University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagles to Compete in Hawaii's Diamond Head Classic
7/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
HONOLULU, Hawaii -- The Southern Miss men's basketball team will be one of eight participants in the eighth annual Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. The action will be held Dec. 22, 23 and 25 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu and hosted by the ESPN Family of Networks.
"We are so excited to be a part of the Diamond Head Classic," head coach Doc Sadler said. "It will be great exposure for our basketball program against a strong field on a big stage. Additionally, it is an awesome opportunity to be playing on ESPN during the holiday time where a lot of people will be watching."
The Golden Eagles will begin their play Thursday, Dec. 22 against San Diego State at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
Half of the member schools (Hawaii, Tulsa, Stephen F. Austin and Utah) were in the 2016 NCAA Tournament field. Illinois State and San Francisco round out the field.
Southern Miss made its only other trip to Hawaii in 1998, winning two of its three contests (Hofstra, VCU) at the Honolulu Thanksgiving Shootout.
The multi-day, destination event will feature 12 games over three days. Each team will compete in one game per day, advancing through a bracketed-tournament format. Six of the 12 matchups, including the championship game, will be showcased on ESPN2. ESPNU will carry four games, and two will be exclusive to ESPN3.
Fans interested in making the island journey would be advised to explore official travel packages. Other information, including an interactive bracket, can be found on the tournament site.
