Bobby Hurley's Sun Devil squad will face Purdue at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Dec. 6, in the 2016 Jimmy V Classic at New York City's famed Madison Square Garden. The 22nd annual event will air on ESPN, with ASU and Purdue tipping at 7 p.m. ET/5 p.m. MT and Florida and Duke following.
The Jimmy V Classic will mark the sixth time the two teams are matched up with the Boilermakers owning a 3-2 mark. The series dates to 1968, and the last two meetings were on a neutral court in Las Vegas (2002) and Honolulu (1978).
The early-season event will conclude the 10th annual Jimmy V Week for Cancer Research ? the weeklong initiative across multiple ESPN platforms and programs featuring special content to help raise funds for cancer research. ESPN's 2015 Jimmy V Week for Cancer Research raised a record-setting $3.2 million for The V Foundation for Cancer Research ? a million more than the 2014 previous fundraising record of $2.2 million. In nine years, Jimmy V Week has raised $13.7 million for cancer research.
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Sun Devils, are you ready? #JimmyVClassic pic.twitter.com/5x8zP0tvi2
? Jimmy V Classic (@TheJimmyVClsc) April 27, 2016
"We are excited and proud to take part in the 2016 Jimmy V Classic," says New Jersey native Bobby Hurley. "Being from that area, I know the experience of taking part in any game or event at The Garden is amazing, and it will be good to connect with our alumni in that part of the country. The V Foundation has become synonymous with college basketball in making a difference in the fight against cancer, and we look forward to being a part of that this season."
Arizona State will be led by junior guard Tra Holder, who increased his scoring from 7.0 points per game in his freshman season to a team-best 14.2 last year while starting in all 32 games. He led the team in scoring in 16 games and had seven 20-point games. He became the first Sun Devil to post five straight 20-point games since James Harden did it in his freshman season of 2007-08 and the first Pac-12 player to open league play with four straight 20-point games since Cal's Patrick Christopher in 2008-09. Also returning are senior Obi Oleka, who was in double figures in 13 of the final 16 games and averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and was 41-of-49 (.837) from the free throw line in that time, and junior Kodi Justice, who has made 77 three-pointers in 50 career games. Top newcomers include Buffalo transfer Shannon Evans, who averaged 15.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists for Bulls in 2014-15 en route to the NCAA Tournament as he earned second-team All-MAC honors, while freshmen Sam Cunliffe and Jethro Tshisumpa both have earned ESPN Top-100 rankings.
Tickets for the Jimmy V Men's Classic will be available for purchase at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, Ticketmaster charge by phone at (866) 858-0008 and online at here.
V FOUNDATION FOR CANCER RESEARCH
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, the Foundation has funded more than $150 million in cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all direct cash donations to cancer research and related programs. Due to generous donors, the Foundation has an endowment that covers administrative expenses. The Foundation awards peer-reviewed grants through a competitive awards process vetted by a Scientific Advisory Committee. For more information on The V Foundation, please visit www.jimmyv.org