Michigan State Headlines the Field for the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic At Barclays Center in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, NY (April 10, 2013) – On November 22 and 23, perennial Top Ten team Michigan State will join Oklahoma, Seton Hall, and Virginia Tech at Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the championship rounds of the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, an annual basketball event hosted by the Coaches vs. Cancer® program, a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society® and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The event will benefit the American Cancer Society to support their mission to save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

The semifinal matchups will be held on Friday, November 22. The finals will take place the following day, Saturday, November 23, beginning with the consolation game, followed by the championship game with all four games being broadcast on truTV.

Tickets for the championship round games at Barclays Center will be available Saturday, April 13, beginning at 10am EDT and may be purchased through www.ticketmaster.com, www.cvcclassic.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

The complete bracket, including matchups and television broadcast times for the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, will be announced at a later date.

For more information on the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, please visit www.cvcclassic.com and follow us on twitter @CVCClassic. Brooklyn Nets All Access season ticket buyers have the opportunity to purchase tickets for Barclays Center events before the general public. For more information, visit www.barclayscenter.com. To receive the latest updates and special pre-sale offers, become a Barclays Center Behind the Scenes newsletter recipient, and follow @BarclaysCenter on Twitter and Facebook.
 

---- 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Championship Rounds ----

Semifinal Doubleheader                       Championship Doubleheader
Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY          Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY
Friday, November 22                             Saturday, November 23

Michigan State- Ranked in the Top 10 in the country with an overall record of 27-9….. finished the season tied for second place in the Big Ten with a record of 13-5……just participated in their 16th consecutive NCAA tournament, which includes eleven Sweet Sixteen’s, seven Elite Eights and six Final Fours….. led by junior guard Keith Appling (13.6 ppg, 3.5 apg) and freshman guard Gary Harris (13.1 ppg)….. Head Coach Tom Izzo, in his 19th season in East Lansing, had this to say about participating in the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, “We are looking forward to being a part of the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Beyond the basketball, or the opportunity to play in the New York area in a great new venue, we are proud to support the efforts of the NABC and the American Cancer Society as they have teamed together to battle this terrible disease.”

Oklahoma- Finished the season with a 20-12 overall record, including an 11-7 mark in the Big 12, good for a tie of fourth place….. this past season marked their 23rd NCAA tournament appearance in the last 31 years…. led this past season by senior forward Romero Osby (15.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and senior guard Steven Pledger (11.8 ppg)….. Head Coach Lon Kruger, in his third year at Oklahoma said: "The Oklahoma men's basketball program is honored and excited to participate in the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Everyone has been touched by cancer in some manner, and support of Coaches vs. Cancer and this event is a terrific way to raise dollars and awareness in the fight against this nasty disease."

Seton Hall- The Pirates are coming off of a tough 2012-13 season, where they finished with an overall record of 15-18, including a 3-15 mark in Big East play….. led by junior guard-forward Fuquan Edwin (16.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and junior center Eugene Teague (11.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg) the Pirates will be looking to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006 next season….. Kevin Willard, Head Coach of the Pirates since 2010, had this to say about Seton Hall’s participation in the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, “It’s an honor and a pleasure for our program to compete in this prestigious tournament. Basketball aside, we’re proud to play a role in spreading cancer awareness and participating in fundraising efforts to fight the disease. On the court, we’re looking forward to playing against a strong field in one of the finest venues in the nation.”

Virginia Tech- The Hokies finished the 2012-13 season with a 13-19 overall record and 4-14 in the ACC……led by the 2012-13 NCAA scoring champion, ACC Player of the Year and Third Team All-American senior guard Erick Green (25.0 ppg, 3.8 apg) and junior forward Jarell Eddie (12.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg)….. Virginia Tech will be looking to make its return to the NCAA tournament again in 2013-14….Coach James Johnson, who just completed his first season as head coach of the Hokies stated, “I am very excited to have the opportunity to compete in such a prestigious tournament and help such a great cause. Coaches vs. Cancer is an outstanding organization that does remarkable work and helps millions of people. Playing in an unbelievable venue against top-notch competition will be a great test for our young program.”

About the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
The Coaches vs. Cancer Classic (www.cvcclassic.com) is one of the most prestigious early-season college basketball tournaments. Twelve teams will compete in the event with four of them serving as regional hosts. Regional Round action takes place from November 9-18 with the four hosts advancing to the Championship Rounds, November 22-23, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The remainder of the field will participate in a round-robin series at one of two sub-host sites. The Coaches vs. Cancer program (www.coachesvscancer.org) is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.NABC.org) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams, and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer. The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs. Since 1993 the initiative has raised more than $87 million dollars to fund groundbreaking research, provide up-to-date cancer information, advocate for public health policies and deliver services to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

The Coaches vs. Cancer Classic is produced by Blue Ridge Sports & Entertainment, Inc. (www.BlueRidgeSports.com) a sporting events management company based in the Shenandoah Valley city of Winchester, Virginia. The Championship Rounds of the Classic will take place at Brooklyn, NY’s new sports and entertainment venue, Barclay’s Center (www.BarclaysCenter.com) and will be aired by Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., on TruTV.