O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic Tips-Off This Sunday

PRINCETON, N.J. – The 2007 O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic Tips-Off this Sunday, November 11th. Regional doubleheader action in College Park begins at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Regional action goes from Nov. 11-14 at the four regional sites and will culminate with the winner of each Regional Round advancing to the championship rounds Nov. 19-20 at the newly constructed Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. In addition to the tournament, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) will induct 12 former coaches and players into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, being constructed inside the Sprint Center, on Nov. 18.

ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to offer live national television coverage of ten games during the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic. Combined, ESPN2 and ESPNU will televise both Championship Round doubleheaders at Sprint Center on November 19th and 20th. ESPN2 will also televise two Los Angeles Regional games, while ESPNU will cover two College Park Regional games, and two games of the East Lansing Regional. Mizzou Sports Network will also televise two Columbia Regional games. Outlined below are the dates, locations and match-ups for the tournament.

Click HERE for a complete bracket with TV times.

---- REGIONAL ROUNDS ----

---- CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS ----

CREDENTIAL REQUESTS:

Please contact the appropriate school for credential information:

The deadline to request a media credential for the Championship Rounds of the Event is Thursday, November 15th 2007 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Please fax your Championship Round application to The Gazelle Group, Attn: Evan Olesh, (609) 921-2332. Those who have requested a credential request form will be notified of their status via e-mail. Confirmed credentials can be picked up the day of the games at Media Will Call in Sprint Center.

Click HERE for a printable application.

O’Reilly Automotive, Inc., the recently named title sponsor, is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories in the United States, serving both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets. Founded in 1957 by the O’Reilly family, the company operates more than 1,600 stores nationwide. For more information on O’Reilly’s, please visit oreillyauto.com.

The tournament was initially established in 2001 as the Guardians Classic, in partnership with the NABC. The event is now named after the College Basketball Experience, a college hoops fan interactive facility that is scheduled to open this year, as part of the Hall of Fame. The College Basketball Experience will be the nation's only facility that celebrates, in its entirety, the sport of college basketball.

TICKET INFORMATION: Championship Round tickets at Sprint Center are now on sale and may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 816.931.3330 or through Ticketmaster.com.

For VIP Ticket packages, contact Brian Halligan at 609.921.1300 or bhalligan@gazellegroup.com

Tickets for the Regional Rounds may be purchased through the host schools’ box offices. On-sale dates for individual game tickets will be announced in the near future.

Maryland: umterps.com or 800-462.8377
Michigan State: msuspartans.com or 800.467.8283
Missouri: mutigers.com or 800.228.7297
UCLA: uclabruins.com or 310.825.2101

The O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic is produced by The Gazelle Group in Princeton, N.J. The Gazelle Group is a sports marketing firm, specializing in event production/management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. Gazelle produces numerous nationally recognized events, such as the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. For more information on The Gazelle Group, please visit gazellegroup.com.

For more information on the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic, please visit the official tournament website at CBEClassic.com