PISCATAWAY, N.J. – For the fourth straight year, Rutgers will play in the Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic. The Scarlet Knights will host Florida on Monday, December 7 at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. The contest- the eighth annual Jimmy V Women’s Classic - will be broadcast on ESPN2.
RU defeated Georgia, 45-34 last season and bested then-No. 3 and unbeaten Maryland in 2007. The win over the Terrapins on Dec. 3, 2007 marked the highest-ranked team to fall at the RAC since the 2003-04 campaign.
The Scarlet Knights dropped an 85-45 contest to Duke on Dec. 4, 2006. RU would face the Blue Devils –ranked No. 1 - in the NCAA regional semifinals in Greensboro on March 24, 2007, posting a 53-52 victory en route to its second Final Four and a national title game appearance.
“We are very excited to play in the Jimmy V Classic for the fourth consecutive year,” said Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer. “Jim Valvano was a dear friend of mine whose life was cut short by this deadly disease. As a former Rutgers player and coach, I hope people will come out to not just support our team but his team – the V Foundation – as well.”
The 15th annual Jimmy V men’s doubleheader, held at the famed Madison Square Garden for the seventh consecutive event, will pit champion Butler vs. Georgetown at 7 p.m. and Indiana vs. Pittsburgh at 9 p.m., both on ESPN.
The two early-season college basketball events showcasing top programs on ESPN and ESPN2 will conclude the third annual Jimmy V Week, a week-long initiative across multiple ESPN platforms and programs featuring special content to help raise funds for cancer research December 2-8.
Tickets for the Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic will be available at the Rutgers ticket office (866-445-GORU (4678)).Tickets for the Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic can be purchased through ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 212-307-7171, or in person at the Madison Square Garden Box Office later this summer.
The head coaches for all six Classic teams are expected to appear at the Jimmy V Basketball Classic Dinner Auction to be held Wednesday, Oct. 14 at New York's Chelsea Piers’ PIER SIXTY, presented by ESPN, Madison Square Garden, and The V Foundation.
The dinner will kick off the 75th season of basketball at The Garden and celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic and ESPN’s 30th anniversary. Proceeds from the dinner and auction will benefit The V Foundation to fund cancer research. For additional information or to reserve tickets call The V Foundation at 1-800-4JimmyV or log on to www.jimmyv.org.
Rutgers posted a 21-13 overall record and a 9-7 mark in BIG EAST play last season, advancing to its 20th NCAA Tournament appearance and 11th in 14 seasons under Stringer. RU reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season, the second longest streak in women’s basketball.
The Scarlet Knights finished 21st in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll. Rutgers is ranked in a pair of preseason 2009-10 rankings: No. 6 by SI.com and No. 8 in ESPN’s ‘64 Teams to Watch’ next season. The Scarlet Knights return two starters and seven letterwinners from last year’s squad.
Florida posted a 24-8 record in 2008-09, tying a school record for most victories in a single season. The Gators reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 1 Connecticut, 87-59.
