2K Sports Classic
This article is about the tournament known as the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic from 1995 to 2011. For the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic held from 2012 to 2014, see
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
The 2K Classic is an annual college basketball tournament played in November at the beginning of the season and televised by ESPN. Originally known as the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, the tournament was first played in 1995 as a collaboration between the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society, and produced by the Gazelle Group, Inc., in an effort to raise funds for cancer research. In 2012, the tournament beneficiary became the Wounded Warrior Project, resulting in the tournament's new name. A new annual college basketball tournament benefiting cancer research, also called the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic and hosted by the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, was held from 2012 to 2014.[1]
In the 2K Classic's current format, eight teams from eight separate conferences are invited to the tournament. First- and second-round games are held at regional sites selected before the tournament. The semifinals and finals are held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Michigan is the reigning 2K Classic champion, defeating SMU 76–54 in the championship game on November 18, 2016.
History
The first Classic was held in December 1995 at the Atlantic City Convention Center and consisted of only four teams playing two separate games with no championship game. In 1997, the tournament expanded to feature a championship game between the two winners and a consolation game between the losers. The venue was moved to Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey and was moved again in 1998 to its current location at Madison Square Garden. In 2002, the championship game was dropped and four more teams were added to bring the total to eight teams, playing only one game each. In 2004, the tournament expanded to its present format, featuring 12 teams in four different regions. The host teams of the two first round games in each region meet in New York in a semifinal round, with the winners of the semi-final games meeting for the championship and the two losers meeting in the consolation game.
Yearly champions, runners-up, and MVPs
Year |
Winner |
Score |
Opponent |
Tournament MVP |
Other participants |
2016 |
Michigan |
76-54 |
SMU |
Zak Irvin, Michigan |
Pittsburgh, Marquette |
2015 |
Duke |
86-84 |
Georgetown |
Grayson Allen, Duke |
Wisconsin, VCU |
2014 |
Texas |
71-55 |
California |
Jonathan Holmes, Texas |
Syracuse, Iowa |
2013 |
Connecticut |
59-58 |
Indiana |
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut |
Boston College, Washington |
2012 |
Alabama |
77-55 |
Villanova |
Trevor Releford, Alabama |
Oregon State, Purdue |
2011 |
Mississippi State |
67-57 |
Arizona |
Arnett Moultre, Mississippi State |
St. John's, Texas A&M |
2010 |
Pittsburgh |
68-66 |
Texas |
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh |
Illinois, Maryland |
2009 |
Syracuse |
87-71 |
North Carolina |
Wes Johnson, Syracuse |
California, Ohio State |
2008 |
Duke |
71-56 |
Michigan |
Kyle Singler, Duke |
UCLA, Southern Illinois |
2007 |
Memphis |
81-70 |
Connecticut |
Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis |
Gardner-Webb, Oklahoma |
2006 |
Maryland |
62-60 |
Michigan State |
D.J. Strawberry, Maryland |
St. John's, Texas |
2005 |
Florida |
75-70 |
Syracuse |
Taurean Green, Florida |
Texas Tech, Wake Forest |
2004 |
Syracuse |
77-62 |
Memphis |
Hakim Warrick, Syracuse |
Mississippi State, St. Mary's |
2003 |
Showcase Format - No Tournament |
2002 |
Showcase Format - No Tournament |
2001 |
Arizona |
75-71 |
Florida |
Jason Gardner, Arizona |
VCU, Oregon |
2000 |
Kansas |
82-74 |
St. John's |
Kenny Gregory, Kansas |
Kentucky, UCLA |
1999 |
Stanford |
72-58 |
Iowa |
Jarron Collins, Stanford |
Connecticut, Duke |
1998 |
Temple |
59-48 |
Wake Forest |
Lamont Barnes, Temple |
Georgetown, Illinois |
1997 |
Princeton |
38-36 |
North Carolina State |
Brian Earl, Princeton |
Georgia, Texas |
1996 |
Showcase Format - No Tournament |
1995 |
Showcase Format - No Tournament |
Most appearances
Participants and brackets
2015
2014
|
Semifinals November 20 ESPN2 |
|
|
Championship November 21 ESPN2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
Texas |
71 |
|
|
|
Iowa |
57 |
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
Texas |
71 |
|
|
|
|
California |
55 |
|
23 |
Syracuse |
59 |
|
|
|
|
California |
73 |
|
|
Consolation November 21 |
|
|
23 |
Syracuse |
66 |
|
|
|
Iowa |
63 |
[3]
2013
[4]
2012
[5]
2011
[6]
2010
[7]
2009
[8]
2008
[9]
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
- Showcase Format – No Tournament
2002
- Showcase Format – No Tournament
2001
2000
1999
|
Semifinals |
|
|
Championship |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13 |
Stanford |
80 |
|
|
10 |
Duke |
79OT |
|
|
|
|
|
13 |
Stanford |
72 |
|
|
|
|
Iowa |
58 |
|
|
Iowa |
70 |
|
|
|
1 |
Connecticut |
68 |
|
|
Consolation |
|
|
1 |
Connecticut |
71 |
|
|
10 |
Duke |
66 |
1998
1997
1996
- Showcase Format – No Tournament
1995
- Showcase Format – No Tournament
References
External links
NCAA men's college basketball tournaments (United States) |
---|
|
Division I | Pre-season | |
---|
| Conference postseason | |
---|
| Postseason | |
---|
|
---|
|
Division II | Conference postseason | |
---|
| Postseason | |
---|
|
---|
|
Division III | |
---|