Vivid Seats Legends Classic presented by Old Trapper set to take place this week

November 14, 2022

The 16th annual Vivid Seats Legends Classic presented by Old Trapper will feature Michigan, Pitt, VCU, and Arizona State meeting at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., from Nov. 16-17. Each of these teams has previously played in the Classic: Pitt (2008 – Champs; 2013 – Champs; 2017), Michigan (2010; 2014), VCU (2014; 2018), Arizona State (2015). Neither of these teams has played each other in the event.

TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for the Roman Legends Classic presented by Old Trapper can be purchased at:  www.legendsclassic.com

 

Michigan Wolverines (2-0)

Juwan Howard is in his fourth season as the head coach at his alma mater…a year ago, he guided Michigan to a 19-15 record and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament…in his first three seasons, he led the Wolverines to the Elite 8 (2021) and Sweet 16 (2022) after COVID wiped out the 2020 postseason…this year, the Wolverines return National Player of the Year candidate forward Hunter Dickinson, a junior who led Michigan in scoring (18.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.6 rpg) en route to All-Big Ten second-team honors…transfers Jaelin Llewellyn (Princeton) and Joey Baker (Duke) along with incoming freshmen Jett Howard and Youssef Khayat will play big roles for the Wolverines…Michigan played in the 2010 and 2014 Legends Classics, advancing to the final in 2014.

Pitt Panthers (1-1)

Now in his fifth season at Pitt, Jeff Capel continues to rebuild the talent and depth of the Panthers program…forward John Hughley has thrived in Capel’s system, leading the Panthers in scoring (14.8 ppg), rebounding (7.9 rpg), and field goal percentage (.471, 154-327) last season…guard Jamarius Burton was second on the team in scoring at 12.4 ppg as well as assists (75) and steals (27)…guard Nike Sibande returns having lost all of last season with an injury after averaging 6.9 ppg in nearly 20 mpg in 2020-21…Pitt will be making its fourth Legends Classic appearance, winning the title in 2008 and 2013…the Panthers also played in the 2017 event.

VCU Rams (2-0)

Mike Rhoades is in his sixth season as head coach at VCU, returning in 2017 after serving as an assistant from 2009-14 and as head coach at Rice from 2014-17…since returning to VCU, he has guided the Rams to a pair of NCAA Tournaments…VCU’s leading returning scorer is guard Ace Baldwin who, despite missing the first eight games of last year due to injury, finished fourth in the A-10 at 5.5 apg to go along with averages of 11.4 ppg and 2.5 rpg last season…guard Jayden Nunn averaged 8.6 ppg…known for its Havoc on the floor, VCU led the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.278) and steals (9.2 spg) and was second in the league in scoring defense (62.4), field goal percentage defense (.394) and blocks (5.1 rpg)…VCU played in the 2014 and 2018 Legends Classics, advancing to the championship game in 2018.

Arizona State Sun Devils (2-1)

Bobby Hurley is now in his eighth season as head coach and has raised the profile of the Sun Devils program…he guided ASU to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2018 and 2019 for the first time since 1980 and 1981 and had the pandemic not knocked out the 2020 tournament, the Sun Devils would have made it three in a row for the first time in nearly 60 years…guard DJ Horne led ASU in scoring with a 12.5 ppg average…guard Luther Muhammad netted 5.2 ppg…back after numerous injuries that limited

him to just 15 games in two seasons is Marcus Bagley…transfers Devan (Auburn) and Desmond (Nevada) Cambridge and Frankie Collins (Michigan), as well as freshman Austin Nunez will play key roles this season…Arizona State lost in the title game of the 2015 Legends Classic.

 

YEAR-BY-YEAR CHAMPIONS

             Champion               Runner-Up              Score

  2021   Virginia                    Providence              58-40

  2020   None declared

  2019   #18 Auburn             Richmond                79-65

  2018   St. John’s                VCU                        87-86 (OT)

  2017   #16 Texas A&M       Penn State              98-87

  2016   Notre Dame             Northwestern           70-66

  2015   Marquette                Arizona State           78- 73 (OT)

  2014   #12 Villanova           #19 Michigan           60-55

  2013   Pittsburgh                Stanford                  88-67

  2012   #1 Indiana               Georgetown             82-72 (OT)

  2011   #20 Vanderbilt         Oregon State           64-62

  2010   #10 Syracuse          Georgia Tech          80-76

  2009   Florida                    Rutgers                   73-58

  2008   #4 Pittsburgh           Washington State    57-43

  2007   #16 Texas               #7 Tennessee          97-78

 

ON THE AIR: Below is a look at the television schedule for the Vivid Seats Legends Classic presented by Old Trapper (all times are Eastern):

Nov. 16 Michigan vs. Pitt, 6:00pm                       ESPNU

            VCU vs. Arizona State, 8:30pm              ESPN+

Nov. 17 Consolation Game, 7:00pm                   ESPN2

            Championship Game, 9:00pm                ESPN2