Jimmy V Women’s and Men’s Basketball Classics Pairings Announced for Dec. 8 & 9

Women’s: Georgia at Rutgers Dec. 8; Men’s Doubleheader: Davidson vs. West Virginia and Texas vs. Villanova from Madison Square Garden Dec. 9

Matchups for the 2008 Jimmy V Women’s and Men’s Basketball Classics on December 8 and 9, respectively, two early-season college basketball events showcasing top programs on ESPN and ESPN2, have been determined with proceeds from each event benefiting The V Foundation for Cancer Research.  The second annual Jimmy V Week, a week-long initiative across multiple ESPN platforms and programs featuring special content to help raise awareness for cancer research December 3-9, will culminate with the Classics.

The women’s game, held at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J. for the third consecutive year, will feature national powers Georgia vs. Rutgers at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.  The men’s doubleheader, held at the famed Madison Square Garden for the sixth consecutive event, will pit defending Southern Conference champion Davidson vs. BIG EAST power West Virginia at 7 p.m. and perennial Big 12 power Texas vs. BIG EAST force Villanova at 9 p.m., both on ESPN.

Beginning later this month, 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.  Tickets for the Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic will be available at the Rutgers ticket office (866-445-GORU (4678)).

Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic

Highlights of the seventh annual Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic:

• Georgia will play in its first Jimmy V Classic while Rutgers will make its third consecutive appearance following a 68-60 win over Maryland last year.
• Rutgers lost to Connecticut in last year’s Elite Eight while Georgia lost in the second round to one-seeded North Carolina.

Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic

Highlights of the 14th annual Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic showcasing four of the nation’s elite programs:

• All four teams ended the season in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll -- #5 Texas, #9 Davidson, #17 West Virginia and #24 Villanova – and participated in the NCAA Tournament with Texas and Davidson making it to the Elite 8 and West Virginia and Villanova the Sweet 16.
• Three teams will make their Jimmy V Classic debut: Davidson, West Virginia and Villanova.  Texas’ only other game was a 91-83 loss to Arizona in the 2003 event.
• Davidson, led by guard Stephen Curry who averaged 25.9 points per game last year, will play in MSG for the first time since an 81-77 loss to Syracuse in an NIT matchup on March 18, 1972.
• West Virginia and Villanova are two of only five teams to reach the Sweet 16 at least three times since 2005 (UCLA, North Carolina and Memphis being the other three).  Texas is one of three national programs to advance to at least the Sweet 16 in five of the last seven years.

Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic Dinner October 14

The head coaches for all six Classic teams are expected to appear at the 14th annual Jimmy V Basketball Classic Dinner Auction to be held Tuesday, Oct. 14 at New York's Chelsea Piers’ Pier Sixty.  Proceeds from the dinner and auction will benefit The V Foundation to fund essential cancer research.  For additional information or to reserve tickets call The V Foundation at 1-800-4JimmyV or log on to www.jimmyv.org.

The V Foundation

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 raised more than $70 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs.  The Foundation, which has received five consecutive top 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, awards grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Review Committee.  For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.

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