Get ready for Arkansas vs. Michigan at The Mecca.
According to a report Thursday from CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, the Razorbacks and new coach John Calipari will face the Wolverines at Madison Square Garden in the annual Jimmy V Classic. Rothstein reports that Tennessee and Miami will also face each other in the event.
Arkansas and Michigan are two programs with a lot of storied tradition on the court. They both won national championships in the late 80s/early 90s — Arkansas under the legendary Nolan Richardson in 1994 and Michigan under Steve Fisher in 1989.
Both Calipari and Michigan coach Dusty May are entering their first seasons at the helm of new programs. Calipari was officially named Arkansas head coach on April 10 after a 15-year run at Kentucky. May left Florida Atlantic to become Michigan’s coach in March after leading the Owls to the Final Four in 2022.
North Carolina faced UConn in the Jimmy V Classic last season. May’s Florida Atlantic team faced Illinois. Duke, Texas, Villanova and Syracuse are among the most recent programs that have played in the event, named in honor of famed men’s basketball coach Jim Valvano.
No official date has been given for the 2024 Jimmy V Classic, but the event has been held during the first week of December for many years. It is televised annually by ESPN.
Calipari said at the SEC meetings in Florida on Wednesday that he hoped to play at Madison Square Garden this season.
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