Event to feature a trio of Ohio programs – Ohio State, Akron and Ohio – facing West Virginia, St. Bonaventure and Davidson, respectively
CLEVELAND, Ohio (September 28, 2023) – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland will serve as the host venue for the Dec. 30 Legends of Basketball Showcase, a college basketball tripleheader headlined by the previously announced contest between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Two more games will make up the Dec. 30 schedule, leading off with the Ohio Bobcats facing the Davidson Wildcats, followed by the Akron Zips taking on the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. The Buckeyes and Mountaineers will tip off in primetime. Game times will be announced in the coming days.
The National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) is the title sponsor of the event. Founded in 1992, The NBRPA serves former professional basketball players in their transition into life after basketball and is the only alumni association of its kind supported directly by the NBA and National Basketball Players Association. Intersport, a Chicago-based sports marketing and events agency, is the operator of the Legends of Basketball Showcase.
Tickets for the event will go on sale on Oct. 12 at www.rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com, but fans interested in attending the tripleheader can register to receive event information and gain access to early tickets through a one-day presale on Oct. 11 by signing up at www.LegendsofBasketball.com/Showcase. Through the link, fans can also purchase VIP hospitality tickets through the NBRPA for the opportunity to meet former NBA and WNBA stars.
“Following the tremendous success of our inaugural Legends of Basketball Showcase last year in Chicago, we are proud to once again be a huge part of the college basketball calendar and bring the event to Cleveland,” said Scott Rochelle, President & CEO of the NBRPA. “With six elite basketball programs being featured and the games being staged at a top-of-the-line venue in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, we are sure this will be a can’t miss event for every basketball fan. We look forward to what promises to be an incredible afternoon and evening of hoops action.”
“We’re excited to work together once again with the NBRPA to stage the second edition of the Legends of Basketball Showcase, especially with the lineup of programs that will be participating this year,” said Mark Starsiak, vice president of basketball at Intersport. “This year’s tripleheader features very competitive regional programs with passionate fan followings, which will create an entertaining atmosphere at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.”
Ohio State and West Virginia have faced each other 17 times previously, with the Buckeyes holding a 9-8 edge in the series. The Mountaineers, however, have dominated recent history, winning eight of the last nine meetings, including each of the last three. The teams last met in 2019, with West Virginia earning a 67-59 victory at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in 2019.
This will be the fourth all-time meeting between Akron and St. Bonaventure, with the Zips carrying a 2-1 edge in the series. The teams have split the last two meetings, with Akron winning a 2018 tilt and St. Bonaventure claiming a 2020 victory. The first meeting between the teams was back in 1942.
Ohio and Davidson have met three times previously, with the Wildcats having won each matchup. Davidson has won a pair of home games as well as a neutral site contest in 2006 in Tempe, Ariz.
The Legends of Basketball Showcase is one of many events that is part of Intersport’s early season college basketball calendar, which has seen considerable growth in the last five years. After initially launching a four-team event in Fort Myers in 2018, the Chicago-based agency has announced plans to host at least eight different events during the first eight weeks of the 2023-24 season, with an additional announcement to come in the ensuing days. The current Intersport early season calendar includes:
- Nov. 10: Radford vs Marshall (The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.)
- Nov. 17-19: Arizona Tip-Off (Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Ariz.)
- Nov. 20-22: Fort Myers Tip-Off (Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Fort Myers, Fla.)
- Nov. 23-25: Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off (Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Fort Myers, Fla.)
- Dec. 2: Legends of Basketball Las Vegas Invitational; Gonzaga vs. USC, Washington vs. Colorado State (MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.)
- Dec. 14: Florida Tip-Off; Florida vs. East Carolina (RP Funding Center, Lakeland, Fla.)
- Dec. 16: CBS Sports Classic; Ohio State vs. UCLA, North Carolina vs. Kentucky (State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Ga.)
- Dec. 30: Legends of Basketball Showcase: Ohio State vs. West Virginia; Ohio vs. Davidson; Akron vs. St. Bonaventure (Cleveland, Ohio)
Team Quick Facts
Ohio State Buckeyes
Conference: Big Ten
Head Coach: Chris Holtmann
2022-23 record (conference): 16-19 (5-15)
2023 Conference Tournament: Semifinals
All-Time NCAA Tournament Appearances: 35
Top Returning Scorer: Zed Key (10.8 ppg)
West Virginia Mountaineers
Conference: Big 12
Head Coach: Josh Eilert
2022-23 record (conference): 19-15 (7-11)
2023 Conference Tournament: Quarterfinals
All-Time NCAA Tournament Appearances: 31
Top Returning Scorer: Seth Wilson (4.2 ppg)
Akron Zips
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: John Groce
2022-23 record (conference): 22-11 (13-5)
2023 Conference Tournament: Quarterfinals
All-Time NCAA Tournament Appearances: 5
Top Returning Scorer: Seth Wilson (4.2 ppg)
St. Bonaventure Bonnies
Conference: A-10
Head Coach: Mark Schmidt
2022-23 record (conference): 14-18 (8-10)
2023 Conference Tournament: Second Round
All-Time NCAA Tournament Appearances: 8
Top Returning Scorer: Daryl Banks III (15.4 ppg)
Ohio Bobcats
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Jeff Boals
2022-23 record (conference): 19-14 (10-8)
2023 Conference Tournament: Semifinals
All-Time NCAA Tournament Appearances: 14
Top Returning Scorer: Jaylin Hunter (13.2 ppg)
Davidson Wildcats
Conference: A-10
Head Coach: Matt McKillop
2022-23 record (conference): 16-16 (8-10)
2023 Conference Tournament: Quarterfinals
All-Time NCAA Tournament Appearances: 15
Top Returning Scorer: Grant Huffman (9.4 ppg)
About Intersport
Since 1985, Intersport has been an award-winning innovator and leader in the creation of sports, lifestyle, culinary and entertainment-based marketing platforms. With expertise in Sponsorship Consulting, Experiential Marketing, Hospitality, Customer Engagement, Content Marketing, Productions and Sports Properties, this Chicago-based Marketing & Media Solutions Company helps their clients to create ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. To learn more about Intersport, visit www.intersport.global, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
About the National Basketball Retired Players Association
The National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) is comprised of former professional basketball players from the NBA, ABA, and WNBA. It is a 501(c) 3 organization with a mission to develop, implement and advocate a wide array of programs to benefit its members, supporters and the community. The NBRPA was founded in 1992 by basketball legends Dave DeBusschere, Dave Bing, Archie Clark, Dave Cowens and Oscar Robertson. The NBRPA works in direct partnerships with the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association. Legends Care is the charitable initiative of the NBRPA that positively impacts youth and communities through basketball. Scott Rochelle is President and CEO, and the NBRPA Board of Directors includes Chairman of the Board Charles “Choo” Smith, Vice Chairman Shawn Marion, Treasurer Sam Perkins, Secretary Grant Hill, Nancy Lieberman, CJ Kupec, Mike Bantom, Caron Butler, Jerome Williams, Clarence “Chucky” Brown and Dave Bing. Learn more at legendsofbasketball.com.
To follow along with the NBRPA, find them on social media at @NBAalumni on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch. To follow along with the NBRPA, find them on social media at @NBAalumni on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch.
About Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is Northeast Ohio’s premier sports and entertainment facility. Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Monsters and the annual Mid-American Conference (MAC) Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament, the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse also hosts major attractions, top-tier concert tours, family shows and signature events to the greater Cleveland area. Each year, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse hosts more than 200 diverse ticketed events and 1,400 private events that draw more than 2 million patrons to downtown Cleveland.
Media Contact:
Dan Mihalik, Intersport, dmihalik@intersport.global
Julio Manteiga, NBRPA, jmanteiga@legendsofbasketball.com, (516) 749-9894