Legends Classic (basketball tournament)

The Legends Classic is an annual, early-season, college basketball tournament which started in 2007 and takes place at the beginning of the college basketball season in November. Eight teams (from eight conferences) compete in the Legends Classic, which has four of the top programs from the most prestigious conferences in the country tip-off the season with Regional Round games played on their home courts.[1] Four teams then go to New York City – at the Barclays Center – to face each other for the Legends Classic championship. The remainder of the field participates in a round-robin series at one subregional site.[1] Every participating team is guaranteed four games. Games have been played at Barclays Center since 2012. The 2011 edition was played at Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, 2009 and 2010 were played at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., and 2007 and 2008 were played at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Legends Classic (basketball tournament)
SportCollege Basketball
Founded2007
No. of teams8
CountryUnited States
Venue(s)Campus Sites (Regional Rounds)
Barclays Center (Championship Round)
Resch Center (Subregional Round)
Most recent
champion(s)		Auburn Tigers
Most titlesPittsburgh Panthers (2)
TV partner(s)ESPN2
ESPNU
ESPNews
Official website

Auburn is the defending champion, having defeated Richmond in the 2019 final, 79–65.

History

The Legends Classic began in 2007 with the first two events being played at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. In that first year, only the four regional-round hosts were guaranteed to play four games, [1] as Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia, and New Mexico State each hosted a pair of games, before advancing to the semifinals in Newark. Since the 2008–09 season, each team has been guaranteed to play four games.

In 2013, the field for the event decreased from 12 teams to 8 teams from eight separate conferences, which it continues to be. Two games are held at four different regional sites selected before the tournament. Four teams advance to the semifinals and finals at Barclays Center in New York City, while the remaining four teams play in a tournament format at a predetermined on-campus site.[1]

Yearly champions, runners-up, and MVPs
Year Winner Score Opponent Tournament MVP Other participants Venue
2019 Auburn 79–65 Richmond Austin Wiley, Auburn New Mexico, Wisconsin Barclays Center, New York City
2018 St. John's 87–86OT Virginia Commonwealth Shamorie Ponds, St. John's California, Temple
2017 Texas A&M 98–87 Penn State Robert Williams, Texas A&M Oklahoma State, Pittsburgh
2016 Notre Dame 70–66 Northwestern Matt Farrell, Notre Dame Colorado, Texas
2015 Marquette 78–73OT Arizona State Henry Ellenson, Marquette Louisiana State, North Carolina State
2014 Villanova 60–55 Michigan Dylan Ennis, Villanova Virginia Commonwealth, Oregon
2013 Pittsburgh 88–67 Stanford Lamar Patterson, Pittsburgh Texas Tech, Houston
2012 Indiana 82–72OT Georgetown Jordan Hulls, Indiana UCLA, Georgia
2011 Vanderbilt 64–62 Oregon State John Jenkins, Vanderbilt North Carolina State, Texas Izod Center, East Rutherford
2010 Syracuse 80–76 Georgia Tech Rick Jackson, Syracuse Michigan, UTEP Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City
2009 Florida 73–58 Rutgers Erving Walker, Florida Michigan State, UMass
2008 Pittsburgh 57–43 Washington State Sam Young, Pittsburgh Mississippi State, Texas Tech Prudential Center, Newark
2007 Texas 97–78 Tennessee D. J. Augustin, Texas New Mexico State, West Virginia

Most appearances
School
Texas
3
Pittsburgh
3
Detroit
3
Bucknell
2
Michigan
2
North Carolina State
2
Texas Tech
2
Toledo
2
Virginia Commonwealth
2

2020

The field for the tournament for the year 2020 initially included four teams instead of the usual eight due to COVID-19 concerns.[2] BYU replaced Notre Dame after they pulled out of the field.[3] Then later Vanderbilt withdrew from the tournament as well and the format for the competition was changed to a showcase format.[4] The location of the tournament was also relocated to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.[5] The participants in the 2020 group included:

Championship Round

All games in the 2020 Tournament are televised on either ESPN or ESPN2.[6] Due to Notre Dame and Vanderbilt not participating in the tournament, the format was changed to a showcase format with the following results.[7]

Date Time (EST) Winner Opponent Score Television Top Performer/Player of the Game
December 1, 2020 2:30 pm USC BYU 79–53 ESPN2 Evan Mobley (USC), 17 points, 11 rebounds
December 2, 2020 5:00 pm BYU St. John's 74–68 ESPN2 Alex Barcello (BYU), 20 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds
December 3, 2020 7:00 pm UConn USC 61–58 ESPN Evan Mobley (USC), 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks
December 3, 2020 9:30 pm Florida Boston College 90–70 ESPN Keyontae Johnson (Florida), 24 points, 12 rebounds

MVP: Evan Mobley (USC)

All-Tournament Team: Julian Champagnie (St. John's), Alex Barcello (BYU), James Bouknight (UConn) and Keyontae Johnson (Florida).

2019

[8]

[9]

Championship Round
  First Round
November 25
ESPN2
ESPNEWS		     Championship Game
November 26
ESPN2
                 
  Wisconsin 52  
  Richmond 62    
      Richmond 65
      18 Auburn 79
  18 Auburn 84    
  New Mexico 59   Consolation Game
November 26
ESPN2
 
Wisconsin 50
  New Mexico 59

2018 participants and bracket

Championship Round
  First Round
November 19
ESPN 2
ESPN3		     Championship Game
November 20
ESPN2
                 
  St. John's 82  
  Cal 79    
      St. John's 87OT
      Virginia Commonwealth 86
  Virginia Commonwealth 57    
  Temple 51   Consolation Game
November 20
ESPNU
 
Cal 59
  Temple 76

Sub Regionals
  Sub Regional Games
November 19		     Championship Game
November 20
                 
  Bowling Green 81  
  Hampton 79    
      Bowling Green 67
      Detroit Mercy 82
  Detroit Mercy 91    
  Loyola Maryland 63   Consolation Game
November 20
 
Hampton 66
  Loyola Maryland 75

2017 participants and bracket

Regionals
  Game 1
November 10
Fox College Sports		     Game 5
November 16
Fox Sports Oklahoma +
                 
      Oral Roberts 48
    Pepperdine 47       Oklahoma State 91
    Oklahoma State 78  
  Game 2
November 13
ACC Network Extra		     Game 4
November 15
ACC Network Extra
                 
      University of California, Santa Barbara 62
    Montana 83       Pittsburgh 70
    Pittsburgh 78  
  Game 3
November 15
Big Ten Network		     Game 7
November 24
Big Ten Network +
                 
      Oral Roberts 48
    Montana 57       Penn State 86
    Penn State 70  
  Game 6
November 17
SEC Network +		     Game 8
November 24
SEC Network
                 
      Pepperdine 65
    University of California, Santa Barbara 65       Texas A&M 81
    Texas A&M 84  

Championship Round
  First Round
November 20
ESPN 2
ESPN3		     Championship Game
November 21
ESPN2
                 
  16 Texas A&M 72  
  Oklahoma State 55    
      16 Texas A&M 98
      Penn State 87
  Penn State 85    
  Pittsburgh 54   Consolation Game
November 21
ESPNU
 
  Oklahoma State 73
    Pittsburgh 67

Sub Regionals
  Sub Regional Games
November 20		     Championship Game
November 21
                 
  Oral Roberts 64  
  Montana 69    
      Montana 73
      University of California, Santa Barbara 80
  University of California, Santa Barbara 92    
  Pepperdine 84   Consolation Game
November 21
 
Oral Roberts 76
  Pepperdine 80

2016 participants and bracket
 
Semifinals
November 21		Championship
November 22
ESPN2
 
      
 
21 November – Barclays Center
 
 
Notre Dame 89
 
22 November – Barclays Center
 
Colorado83
 
Notre Dame70
 
21 November – Barclays Center
 
Northwestern66
 
#22 Texas58
 
 
Northwestern77
 
Consolation
November 22
ESPNU
 
 
22 November – Barclays Center
 
 
Colorado 68
 
 
#22 Texas54

2015 participants and bracket
  Semifinals
November 23		     Championship
November 24
ESPN2
                 
  23 Louisiana State 80  
  Marquette 81    
      Marquette 78OT
      Arizona State 73
  North Carolina State 76    
  Arizona State 79   Consolation
November 24
ESPNU
 
23 Louisiana State 72OT
  North Carolina State 83

2014 participants and bracket
  Semifinals
November 24		     Championship
November 25
ESPN2
                 
  12 Villanova 77  
  14 Virginia Commonwealth 53    
      12 Villanova 60
      19 Michigan 55
  19 Michigan 70    
    Oregon 63   Consolation
November 25
ESPNU
 
14 Virginia Commonwealth 77
    Oregon 63

2013 participants and bracket

[10]

  Semifinals
November 25		     Championship
November 26
ESPNU
                 
    Pittsburgh 76  
    Texas Tech 53    
        Pittsburgh 88
        Stanford 67
    Stanford 86    
    Houston 76   Consolation
November 26
ESPN3
 
  Texas Tech 76
    Houston 64

2012 participants and bracket

[11]

  Semifinals
November 19		     Championship
November 20
ESPN
                 
    Georgia 53  
  1 Indiana 66    
      1 Indiana 82OT
        Georgetown 72
    Georgetown 78    
  13 UCLA 70   Consolation
November 20
ESPNU
 
13 UCLA 60
    Georgia 56

2011 participants and bracket

[12]

  Semifinals
November 19
ESPN3		     Championship
November 21
ESPN3
                 
  20 Vanderbilt 86  
    North Carolina State 79    
      20 Vanderbilt 64
        Oregon State 62
    Texas 95    
    Oregon State 100OT   Consolation
November 21
ESPN3
 
  North Carolina State 77
    Texas 74

2010 participants and bracket

[13]

  Semifinals
November 26
HDNet		     Championship
November 27
HDNet
                 
    Georgia Tech 71  
    UTEP 61    
        Georgia Tech 76
      10 Syracuse 80
  10 Syracuse 53    
    Michigan 50   Consolation
November 27
HDNet
 
  UTEP 65
    Michigan 56

2009 participants and bracket

[14]

  Semifinals
November 27
HDNet		     Championship
November 28
HDNet
                 
    Rutgers 83  
    UMass 75    
        Rutgers 58
        Florida 73
  2 Michigan State 74    
    Florida 77   Consolation
November 20
ESPNU
 
  UMass 68
  2 Michigan State 106

2008 participants and bracket

[15]

  Semifinals
November 28
HDNet		     Championship
November 29
HDNet
                 
    Washington State 63  
    Mississippi State 52    
        Washington State 43
        Pittsburgh 57
    Pittsburgh 80    
    Texas Tech 67   Consolation
November 29
HDNet
 
  Mississippi State 77
    Texas Tech 73

2007 participants and bracket

[16]

  Semifinals
November 23
Versus		     Championship
November 24
Versus
                 
  16 Texas 102  
    New Mexico State 87    
      16 Texas 97
      7 Tennessee 78
    West Virginia 72    
  7 Tennessee 74   Consolation
November 24
 
  West Virginia 75
    New Mexico State 61

See also

References
  1. "Legends Classic – Legends Classic". Gazellegroup.com. 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  2. Judd, Brandon (2020-10-14). "BYU basketball joins UConn, USC and Vanderbilt in Legends Classic field". Deseret News. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  3. Amore, Dom. "UConn men sign on to play in reconfigured Legends Classic at Mohegan Sun". courant.com. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  4. Stephenson, Tom (2020-11-29). "REPORT: Vanderbilt withdraws from Legends Classic". Anchor Of Gold. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  5. Herald, Darnell Dickson Daily. "BYU men's hoops tabbed as one of four teams in Legends Classic". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  6. "Schedule". Legends Classic. 2015-08-30. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  7. "Schedule". Legends Classic. 2015-08-30. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  8. "Auburn Basketball to Play in Legends Classic". February 12, 2019.
  9. Dobbertean, Chris (October 24, 2018). "2019–20 College Basketball Early Season Tournaments, Events, And Neutral-Site Games". Blogging the Bracket.
  10. "2013 Legends Classic Bracket" (PDF). gazellegroup. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  11. "2012 Legends Classic Bracket" (PDF). gazellegroup. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  12. "2011 Legends Classic Bracket" (PDF). gazellegroup. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  13. "2010 Legends Classic Bracket" (PDF). gazellegroup. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  14. "2009 Legends Classic Bracket" (PDF). gazellegroup. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  15. "2008 Legends Classic Bracket" (PDF). gazellegroup. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  16. "2007 Legends Classic Bracket" (PDF). gazellegroup. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
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