanksgiving Day dessert when the two tip off in the 6 p.m. Pacific Time nightcap of the 2008 Old Spice Classic to be held at the Milk House at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla. ESPN Regional Television, Inc. (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, announced today the matchups for the third annual basketball showcase. The event will include 12 games in three days, and will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU. This year marks the first time the Old Spice Classic will air on ESPN, with two games on the network. Tournament sponsors include Old Spice, ESPNU and Disney's Wide World of Sports, with the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) serving as the event's sponsoring conference. The Bulldogs and Cowboys will be meeting for the third time since the 2004-05 season. The inaugural meeting came Dec. 28, 2004, at the All-College Challenge in Oklahoma City, Okla., as the 12th-ranked Bulldogs upset the third-ranked Cowboys 78-75. The last meeting was Dec. 10, 2005, at the Battle in Seattle in a game in which Adam Morrison's banked trey with 2.5 seconds left gave Gonzaga an improbable 64-62 victory. Other Thanksgiving Day pairings have the University of Tennessee facing Siena College at 9 a.m. Pacific Time. Wichita State University will meet Georgetown University at 11 a.m. Pacific Time and the University of Maryland will battle Michigan State University at 4 p.m. Pacific Time. All four Thanksgiving Day games will be televised on ESPN2. "We are excited about the growth of this event and the quality of this field that represents outstanding conferences from around the country," said Pete Derzis, senior vice president and general manager, ESPN Regional Television. "The Old Spice Classic continues to provide a terrific off-the-court experience for the student-athletes, coaches and staffs. Fans have the opportunity to watch great college basketball games while also enjoying everything the Walt Disney World Resort and Orlando area have to offer."
The two teams that remain undefeated throughout the tournament will face off in a championship match at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time Sunday, Nov. 25, on ESPN2. The inaugural Old Spice Classic was played in 2006 with Arkansas defeating West Virginia in the championship game at Disney's Milk House. In 2007, North Carolina State edged Villanova for the Old Spice Classic championship. "We loved this opportunity when we first signed on, and it just keeps getting better," said James Moorhead, Old Spice Brand Manager. "We think it has quickly become the pre-season basketball event of the season and we're excited to be partnering with ESPN to make that happen." Tickets to the 2008 Old Spice Classic will go on sale August 15 online through Ticketmaster of by calling 407-839-3900. Fans can also purchase travel packages to the tournament through Anthony Travel online or by calling 1-800-736-6377. |
