July 26, 2012
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech will open play in the 2012 Anaheim Classic on Thanksgiving Day at 9 p.m. Eastern time against Rice, and the game will be televised on ESPNU, the sports network announced Thursday.
The bracket for the 2012 Anaheim Classic – held Thanksgiving weekend, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, Nov. 22, 23 & 25, at the Anaheim (Calif.) Convention Center, adjacent to Disneyland – has been confirmed for the eight teams competing: Cal, Drake, Drexel, Georgia Tech, Pacific, Rice, Saint Mary’s and Xavier.
The Yellow Jackets will face either Drake or California in the second round. If that game is a semifinal winner’s bracket game (meaning both teams won their first-round game), it will take place at 12 midnight Eastern time on Friday night, Nov. 23, and be televised on ESPN2. If the matchup is in the loser’s bracket (both teams lost in the first round), it will take place at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, and air on ESPNU. All final round games will be played Sunday, Nov. 25.
Georgia Tech leads the all-time series with Rice, 9-5, with all 14 meetings taking place between 1947 and 1973. Only one of those meetings, the very first in 1947, was played on a neutral court – the All-College Tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla. Tech and Drake have never faced off on the basketball court, and the Jackets and California have played only twice, both games in 1950.
ESPNU will carry six of the tournament games, while ESPN2 will air five, including the Championship Game on Sunday, Nov. 25, at 9 p.m. ET. ESPN3 will have the one remaining game and the entire tournament will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com and through smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
Tournament highlights:
ESPNU will air first-round action between Pacific vs. Xavier at 2 p.m. and Rice vs. Georgia Tech at 9 p.m.
ESPN2 will carry the additional first-round games featuring Drexel vs. Saint Mary’s at 4:30 p.m. and Drake vs. Cal at 11:30 p.m.
Six of the eight teams advanced to 2012 postseason play, including Cal, Saint Mary’s and Xavier in the NCAA Championship
Additional information, including travel packages, can be found on the Anaheim Classic website
The 2012 Anaheim Classic will feature 12 games through three days. Each team will compete in one game per day, advancing through a bracket-tournament format. The two teams that remain undefeated will face off in a championship game Sunday, Nov. 25. The Big West will again serve as the event’s hosting conference.
Travel packages are available for fans and include hotel accommodations at the team hotel, game tickets, exclusive welcome reception and much more. Visit AnthonyTravel.com/AnaheimClassic or call 888-632-6951 to make your reservation today! For more information on Disneyland Resort, visit www.disneyland.com.
The Anaheim Classic is owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN.
The inaugural event was played in 2007, with USC capturing the title. In year’s following, Wake Forest (2008), West Virginia (2009), UNLV (2010) and Saint Louis (2011) were all tournament winners.
Anaheim Classic (Schedule subject to change)
Date Time (ET) Game Network
Thu, Nov 22
2 p.m. Pacific vs. Xavier ESPNU
4:30 p.m. Drexel vs. Saint Mary’s ESPN2
9 p.m. Rice vs. Georgia Tech ESPNU
11:30 p.m. Drake vs. Cal ESPN2
Fri, Nov 23
3:30 p.m. Semifinal #1 ESPN2
6 p.m. Consolation #1 ESPNU
9:30 p.m. Consolation #2 ESPNU
Midnight Semifinal #2 ESPN2
Sun, Nov 25
1:30 p.m. 5th-place Game ESPNU
4 p.m. 7th-place Game ESPN3
6:30 p.m. 3rd-place Game ESPNU
9 p.m. Championship Game ESPN2
